Mark
and Dayna Blair
Haili
Church
P.O.
Box 1332
Hilo,
Hawaii 96721
February
1991
Aloha
in Jesus name!
We write this final "Uganda
Update" half the world away from East Africa. Mark has accepted a call as
the Pastor of the Haili Congregational Church; the church where we were married
and commissioned to missionary service in 1982. Our ministry began here this
month.
Founded in 1824, the church is the second
oldest in Hawaii. Once there were thousands of members, over one thousand
people were baptized one day in the 1800's! Today there are 200 members. Our Haili
Christian School, where our boys now attend, has 310 students, pre-school
through eighth grade. We are excited about the ministry which God has given us
here. There is a far greater percentage of non-Christians in Hawaii than in
Uganda. We pray God will bless His church for the blessing of many, and the
honor of His name. May God do what He's done here before.
We look back fondly on seven years of
ministry in East Africa. We had some part in the training of several hundred Ugandan
pastors. The Word of God is preached in many churches. We shared the gospel in
homes, open-air markets, prisons, hospitals, prisons, and mosques. We prize the
loving friendship of many Ugandan friends. None of this would have happened
without your generous support and faithful prayer. The Lord is mighty!
This summer Haili Church will give us an
unpaid leave of absence. We hope to come to the "mainland" to express
our gratitude and share with those of you who would like us to come. Funds which
you have given since our return from Uganda will defray the cost of this trip
for our family. IF YOU WOULD LIKE US TO COME TO SEE YOU THIS SUMMER WE NEED TO
KNOW SOON. This is the last prayer letter we anticipate sending. We do hope to
hear from many of you.
As you send this letter from
"paradise" you may be surprised to see our "prayer card."
We need prayer to minister in Hawaii just as much as we did in Uganda, perhaps
more. "Salvation is of the Lord." Perhaps those of you who never
visited us in Uganda could be persuaded to come here. We would love to host
you. We are very grateful for the tremendous support we have received for the
past eight years. May God return your kindness tenfold.
Gratefully
in Him, Mark and Dayna, Nathan, Josiah, & Aaron
