“And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19
Thank you for your prayer and financial support!!! We could not be doing what we are doing without first and foremost God’s help and second, your help. God has us exactly were we are meant to be. Samaritans Purse has provided a structure for us to experience Medical Missionary Work. They and you have also provided the financial means for us to experience this with minimal financial constrains – including daily chocolate and cheese, a chauffeured ride to school (city bus), and a new appreciation for long underwear (it snows daily!) and we have 6 months of this! “ . . . for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” Philippians 4:11b J Once again, we cannot say it enough, “Thank you!” to those who have made one-time donations and those who have committed to giving for 30 months.
It has been an interesting process for us so far. Our fund raising goal was $1,200 a month. To work towards achieving this goal we gave 20 individual and group presentations and sent out 4 newsletters (about 1,000 contacts by mail and email) over a 1-year time period. This is only a fraction of the fund raising requirements of a full term missionary. Full term missionaries in the field, we understand, are required to raise between $7,000-9,000 continuous monthly support and one time cost of $150,000-200,000. Missionaries head to the field once they reach over 80% of their funding goal. The funds are meant to provide a house, vehicle, medical coverage, daily living and savings for retirement.
Most missionaries go through 1 year of language training, if required, and then stay in the field for 3 to 4 year, prior to having a 1-year furlough. During the furlough, the missionary returns to his/her country of origin and spends time visiting family, friends and supporters. After this it is back to the field for another 3 to 4 years. This cycle continues until the missionary is ready to retire and/or something changes that requires them to return home full term.
In these economic times it is hard to imaging people raising these kinds of funds. But we are aware of multiple full time missionary couples, who in the last year have started their language training and are on their way to full time missionary work (see our web page, website links). God moves in amazing ways!
We are blessed to be where we are today and ask for your continued prayer and financial support both for our present experience for the next 30 months and for the future. Over this coming 2 ½ years we are going to be earnestly seeking and praying for God’s direction about what He is directing us to do and if it will include full term medical missionary work. “And if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.” Proverbs 3:3-7. We ask that you would join us in seeking God’s will for us in knowing his direction for our lives.
God Bless