Thursday, April 21, 2005

Missions Report - April 2005


GCM SUPPORT STATUS
Thank you to those who have already joined our team and are supporting us to serve God in Ukraine! We appreciate your sacrifice that makes our ministry overseas possible. There are also many of you who have expressed a desire to help us and have yet to send in your gift.

We need to have 100% of our support raised by July 4th since that is when we will be beginning our five weeks of training in Colorado and we plan to leave shortly after we finish. However, we will not be allowed to go overseas until all of our support is raised. If we leave after August, Grace may not go since it would disrupt her senior year of high school. If she doesn’t go, this will make the adjustment more difficult for Merry and so we are believing God to get us there in time for their school. In addition, the school Danelle and I will attend begins in late August and if we are delayed we will not be able to start until January. Our language acquisition is essential to effective ministry and so we believe we need to be there about August 20th.

To date, we have raised 35% of our annual support. A dear friend has offered to match $1 for every $3 of new annual support we raise, up to $16,000! This will cover all of our special needs of training and moving. I have enclosed a support form for your convenience. This would greatly help us to evaluate our support status, even if you plan to begin supporting us at a later date. You can indicate on the form when you plan to begin your support. We are sincerely grateful and humbled by the sacrifice of so many and we are convinced many, many lives will be changed through your investment. To God be the glory!

FINAL DAYS AT UGA
I will be preaching at the University of Georgia three more Wednesdays. Please pray for a harvest of students before I ride off into the sunset. It will be difficult to leave Pastor Chet Boyd, Richard, Bryan, Eric, Doug , Melanie, Daniel, Louise and the rest of the saints in Athens. I have been serving for 5 years on the campus.

I got a call about six weeks ago from a student named Jackie who listened to me speak and often asked questions. She told me she had given control of her life to Christ last night and she was so happy she wanted to sing and dance! I spent some time with her last Wednesday after I finished. She is reading her Bible and said God is changing her life!

Here are some pictures of me preaching a few weeks ago.


HOME FOR SALE
After eight and a half years of living at 486 Tamarack Dr in Canton, Georgia we are selling our house! Why? Because, after 52 years of living in America, Danelle and I are going to live in Ukraine to preach the gospel, train pastors and plant churches. It is becoming more real each day. Please pray for the house to sell quickly.

Yours in Christ’s unfailing love,



Steve