April/May '03

I’m not sure that everything from the last two months can be included in one prayer letter. The first item is something I’ve anticipated publicizing since I was in Bible college and especially for the last several months—we’re finally full time! Glory to GOD! Hallelujah! God called me to preach almost nine years ago, and this is the first time that I’ve been without a secular job. I resigned my position at the city of Gulfport on Tuesday, May 20th, so that we can dedicate ourselves to raising financial support for our ministry. The next blessing was one that Sabrina and I did not know we would be writing, but she and I are both ecstatic over the news that we are expecting our first little one! Amen! Praise the LORD! Please pray for my wife while she is with child and for a safe delivery (due December 20th). If all goes well, then this will be the first grandbaby for both sides of the family to spoil!

Before we actually began full-time deputation, we participated in three more meetings. At a church in Mississippi just an hour from our hometown, we took part in a missions conference in April. It was special that a missionary from the Ivory Coast (very close to Nigeria) was the main speaker. Sabrina gave a wonderful testimony during the international supper on Saturday night, and I enjoyed preaching in their junior church on Sunday morning. I was excited also to preach at a church in Louisiana that took us on for financial support before the service was even over. Our first meeting for full-time deputation was a missions conference in Louisiana at Sabrina’s hometown. On Friday night, we showed our Power Point presentation for the first time and also sang during the service; I had a great time driving the bus for their ministry during that weekend. At the end of May, Sabrina and I were glad to be involved with the Summer Missions Institute for Training in Evangelism (S.M.I.T.E). I was the team counselor for a group of four teenagers who conducted a Bible club for five days at a housing project in Baton Rouge. By the end of the week our team had seen fifteen young people get saved, and Sabrina had personally led four people to Christ!

We are certainly hoping to make a trip to Nigeria as soon as possible, preferably this summer. Please continue to pray for wisdom and God’s direction in our plans. Our excitement over the last two months definitely would not be possible without the help we have received from God’s people—thank you!
The following is a letter of recommendation from our close friend, Evangelist Dr. Mike Wells, founder of International World Wide Evangelism, based at Grace Independent Baptist Church in Ocean Springs, Mississippi:

July 10, 2002
To Whom It May Concern:

I want to recommend to you Missionary Mark Holmes and his dear wife. Over the past twenty years that I have been in the ministry, I have seen hundreds of young men and ladies graduate from good Bible colleges. Without a doubt, two of the most consistent soul-winners and consistent Christians that I have had the privilege of meeting and personally getting to know is this dear man of God and his wife.

This couple has proven themselves as sincere, dedicated servants of our Lord. They are not novices. They have proven their faithfulness through the sacrificial years of Bible college. Then, after graduating from Bible college, they proved their love and devotion in faithful service to our Lord as Bro. Holmes became the assistant pastor and bus director for Pastor Dan Carr at the Faith Baptist Church in Gulfport, MS. Under his ministry as bus director, the bus ministry grew enormously, breaking all previous records. This couple is quickly becoming veterans. There is no question that God will use both Bro. and Mrs. Holmes on the mission field. Please strongly consider supporting the Holmes family monthly. This will be mission money that is well invested.

His for others and your friend,
Dr. Mike Wells

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