A Summer of Firsts!

We have been on the field for just over three months, so as you can imagine, we have experienced a lot of “firsts”. For example:

-Arriving on the field as “career missionaries” for the first time.

-Having Amanda Hedges,come and be our first summer intern.

-Host our very first missions team. Crossroads Baptist Church in The Woodlands, TX.

-Had our very first evangelistic outreach event with Cornerstone Baptist Church from Middletown, NY.

-We’ve seen Hondurans saved for the first time in our ministry.

-We have also begun our first Bible Study.

I want to thank you for all of your prayers and support that make experiences like these possible. God truly is using you to reach the world. We are grateful to be apart of your lives and ministry,

For Jesus,

Keni and Vanessa Epp

Bursting at the Seams

14349_1263254149799_1483097767_30732229_6653717_nGreetings from Santiago, Panama!  We have been very busy the past few months.  We stay busy working in various ministries, winning souls, giving discipleship studies, etc.  Here is a brief summary of some of the latest news:

  • In March we started classes again in our Bible Institute.  This year we have 9 students, and all of them have ministries in church.
  • A family in our church donated tile for our auditorium, so we were able to get that installed.  It has been a blessing, since the cement floor produced a lot of dust!
  • We had our missions conference in June, and have since taken on two new missionaries: a family on deputation to go to Colombia, and a couple who are graduates from our Bible Institute. 
  • Our new mission in Sona is doing well.  Carlos & Tomasa Munoz are doing a great job ministering and running the MANNA children’s feeding center (www.mannaworldwide.com).  We currently have 36 children in this center.
  • Our MANNA center in Santiago now has 42 children, and things are going well.  We have several new families enrolled & they live in extreme poverty conditions! 

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  • During the “World Cup Series” we had a visitors promotion (with a soccer theme), and during 6 weeks we had almost 200 visitors come to church, most of whom received Christ as their Savior!!
  • On Sunday mornings we are running 225-250 people, and we never have an empty seat in our auditorium.  Please pray that the Lord will supply the funds to buy new chairs soon.  We also need to knock down a wall in our auditorium to expand.  We are also praying for funds to take on this project in the near future.

In closing, we’d like to thank you all for your faithful prayers and financial support.  We thank you for having a part in reaching lost souls for Christ in Santiago, Panama!  God bless!

Your browser may not support display of this image. In Christ,

Johny Sanchez & family

 

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God at Work in Mexico

Lilly, Larry MexicoThank you for your faithful prayer and support for the work to which God has called us. God’s blessings have been abundant in the 58 churches and missions with 3,378 average attendance each Sunday, 568 saved and 85 baptized in the last two months. Two Sundays ago,we were with the Masai Baptist Mission in Cd. Valles to challenge the church with missions. Pastor Manuel, a second year student, is doing a good job. There were over 40 present and they promised 1,569.00 pesos per month for missions. They had 12 saved in the last two months.

We praise the Lord for His working in the lives of the young people in the two camps this month. Senior camp had over 245 present and Junior camp had 128 present. There were a total of 8 saved; 61 came for consecration and to serve faithfully in their churches; and 19 surrendered for full-time service. Four of these are planning to enter Bible College this year. It is amazing how God threads us through the needle during this season of rain and heat. The school flooded two times the week before camp, but not during either camp. During the twoweeks of camp there was good and cooler weather than usual.

The opening of the school year 2010 – 2011 is the 6th of September. We already have a number of prospective students that are planning to begin their studies for the ministry this year. Pray for a good school year with the safe return of the 2nd and 3rd year students. Also pray for a great number of new students for 1st year. The harvest “still” is plenteous, and the laborers are “still” few.

May God bless you richly as you labor for Him in fulfilling the mission of reaching the world with the Gospel. Thank you again for your faithfulness in prayer and support for His work.

Your missionaries,
Larry & Sharon Lilly

News From Poland

Lewright, Derrick Poland 2As far as we are concerned right now, we are in the middle of summer vacation here in Poland, and it shows. You can get virtually anywhere in the city in about half the time it normally takes, which is very nice.  You can actually find parking spots, nice as well.  And sometimes our church services look like the rapture may have taken place (not so nice).  Our first couple of years in Poland that really bothered us, but it is something that we have gotten used to, at least to a certain extent, and have learned to adjust accordingly.

This summer as part of our services we are showing portions of a video series on the spread of the gospel in China.  This has drawn some interest in visitors as well as provided a little something “different” for those members who are still in the city on a given Sunday.  We have also learned that summer is not the time for any type of big outreach program but rather a time to emphasize the important aspects of fellowship, church unity, and working together as a local body of believers.  So, if nothing else, we are thankful for summer for that reason.

Also, please be in prayer for our church as we are looking forward to the start of the new school year.  That is always one of the best times to start new outreaches and programs.  Please be in prayer that the several new contacts that have been made in the last few months will continue to show interest and that we will have more opportunities to share with them the gospel of Jesus Christ.  We count it a privilege to be able to partner with you in ministry.  To God be the honor and glory.

Co-Laborers for Christ,

Derrick and Amber Lewright

Actualizing the Vision

top[1]Vapor’s vision is to establish 40 centers for humanitarian aid and sustainable life change in third world environments by 2017. In pursuit of that vision we have been building centers in Africa. The physical expression of God’s compassion and the work of Christ in the areas where we currently have centers is truly amazing. We believe the mission He gave to those called by His name is global in scope, and that mission guides our activity. With that in mind, we have been involved in preparatory work in a few additional locations where we hope to establish centers in the future.

In May our board met in Alabama, after which a small team of us traveled to Haiti. We surveyed six cities evaluating potential center locations. While we were focusing on collecting data to guide our next steps, we spent significant time in slum areas. We played soccer, the sport of choice on the island, and shared the hope of Christ with the Haitians. We met with local business owners, fishermen, clergy and the poorest of the poor in a wide variety of settings. After prayerful consideration, we are ready to move.

Forecast for 2011 Center Establishment

In 2011 our plan is twofold – to prepare for the aggressive growth to come and to launch our first Regional Vapor Sports Ministries Center in Quanaminthe, Haiti.

Quanaminthe is located in the northeast section of the country and has a population of over 100,000. It is a gateway city, hosting one of the country’s four main land crossings into the Dominican Republic. The physical suffering and human issues are very real in this city and the passion for soccer is tremendous. We believe it to be a strategic location for a regional center that will allow the facilitation of humanitarian relief and disciple making, not only in poverty-stricken Quanaminthe but in greater Haiti, and eventually, on the whole of the island of Hispanola. Lord willing, we plan to begin the center in Quanimenthe in January 2011.

Forecast for 2012 Center Establishment

In 2012, we hope to establish four additional Vapor Sports Ministries Centers. One in Addis Abeba, located in the central region of Ethiopia, another in Jambiani, in the Zanzibar region of Tanzania, and two more centers in Haiti – one in the Port-au-Prince area and one in the midwestern region of the country.

Each of these areas is home to many children facing a whole range of humanitarian issues, and each area also has different spiritual dynamics. Statistics show Jambiani and the surrounding area to be 99 percent Muslim, and our survey work in Haiti confirmed that voodoo is still actively practiced in many communities there. While every location presents its own set of obstacles, we are confident in God’s power to overcome.

Please join us as we ask God to continue to lead us, to expand our capacity and to use us for His glory and kingdom. Thank you.

Life is a vapor,
Micah McElveen
www.vaporsports.org

Impact Asia Camp Manila 2010

Overcoming Myself

PANAMA 1211In the summer of 2009 our family went on our first missions trip together.  I was really excited.  I knew it would be so cool to experience “missions” together as a family.

 God laid a few things on my heart one morning shortly before we were to leave.  As with any step of faith, I knew that this trip was one which required courage.  So many fears can creep in.  It was exciting to me, that in order to say ‘yes’ to God, I basically had to overcome myself – my fears and my limitations.  Whether it was my fear of crocodiles, tarantulas, snakes, flying and crashing, something happening to the girls in a foreign country, or illness -  I had to overcome myself; lay them all aside and trust that God would take care of us.

 I had to overcome my comfort issues with bathroom facilities, unattractive smells, and food I knew I wouldn’t care for.  I had to overcome myself with how I’d prefer to dress and knowing that in order to be respectful of a culture, that I may not look my best.  And I welcomed it.  That’s why I decided to go!  I was tired of sitting on the sidelines.  I wanted to see God work and I wanted Him to work through me and my children!
I wanted to cry because of the great love I felt for others who may not be as blessed as I am.

 I wanted to feel tired knowing that I gave my day to the Lord – working, loving, and ministering for Him.

 I wanted to feel that “high” that only comes from walking in His presence.

 I wanted to feel a lot less selfish, a ton more blessed, and I wanted to abandon my agenda for the better one God could give me.

 So that became my theme for that trip: overcoming myself.

 I went into it more for my girls than myself.  But I knew that I needed the experience too. I needed to get out “there” just as much as I desired for my children to be profoundly impacted by missions.

 I knew God would speak to each one of us personally and I couldn’t wait to see what He had in mind.

 I might feel like whining – I might be uncomfortable – I might get sad at what I saw… but I knew when I got home I would say “what an amazing experience!”

 And I did.

***Will you be ready when Bridgepoint announces its next short-term missions trip? Start praying now that God will direct your heart.

 

~ Dionna Sanchez

http://www.EmphasisOnMoms.com

http://beautyinthestorm.blogspot.com

Tom’s Condition

Gentry, Tom Romania 2“Dear Folks,
   Tom and I are writing this letter together, so if it seems a little different than usual now you know why!
    We are sorry we have not written  sooner but with Tom’s condition deteriorating I am helping him now.  The radiation treatment he received for the pain he has, did not help as we had hoped. He is now taking more chemotherapy to reduce the tumor and lessen the pain.  The cancer is not spreading at this time, for which we thank  the Lord.
  We have taken a one year medical furlough and are now living in Omro, Wisconsin .The Lord has provided a beautiful home for us here, and we have joined Wildwood Baptist church. Please pray for us as we adjust to the many changes in our lives, and also pray for Tom’s pain.
 
   If the Lord wills we hope to visit as many of your churches’ as possible.
    The ministry in Romania is continuing on as normal. Camp starts next week, please pray for many souls to be saved and lives changed.  The camps are booked to capacity so it looks to be a great year.
   The ministry in Africa is also going strong. Please pray for our son-in-law and daughter as they serve the Lord there.
       Finally  remember the growing financial needs of the ministry in Romania. Prices continue to rise and the camps are full. Also our medical and family expenses as we establish ourselves.
                                          
Pray for Romania,
The Gentry Family”

Gangs, Medicine & a Building Dedication

RhoadesJeff left this morning around 5am to drive over to Guatemala to preach in our Metro church and then will be heading back late this afternoon.  Please pray for his safety on the road and easy border crossings. 
    Our medical campaign was a success in spite of all the trouble customs gave us with the medicine.  We NEVER got our med’s out of customs, but a very generous person in the states heard about what was going on and sent a love offering and we were about to buy what we needed to fill our pharmacy :)   By then end of the week we had 1,561 people come through!!!
    We are now putting the finishing touches on a new church building in Aguillares, for Pastor Manuel and plan to do the building dedication next Sunday and are praying for over 100 to attend.  This is one of our “country” churches and we are excited for them to have their own building that they will own free and clear!!
    Finally, I would ask that you would be praying for the gang members here in El Salvador.  They are truly spreading fear into the hearts of the people and have been acting out in very violent ways.  The President gave a speech this week saying we would not be intimidated by them and they were going to but more army in the streets, but I know that unless God acts nothing will change.  Please join me in prayer that the Lord would change the hearts of these men and that we would see revival break out here in El Salvador, which by the way, means “The Savior.”
Blessings, Paula

Argentina – June 20

I apologize for falling behind on blog posts over the past few days.  The team has been very busy with several different items to prepare for the youth rally that was held in the park by the church last night.  Groups of people have been building a skate ramp, preparing and handing out thousands of invitations, picking up supplies (even basketball hoops), painting, and cleaning.  The event went very well with a ton of different activities for the kids to get involved in (volleyball, basketball, ping pong, etc.) with approximately 150 kids attending.  According to Sasha, ~80 percent of the kids who were here do not know Christ so this was a great time to hang out with them and show them the love of Jesus. 

Today we are packing up and cleaning up in preparation for the long flights home.  Please pray for our trip as about half of the team is sick and all are pretty tired – a testimony to the hard work that the team has been doing.  We’ll try to post some more pictures soon or you can also check out Keith’s photo album on Facebook.  Thanks for everyone’s prayers and support.

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