It has been a very busy time for us as a family as well as our ministry and the time has been flying by. We have had quite a few significant changes that the Lord brought our way in the last month or so.
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.
Our final staff conference the first week in December- for guidance in planning 2009
