Thanksgiving and Prayers from Your SAMS Missionaries

Thanksgiving and Prayers from Your SAMS Missionaries

So much has happened in the mission field this year! Your SAMS Missionaries want to give thanks to the Lord for all that happened in 2017 and share their prayers for the upcoming year with you.

David and Mary Beth Alenskis

2017: We give thanks our churches have been growing (the parish by 15% and the mission by 45%), new families are joining the church, and new discipleship groups are forming, especially for the youths. We are so thankful to the Lord for what he is doing, and we are so thankful to those who are supporting this ministry through prayers and gifts!

2018: We ask for prayers that the Lord would raise up new leaders. We need local lay leaders to take even more responsibility and initiative to sustain the growth that we have been experiencing.

Anne

2017: I’m thankful to witness the Lord raising up people to fill evangelism positions that are needed, especially those with a heart for the French-speaking world where we currently need ministry development.

2018: I’d like prayer for direction and an open heart to the Lord to hear how He wants me to move, particularly for the guidance of my role within the larger picture.

Cathy Donahoe

2017: I’m grateful that this year God has given me 180 physical therapy students in 9 different classes to teach, most of whom are very motivated to learn how to work with people who need rehabilitation. I am also thankful for the supporters that God has raised up to permit reaching out in my community to help some of the poorest folks have more secure housing.

2018: I pray that in 2018 God continues to guide me in improving my teaching abilities and discernment for a construction ministry and that he would send others to help.

Rusty and Tammy Firestone

2017: We are thankful to see La Trinidad transform into a mission-oriented community.  We see the growth of our church plant on the eastern side of the city (Puntiti). The youth group has been revitalized by doing weekend mission projects, and lay leaders are starting new groups and expanding leadership.

2018: Our prayer for our ministry in 2018 is for La Trinidad to become self-sustaining in terms of leadership and finances and be able to support the Puntiti church plant, as well as for an additional core group to take root as a plant. Please pray for the formation of new leaders with servant hearts and missional minds.

Chris Feuillade

2017: I give thanks to the Lord for the opportunity to serve him in Chile in 2017, especially with the Yachal children’s center and at the university. This has also been a very difficult year for me and my family in several ways, and I also give thanks to God for the many times he has shown us his faithfulness in looking after us.

2018: I pray for spiritual discernment, and for renewed love for the people of Chile, and renewed joy for my work here during the coming year.

Jessica Hughes

2017: I give thanks for the opportunity to study the Bible with my students. It is an honor to teach them how to interpret the Scriptures, and an immense joy to go through the Scriptures with them, seeking what God is saying to us through it, and how to apply it to our lives.

2018: please pray for my time in God’s word, that I would really hear God rather than just reading for academics.

David Ledwitz

2017: I am thankful for learning the importance of building relationships. Seeing God at work in me whether it is sharing coffee and sweets with someone or simply listening and learning, along with language practice. There is far greater value in the relationship and not the material projects.

2018: Join me in prayer for more meaningful relationships and more supporters for projects.ts and missional minds.

Janine LeGrand

2017: I give thanks for all the wonderful people I get to work with, the Ugandan’s, the Americans and even those from other countries including the UK. These individuals have the heart to share God’s love through their actions and sacrifices.  I am strengthened by the Ugandan clergy I work alongside, the short-term visitors and even those who send an encouraging word.

2018: For this upcoming year, join me in prayer for sustained financial support to keep this ministry possible, for good health, and for expansion of the health ministry.

Jacky Lowe

2017: I give thanks that I have three-quarters of my support for my 3-year mission to Madagascar. Support raising has taught me to be self-sufficient and I have learned perseverance. I must rely on God to do His work. I give thanks to my senders who provide prayer, emotional, and financial support.

2018: Please pray for the completion of my support raising in January, that I get my visa to go to Madagascar, and that I complete the language acquisition course. After all these steps are fone, pray for my travels to Madagascar and my ministry with the women there.

Juan and Maria Marentes

2017: Thank you, faithful supporters for the great blessing that you have been for us. 2017 has been a year of challenges and submission to God’s will, but at the same time, we see His powerful hand in every challenge. We have witnessed baptisms, home bible studies, and the growth of children’s ministry.

2018: Please join us in prayer as outreach to the Hispanic population continues and grows in the Western Anglicans Diocese. Pray for the four different congregations in the San Diego Deanery who will be reaching out to the community there.

Jack and Mary McDonald

2017: We are thankful for the international students at Virgina Tech who we have built relationships with and for Mary’s ministry, Gospel goats, which is reaching out to impoverished families in Uganda.

2018: Please continue to pray for these ministries as well as F.A.R.M. (Farm Animal Refresher for Missions training) and for mobilizing long & short terms missionaries by representing CVM & SAMS.

Todd and Patsy McGregor

2017: We are thankful for the future generations in the Diocese of Toliara who are coming to know Christ because of their parents’ new commitment. Whole villages are making commitments to Christ because one family member believes and tells the others the Good News.

2018: Plese pray for humble and Godly leadership development and integration for new Assistant Bishop  Rev Canon Samitiana and his wife, Holy. Rev Canon Samitiana will be consecrated in February 2018.

Mark and Susan P

2017: We continue to be thankful for the ministry of healing, restoration, and hope that we get to witness as pastoral care providers to other missionaries. We are ever thankful for the ways in which God draws us to Him and continues His redeeming work in our own lives and in our ministry.

2018: We are currently in a two-year program of Spiritual Direction. We would appreciate prayers in 2018 for continued funding for the tuition but more importantly that God would grow us in our ability to listen well and accompany others on their journey with Christ.

Russ and Heidi Smith

2017: We are thankful for being involved in starting up ESI-Equipping Servants International in Chile.

2018: For this upcoming year, please pray that in the middle of all the activities we do that we will be able to share the Gospel with our neighbors.

April Sylvester

2017: This past year we graduated 20 students from our gap year program. I saw them grow from teenagers in high school to young adults ready to take on the world. I am also thankful that I have been able to use my talents, gifts, and passions in this program through mentoring, teaching fitness, and leading art lessons.

2018: I pray God would be preparing the students that will come to us in January for this next gap year course. Also for unity and love within our team to lead the students well.

Johann and Louise Vanderbijl

2017: We give thanks to the many individuals we were able to teach through our discipleship training classes. They will go on to teach others to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.

2018: We pray that the Lord will raise up partners who would help us get where we need to be. Pray for reliable vehicle. Pray for scholarships for those who simply cannot pay for the courses as well as personal financial support.

Gregory and Heidi Whitaker

2017: We are thankful for the many lives we have seen transformed by the Gospel coming through the Church.

2018: Please join us in pray for more Khmer leaders to be raised up to lead Cambodian young adults into a deep relationship with the Lord.

Album Supports Hope of Jesus Children’s Home

Album Supports Hope of Jesus Children’s Home

Mike and Kim Miller are SAMS Missionaries serving in Honduras. They are the founders of Hope of Jesus Children’s Home, a home committed to providing protection and daily care for orphaned, abandoned and vulnerable children in Honduras. We aspire to raise healthy boys and girls to become Christian leaders by implementing our four ministry pillars of faith, family, mercy, and responsibility. Sixteen children currently live at the children’s home. They come from a wide variety of social and cultural backgrounds but share the need for stability and protection. Under the care and guidance of the housemothers, teachers, tutors, psychologists and the many others invested in their lives, the boys and girls have all grown significantly since their first days at the home. In time the capacity of the home will expand, and we will be able to offer more children refuge from their perilous circumstances.

Billy Crain, a southern rock music artist, and friend of the Millers visited Hope of Jesus Children’s Home in January 2017. After his mission there, he was inspired to write his 6th solo album. This album is dedicated to the children’s home. 100% of the proceeds from the purchase of “Broken Things” will go to the home.

Purchase “Broken Things” album here and support this minsitry!

In Between

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Brothers and Sisters,

A blessed Advent to you. As we inhabit this intentional season of waiting and anticipation for Christ’s coming, we invite you to rest in the waiting and to see this time as where God is at work. Let’s not hurry to Christmas. Let’s not miss what He has for us along the way.

You’ve journeyed with our family in our call to Agape Year for a while. You’ve waited with us to see Agape Year come to be in flesh and blood. You’ve prayed, encouraged, and offered hope while the ‘waiting’ seemed so long. Since the inception of Agape Year, our family has spent many hours traveling, in flux, inhabiting the in between. We’ve been eager to get to the destination: Agape Year’s first cohort. And, we hurried our way there.

Then, Caleb and Lucas, our first fellows, came and started to inhabit the plans and prayers that came before them. But, we still felt this hurried drive toward the ‘destination’ of transformational discipleship. As we shared life with Caleb and Lucas, it was easy to rush to a service project then rush home to study together and then rush to prayer. Nate spent much time with our fellows in our faithful Subaru and I was side by side with them in the kitchen multiple times a day. These, along with others, were our ‘in between’ times. On the way to community group or ESL tutoring, Nate’s been able to have frank conversations, listen intently, and pray with our fellows. While washing dishes or prepping meals, I’ve heard our fellows share their hopes and fears for the future, chatting theology, and learned much about rugby and robotic battles. And, in these ‘in between’ times, we’ve been surprised by the Spirit’s movement, reminding us that the ordinary is indeed sacred.

We are continuing to tweak and shape the curriculum and formation of Agape Year to meet its goals. But, as we do that, it is easy to lose sight of how discipleship happens along the way, in between the books, projects, seminars, and service. In the gospels, Jesus stops to heal the bleeding woman while on his way to raise a girl from the dead. Jesus shares the words of Life with the Samaritan woman at the well on his way to Jerusalem. Jesus heals a servant’s ear on the way to the Cross. These examples, along with others, remind us that to be His disciple we must allow Him inhabit all places of our lives, even those stray, throw away moments of the day where we are waiting for the next thing. This Advent, while we wait and groan for His coming, we pray that you’ll be surprised by His peace and joy in the ‘in between’.

We are also living in an in between spot financially. We’ve grown in our partners and support as Agape Year has started. We are still praying for God to provide monthly partners as we are currently at 50% of our need to be sustainable for years to come. Would you join us along the way? Would you consider a year end gift to help close this gap? Please also join us in prayer as we seek partnership with churches. We hope to have three churches join Agape Year’s vision by financially supporting our family.

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