News 1712

“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And He is not served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.” Acts 17:24-25

MISSION NANNYS PRAYER LETTER – DECEMBER 15, 2017

Heidi (23) Belize – writes: “Hello from Virginia! I’ve been with the Esquivel’s for nearly three months helping out as mom had a baby about two months ago. This is my last month with this family, after having been with them for nearly a year. Looking back on everything, from start to finish, this has been an incredible, amazing experience and I’m super grateful that God placed this opportunity in my life. Watching the kids grow, from little, 9 month old Josiah, learning to walk and now talk, to Faith (who is nearly 4) become potty trained, learn her letters and sing songs. Both of these children have grown and changed so much and being able to watch that and be a part of it has been such a blessing. But a huge part has been me changing as well. Helping raise children is hard, and it really challenged me and stretched me to grow in ways I never would have imagined. Please be praying for me as I transition home in a couple weeks. Pray for this family as they prepare to head home to Belize, and have to travel with a new baby. It’s been a wild, exciting year and I wouldn’t change it for the world. Thanks for the prayers, I appreciate them so much. Faith (nearly 4) Josiah (2) Benaiah (2 months).

Valerie (53) Florida – writes: “I finally received an update on my Visa process for Israel. It seems the Ministry of Interior for Israel is running slower than usual. My application has been withdrawn and it will be resubmitted in February. My new target date for serving in Jerusalem is April 1, 2018. Until then, I will continue to work with the migrant workers in the tomato fields of South Florida. My prayer is that everyone finds joy and peace during this Christmas season.” Please continue to pray for the acceptance of her resubmitted application to enter Israel.

Abby (24) Middle East – writes: “Last week was an interesting one as the American government made the choice to declare Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. We were concerned about the reaction that would elicit and whatever threat to safety it may cause. There were demonstrations here but, we do not feel like we are in immediate danger. Please, pray for God’s mercy on these nations and peace in this tumultuous area. He is able to do immeasurably more than we could ever ask or think. We are finishing up our first term of home-schooling! Our last week of formal schooling is one of grand finales, as we wrap up the American Revolution in our history and literature lessons. We’ve had fun simulating battles with pinecone barricades and pebble soldiers, writing with quill pens, and serving tea like a proper, colonial gentlewoman. On Friday, December 15, I will fly home to celebrate Christmas with my family. I am thrilled beyond words to have the blessing of being home for the holidays.”

PLANNING TO GO SOON:

Rebecca (20) Italy – writes: “As always, thank you so much for praying for us! In less than two months, I will be in Italy! Please pray for my last few preparations. I still need to purchase travel insurance as well as a few other odds and ends, and I need to figure out how to pack everything that I will need for three months! Also, I will be teaching a beginner’s English class to adults while I am in Italy. I would appreciate prayers as I finalize my preparations for that. I also have only two more weeks working at my local Boys and Girls Club. Please pray for my little kindergarten girls as I begin to prepare them for my departure, as well as for me! It will be very difficult for me to leave my babies, even for only three months. Along with that comes another prayer request. Please pray for me
to adjust quickly once I am in Italy to the family’s methods of child care and behavior management. Working with a family of six will be much different from taking care of twenty kindergartners by myself! Again, thank you for your prayers. They are valued more than you know.”

Kelli (22) Fiji Islands – writes: “Greetings to all: This past month was very special for me because I met the Pittman Family! I got to go out for dinner with them and we saw the Christmas show at Sight and Sound theatre. I was praying over this, meeting them for the first time, and when I met them it was such a blessing. I know for sure that this is where God wants me, with the Pittman family. We were able to find some similarities between us and it made me able to relax. I now pray and ask you too that God will use me in so many more ways once I go to Fiji in March. Thanks.”Fiji Islands-Pittmans”
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Ashley Hanney (36) Rovigo, Italy – writes: “I want to share with you a Ministry opportunity. God is giving us SO many open doors to proclaim Christ, to disciple believers, and to prepare teaching materials used both locally and throughout Italy. I have shared in the past that our lives are extremely full of Ministry. There is such a need for more coworkers for the harvest. While our primary prayer is for people who can come alongside long-term and serve in the teaching and evangelistic ministry, there is also great need for people to help in practical ways. Our home is center of almost all of our ministries, and it has countless repair and maintenance jobs which need attention. We have one man who can come and help with maintenance in mid-March, 2018 for 5 weeks. We thank God for this greatly needed provision. He writes: “While I can usually work on my own, it is a great encouragement to have a helper or someone to work alongside –especially if they know more than I do. I am 63 now and am noticing how things take longer to do these days.”

So here is an opportunity to promote God’s kingdom. We are looking for a man or a couple, to come to Italy for a period of 5 weeks, to help on work projects, and to get to know our church and the ministry here. This could be an ideal trip for a retired couple or man, or for a single man. The dates are mid-March through the end of April 2018.

We ask that you provide your own airfare. We will provide comfortable accommodations and food. Qualifications: a desire to promote the kingdom of God, basic maintenance skills, the ability to work well with others and be a part of a team to the glory of God.Please e-mail: marco.defelice@gmail.com for more detailed information. Alternate Dates: Actually with the amount of jobs to do, if you would
like to come but are not available those dates, let me know. There would still be plenty to do at another time.

Chen & Matteo: December 7 they had a meeting with the social worker on this case. Remember Chen, the mother was not with her husband when he died, but Matteo the son was, and his family has not given him back to Chen, his mother since the death of the father. Now the court case is beginning for Chen to get her 8 yr old son back. Marco and others helped Chen prepare things to do with Matteo during the meeting. The most positive was to share pictures of their numerous visits over the past 4 years. He has been brainwashed to believe that he was totally abandoned, without visits from his mom. Instead, she showed him about 50 pictures, and did a memory game with him, asking him to remember where they had been and what they had done. He greatly enjoyed looking at the pictures. Pray for Chen & Matteo!

Holly (36) Lake Tanganyika, Africa – writes: Greetings to All! Thank you for your prayers for Ivy Chiu ! We have been told that they have approved her work permit for 2 years. She still needs to get the permit in-hand and they have said she will not be allowed to renew after 2 years, but we can keep praying! You will be hearing from Ivy soon as she has joined the team to help with communications!Sue wrote the Foreign Nursing Exam in Lusaka last week. However, there are rumors that the exam paper was leaked and they may nullify the exam. Please keep praying for this whole process and for clarity and truth. Several weeks after losing her baby, teacher Dorothy Kateya became quite ill. There was a possible diagnosis of pneumonia at the time. She is now in Kabwe and was in the hospital where more than 2 liters of liquid was drained from her lung. Her breathing capacity had been severely compromised. Please pray for her complete healing and for a clear diagnosis of what caused this. Please continue to pray for favour for OM Lake Tanganyika with government offices, particularly immigration and tax. Blessings to you all.

As many of you are aware, Christopher and Lorrin Kasale have been on leave for the last six months of this year. They took this time to be involved more in ministry in their community and also to welcome new baby Maria Shalom to their family! During this time, Christopher shared with leadership his desire to continue to work in Africa and at Lake Tanganyika with OM in a ministry role rather than in the Field Leader role. Christopher’s original commitment to Lake T was for one term as Field Leader, and he has now served additional years on top of that initial term. He remains passionate about OM’s work at the Lake and in Africa, particularly in remote communities, and looks forward to having more
time to devote directly to ministry when the team welcomes a new Field Leader. Now that his 6-month leave has ended, Christopher will resume his Field Leader Role while the search for a new Field Leader is conducted. I will be on leave and out of Zambia for the months of December and January. Lorrin is returning to a role in leadership of the Good News School on a part-time basis for now, and will resume full-time responsibilities in April 2018. Thank you for your prayers for the Kasales and the Lake Tanganyika field during this time of transition.

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Please pray for Eye of the Needle Foundation – David Malme

On January 15, 2017 they assumed the running of Mission Nannys. Betty is now 91 years of age and just unable to continue the functioning of Mission Nannys. Their website is www.missionfinder.org and Mission Nannys is only one of the many Mission organizations they are working with. Their desire is to assist and help missionaries around the world by sending people to love and care for their needs – such as many with younger children in need of loving care and school instruction. Under Betty’s leadership, Mission Nannys served from 1991 to 2016 sending 325 volunteers to help out many missionary families – we rejoice that more will now go through Eye of the Needle. Be sure to contact David at david@missionfinder.org if you want to serve a needy missionary family. Thanks!

Love in Christ,

Betty Sullins
Director Emeritus – Mission Nannys E-Mail: missionnannys@gmail.com