THAILAND - 2015

The ministry in Thailand was a time of experiencing the great grace of God.  Serving Pastor Sayan and Siriporn and the girls of Home of Blessing was a joy and we experienced the good hand of God. God has blessed and shown himself strong through the ministry of Pastor Sayan and Siriporn

Our ministry started with a pastors conference.  Pastor Mike not only ministered an excellent and needed word to these pastors, he had a new experience of preaching barefoot.. Some of the pastors and their wives had driven hours or days to come to this conference.

We see a great need to minister to pastors who could use our encouragement and support. 

Here are some of the 82 girls from the Home of blessing riding to school.   Jordan and Jennifer tagged along. 

After the pastors conference we started our New Life Camp.  Below is the first altar call where the response of the girls was not only genuine but passionate.

A time of individual prayer.

Time of teaching and devotions.

Times of worship

12 girls entered into water baptism at a nearby creek in a public park.

We were invited to teach English at the public high school and primary school.  Below is a picture of the morning High School assembly praying to Buddah.  The Christian students are the ones with their hands by their sides to not participate.

This is the large idol on the High School campus.

In the classroom we had a great deal of fun not only teaching English but sharing our lives as missionaries and sharing the God that created the heavens and the earth.

One on one opportunities at the high school were precious.

Pastor Terry having a fun and precious time with some of the primary girls.  Our team had the pleasure to live right on the campus with the girls in a guest home.

Each night ended with the Holy Spirit moving on the girls.  Many girls testified of the freedom they received from God during the camp.

Pastor Sayan and Siraporn were very pleased with what God did the week we were there.  He said the Holy Spirit fell on their girls like the hard rains that fall in the tropical rainy season.   The testimonies blessed everyone to see God set these girls free from so many things in their past.

We have been invited to return next year.  We became very close to the girls and told them not to say good bye but we will see you again. 

SOUTH AFRICA

With a team of 20 devoted people that came from not only Florida, but all across Michigan, we all met in Durban with a united goal in our hearts, to serve the children in the squatter villages of South Africa with Key of Hope Ministry.  We took to camp the children that needed it the most, and this year saw the greatest transformation in the children that attended.

Coming in a day earlier this year, we were able to be a part of Key of Hope's Friday night youth service. This was an incredible experience as we witnessed hundreds of teenagers worship God with an intensity we will not soon forget.

We participated in Saturday Kids Club,  where Key of Hope buses in hundreds of children by taxi to be involved, discipled, taught and loved.  This is a safe place for them and they love coming.

Then it was off to camp, where our team took two bus loads of children to camp.  Most of them did not even know what "going to camp" actually meant, but many had seen pictures of previous years and were excited to go.  Once we were at camp, each morning began with  Jonathan leading a group of us into worship of our Lord; a beautiful way to start our days.

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After worship we had our morning exercise routine, led by the teenagers.  These kids practiced for hours before camp and were a blessing.

At camp, we enjoy our meals in a family setting.  Some of these children do not get three meals a day.  In fact most of them do not even have tables to sit at, let alone adults to listen to them as they enjoy the meal prepared for them.  Some of them are the caretakers in their homes.  So this week was a wonderful retreat for many of them.

Climbing the mountain each year is always a wonderful experience.  To watch children accomplish something they think is impossible is such a blessing.  This year the teen age boys took turns carrying a girl bound to a wheel chair up the mountain so she could participate.  She was elated.

Having fun is a big part of camp.  We participated in many fun filled activities where  much ministry and teaching takes place.

Children's lives transformed before our eyes.  The first day we could not get one volunteer to pray for the meal or volunteer to help in the night ministry.  But the last night the entire crowd was eagerly volunteering.  What a glorious sight.  We ended camp with prayers filled with tears by both the children and our team as we prayed over their lives and the future God holds for them.  

TANZANIA, AFRICA

After being home only 5 days from Lebanon, Terry headed off to Tanzania, Africa. He was invited to the Baptist National Conference for pastors and leaders in Dodoma.  

This was a historical conference as it was the first national conference to bring all the ministers together along with their wives to be strengthened and encouraged.

Terry had the honor of ministering with Pastor Davis Mathews, our friend and pastor from India. This was his first trip to Africa. Pastor Davis ministered a great word and has always been a great blessing to Terry and I.

Terry not only had the opportunity to preach, but had special moments of individual prayer for these precious mighty men of God.  

Here is a picture of Terry in the midst of some of the pastors in Tanzania.

Terry also had the opportunity to preach at Mount Meru University Chapel service in Arusha.

Below is a video of the Pastors and leaders on a prayer walk over the land for their national headquarters in Dodoma.

A time of prayer at the conference.

A time of worship.

 Terry is so thankful to God to have had the opportunity to be around men and women who give their all to their Lord and the people of their nation. 

LEBANON

Terry and Pastor Bob have just returned from a pioneer trip to Lebanon to see the needs of the people and how we might be able to minister to them.  With 4 million refugees living in the midst of 4 million Lebanese, the diversity of people groups is great.  They were able to visit some refugee areas where families live in challenging circumstances.

They found and met many adults and children living in extreme poverty.  A place needing love and hope in an area of the world where most are found hopeless.

These young ladies work the fields for sparse wages that often comes with abuse.

They connected with two different ministries in the midst of the poor and refugees. Terry was able to minister a message entitled "The Chief Corner Stone" in the midst of those who have rejected Him.

The Cedars of Lebanon with their biblical historic value were majestic.

This Cedar Tree was 4,000 years old.

There is a great need in Lebanon and doing God's Will is important to us as we plan for the future.  

Isaiah 29:17-18 "It is not yet a very little while until Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall regarded as a forest.  In that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book, and out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind shall see. "

ROMANIA 2015

AUGUST
We just arrived home from a 13 day missions trip to our beloved Romania. Along with Brian and Beth we spent the entire time with our family and friends in Tragoviste. Upon arrival we met with families and friends downtown, coffee shops and in their living rooms.  It was a delight.  We spent three days in the beautiful mountains of Romania with several families for a get away that included a marriage seminar.  Brian and Beth ministered a beautiful series on marriage and family.

Below is a picture of the families at the retreat in the beautiful mountains.

 We ministered both Sunday church services, men's and women's meetings, and a few sessions to the Master's Commission of Romania.  These young people were passionate for the Lord and His work.
Also many blessed times with leaders in the church.

We love to worship with our Romanian family.

Traveling with the Master's Commission to a gypsy village they have been working in for a couple of years, was a wonderful experience.  It is an amazing work there.

Life of Hope Church and Masters Commission Romania welcomed us into their lives and the precious times of fellowship and ministry will not be soon forgotten.  It was hard to leave but God willing we will return.  We will continue to pray for all and hold them in the depths of our hearts.

CHAMPIONS FOR LIFE - 2015

JULY
Two weeks of camp touched 120 little lives of the children that deserve it most.  So many wonderful volunteers made this incredible camp happen.  But all the glory and honor goes to our Lord Jesus Christ for the heart transformations.  Here is a video of those incredible 2 weeks.

HAITI 2015

June

The June mission trip to Haiti this year was incredible. We are so proud of the sacrifice and commitment this team of youth showed to the impoverished country of Haiti.  We ministered in 6 churches to the children through the vacation bible school.  We also ministered at a church wide convention. But all the glory and honor for the heart commitments and changed lives goes to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Here is a video of some of the things we did there.

2015 CATCH UP

I was asked to update my blog by relatives, friends and people that like to keep up with where in the world we are and what we are doing.   So here is my attempt to catch up this year.  I will try and stay more current in the future.

COLOMBIA
January
In Colombia we ministered at a camp retreat for youth with Open Arms Church.  They are committed to feeding, clothing, sheltering and restoring the street children.  We took these youth to camp and saw the transforming power of Jesus Christ at work up in the mountains.  We specifically saw God minister deep emotional healing during this time.   This was precious as most of the youth attending the retreat came from a history of all kinds of abuse.  We also had the privilege of visiting the poor children's homes to minister to them and their families.

PERU
January
In Peru we hooked up with Remy's childhood teacher who was now a pastor in a great church in Lima.  We partnered with their church and ministered at several hospitals.  The time spent in the hospitals was powerful and many people received Jesus Christ at their Lord and Savior in their hospital beds.  We also ministered at a child's church service in an extremely poor area, where kids walked from all over to enjoy the service and the meal that the church provides for them weekly.  another special time of ministry fro us was at the woman's prison in Lima.  The women were hungry for God and received the word and ministry.  They were inspired through the message and touched by the time of prayer afterwards.

IRELAND
February
Once again we ministered a family church camp this year.  Terry to the adults and Pat to the children.  As we compared notes, we discovered that we were both teaching on the baptism of the Holy Spirit at exactly the same time.  Many families were bless by this .  One lady said that her husband, mother and children all received the baptism of the Holy Spirit that weekend.  She had prayed for a long time for this to happen.  After camp we were invited to minister to the leadership and families of this church. We are so proud of Pastor James and Rachel and all they have accomplished in 13 short years.  They have done a great job of raising and disciplining leaders in their church.   It is always a pleasure to work alongside these wonderful friends.

INDIA
March
Despite bathing in a bucket, sleeping in difficult situations and eating food foreign to our American systems, the Christians in India make our ministry there one of our favorites. Terry was asked to minister to hundreds of leaders and pastors this year and I had the awesome opportunity to minister to the children, a desire of mine for a long time.  I also was invited to minister at a camp for 300 Hindu children where each child was fed a nourishing meal.  Unique to this trip was traveling up to Punjab, on the border of Pakistan to minister at their first Pastor and Leaders Conference. The extra special blessing was to spend time with Pastor and Grace Mathews, spiritual leaders and founders of Alpha Ministries.  I always come home with great encouragement and truths after spending time with my spiritual adopted parents.