“I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people and I will be their God.” (Ezekiel 11:19-20).

This is our prayer for the people we seek to minister to. So many are trying to earn their way to heaven by following many man-made laws and are unaware of God’s plan of salvation by grace through faith that is so clearly revealed in God’s Word. We know that in spite of Covid-19, God has been working and moving in the hearts of people everywhere, and we pray that they will see the light and come to saving faith in Him.

Since the middle of March, our ministry has changed somewhat due to Covid-19, but we have still been very busy. Our work now mostly takes place in our studio and offices at home. As you’re hopefully aware, we are developing a Low German Sunday School curriculum, and we have made good progress on the writing of the material. Hopefully, we can keep up this momentum and stay ahead of the material that the churches are currently using. It is so good to not be scrambling to get the next book ready in time!

We have continued, as well, with the writing of the children’s devotionals. More families have joined the mailing list because homeschooling was pretty much forced upon them, so they felt they needed more spiritual content and this way they could learn biblical principles, as well as practice, reading Plautdietsch. There are many inquiries as to when the next book containing these stories will be ready, and our reply always is, “As soon as there are funds to pay for the printing.”

Several missionaries have been in contact with us during the past few months regarding using these stories in radio programming. One couple in Paraguay has been making audio recordings of the stories, and drawing beautiful illustrations, and posting these illustrated audio versions onto WhatsApp. The plan is to very soon post these same illustrated stories onto YouTube, so keep a lookout for that! We are excited and blessed that the devotions are making an impact. All glory to God!

Another project we have been diligently working on is our latest CD, titled “Groote Freid em Läwen,” which is totally finished! It has even been manufactured! All we need now is to be able to ship them to our door! Just in the last few days, some possible shipping options have opened up, so we are eagerly pursuing these. Who knows? Any day now we may be able to post online that they are available for sale! In the meantime, we have released the entire album digitally to radio stations everywhere. The response has been very positive, and our prayer is that it will be a blessing and source of comfort during these times.

Covid-19 was able to shut down a whole lot of events and services, but some things just can’t be stopped! Such as the birth of a baby! In late April, Andrew and Deanna welcomed little Levi Merrit into their lives, and what a blessing he is! We are so thrilled to now be grandparents to two precious babies! Please praise God with us for this wonderful blessing! And keep Andrew and Deanna in your prayers as they navigate parenthood in the midst of a busy life of ministry.

Jason and Teya, too, have had an adventurous time in these last few months, but we are happy to report that things seem to be looking up for them. Teya is healing well after major surgery a month ago. Jason had a dental surgery a few weeks ago that has also healed well. Their little daughter, Soren, is enjoying having healthy parents! Praise God for healing!

As the country slowly opens up to a more normal way of life, we are looking forward to resuming our travels. Several small events are happening in the very near future and we believe it will progress from there. In the meantime, we plan to continue with the writing, and music development.

Together with our advisory board, we are exploring ways to keep in touch with our audiences, and to raise some much needed funds. An online fundraising event is in the works, and is scheduled for viewing on our YouTube channel, Diedrich and Nettie Friesen, at 7:00 PM on July 12th, 2020. As well, some other fundraisers are becoming more and more likely, and announcements regarding those will also be made at the appropriate time. Please pray with us that God’s will would be done, and that all things would happen according to His plan.

As we announced in our previous newsletter, our son Jason is planning to come on board with us in this ministry on a part-time basis. This is still the plan, although it has been postponed a bit until things are a little more stable. Please keep him and his family in your prayers as they wait and trust God for His perfect timing.

We always hesitate to say much about this subject, however, many of you have expressed concern and asked how we’re doing. Even though donations went down dramatically overall, we still praise the Lord, for He has carried us through this far! Our God is faithful, and He has also blessed us with some very faithful supporters. Thank you, each and every one for your prayers, encouragement and financial support. We are very much aware that we could not do this without you!

While our work has continued, and we have been able to continue receiving a salary, there are some needs that are starting to feel urgent. Our project account has suffered, due to the fact that we have bee unable to do live events, which is where many of our products are sold. That loss of income, is definitely noticed. This means that we are unable to pay for the printing of new materials until that account is built up again. Here too, we know that God is in control, and we are trusting Him to provide the needed funding in His own time and way. Thank you all for your prayers regarding this need.

During these last few months we have been made aware over and over again of the great need to reach our Low German people. There is so much darkness and discouragement there. Many are suffering from the virus, but also from a lack of assurance of salvation and peace with God. As we hear reports from the colonies, our hearts ache for them, and we are spurned on to renew our efforts, in God’s strength, to provide them with the resources they need to learn of God’s ways and the peace He wants to give them. Thank you all for being partners with us in this work. May the Lord richly bless you as you faithfully serve Him in your daily lives.

• God’s faithful provision during this troubling time.
• The peace that God offers to all who come to Him in faith.
• The safe arrival of little Eli, (Andrew and Deanna’s baby).
• The healing being experienced by both Jason and Teya.
• The encouragement and support we have received from all our friends, family and supporters.

• Andrew and Deanna as they learn a new normal as parents, and seek to balance family life and ministry.
• Teya’s continued healing and good health.
• Jason as he continues to prepare, raise funds, and wait for the right time to join the ministry of D’Friesens in an official capacity.
• The whole country (and the world) as it slowly opens up again. Pray that many more souls would be saved, and that God’s kingdom would be built up and His name glorified.
• The needed funds to continue with the printing of materials and resources.