The Countdown Begins

I got into the car on Sunday to go to church, and instead of being greeted with a warm "good morning" or "how'd you sleep last night?" my 14 year-old brother smirked and screamed "FIFTY ONE DAYS!" before I even had the side door closed. Almost every day either my little brother or little sister reminds me of the dwindling number of days I have before I leave. Personally, I'm convinced that they're just trying to relish every last minute they have to spend with me.

This short anecdote illustrates how real it's becoming. Lately, in the midst of raising the rest of the financial support I need, I've found myself spending hours browsing health insurance plans, researching necessary immunizations, and making mental notes to remember to put certain things in my suitcase come December27thish. The Lord continues to grow my excitement for ministry in Fiji, and has even blessed our team to be able to hear about what God's doing there right now!

[emails received from Don and Kathryn Mansfield, the directors of the pacific islands region]

Greetings! Kathryn and I have just returned from Papua New Guinea and leave in two days for a CCC conference for Oceania in Australia.

Things in Fiji are going well. The problem is that we don't have enough people to take advantage of all the opportunities. So we are very excited about you all arriving.

We think that you all will really be able to seriously help in the areas of improving the quality of evangelism and of basic discipleship. Those are two serious needs in Fiji right now.

With you all arriving at the start of next year, you will be right at the star of a huge emphasis on staff development and training.

Regarding Suva . . . It is not really the garden spot of the country but it’s not a bad place to live either. Rather beaches, commercial harbors, and mud flats. (Sorry about that!)

The students there are so open to the gospel. The challenge is the laid-back "manyana" attitudes.

Do you need any help with knowing support levels or with your visa applications?

We are so excited to see you in Fiji!

Blessings,

Don & Kathryn


[second e-mail]

The New Zealand CCC ministry sent a project team this last week and I just heard that by the end of their time they saw 78 Fijians receive Christ and 18 of those are involved in follow-up.

-Don

Currently, I have 68.9% of the necessary funds I need before leaving! A little over thirty percent left! Thanks for your financial partnership and prayers :)

Life in Norwalk

I've spent the summer in my hometown, Celina. But a couple weeks ago, I moved back with my parents in Norwalk, Ohio, where I'll be until I leave in December. Since I don't really know anyone here yet, I've been trying to make new friends to start sharing with some people here in Norwalk about ministry in Fiji.

I'm so thankful that Jenny, one of my teammates next year, only lives about a half an hour away! We've been trying to meet up regularly to connect. A few weeks back, we got to spend a lovely sunday afternoon on a beach of lake erie.

I'm currently at 45.5% of the funds I need before I leave! Almost halfway!

I sent out my first prayer letter last week, so let me know if you didn't receive it but want to!

rendezvous in chicago!

I just got back from a week of "STINT briefing"-- which is basically code for a lot of meetings and training. More specifically, we were given the how-to's on the four L's of an overseas internship: Love the Lord, Love your team, Launch a movement, and Learn a new world. It was a week of great speakers, team building, sweet worship, and note-taking :)

One of the best talks was given on the story in Luke 18 about the rich ruler. But it wasn't focused on the rich ruler, the focus was on Jesus' disciple, Peter. In verse 25 Jesus declares "for it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God" to which Peter responds, "See, we have left our homes and followed you. " The speaker explained that Peter was simply asking Jesus "is everything enough? We've given up everything, is that enough?" This passage was hard to hear because throughout the past few months, I've been far too focused on what I'll be leaving back in the states: my family, my friends, job opportunities, etc. When instead of asking the Lord "how many more weddings do I have to miss next summer? " I should be asking "is it enough to leave all this, or do you want more?" My prayer is that the Lord will give me a heart of sacrifice, that I would be able to ask "Lord, is everything enough?"
To the left is a picture in chicago of team fiji and three of our new friends who are serving in new zealand next year!

It was so great to see my team members last week. It was the first time we've seen each other since the end of school in may, and probably the last time we'll be united until we leave in December. I can't wait to serve with them next year!

Psalm 139: 16- "all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." I read this verse today and was so comforted. Before I was even born, God knew exactly where I would be today, who I'd be meeting with tomorrow, and that I'd be going to Fiji in December. What a reassuring thought!

I'm currently at 38%! I'm at 61% of my one-time goal and 31% of my monthly goal! And two of the seven of us have already reached full support! It's so exciting!

Missions Minded

Most of the people I've been meeting with in Celina are people with whom I've grown up going go church at Grace Missionary Church. I'm beginning to grow in thankfulness as I realize how blessed I am to have grown up in an environment where missions is considered so vital. I'm thankful for my parents raising me in a church that developed in me a heart for missions starting very young. And as I meet with more and more people, I'm so thankful for the missions mindset that has been cultivated in so many people who currently attend Grace or who have in the past.

So this is a shout-out to:

1. my parents who chose to raise me in a church that understood the great commission
2. The pastors and leaders over the past 20 years who have shaped the heart of the church and clung tightly to scripture to develop the mission statement of the church
3. the Church (as in the body of believers) who have allowed their hearts to be softened to the importance of taking the gospel to the ends of the earth

Thank You!!!

p.s. I'm at 20%!!!

15.8%!

Hi friends! The Lord's been showing me the importance of following Him. Period. End of story. To throw aside all distractions and just follow jesus. I tend to easily get sidetracked by people who are running the race of life beside me, but then my focus starts to shift to my peers instead of God. I'm learning that pursuing God is much easier when my attention is focused on him!

On another note, I'm currently at 15.8%... which means I have less than 85% to go! God is good (regardless of what percent I'm at)!

fun meetings!

I've gotten to meet with a lot of fun friends this week, and so far in the past three days, my monthly support has almost doubled. I still have a long way to go, but am so thankful that the Lord is not limited by resources and will bring in all the finances I need. I've also had quite a few friends partner with me in prayer, of which I'm abundantly grateful!

By way of numerical update: I'm currently at 5.7% monthly! Less than 95% to go!