First I want to say: All Glory and Honor and thanks to our God and Savior Jesus Christ.

It is a fact that when we put God first and honor Him that He blesses us with more than we ask for, hope for or imagine. Its just as true that when we are unfaithful He takes that blessing and gives it to someone else who is faithful. Its His Word and He is sticking to it! We discussed God's faithfulness in providing for the goals of this ministry in the last year. We have made new commitments for the coming year.

Mission 2011 Gallery
Our vision and ministry goals are 1) local outreach 2) day out missions and 3) international missions.

Mission 2011 was a display of the wonder and faithfulness of our God. Early on the Lord began providing, a guest whom we met at Greater Grace Christian Coffee House, Michael Branham and his wife contacted us and told us that they wanted to send a donation in support of our Mission's Work. They had attempted to do this online via our website but it wasn't working so they called and requested our adress. I have to say I appreciate their faithful persistence. This was the first visible provision that we were able to grasp onto with our faith and see God's hand on this Mission trip. A cabin was offered to us but due to unforseen circumstances the offer was withdrawn just a couple of weeks before departure. Upon seeking a rental cabin, it turned out there was no availability on the days we had our trip planned for. After calling several agencies I learned that those two weeks were the most quickly booked times of the year and most were booked a year to six months in advance. I prayed a little urgently, and the next day felt the Lord urging me to look online again. Amazingly there was ONE cabin, and I knew the day before it was marked as booked, but now the exact days we needed were AVAILABLE! I was amazed and called quickly and the lady told me that they had just had a cancelation the night before and she could book it for us!

Clearly God made His provision known, this was His Mission. We had several people show interest in the Mission, and at this point one felt it wasn't her time to go, and three others just sort of flaked out. This is always discouraging, but we thank God and go forward, even if none go with me, I made up my mind a long time ago to just do it even if it means I am the only one. Well just as this is happening, one of our Board members, Mary Ann Louis calls and tells me that God has raised her up for this Mission Trip. This may not mean a lot to many readers but earlier in the year Mary Ann was so sick, she had lost her will to live. I could hear a well and happy Mary Ann just hearing her voice! Still back in Fredericksburg, feet on the ground another donor gave 250.00 out of the blue! And finally two days before departure Michael Yeager came in the Coffee House and asked if I could give him a ride to and from the hospital for a procedure. I was happy to help and on the way Michael offered to get new tires for the truck for our Mission trip! Here we are on our day of departure and Michael brings a check for 750.00 and tells me to get the best tires! Little did we know, but we would really need these tires. Satan was not sleeping however. On the evening of our departure, our beloved brother in the Lord contacted me without warning to say he was not coming on the Mission. This brother having been present for four years in our Ministry, on our Board, having just had an award named in his honor, dropping out at the last minute was devastating to our entire team. But Satan was and will be defeated and God be glorified, even in this. Why would I include this in our testimony? because any real Christian, any real Missionary, any real Soldier of Jesus Christ will encounter opposition, discouragement, and we have to press on. No turning back for the faithful, no stopping for the called one's, but pressing on. There were lots of tears, we were just broken, and yet we looked through the tears to our Savior, and not for ourselves but on behalf of our brother. Everyday we prayed for him, and our last prayer as a team was for him. And as we kept our brother in our prayers we pressed on to what God had called us to.

Our first day of outreach resulted in Seth making friends with Beck and Bizhan, two young men from Kazakstan. The next day Seth took them white water rafting. We hosted a dinner back at our Cabin which God lavished upon us. Our conversations were warm, slowly embracing their hearts and hearing their stories. They were Muslims, at least culturally, we learned that one of them both hunted and ate pork. We planted seeds, and though in this case did not reap the harvest we will keep Beck and Bizhan in our prayers that the Lord sends someone to water the seeds, and someone to Harvest, and trust that we know the Lord will give the increase. Next we met a few French young people and an old friend we met in 2009 Louic. It was such a blessing to sit and talk with our old friend. Louis has a great heart, a gentle spirit and is very dynamic in organizing and helping people. Initially two young men Jean-Baptiste and Charles went with us to ride and see Bears at Cades Cove. it has become an annual Pilgrimage it seems, always so fun. Then later we hosted a BBQ and Seth managed the grill, roasting corn, squash, and chicken. It was delicious! Seth was sharing Jesus the best he could and at dinner, we were about to pray a simple prayer and explained that we would each pray and the say "I pass this on to...(who ever was seated to the right of the person)" so there was no awkward silence. If a person did not want to pray, then they could just pass it on. Well Jean-Baptiste being a very considerate and kindly young man made sure Charles understood he was under no presure to do anything, and the we closed our eyes and began. The prayer got to Charles and Charles prayed the most beautiful, and heart felt prayer ever. God has realy touched his heart. it brought tears to my eyes.

Over the next few days God did very personal things in each of our hearts. We prayed for one another, counseled one another, served one another and reached out together to the people God was leading our way. Seth learned that someone in a local Ministry possible had some French Bibles. He pursued this and on the next to last day before commencing this Mission trip, we had three French Bibles to give to the young men we had the privilege of serving and sharing with. On our way out the last thing we did was deliver these Bibles. This was very special to me personally because it was God repeating what He had done in 2009 when He provided 11 Turkish Bibles. God is always faithful to accompany His Word and perform it. As a team, I always have a goal of providing a time for reflection and further spiritual growth while God's actions and the memories of interacting with Him are fresh. Mission Team 2011 was no exception. We stopped at my friends Milton and Lois Horst. I should mention that their children, Dorreta, Milton Lamar, Amos, Karen, Melvin, and Susana were there too and as a family inspired us all.

We ate around the table, worshiped together, Milton as head of the home taught the Word, we sang hymns, worked in the garden together, and as Seth commented, loved the way they work together. Mary Ann having been on a previous Mission trip, had the opportunity to ruminate over what she saw last year for a full year. She was so affected by thye purity and holiness in the home of Milton and Lois that she sought their guidance and mentorship. Mary Ann has literally returned home a new creation. She is learning more about the Word than she ever knew and obey what she is learning like she loves Jesus with all her heart. The result is so sweet that it is exciting to me see her becoming holy within and holy without. Seth experienced a refreshing and saw that another way of Christian living is possible and results in fruitful living according to the Truth. The example of Living the Gospel is better than 1000 words. We have all come home, better Christians, more mature and inspired to grow closer to Jesus, live according to His Word in truth and in deed. And... ready to go again!