Hey, I need your help. We are planning our second annual ACTS 1:8 Mission Fish'n Bass Tournament on May 16th. From 6 am til 2 pm at Lake Dardenelle State Park, at the tournament pavilion. This could be a tough year. So here are some ideas and way to help.

- Lead your church, group or business to be a sponsor of the tournament by sending in a cash donation or purchase prizes for the tournamen

- Invite business men and women to be sponsors of the tournament.

- Sponsor someone who wish to participate in the tournament, possibly, by paying their way.

- Spread the word to others. Remember this tournament is for anyone who wishes to participate, so tell you neighbors as well.

- Make our posters visible. Ask for posters. I would be glad to send you as many as you need. Hang them at your local outdoor supply stores and local community gathering places.

Remember, this tournament’s proceeds go to support our ACTS 1:8 missionaries. They need your help now more than ever. The economy has affected us all, but I believe our missionaries are suffering the most. If you need more information feel free to call or message me.

I wanted to update you on Eddie Bowerman. Eddie arrived back in the states in Mid-January and immediately received medical treatment. Here is a message from Eddie.

Hello guys! Just a quick note to let you know that my surgery went well today. The anesthesiologist was actually related to me. We have the same great-grandfather and are third cousins (insert Arkansas jokes here). I am bleeding a lot, but it is getting better. I probably have lost at least 1 pint or more of blood easily. I have lots of pain when I go to the bathroom from the catheter that is still in there (I meet with the urologists again on Feb. 23rd and they’ll take it out), but they were able to get both stones in the right kidney. I will have to go through this again with the left kidney later on most likely. He couldn’t do both kidneys because he was afraid that the bleeding could clog up both kidneys and then I would lose kidney function. So I just get through this and go through it again later on.

The urologists also said that we would do a study to see what is causing these stones and perhaps even give me some medicine to stop their formation—that can inhibit some of the calcification in my kidneys. My pain medicine is working well—just before time to take another pill I start to hurt a lot, but I’m sure as I have a few days under my belt I will begin to feel better.

My doctor’s office called and said that I should hear from the transplant center in the next couple of weeks about the appointment and I should know something before March 1st.

Eddie

Please continue to pray for Eddie and LaRhonda and they cope with these medical challenges and transition back into life in the states

-God Bless

Don Matchett

Edgmon's Prayer Requests

I recieved this from Anthony Edgmon.....

We need your prayers. Please pray for the following:- This Sunday February 1st, our church will celebrate its 3rd anniversary! Praise the Lord for an average attendance of 27 throughout 2008.- A friend from the community choir we sing in passed away last Thursday. We have a unique opportunity to lead a memorial service with many of our choir friends. Pray that God would give us words of comfort and hope.- Our residency renewal is getting underway. Pray for a smooth process.- For opportunities that we have to share our faith. May God open doors.- The Spanish economic crisis is effecting so many. Unemployment is at 14%. This also effects the evangelical church. Pray that God would provide for His children. May He strengthen faith and speak to hearts that may be more open to spiritual things because of current conditions.Thanks.

God bless you all.

Anthony & Lea Edgmon

As you will remember, Eddie Bowerman will be coming home from the mission field because an enlarged spleen related to his liver condition. We first thought Eddie and LaRhonda would be coming home in March, but it seems that his condition is such that they more than likely will be coming home in a matter of weeks.

I thought it might be better if you read the information directly from Eddie.

Letter from Eddie:

Hey guys!

I just wanted to update you guys on my health situation.

I have been having problems with hematuria (bleeding into the urine) from the my enlarged spleen (hiperspleenism) for several weeks now. This is from my platelets being so low and I have now lost more than a pint of blood. I saw both my hematologist and gastroenterologist yesterday who concurred that I will need surgery to either destroy part of the spleen (killing off 1/3-2/3 of the spleen) or totally remove it. They are both of the opinion that it is something that should be done before I lose a lot more blood.

My liver specialists told me that he feels that I should consider going ahead and returning to the States and get the procedure done since he prefers that I do the partial splenectomy if possible but that would depend on my Stateside doctor. My hematologist doesn’t even know a doctor here in Panama that does the procedure but said that he would investigate to see, but that probably it would be best to look at my options in the US since I would be doing recovery and everything there.

This is all news to us and not exactly what we were expecting. On a more positive note, my liver function are doing somewhat better which has been great news! PTL! So, LaRhonda and I and our family will discuss this, but if you have some input you would like to give, please do.

A group of Panamanian pastors and leaders came to our house last night to pray for me for God’s healing and to let us know they are with us through this. It was one of the best acts of kindness we have felt during this process. Not to belittle any of the prayers and wonderful sentiments that everyone has expressed, but it was so wonderful to have these men and women of God around us and seeking God’s face with us personally here in our home—it brought home how much a part of Panama we have become and has become part of us.

God bless,

Eddie


I hope you will continue to pray for Eddie, LaRhonda and the kids. This would not be an easy move for a healthy person let alone someone in Eddie's condition. Of course, the news of the move back to the states was sudden, so they are now rushing to get things in order. I hope you will pray for them daily.


Until next time


Don