Today Mary Ann and I are preparing to leave for Seattle and Vancouver tomorrow after a very fruitful weekend of ministry in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Friday night we had the absolute delight of attending a prayer meeting of senior saints from a supporting church. It was a joy to hear people talk with their Savior and Friend of many years. Saturday we attended the memorial service of a long-time missionary friend, Ginny Goodman who went to be with the Lord January 8. Ginny served in missions for many years with Child Evangelism Fellowship and SEND, Intl.. Her husband Mark was a huge encouragement to Mary Ann before Mary Ann went to Niger with Sudan Interior Missions in 1978. It was a joy to see several of Mary Ann's Sunday School teachers when she was a girl growing up at Edina Baptist Church and many others who have encouraged her and us in our walk with the Lord in our missions' calling. Many of these folks are in their twilight years and are prepared to go to Glory when called home. And it was our privilege to say thank you to them in both settings for their prayers and fellowship. I keep saying this over and over and over again, where would be we without our friends because missionaries cannot go without being sent.
Yesterday we had a full day of ministry at Elim Church in Minneapolis which was our first time with these dear saints. We gave a ministry presentation and challenge in adult Sunday School, I gave the morning message, followed by a long lunch with their mission's committee. We thank Charlie and Sandy Burt for their friendship, support and making this day possible because we're grateful to get connected to Elim since we are on the same ministry page.
In Seattle we will visit our dear colleagues serving in the ACTION USA office for a couple of days. Wednesday we will speak in their weekly chapel to give a personal thank you to them for their service to us and ACTION worldwide. Then Friday Mary Ann and I along with Nelson and Linda Reed, ACTION's International Director and wife, will drive to Vancouver where we will help man the ACTION display and I will teach a work shop Saturday on working with street children. Pray that the Lord of the harvest will lead us to those He wants to send out to work among the world's 160 million street children and other children in crisis such as orphans, prostituted children, child soldiers, children orphaned due to AIDS and enslaved and trafficked. We return to Minnesota on a red-eye flight from Seattle, arriving on Monday morning at 6am. Later in the morning we will pick up Micah at the hotel where she and Danny will be staying. Danny will be representing his company Olive Tree Bible Software at the Pastor's Conference so we will not see him until Wednesday evening. We will have both of them with us until Sunday. So it will be nice to see them for a few days again. I will be in town for 4 days then Friday I go to Winnipeg for the Manitoba Missions Fest where again I will help man the ACTION display and teach a workshop on ministering to street children. I will have the great joy of seeing again my long-time friend and partner Pastor Fred Sabastian and speaking in his church Church of the Living Hope in Winnipeg February 6. Pastor Fred for many years through his church and extensive network of Filipino Canadians has been a reliable partner in our ministries to street children and disaster relief.
To track our schedule, you can log onto our online calendar link. Our Sundays are booked through March 20. Our Sundays are open from April until we return to Manila June 14 so pray with us about filling in our schedule. See our schedule below.
For your information, we will have a live interview on KTIS 900 AM radio program Live the Promise, from 2:30 - 3:00pm on February 9. Pray, please, as we meet with people that Christ's name will be honored, people encouraged in the walk with Him and we all will obey His calling in our lives.
1. Spokane trip
We had a great time with Danny and Micah Scott in Spokane, WA. They're settling into their new home nicely along with their church and activities in the community. While there, Mary Ann and I visited Dr. Tony Smith who treated us for several allergies, Mary Ann's Lyme's disease and me for worms, parasites and a sick liver due to toxins. For several months we both have been feeling fatigued or as we say, a low battery, and needed to be recharged. Dr. Smith determined we were deficient in several minerals and vitamins so that is now being taken care of and we both are feeling better. March 10 we have a follow up appointment with Dr. Smith to determine where we are at in our recharging. When we explained to him our living and working environment in Manila, along with the stress of missionary life, he expressed his concern for the health of missionaries so he wants to spend a couple hours after office hours training Mary Ann and me in some simple techniques we can use to help others.
2. Personal and Ministry Support
We thank the Lord and our sending team for adequate support throughout 2010. Our December support was strong which helped us finish the year in good shape. People ask us how our support level is and our support needs have been met through several unexpected donations; however, some churches and individuals have needed to reduce or stop their giving so we are praying for additional monthly donors and supporting churches. Please join us in prayer for the Lord's supply.
* Vehicle Project
We are selling our 8-year-old vehicle in Manila and have been approved by ACTION to raise $20,000 to buy another one. Join us in prayer that the Lord will provide our needed vehicle. If you have any questions about our support level or vehicle project, feel free to contact us.
3. 2011 Evangelistic Street Children Camp Schedule
Street kids love camping just as any child does. At our camps the campers eat lots of good food, receive medical attention, sleep well, have lots of fun and learn about Jesus. They are recruited by partner churches and agencies with the goal of leading each one to a personal faith in Christ who will then be followed up after camp. We figure it costs $35 per camper for a four day camp. Here is our schedule for 2011 at Camp Jabez, a couple hours south of Manila: February 22-25; May 10-13 or 17-20; August 2-5; and, September 13-16. Camping is a strategic ministry, not only because it ministers to street children but it mobilizes churches and individuals who are concerned for kids on the street. Perhaps you or your church would like to sponsor kids to go to camp this year so prayerfully consider this.
4. Summary of 2010 Street Impact Team and Disaster relief ministries
Last week I worked with our team in Manila in writing 2010 ministry reports for our Board and International Council. I am amazed at what our small team in partnership with many like-minded churches and individuals accomplished with so little. Our praise goes to God for His enabling and the credit goes to the dedicated men and women we have the joy of knowing and serving with day to day. Ministry truly is about the Lord and His enabling us to serve others for the Gospel's sake.
5. 180° Global Alliance
Last week I also worked with the leadership of 180° Global Alliance, a group of dedicated Christian men and women scattered around the world working with street children. I am a member of 180's steering committee and recently we launched a retooled website which we hope will provide inspiration, teaching and best practice models. If you are interested you can log onto the 180 website to learn more about this global movement. http://www.180degreesalliance.org/
6. Mary Ann attending Member Care conference
Mary Ann's passion and ministry for many years has been fielding and caring for missionaries and helping them have a fruitful career serving the Lord cross culturally. February 17-19 she will attend the Midwest Conference on Missionary Care which will be held here in Minneapolis/St. Paul. When we have the opportunity we share with mission committees that missionaries need care both on the field and while on furlough as we are inter-connected in the body of Christ. If you are interested in attending this conference, log onto: http://www.minnesotarenewal.org/MC2.html and let Mary Ann know so she can look for you.
Conclusion:
We are not interested in running around being busy but we desire to be where the Lord wants us to be, speaking to whom He wants us to meet. Our burden is to see missionaries sent to the fields of the world, "from anywhere to anywhere" as we say in ACTION. But the Lord of the harvest needs to send them. Matthew 9:37-38 "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest." (NKJV) We are also passionate about speaking up for the needy and Proverbs 31:8-9 are our watchwords while we're on furlough and they read, "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice." (NLT)
As I said yesterday at Elim, if you're called to go as a missionary, do not be afraid, the Lord is faithful to send you and meet all your needs. If you're not called to go, then you are responsible to help send those who are. We are the body of Christ and dependent on each other for the Lord's glory, the spreading of the Gospel and giving compassionate care to the needy.
Sincerely in Christ, your partner,
Jeff
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