Our staff conference took place during the first week of December, and was a tremendous blessing. We had our full team of 35 short term mission's staff attending and met in our newly renovated training center in Gainesville for three days. During our time together, it was such a blessing to see how the team has developed into such a close knit family, praying for one another and showing genuine concern for each other.

During our conference we spent a lot of time talking and brainstorming about mission trip leadership. How to train leaders, recruit leaders and maintain quality while on the mission field. It was so good to be able to involve everyone in the discussion, and for each team member to see the part they play in the effective running of a mission trip. I really believe that the Lord has blessed us with some exceptional staff and I am looking forward to seeing what He will do in and through us in the years to come.

After the staff conference I flew up to Chicago with three other team members, including the director of Short term missions, to meet with the Awana ministry leadership. They had contacted AIM with the view to form a strategic partnership with us. We spent a very productive day talking about both ministries. The bottom line is that they would like to promote AIM/The Edge as their partner for short term missions. They currently have 12000 churches using their program, and 4000 churches using the teen 24/7 ministry program. Needless to say, this is going to be a tremendous exposure for our ministry, potentially referring many more young people to be exposed to the mission field and all that goes along with that.

At the end of this month, we would have been serving at AIM for four years. The time really has flown by and there have been so many highlights that I would never be able to list them all here. This year has brought increased responsibility, and seeing the Lord bring in some new staff to really help us move into all that the Lord has in store for us. I was blessed to be able to minister and train young leaders in five different countries and on three continents. I believe that 2009 will be an even better year filled with adventures and blessings, as long as we keep our eyes focused keenly on the Father and seek His will daily.

Thank you all for your prayer and support for our family and our ministry this year. Please continue to pray for us.

Merry Christmas

God bless you in the New Year.

Athol, Debbie, Christie and Joshua

As you can see we have a new logo. The short term missions department of Adventures in Missions, which is where I serve, has undergone a change of name. I know the logo is a bit confusing, but we are officially called "The Edge". The reason for the name change is simple, Adventures in Missions has so many programs that is it easy to get confused between the World Race, Next Step, Ambassador program and short term missions. For more information on the new identity please follow this link. http://www.adventures.org/theedge/

Last week I went to Matamoros, Mexico for a series of meetings with our base leaders from around the US and Mexico. We had leaders from Philadelphia, Kentucky, New Orleans, Gainesville and our team in Matamoros. These locations host approximately 4000 missionaries per year combined. That is a huge responsibility to ensure that we are effectively spreading the Word of the Lord as well as discipleship of the participants.

Ever since our summer in New Orleans in 2006, we have been following a mission project leadership model based on what we learned during that year. We spent a lot of time seeking the Lord's will for the leadership and discussing how best to implement changes that would be specific to each location. It was a fruitful time and it was also good to pray with and encourage our leaders who are alone in these locations.

We again have over 150 missions planned for 2009, and four of these are planned for South Africa. I met recently with our hosts from George, South Africa, as they were travelling in the US in order to increase an awareness of their ministry, and to do some fundraising. My dream is that we would be able to train up South Africans to be involved and lead the mission teams coming from the United States. I am planning to lead a short mission trip to George in April of next year, and during this mission, I plan to spend time training leaders from a partner church in Port Elizabeth. God is putting together a partnership with AIM and the pastors from the church that Debbie and I attended while living in South Africa.  The amazing thing is that both these pastors are our age and special friends.  God has grown us in our respective roles over the past 8 ½ years, and is now bringing us back together to grow His Kingdom together.

We are still looking for more participants to make this mission trip viable. So, I am asking you to join me in South Africa for a mission trip! If you ever dreamt of going on a mission trip to South Africa, here is your chance. Click on this link to get more details; http://www.adventures.org/a/trips/level3/2767.htm

I will be leading the mission, and I would love to show you some of the incredible sights of my homeland. I guarantee you that you will be touched by the courage and love of those we minister to, and you will be changed forever.

Please let me know if you can make it, and I will get you connected with the person who handles our sign up and preparation.

As most of you know, Debbie's work with missionsresources.com came to an end in October. This has put a fair amount of pressure on our budget as you can imagine. But the Lord has never let us down and He is faithful. Debbie has always been a fanatic when it comes to photography and scrapbooking, and she has started a small business with a company called Heritage Makers. In the first month she has done really well, and hopefully she will be generating some income shortly. She is very passionate about it and I know that God has opened this door for her to be able to combine her passion with a very tangible ministry opportunity. Please look at her website www.capturelifetimememories.com to find out more information.

Recently we came within a few hours and a dropped phone call of Debbie getting her citizenship. Yes, I know, the process is still ongoing. But we are very close, and pray that within the next month, Debbie will join the rest of our little family as an official American.

Thank you so much for all your prayer and support, we can only stay in ministry with people such as you. Please continue to pray for us as we serve the Lord in Gainesville and around the world.

Prayer requests:

Debbie's business

Debbie's immigration status

Health (we have all had a bout with colds and I even had laryngitis for a week)

Wisdom for my position at AIM/Edge that I only focus on the plans the Lord has for us.

 
Dear Friends and Prayer Warriors

Praise God for His protection of Athol during his training and during the race.  A broken spoke on his back wheel while descending Hogpen Gap at 50 mph could have resulted in a bad fall, but God had His hand of protection on him, and Athol was able to continue riding the remaining 35 miles with a loose and wobbly back wheel.  Another rider was not as fortunate, and was airlifted off the mountain after plunging over a guardrail on a downhill.

Overall, the Six Gap Century was a tremendous blessing and we were able to add almost $6,000 to our support account, which will enable us to focus on ministry rather than worrying about our support balance for at least the next 6 months. Athol has also met so many new friends. He has enjoyed getting fit again, and being able to fellowship with other bicyclists.  Once again, we thank you for your generous financial and prayer support over the last several weeks.

Blessings!

Athol, Debbie, Christie and Joshua Barnes

Read:-   Isaiah 64 vs 7-8: &  Ezek 22 v 30.

Then consider who God is  and who we are and how we are totally dependent on Him for everything. And then see that He has given us the key by which we may open the door to all the riches of His grace and all the fulness of His love, to the supply of all our need.

Then, surely we will be a people of intercessory prayer, believing God to do all we ask for His glory alone.                        Mark 10 v 27;   &     Luke 18 v 1. 

Do you pray in the comfort zone or the combat zone?

Do your requests focus mainly on relief from trials, healing of sicknesses and safe journeys, etc?  Or are you concerned that God's Name be hallowed, His will accomplished and His Kingdom advanced in and through those for whom you pray?

That is the combat zone.   Relief, healing and safety are not ends in themselves.   And they are only good for us when their fulfillment contributes to His will being done and His Name being glorified.   At the point we start to "wrestle against the rulers of the darkness of this world", our prayers become strategic.   Lord teach us to pray.                            C.F. Anderson.

Dear friends

Just a quick update and some news on my recent visit to the areas affected by Hurricane Ike.

I flew into Now Orleans, and then met two staff members and we drove to Houston. We met and stayed with Jerry Davis, who was one of our ministry partners during the Hurricane relief effort in New Orleans, and lives in Houston. Jerry is a victim himself, and his ministry building suffered damage during the storm. We spent a rather sleepless night in a trailer, along with a swarm of ants, but that is another long story. The next day we travelled to Galveston Island, getting through the checkpoint with a disaster relief pass.

The damage is very similar to Katrina and the New Orleans Gulf coast area. We went through houses and neighborhoods  that had 4 to 5 feet of water in them. There will be hundreds, if not thousands, of homes that need gutting, something our teams do really well.

The area of damage is very widespread; the storm was 600 miles across. Many of the areas between Houston to the Louisiana line and beyond are economically depressed and the people might have insurance, but the insurance covers only current cash value (this was the case with a family we visited  in Galveston).

The pictures could have been taken anywhere in the Holly grove area of New Orleans, but they were in Galveston.

The immediate need is for volunteers to help with the gutting, cleanup and clearing of debris. Along with meeting the obvious physical needs, this is one of the best opportunities available to share the love of Christ, and to share the gospel with those we are able to help.

Six Gap Century Update (from Debbie):

Athol caught a bad head cold while in Houston, and has become progressively worse over the last 2-3 days. I have been loading him up on zinc and vitamins to try and get him to kick this thing before the race this weekend! Our babysitter cancelled on us this afternoon, and we normally attend a small group bible study every Monday night. We were very disappointed to miss group, since we have become really close to the other couples and each have become a special part of our lives over the past year. However, sometimes God works these things out for us, and we've spent a wonderful evening catching up with each other and the children...

Praise the Lord, we have raised over $5,600 towards our support target. Please continue to pray for us to reach our target, and for those who are waiting until the last minute before placing their pledges or gifts. 

Please continue to pray for Athol as the race day approaches – he has trained so diligently and it's hard to believe that the race is actually this coming weekend. He is probably going to be riding for 5-6 hours, and I know he will covet your prayers for his strength and safety during the race.  

God bless you all

Athol, Debbie, Christie and Joshua

We are delighted to share with you that we have raised around $5,500 towards our $12,000 goal!  Thank you so much for your continued prayer and your financial generosity – we serve a Mighty God indeed!

Athol had a good week of training last week, and covered  a little over 180 miles of roadway.  He drove up to the race route on Saturday, more to train in the area, get a feel for  the gaps, and become familiar with the route.  Although he hadn't planned or prepared for it, he actually managed to ride 5 of the 6 gaps, with only two water bottles and a snack-size box of raisins.  He mentioned that one of the gaps was so steep that he saw birds flying into the road, trying to go over the mountain. He was very excited when he got home, and knows that it will be a little easier to do it in a group, and after proper preparation and planning.  He has his carbo-loading menu picked out, and is rearing to go!  For those of you who have not looked at the details of the race or the route, we invite you to follow this link and take a look at what Athol has committed to do.  (http://www.cyclenorthgeorgia.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=51&Itemid=35).

With the route and difficulty of the race in mind, we would treasure your continued prayers for Athol's safety as he continues to train and then actually rides the race, now only just over a week away.

For those of you still wishing to participate with a financial gift or pledge/mile, please complete the attached pledge form,  or call Athol on 404-317-6097.  No amount is too small, and it all brings us closer to our $12,000 goal

Athol has had to temporarily suspend his training this week.  He flew to New Orleans this morning, and picked up a rental car and 2 of the AIM team there.  As I type this letter, Athol is crossing the Louisiana/Texas border en route to Houston and Galveston.  He had planned to fly up next week, but after speaking with Ministry Partners in the area, decided to move the trip forward to this week.  The Ministry Partners we worked with in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina are already set up in the area near Houston.  When Athol called them this week, they were elated.  They told him that they'd received so many calls from people and organizations wanting to work with them, but had been waiting before committing as they really hoped that Athol and AIM would call and want to work with them again.  Once the connection was re-established, Athol realized that time really was of the essence, and therefore  moved his trip up to this week.  We would love your prayers for wisdom as he assesses the damages following Hurricane Ike, and serves to establish a ministry to meet the physical and spiritual needs of the thousands of lives affected by the storm.

Blessings!

Athol, Debbie, Christie and Joshua Barnes

Footnote:

I am on the road heading towards Houston. We have no idea what to expect, but the Lord has opened many doors for us already.

As we drive we are seeing a lot of damage and destruction, and most of the areas we are seeing are in very poor communities. We are still 80 miles from the area where the storm came ashore. Please pray for us as we travel and as we try to help some of those devastated by Hurricane Ike. We really need wisdom and guidance from the Lord, that He would lead us to the right partners, and that we would follow His leading for Ministry.

Athol

Those of you receiving our monthly newsletters will be aware of the $12,000 shortfall in our support account for the year.  Since support-raising is the least favorite part of our ministry with AIM, Athol has expanded our support-raising efforts by signing up for the Six Gap Century Bicycle Race on the 28^th of September.  Quite frankly, I think he's nuts, but he's willing to go the extra 100 miles and climb 10,700 feet to earn your once off gift or pledge/mile towards our shortfall amount!  The Six Gap Century is one of the most grueling routes through the mountains surrounding Dahlonega and North Georgia. 

Because of the busy summer and being in South Africa for most of July, his training is a little behind schedule.  However, he is training hard in the 90 plus degree heat in order to gain your support. I have included the link to the Six Gap Century website, and invite you to visit the website to view the route he will be riding.  For those unable to support his efforts financially, we'd really treasure your prayers for Athol's training and for the race itself.  (http://www.cyclenorthgeorgia.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=51&Itemid=35).

We have found that people are less willing to support our ministry since we are based in Gainesville and not out on the field.  However, Athol's position as Director of Project Management means that he oversees the set-up of all 42 of the AIM locations around the world, and has a staff of 20 fulltime workers reporting to him.  His responsibilities include overseeing the budget and Project Leader dispersements for over 162 mission trips every year.  In addition to this, he personally leads several mission trips every year. His role also involves frequent travel in order to set up new locations and maintain ministry partnerships and relationships in our established locations.  Though the bulk of the year is spent in an office setting, his ministry with AIM impacts thousands – those on the mission field in each of our locations, as well as the thousands of short-team missionaries that participate in AIM trips each year.

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter, and for your continued support of our ministry.  Your prayer support is just as important to us as financial support, and we love and appreciate every one of you.  We serve a Faithful and Mighty God – as a result, our fund-raising target is $12,000!  I have attached a pledge form to this letter.  If you would like to participate in this fund-raising effort, please complete the form and return it to us as soon as possible.  If you are unable to fill out the form, we will accept email or telephonic pledges.  Either reply to this email or call Athol on (404)317-6097 with your pledge.  As well as pledging you prayer support, you have the opportunity to give a once-off monitory gift, or pledge a certain amount per mile completed.

Blessings!

Athol, Debbie, Christie and Joshua Barnes