Marty & Brenda Dittmar - USA

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February 2010

Dear Friends,
 
SO much has been happening lately!   Let me recount a few things...
 
1) Met with an athlete this morning. He blessed my heart so much. A believer who has just lived "ho-hum" over his time here at Purdue...but realizes now he has wasted some great opportunities. He is determined to make up for lost time. He wants his life to count for things that really matter and last forever. How awesome is that!  A cool kid with a heart on fire!  We sat together and went through Scripture.  He told me how he had spent the day before on his knees in repentance and reading God's Word.  We plan to meet each week now in a discipleship/accountability group.  We did his freshman year and then he quit doing it.  Now as a senior, he sees what he has missed out on.  When we prayed together, he shed some tears...of sorry and of joy.  Pray for Adam.  Please do PRAY for him to grow.  Be strong.  Begin to actively proclaim who he is and to Whom he gives his allegiance. 
 
2) Our South Africa team is pumped and preparing for ministry at Bethesda Outreach over Spring Break.  The Lord is bringing in funds for the trip.  Each one is raising their own support.  A couple of our guys come from situations where getting support is a real challenge for them, BUT the Lord is doing some neat things!   A dear lady here at Purdue (not a church member, just a Purdue lady who has followed our Haiti trips and what we have done with athletes and FCA, etc) came to me and asked if anyone was needing support for the group going to South Africa to help the orphans there.  I told her of one in particular.  She wrote out a check for this fellow (anonymously) for $500.  When I told him that someone had given anonymously $500 for his support for South Africa, he was so humbled AND blessed!   This young man accepted Christ last year so this has been a big step of faith for him...a new step of faith!  
 
3) THIS Sunday (Jan. 31st) I will have the privilege to baptize 3 fellows at Kossuth St Baptist in Lafayette (10:30am service).  If you live anywhere near, please come for a visit and listen to their testimonies and witness to their desire to obey Christ and follow Him.   PTL for this!
 
4) Last year we determined that our mission trip to Haiti THIS YEAR would be to build a home for a needy Haitian family.....THEN came the earthquake and destruction.   Now more than ever is our project needed!   We have TWO TEAMS of athletes committed and raising their support to go and build.   The Lord has supplied the funds for one home already ($2,700)....but we are so thankful for the Purdue men's basketball team and the women's basketball team AND the football team.  They have taken on our HOMES FOR HAITI as their project to raise funds.  At a home game in FEB for both men and women's basketball, we are going to be taking a FREEWILL donation from fans after the games as they leave at all exits.  Football players and basketball players will have 5 gallon buckets to gather donations.  PRAY for the Lord to do some extraordinary things through this!!!  However much come in for HOMES FOR HAITI, we will build the homes!!!  I got this idea one evening last week after a home game and as I was getting in bed.... I got up, started brainstorming, emailing, going to the coaches and players and people JUMPED with enthusiasm on board!  I am so thankful for wonderful folks all around this Purdue athletic family.  I am privileged to Chaplain these people and share the Word of God freely here every day!   To God be the Glory!
 
5) Keep Brenda's Dad in your prayers.  He is undergoing Chemo therapy right now.  It is very hard for him, but his attitude is super.  We are praying for the Lord to heal him quickly!  Pray for Bren in all this too!
 
6) Sure appreciate prayers for our kids too!  Laura and Phil return from India mission trip for Taylor University this week.  They have had a wonderful time with 18 students.  They have shared the Gospel with more than 10,000 students over the three weeks with meetings in schools.  Amazing opportunity.  Pray also for "THE BOYS".   They are adopting two boys from Ethiopia.  They should get their referrals ANY DAY now!   Then from three to six months the Boys will come home!   PRAY for our Matthew.  Pray that he will do well in school, grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ and take a strong stand for the Lord in his life!   Thank you so much!
 
We love you all and thank God for you.  This is only a small report of what God has been doing!   We could recount sooo many things!   So many praises and prayer requests!   Just pray for the Dittmars at Purdue! 
LOVE TO YOU ALL,
 
Marty and Brenda
 
 

 

 

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