Monthly Prayer Letters
The Chapel
We are currently working with Ronald and Tennille Downey at Bethania Baptist Chapel in Elan Valley, Rhayader, where Ronald serves as pastor. Jason is working as the assistant pastor and helping in the areas of preaching, leading the services, setting up and running the sound system, community outreach projects, and literature distribution. I (Dana) am in charge of the music program, singing specials, and playing the piano for the services. I also take care of the floral arrangements for the chapel and the graphic design and social media aspects.
Services are held at Bethania each Sunday at 2:30 pm. On Sunday mornings, we attend the town chapels in the heart of Rhayader if Jason hasn’t been invited to preach at another chapel in the surrounding area. Most of the chapels in Wales do not have a pastor, so the preachers in the area are often called upon to help fill the pulpits in services throughout the country.
We currently host multiple events throughout the year to reach the people in Rhayader and the surrounding communities. This year, we have plans for Holiday Bible Clubs (VBS), Christian movie nights, BBQs, Ladies’ Tea, Festivals, and more. We also hold special services annually to celebrate holidays and other important occasions.
The Community
Our work takes place primarily in the town of Rhayader, the crossroads of Wales, as it sits in the middle of the country. Rhayader (meaning “waterfall”) consists of around 1,800 people, and less than 2% of the population attends church or chapel. (For clarification, “church” refers to the state church, The Church in Wales, which is Anglican. All other denominations are referred to as “non-conformist” or “chapels.”). But, as I said, of the 1,800 people, only a few are being reached with the gospel. We hope to change that.
The people of Rhayader are exceptionally kind and generous. When it comes to the things of God, however, they are evasive and even apathetic. They have no ill will towards us as Christians and don’t treat us with disregard or disrespect. They just don’t see their need for salvation and have little desire to think about the end of days.
In the short time we’ve been here, we’ve fallen in love with the people, and we don’t want to see them perish. We’re working hard to build relationships and be living lights to those walking in darkness.
The Country
Wales has a population of 3.2 million people and about 12 million sheep. It is a beautiful land of hills and valleys, waterfalls and streams, pastures and woodland, coastlines and castles. The diverse countryside offers a lot of walking, hiking, biking, fishing, and more. The weather is moderate though the winter brings many wet, dark days. We’ve adapted well to the climate and are in awe of the views daily. Overall, it’s a magnificent place to live, and we already feel like it’s home.
Despite the many revivals in its history, Wales is now known as “the land of closing churches.” There has been a significant spiritual decline in the past century, and the need for revival is more vital than ever. Like so many other places in the world, the country has fallen prey to distractions that have pulled them away from the house of God and ultimately from God Himself. The Bible is dismissed as irrelevant. The stories within God’s Word are treated as fairy tales. And God as Creator and Lord is labeled a myth. Churches and chapels are dying off at an alarming rate, and the people—as a whole—don’t seem to care.
Yes, Wales needs another revival; we believe God can send one. That’s why we’re here. We want to be a part of another great movement across Wales, not for our glory but for the glory of the Lord. We long for the Welsh people to know God and to trust Him with their hearts and lives. And we plan to do all we can to tell them.