Dear Friends and Family,

I keep waiting to long to write these prayer updates, and then it seems there is too much to write about to fit in just one newsletter! So, I am going to attempt to send more regular (weekly or bi-weekly), shorter updates to keep you informed of our prayer needs and other important things that are happening.

So here is my attempt to share a few highlights of what's been going on since late February when I was about to depart on a short trip to the USA with my daughter Ariel...

Encouraging time in the USA

My daughter and I had a great time visiting family and friends, as well as numerous churches, during our 3 week stay in the Southwest (Cali-OKC). We were blessed by all of the fellowship and prayers and encouraging words that came our way. We were also able to connect with some new possible supporters, which is a blessing since our support has been low since the beginning of 2014.

Please continue to pray for us and partner with us so we can make it the rest of the way!

2,500 – 2,500 = 9,000!?

One of the prayer requests I shared in my last update, as well as in many places in the States, was for the safe delivery of 2,500 “crumbs” (Scripture booklets, portions of the Bread of Life) from the printer in Indiana to our home in northwest China.

Well, the Lord provided for our literature needs in a different way! We received a knock on our door just two days after I returned from the USA. The police (about 12 in all) were there with our bag of 2,500 crumbs in tow. We came really close to being charged with a felony (freely distrubuting God's Word) and deported but were eventually just given a stern warning and the crumbs were all confiscated. Evidently the bag of literature had been flagged at customs and the police notified.

Long story short: just a week or so later I was able to make a trip to Hong Kong and acquire more than 9,000 more crumbs to replace the 2,500 we lost. I also made connections that will enable me to get countless more crumbs in the future, without the same risk.

So praise God for guiding us to a larger fountain of blessing than what we had realized was available, and pray for God's Word to accomplish the purpose for which it was sent in the hearts of all the future readers (eaters?) of these Living crumbs!

Raeha Butler finally joins us in Northwest China!

After what seemed like months of delays waiting for visa papers to arrive, we went out on a limb and had Raeha apply for a tourist visa instead. She did, and once it was approved, she flew to China in early April! It turns out that a small local English school, whose principal is a new Believer, was in desperate need of a new teacher. This is a different school from the one she had originally tried to apply for and the teaching situation, hours, training, fellowship, salary, etc... are all much better! So praise God for the earlier “delays” and for working out this situation in the way that He did.

Please pray for Raeha as she adjusts to life in a big Chinese city, begins to learn Chinese, and looks for ways to begin to let her light shine among the Christians and unbelievers around her!

A Season of Short-term Visitors

Between now and early July we are hosting four different teams totaling 55 people, including both Americans and South Africans. However, last month we had one special "short-term" visitor come see us TWO times: my father Laban West.

My dad was able to spend a week or so with us both coming and going from a mission trip to Bangladesh and Nepal. We had a great time visiting as a family, of course, but we were also able to explore some new, areas (for us, anyways) of western Sichuan and distribute thousands of our newly-acquired "crumbs" (Scripture Booklets) in unreached towns and villages.

Pray for much fruit to come from these seeds that were planted!

Surprise Move

Shortly after our visit from the police in late March, our landlord also was also visited. She evidently was uncomfortable renting to us anymore and informed us a couple of weeks ago that she was going to sell our apartment for financial reasons. It was a bit of a shock, but we were blessed to have another apartment (a small guesthouse and office) that we were renting in the same complex. So we just finished moving over all of our things and combining those two apartments into one. Its a little bit crowded, but this new home is “homier” and better in many ways. I really feel like its turned out for the best!

Please pray for us as we adjust to this new home and that we would have no further troubles with any landlord :-)

One Final Prayer Request

We have continued to be about 25% below budget for first few months of 2014. If you'd like to join our support team, here is where you can make a one-time donation or set up a regular monthly gift: www.iphc.org/donations/missionaries/ben-west-support-account

Pray that God would provide for every need in His good timing and for us to trust in His unwavering goodness.

Thank you once again for all of your prayers and support! God is so good, and we are so blessed. May God also richly bless you with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus as you delight yourselves in Him!

For His Glory,

Benjamin, Deysi, Gabriel, Ariel, and Abby