arrival & departure

Greetings, my friends, in the name of the One who “spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast” (Psalms 33:9). The land is growing dark, a gross darkness covers the people of this once free realm. Are you ready to suffer for the Lord Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:29)? Are you watching for His coming (Matthew 24:42)? Are you preaching the Gospel to a lost and dying world (Mark 16:15)?

I apologize deeply for my recent lull in communication. Some of you may still be wondering whether or not we returned home safely after my last update, a report that had us hunkered down in South Dakota back on December 8th. Yes, we bade a difficult farewell to Ricky as he boarded a bus in Kansas City several days later. He made it home safely, and not long thereafter, we crossed the threshold of our domicile with much gratitude for our Lord’s mercy in bringing us home. I should have at least let those who were praying for us know that we had arrived safely. A simple email would have been sufficient. Please forgive me. After seven months on the road, and a 5,789 mile winter’s drive from Anchorage, Alaska to Vale, North Carolina, I needed a break from everything, including the computer, FPGM’s blog, and my lengthy email updates.

I trust everyone had a pleasant Christmas and is experiencing a joyful new year in faithful service to the King of Kings. The best way we can serve Him and show our gratitude for Calvary is to live for Him while TELLING others about Him. As for us, we had a wonderful time with family over the holidays, and it has been nice to enjoy some time at home, despite an unusually cold winter down here in Dixie. I have actually woken up several mornings to go for a jog only to discover the outside temperatures to be colder than those in Anchorage. Weird?!?

Please continue to pray for Jamie. She is now 30 weeks pregnant, and we recently found out that we are having a son. The Lord is good. She is due at the end of March, and we look forward to another home birth.

Recent weeks have allowed much time for reflection with regard to the now completed “North to Alaska Missionary Journey.” I marvel at how the Lord answered OUR prayers and YOUR prayers for us on countless occasions, going all the way back to our petitions for a suitable support driver and ministry partner. Truly, the promise of Romans 8:28 played itself out in God’s supply of Ricky Springer. I couldn’t have asked for a better colleague. I likewise marvel at God’s divine provision and His divine protection all along the way. Twice, I should have been killed (high on the slopes of Mt. Sinopah and on the Alaska Highway in the Yukon Territory after being run over by that ATV), but the Lord preserved me. Numerous times, Ricky and I felt like quitting to come home, but by the Lord’s grace, we persevered. A long winter’s drive home from Alaska was fraught with potential dangers, but we rolled into Vale, North Carolina unscathed and completely taken care of in terms of traveling expenses. What more can I say than to concur with the Psalmist: “Unless the LORD had been my help, I should then have almost dwelt in silence (Psalm 94:17) . . . Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction” (Psalm 119:92).

In summary, this journey (May 8-December 11) involved 4,208 miles of pedaling a bicycle for the Word of God and the Testimony of Jesus Christ and 21,714 total miles of driving. Great strides were made towards FPGM’s goal of publicly taking the Gospel to the downtown streets of every significant city and town in America as 74 American cities and towns were targeted for outreach. In addition, 19 Canadian cities and towns were visited with the Gospel; and the Lord gave opportunity for testimony and exhortation unto boldness in 12 local church bodies. 33 opportunities to encourage fellow believers unto faithfulness in witnessing transpired in the context of fellowship; and we were able to evangelize on the campus of every major school in the University of Alaska system. Most amazingly, perhaps, in looking back on the whole of the domestic arm of FPGM’s labour since 2003, is this: On a bicycle, the Gospel of Jesus Christ has now been publicly proclaimed to the four farthest corners of the American road system (Key West, Florida = southernmost; Lubec, Maine = easternmost; Prudhoe Bay, Alaska = northernmost; and Anchor Point, Alaska = westernmost); to the shores of the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic Oceans; along the spines of the Rockies, the Sierra Nevada, the Cascades, the Appalachians, and the Brooks Range; over rivers, through the forest, into the desert, along rocky headlands, across rolling farmland, and over mountain passes--12,332 total miles in the saddle!

I write none of these things to boast, for“God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” (Galatians 6:14). No, I write these things because the spiritual fruit is as much yours as it is ours. Without the prayers and financial support of many of you, none of this would have been possible, “for we are laborers together with God” (I Corinthians 3:9). Thank you. Speaking of which, if you contributed financially to the work of the Lord through FPGM this past year, you should have received your tax-deductible receipt. These were mailed out several days ago.

So much was accomplished in 2009, and the Lord provided in all we endeavored. We never had to “deputize,” we didn’t have to wait around until a “certain percentage of support was raised,” and we never went without what was NEEDED. The Lord called, we went forth, the Lord provided; and He used many of you to do it. Merely saying “thank you” cannot adequately express our gratitude. May God return the blessing upon you tenfold, no, an hundredfold.

As one called to a life of itinerant preaching, going to wherever the Lord opens a door of opportunity and endeavoring to make the Gospel of Jesus Christ an unavoidable issue for as many people as possible, I again find myself on the brink of another missionary journey, coveting your prayers. On February 4th, I will be returning to South America for about four weeks. There, I will be partnering with Bruno Benoni (a Swiss missionary that I met in the Yukon Territory this past summer) in Bolivia AND with the ministry of Dylan & Cheri Harris down in Argentina. As is our custom, the focus will be upon street evangelism and the training of fellow believers in the work of proclaiming the Gospel. Lord willing, I will be sharing with some local churches in Santa Cruz, Bolivia and hitting the streets in that large city that sits smack dab in the middle of the jungle. Hopefully, there will also be an opportunity to go up into the altiplano and perhaps take the Gospel to the streets of La Paz. Down in Argentina, I will be coming alongside the faithful and fruitful work that the Harris’ began back in November. We will be targeting the Jewish population down in El Boson and the hippie trekking crowds that come from all over the world to park at the refugios and saunter in the Andes. Dylan has already canvassed most of Bariloche and the surrounding towns; I will be helping him go into some of the more unsavory and unpredictable barrios with the Truth of Jesus Christ. All ‘twill be about getting God’s Word and the message of the Gospel into the ears and hands of as many people as possible. It will be hot, right in the middle of summer down there and quite different from what recent months have thrown our way. The last hot day I remember was pedaling up the Cassiar Highway in British Columbia back in July. A strange heat wave had settled in the area for about three days, and this, coupled with smoke from nearby wildfires, had the mercury topping out in the lower nineties. I actually got to wear shorts for threes days along the 4,208 miles of pedaling from Minnesota to the two ends of the road in Alaska.

Anyway, please pray for traveling mercies from the Lord to be upon me. I will roundtrip from the States to Santa Cruz, Bolivia. From Santa Cruz, I will have to figure out how to rendezvous with the Harris’ down in Bariloche, Argentina. The affordable option will involve an international border crossing and more than 50 hours alone on a bus. And, that’s only one-way; I would have to do it all over again to get back to Santa Cruz and then catch my flight back to the States. A roundtrip plane ticket to the Harris’ and back is the quicker and safer option, but it’s expensive. In fact, traveling anywhere is expensive these days, especially so soon after seven months on the road. Please pray that the Lord will make financial provision for this entire journey and direct my steps in a way that will further the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Proverbs 16:9).

Please pray for my family while I am out of the country. It’s always difficult to be away from them for the sake of the Gospel, but I thank God for a faithful wife who understands and encourages the measure of true discipleship of as laid out by the Jesus Christ Himself in Luke 14:26-35. I wanted to take Bethany with me this time, but the Lord seems to have closed this door. Still, I rejoice thinking about all the adventures we recently shared together up in Alaska and throughout the long journey home. The Lord has also given us some quiet sedentary weeks together since, somewhat of a repose. For such moments, I am most grateful.

With selfish motives, perhaps, please also pray that our little unborn baby waits to enter this world until after my return. If past experience is any indication of what to expect, then he won’t be early, and he won’t be late. Right on time will be March 27th, three weeks AFTER I am slated to return. All in all, the Lord knoweth best.

Well, I better sign off. This update is atypically succinct, but I am certain more detailed recap is coming from the Southern Hemisphere. Check out www.fpgm.org. I have made some changes to the template and added some pictures to our gallery. You might find these uplifting.

There is so much for me to get done before I fly out of here on February 4th. Pray that all preparations get made and everything comes together. It may be some weeks before you hear from me again. Thanks again to those of you who supported Full Proof Gospel Ministries with your finances in 2009.

Wait a minute, before I go: I recently received this testimony from a young man in Iowa who has requested Project Jagerna Nepali Scripture portions from our ministry on several occasions. He has been trying to get the Gospel in the hands of Nepali-speaking Bhutanese refugees that have come into the area. This is what he wrote:

HI brother Jesse, sorry it took me so long to respond. Thank you for [Nepali] Bibles, they are getting used. About the family, that received JESUS: the granddaughter attended church and I asked her if they had any hindu gods that they worshipped, and she said, “No, but my grandma does, please help.” We went there and I went to the bedroom, and a shrine with hindu gods, incense, and food offered was all set up. I pointed at the grandmother and had the child translate. I told her Jesus Christ the Son of the living GOD loves her and is here right now, and wants to save her. She threw her hands in the air and began to cry out Prabu Yesu [Nepali for “Lord Jesus”]. I said, “Do you want to be saved? She said, “Yes.” I said, “Get the grandfather and uncle too; we will pray and you all can receive JESUS and be born again, heaven is here. First, you need to tear down this hindu altar and remove it forever. JESUS is not a god you add to your false gods, HE is GOD.” They said no; I said yes; they said no; I said : “JESUS will not take second place, HE wants all of you.” They said yes, and we tore out the hindu altar and threw it all outside in the dumpster, Hallelujah!! They all prayed, believed, received, and confessed JESUS CHRIST as LORD and SAVIOR while the grandma was still crying out “Prabu Yesu.” Three days later, I went back with Nepali Christians to sing, and take Bibles,and congratulate them. The grandpa said, “Thank you very much. I knew we were doing wrong.” Thank JESUS! The grandma was talking, and i asked about what she was saying. She said, “The evil spirits would come in every night and shake the house and scare us, BUT! BUT!!! since JESUS has been here the devils have run away!!!!! HALLELUJAH!!” The peace of GOD was all over them; it was awesome because HE is awesome. When the light comes the darkness flees. They come to church often and are now new creations in CHRIST JESUS. Thank you very much for the supplies and new books for me. I pray for your ministry and family.

I am humbled and silenced with awe. For those who support our work, this is your spiritual fruit; and TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

For the Word of God and the Testimony of Jesus Christ,

Jesse Boyd

P.S. I am having a really difficult time trying to refresh on Spanish. I used to speak pretty well and could preach on the streets in this language, but concerted efforts with Nepali have since caused me to forget and confuse much. Please pray for a supernatural touch from the Lord, that I may call to remembrance all that I once struggled to learn, and that in doing so, I may be more effective in communicating the Gospel down in South America.