Mary Ann and I are extremely grateful to the Lord and to each of you for standing with us in prayer and the many notes of encouragement via email and facebook as we have been recovering from our various health challenges. Since I last updated you on my torn retina, I saw a retinal specialist on February 3 in St. Paul, MN. She said the laser surgery done in Edmonds, WA was done well but was giving way. So she did some additional cryotherapy which means simply she froze my eye and did more "spot welds". She then sent me home with a very sore eye, a patch, ointment and gave me clearance to go to Winnipeg the next day for Mission Fest Manitoba, which I did. My eye was red and very sore but I did speak 3 times, twice at the missions fest and at Church of the Living Hope led by my long-time good friend Pastor Fred Sebastian. Last Tuesday I had a follow up appointment with my retina specialist in St. Paul and after looking at me she said "you're a quick healer and I clear you to do any rigorous activity you want so you can pretend this never happened". After I told her I went to Winnipeg the day after her therapy (her description was she beat up my eye) she said "You're hard core and people better listen to you". I will need to see an Ophthalmologist May 27 prior to our return to Manila for a followup. Pray that medical insurance will cover all these tests and procedures because it will be spendy. And pray for continued clearing of my vision as it is still cloudy with floaters. The doctor said it will clear up over time.
1. Health Update
As I've mentioned before, Mary Ann and I have been treated for several sensitivities, worms and parasites, Mary Ann for Lyme disease and our vitamin and mineral deficiencies are being boosted. March 10 we have a follow up appointment with Dr. Smith to see where we're at but we are feeling better. These treatments and vitamins and minerals are costly and we're praying for the Lord's continued provision but we're grateful that our health issues are being addressed because we want to return to Manila with our batteries fully charged. Mary Ann is requesting prayer for her right leg and foot which have been in constant pain for quite some time. We're not sure what to do about it.
2. Feb 22-25 camp
Last week we had our first of 4 scheduled evangelistic camps for street kids and school drop-outs this year at Camp Jabez. We had 42 campers with 6 participating churches and all the kids indicated trusting Christ as Savior. The churches and our team are now following up the campers. Three boys were interviewed and accepted into the Working Hands program which is our Discipleship/Vocational Skills training ministry. Pray that the kids will grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ and the churches will be diligent in ministering to them. For your information camps for '11 are scheduled for: June 14-17; August 2-5; and September 13-16.
*It costs roughly $2500 for each camp so please prayerfully consider giving a gift toward this very fruitful ministry. But as a praise, recently in Manila a friend for his birthday party asked all of his gifts be given toward our camping ministry and almost $7,000 was raised!
3. February 28 Fire Relief Operation in Navotas City
You'll recall recently I notified you of two huge fires in Metro Manila and our need to raise funds to provide aid to those who were burnt out. Today in Manila our team in cooperation with 2 churches gave relief to 200 families of which many are living in 2 basketball courts. This operation was delayed due to the need to raise the funds and last week's camp and it cost approximately $6,100. We are still raising funds for the huge fire in Quezon City where we want to help 300 families at the cost of approximately $8,600. We're trusting the Lord for those funds and Lord willing we'd like to do the relief sometime this week.
* I have been doing a lot of thinking and writing about ACTION's relief ministry in Manila and we are committed to doing this work of mercy in the name of Jesus Christ. We want to present Him clearly by proclaiming the Gospel and being His hands and feet by helping the needy. Pray for us please as this is a *huge* task.
4. Various ministry updates
• Feed My Starving Children: Currently we are feeding regularly 1,828 malnourished children and 60 senior inmates at Manila's National Penitentiary in partnership with many churches and agencies. March 11 we will be sponsoring a meeting with past, present and future partners in our Fish and Bread Feeding Program to evaluate the ministry and develop it further. February 11 Mary Ann and I had the great joy of joining several from Grace Church Eden Prairie at FMSC's Eagan site in packing and sending food to Manila. This dedicated, joyful "senior youth group" as we have nicknamed them, send us 11 large boxes of food monthly and we are really grateful for their labor of love and prayer. March 6 Mary Ann and I will be at Grace Church Eden Prairie and give the seniors an update.
* I said yesterday in a supporting church that food prices around the world continue to escalate and global hunger is growing. If you're interested in seeing recent reports on this, log onto BBC January 5 and 24 for recent statistics. I also said yesterday it is the churches' mandate to care for the poor and it is a joy to do so.
• Education: Currently we have 266 learners in our Alternative Learning System Literacy Ministry at 14 sites. Most of the learners are street kids and school drop-outs and the 14 sites are local churches or agencies within our network ministering to children in crisis.
• 2nd Mile Working Hands' Graduation: January 29, 33 young men from hardship backgrounds graduated from ACTION's Discipleship/Vocational Training Ministry and are now involved in 6 months of on-the-job training in either auto mechanics, carpentry or computer repair. February 19, 10 young women graduated from ACTION's Mustard Seed Discipleship/Vocational Training Ministry with new skills in sewing. They will be starting their on-the-job training very soon.
• March 17, 6 guys will graduate from ACTION's Honest Hands Life Skills Development Ministry for former street kids and school drop-outs. Those who qualify may enter Working Hands' next class.
*Pray for these young disciples of Christ who have worked hard in order to graduate as they enter the next phase of their lives. We thank God for the ACTION missionaries and staff along with our partner ministries who patiently and lovingly train their students.
5. Missionary Care Conference
February 17-19 Mary Ann attended two conferences related to missionary care. The first one trained her in using a stress assessment tool called the Cerny Smith Assessment. This tool will enable her to help missionaries identify areas of high stress that they are challenged with so they can receive help. The second conference immediately followed the first and was called the Midwest Conference on Missionary Care, sponsored by Minnesota Renewal Center. The purpose of this annual conference is to help churches develop ways to be active in understanding, supporting and encouraging their missionaries. She recommends all churches in the area send representatives to next year's conference. You can find information at http://www.minnesotarenewal.org/. Missions and ministry is often messy and painful but with proper care, missionaries can be enabled to remain on the field until God releases them and be more effective.
6. Schedule
We're grateful for opportunities to preach, teach and share in several churches on what the Lord is doing in our midst. God's people are so precious! Pray for us as we meet with people as we are looking for new missionaries to join our team in Manila, raise additional personal support and funds for a vehicle. We are stunned (and that is the word) as to how many churches consider us as one of their missionaries. Recently someone asked me how our support is and I said we finished 2010 strong because of several unexpected one-time gifts. We're working on filling in our schedule in April and May so if you would like Mary Ann and I to come and share, let us know. We'd be glad to brag on our great God. (See our current schedule below and check our website for updates.)
* Car fund: I mentioned we're raising funds for a car for Manila. We recently sold our van to a new missionary who needed a this type of vehicle. When we return to Manila we hope to buy a smaller vehicle so we are raising $20,000. This combined with the funds from the sale of our van will enable us to get a newer vehicle that will last a good 10 years. During our meetings we haven't had the chance to talk about this because there are so many other things to talk about. But we ask you to prayerfully consider giving to our car fund. Gifts toward this fund can be designated to: Account # 40012G or "Jeff Anderson Car Fund".
7. Trip to Washington, Oregon, California March 9-29
Mary Ann and I will go to Spokane March 9 to see Danny and Micah Scott then travel with them to Seattle the 11th for ACTION's annual International Council meeting the 12th through the 18th. Mary Ann will take the minutes and I will attend as Associate International Director and serve as the Council's Secretary. The 19th we will meet our son Amos in Seattle and the three of us will take a road trip visiting churches and sites in southern Washington, Oregon and northern California. We're glad to again have significant time with Amos and visit several friends so pray that this trip will be fruitful and restful at the same time.
8. Hard copy newsletter
We are hammering out our first quarter "Yes, Lord!" hard-copy newsletter and we're hoping to send it to the printer this week. When it is done you will receive an electronic copy. Pray that we write accurately giving glory to God and credit to whom it is due.
My personal theme verse as we go around and meet with God's people is Psalm 26:12 (NKJV) which says, "My foot stands in an even place; In the congregations I will bless the Lord." Ministry is not about us, it is about our awesome God. Pray we will lift up the name of Jesus and talk much of His sacrifice on the cross, His empty tomb and because He lives how He is transforming the lives of many who trust in Him. Friends, because He lives, we live also if we trust in Jesus. John 11:25-26.
Sincerely in Christ your brother,
Jeff
You can see many photos on these reports here: https://picasaweb.google.com/ACTION.siteam
MARCH
3 Senior's Luncheon at First Baptist Church
6 Grace Church, Eden Prairie -- (speaking in Room 152, 9:30 am)
12-19 Seattle, WA for International Council Meetings at Camp Berachah in Auburn, Washington, south of Seattle.
13 Lake Tapps Community Church, ministry report during services and adult Sunday School, Lake Tapps, WA in Seattle area
20 Morning, Skamania Community Church, Skamania, WA
Evening, Community Bible Church, Lebanon OR
21-26 Road trip with Amos to various sites in Oregon
27 Morning Services, Pacific Community Church, Bandon, OR
29 Return to Minnesota
APRIL
3 Maple Plain Community Church, 10 minute update in morning service
10 Open for church meetings
17 Lake Eunice Evangelical Free Church, Pelican Rapids, MN
24 Open for church meetings (Easter)
MAY
1 Grace Church Eden Prairie Missions Moment, 3 morning services
8 Open for church meetings (Mother's Day)
15 Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 8:30 and 10:45 am services, Cloquet, MN
22 Tentative Calvary Gospel Assembly, Estherville, IA
29 Open for church meetings in Twin Cities (Memorial weekend)
JUNE
3-5 All Nations Fellowship/Bethlehem Baptist Church Retreat at Sandy Lake
11-12 Twin Cities area
14 Return to Manila
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