I think you know some about Ruth and Richard Jertberg in Madagascar. If you don’t, you should RESEARCH them!! Their story is SO GREAT, God’s grace—a beautiful love story!!! Ruth just had her 4th biological baby, but this is their 9th; Richard was a widower, already a missionary to Madagascar. Ruth has officially adopted his five, and they are ONE beautiful family. They are in Madagascar starting a church. Right now, there is NO ONE to help them, no Christians that I have seen. This place IS wide open. Young people need to learn Malagasy and French and go there. Right now, they are in the "pass out tracts, find a property" phase. It is a huge work—this place is MORE crowded than where we are; people everywhere, tight quarters, poverty galore, and so in need of Jesus. Beautiful beaches lined with poor shacks. (richard.jertberg@gmail.com)
Hannah and Nathan Schrock are in San Pedro with us. Nathan has a full-time preaching ministry, discipling young men, and is fabulous with his French already!!! Wow. Nathan and Dan alternate preaching in two locations and teaching groups of leaders in both cities. I have been glad for Nathan’s encouragement and help to Dan. Hannah is pursuing midwifery documents with the Red Cross while taking care of their home. She wants to “someday” be able to legally practice midwifery wherever they go. They are expecting their 5th child in December. (nathannahschrock@gmail.com)
Seth and Paige in Sassandra have four biological kids and have adopted a 7-year-old Ivorian boy. Paige is doing great with her French, taking care of the home, and teaching the ladies at their church. Seth has authorization to preach in the prison and is preaching weekly at two locations, starting two churches and discipling young men to be future leaders. They have three scheduled times weekly for visiting, evangelism, and follow-up. They also have a kids’ club in a village by the beach. Seth started a farm (pigs, chickens, rabbits, goats, sheep, and is working on fish ponds), which gives some of his young men responsibility, places to live, and jobs. The farm is not huge, but is well-used space. Cote d’Ivoire is wide open, and we are spread thin. Again, we need young people to learn French. Most Americans do not understand the need for missionaries in the French-speaking part of the world. (scuthbertson@baptistworldmission.org)
Lydia is living with us in San Pedro. She is the director of our Christian school started in our church. She has been driving the school bus / our Toyota Land Cruiser—picking up kids and taking them to school at 7:15, taking them home at 12:15, going to get them at 2 pm, and taking them back to school, then taking them home at 5:30 pm. I have done the bus route—bad roads, crammed with 26 noisy kids, but fun. She is in charge of teachers, parents, students, paying bills, and our face to the government officials. Her French is superb. I am happy to take care of her and have good food ready for her. She also plays the piano at church and teaches SS. (lydiac413@gmail.com)
Susanna and Matthew Schrock and their two little ones, Selah and Lukas, are based in North Carolina on deputation to come to Cote d’Ivoire. They want to plant a church and start a permanent campsite in Cote d’Ivoire. As you saw in our last letter—camp ministry is wide open; preaching four times a day. The Africans do not know “fun”—gaga ball, volleyball, basketball, foosball; all of these are inexpensive “to us” but unavailable to them. I am encouraging Dan to have these at the school—sort of a recreation center that would draw in the community on the weekends and use the facility to hear the Gospel. (mdsschrock@gmail.com)
Isaiah and Alyssa are in North Carolina. Isaiah faithfully helps at Grace Baptist Church. I love to hear him preach. Alyssa is pregnant and due in April. They are moving by faith one step at a time—as in, they don’t yet know their Canaan Land—a place of more permanent service, battles to be fought, and souls to be saved. Isaiah’s ministry is preaching, guitar, electronics, and fixing everything. (isaiah4c@gmail.com)
Stephen and Martha are in Georgia, also going one step at a time by faith, serving God where they are. They have done several missions trips seeking their Canaan Land. It is the journey that counts. Stephen is a great preacher/teacher (I think he has at least a partial photographic memory), is wise, and is gifted in language and music. All of the boys preach and fix things and all the kids play the piano and guitar. God has blessed me so very much. Stephen is also great at the accordion (Nathan, Matthew and Rebekah as well). Their apprenticeship video:
(happycuthbertsons@gmail.com)
AHHH my sweet, lovely lady Rebekah—she is in San Pedro teaching English at the school. She is SO godly, patient, and kind, great with kids, and great in French (all our kids are fluent in French). She helps with our weekly Saturday morning yard class, which has 30 to 60 kids each week. She also plays the accordion, piano and guitar at church, gives music lessons (that takes a lot of patience), teaches kids on Wednesday night, and does nursery. She is a great cook and homemaker and helps me a lot in the kitchen. Helping hands are in high demand. In January she is planning to go to Madagascar to help Ruth and Richard. (r8broccoli@gmail.com)
Josiah (22) is a senior at Ambassador Baptist College in North Carolina and is doing well in school. He is planning to come home for Christmas and is bringing a young lady home for us to meet. Josiah is a very hard worker, fixes stuff, is an electronics and construction worker, and is in high demand and motivated to get the job done. He works construction with one of his professors; great learning on the job. (josiahqt@icloud.com)
My sweet, tender, kind Joseph (20) is a willing, able worker and is great with kids. He is in his sophomore year at Ambassador. He plays the piano for the church in North Carolina and works fixing things. He is in charge of our house in America. Richard has a property and an old fixer-upper house in America, and he employs any of his brothers-in-law who are available to work. It is a great situation. Isaiah is the foreman, but Joseph is right there to help get the work done. With Richard and Isaiah supervising, the school maintenance staff, and Josiah’s boss, our young men are learning and advancing in all their fix-it and build-it tendencies. Joseph plays piano, accordion, and guitar so beautifully. (josephraqt@icloud.com)
Esther (18) is in San Pedro with us. She teaches Bible classes at the school to the three younger classes (2–3-year-olds), kindergarten and first grade. She plays the piano for SS and teaches SS to the kids. Esther is so kind and patient with kids, a lovely young lady faithfully helping me in the kitchen and at home. She is headed to Ambassador in the fall of 2025. (esthercuth@icloud.com)
Gideon (14) is still doing A Beka school. He is a sophomore in high school and is practicing the piano and guitar. He helps me with the Saturday morning kids' class and cuts and butters the bread for all our church activities (30 to 60 each time)—kids’ class, SS, and Wednesday night. That is a great help —just every time preparing the bread and passing it out. I have a PDR, Physician’s Desk Reference—we rip out papers and use these like “napkins” for holding bread or any other passed-out food such as boiled eggs, etc.—true “paper plates!” (gideo12th.africa@gmail.com)
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