MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

It's over ! Mission accomplished!

Vernon Costolo, of West Virginia, and Sean Borca, of Florida, have completed their whirlwind gospel giving mission tour of duty in Ottawa. This, following a three day evangelism venture in Toronto.

The four day long American-Canadian coalition gospel blitz upon Ottawa is over. The American soldiers have gone home. The Canadian soldiers wish they could have stayed longer. But they know how much their families are happy to have them back.

Their Canadian comrades in arms, Bill and Jenny Baker in Toronto, along with Paul and Kim in Ottawa, were more than pleased to meet these dedicated soldiers of the Lord and were privileged to serve alongside them on the streets of their respective cities.

The Lord was so kind.

In teaming up with Vernon and Sean over a 7 day period, the gospel was faithfully preached in the open air in various busy locations many times over.

The number of gospel tracts handed out was just shy of 10,000. A good number of Bibles were handed out to those who desired one.

There was a multitude of fruitful gospel conversations with people. We had cross-witness opportunities and we believe we were witness to at least two genuine conversions while we ministered on the street. God be praised!

All gospel tracts and most Bibles were stamped with contact information that would lead the receiver to assistance for local church searching and/or discipleship.

Aside from the Ottawa Police being called on us for preaching in front of the University of Ottawa gates and being asked to leave the premises of a shopping mall in Gatineau, Quebec, by security for passing out gospel tracts, the mission was a successful one.

The fellowship that was shared over these few days, considering these intrepid gospel harbingers were strangers at first (aquainted only through the blogosphere), was prayerful, edifying, warm and very, very funny. These fellows have a wonderful sense of humor.

A special note of thanks to Pastor Bob Doble and his wife, Marie-Josee, for joining us in our efforts at the U of O on Wednesday and for putting up (with) Sean in their home for 5 nights. 

We enjoyed each others' company to the max. Such is the fruit of our common bond in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, whom we live and love to serve.

Please come alongside us in prayer that, within the multitudes who received the gospel this past week by the spoken word, God's written Word or gospel tracts, there would be some whom the Holy Spirit would move toward genuine repentance and faith in Jesus, our Lord.

And pray a prayer of thanksgiving for men like Vernon and Sean, and their families, for sacrificing (financially and otherwise) a week of their "vacation time" to faithful service in the building of the Lord's Kingdom. It was an honor and privilege to serve alongside them. Not to mention a whole lot of fun.

They came as strangers, left as friends and are appreciated by us as dear brothers in Christ.

Yes, it's over.

But the countdown to a similar mission here in Ottawa next year has already begun as we believe the Lord is calling us to make this an annual event.

Only 358 more days left. We can't wait.

Glory to God!