APR-MAY-JUNE 2006

Dear Christian Friends,

We apologize for the lateness of this newsletter. It was due to the fact that I was hospitalized on three different occasions from April 15 through June 16th.

Prior to the hospitalizations I spoke April 7th in Newport News, VA at a banquet for Mid Atlantic Teen Challenge, a program that deals specifically with boys 12-17 years old, a difficult age group to be sure even under the best of circumstances. Many came forward for prayer and one came for salvation, for which we praise God!

Once home I unfortunately experienced some emergency health problems and complications resulting in 3 hospitalizations beginning with open-heart surgery with 5 by passes. Praise the Lord that I did not experience a heart attack much to the surprise of the all the medical staff involved in my care! Each shift change brought discussion from the staff saying that I had had a heart attack but my wife would say that’s not true. Upon that they all would go pull the chart and right there in black and white God would testify of what He had kept me from! Upon my release I had two more hospital stays, this time in our local hospital. I had complications that had nothing to do with my heart, again much to everyone’s amazement. During these next two stays we had so many opportunities to witness and pray for doctors and staff, including two Muslim doctors. It was and still is exciting to see what God is doing among the hearts of the medical staff and especially how He has opened the hearts of two Muslims! To God be the glory! Please continue to keep them all in prayer as we’ll be seeing them for follow up appointments. None of this would have been the way we would have chosen-but that doesn’t matter-because HIS WAYS ARE NOT OURS! (ISAIAH 55:8). What looks like a setback is really His opportunity! In the midst of all of this His peace abounded and after more than 30 years of praying and witnessing to my stubborn sister, we were able to lead her to Christ! It was worth it all. Again, it’s not the way we would have chosen but it doesn’t matter! All this does give new meaning to “He maketh me to lie down…” (PSALM 23:2).

We so want to thank all of you for your prayers and thoughtfulness expressed in cards, calls and meals! You have been such a blessing to us! It was also a blessing to us to have all 4 of our children home together for the first since 2000. This was due in part to the fact that our daughter lived in Puerto Rico and now Florida and our middle son, who is in the military, has been overseas. What a joyous, early Father’s Day we had. We also had a wonderful but quiet celebration of 30 years of marriage, treasuring His care for us through our most recent trials and His faithfulness to us over the years. God Is Good!

I am regaining my strength and returning to ministerial responsibilities, sharing the Gospel in the jails and with inmates’ families.

On July 29 we will be going to Queens, NY where I’ll be accepting an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity from Northwestern Theological Seminary. After the Lord put that in the heart of our friend Bishop Kittim Silva, he spoke with Dr. Gary Amoldovar who will bestow this honor. I am truly humbled by all of this. All the glory belongs to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

In August we’ll helping out with Joshua Revolution, a free regional youth transformation event to be held August 18-20 on Frontier Field in Rochester, NY. Nicky Cruz will speak two nights. We encourage you to bring the lost, not just youth but their families also. With Rochester, NY having the dubious title of the murder capital of the State of New York (per capita) we are in a desperate need of His touch here and as a nation we won’t survive unless God breathes on us once again!

Please keep us in your prayers as we look to move forward in what the Lord has called us to do evangelistically in the months to come in the jails, prisons, programs, churches and one to one.

God bless you all and be encouraged in the Lord! (Acts 1:8)

Yours in Christ,

Herman & Sandy