Working on a missions team has its wonderful benefits and God has allowed my family to do just that for a little over eleven years now. Needless to say we have learned a lot. In fact when God helped me to realize that He was calling me to the mission field it was because a visiting missionary, during his slide presentation, mentioned that he was going to work in Brazil as part of a team with his brother. I talked with him after his presentation that morning and now, eleven years later, am still a part of that team with Shawn and Donna Alexander and Ben and Dani Jacobs!Granted, the team has changed over those years but the goal has remained the same. We want to make and mature disciples of Jesus Christ who reflect Him in every aspect of their lives with the goal of becoming disciple makers themselves (cp. 2 Timothy 2.2).
One of the many advantages of team work is that we often find ourselves serving in different corners of the world simultaneously. Take today for example. Shawn is headed to Porto Alegre, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, in southern Brazil to speak at a youth retreat. Ben is preparing for a youth retreat in Sorocaba, São Paulo. Ed just sent out a note that he has had the opportunity of ministering to a Greek speaking gentle man in Greenville, SC, and Dawn, Abby, and I will be speaking to youth in Sterling Heights, Michigan. That is international ministry in action!
We could not do this without faithful support. Just this last Sunday I was able to give a personal thank you to one of our supporting churches, First Baptist Church of Sterling Heights, Michigan. This church along with fourteen others and fifteen families have given faithfully for years, allowing us to minister in Brazil. Even in these difficult times you give. In turn, you all become a part of the team that God is using. Have you ever pictured yourself in that roll?
My mother used to say, "Distance makes the heart grow fonder." But distance can make the heart forget the integral roll that one plays in the world mission picture too. I wanted to send this personal (or rather impersonal because your name doesn't appear in the Dear ________ space) to thank you for your dedication to God and the ministry that He is doing through us.
Expanding the above mentioned teamwork picture we see that God has used you to help seminary students prepare for the ministry by giving to our "National Assistance" account. It was initiated just over a year ago. I believed that it would last for just a short time. However, God has impressed the need on several of you and it is still solvent (unlike the Federal Government)!
Ronaldo and his family and Sandro and his family were and are able to study because you gave. I recently received news that both families were very involved in ministry during their summer (December/January) break from college. These two couples had virtually no money when they left Sorocaba last year. They both told me that they were trusting totally in God to provide their need. Your giving allowed them to see God provide those needs! Words don't seem to do justice in trying to explain our gratitude to both our heavenly Father and to you His servants.
How long will our team (including you) hold together? Only God knows that answer. But, we press on in the realization that we must not worry about the future but trust totally in His ability to sustain our efforts. With gratitude to Him and you all we press on. With joy in our hearts we expect great things from our all sufficient God and thank you for your help in serving Him.
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