Saved People Serve People--Pine Ridge Missions Team

My how things can change.

The Pine Ridge team departed with temps in the 60s, sunny, and nice. They arrived in the midst of a snowstorm--temps in the teens, windchill, and cold. 

Despite the challenges, the team has served well. Pictures chronicle highlights from their trip. 

Please pray for their return trip to Wooster, Ohio.  They start traveling back today. They intend to be home late Sunday night.   

Saved People Serve People--Serving Lakota People

This year Grace Church is sending a team to the Lakota reservation in Pine Ridge, SD. We are partnering with the Oyate Concern ministries to serve the people in Pine Ridge, SD.  

Lapman and Ching Ching Lun will lead the team of nine traveling by van from Wooster, Ohio to Pine Ridge, SD.  The team includes the Lun family: Jonathan, Jeremy, and Abby along with Roger and Jenifer Miller and David Fairhurst and Sarah Miller. 

Together they will travel two days to arrive in Pine Ridge. On Sunday, they will begin preparing for the Sunday Night services where the team will share God's love with children, teens, and adults.  

Each day they will work on service projects to help Oyate Concern with their Christian school and church ministries.  The team will work in pairs to complete some projects for the ministry.  

On Monday evening, the team focuses on teens. Students will gather to play basketball and hang out. Then a message from our team will challenge them to give their life to Christ or to remain strong in the Lord.  

On Tuesday evening, the team will direct their encouragement to the lay leaders in the Oyate Concern ministries.  Everyone will share pizza, testimonies, and prayer time for the challenges facing the Lakota believers.  

On Wednesday, the team will finish up projects and clean up for the start of their journey home.  The team will visit the Black Hills, Custer State Park, and Mount Rushmore on their return trip. 

Please pray for the team:  

• travel safety
• good health
• deeper connections with missionaries and Lakota people
• catalyzing of new friendships, and 
• having a servant's heart

 

First report from Tim and Jim in Sierra Leone

Tim Harley and Jim Hocking (Water for Good) arrived in Sierra Leone. Read Tim's first post reporting what they got to do. Then please leave a comment on the Harley blog to encourage them. 

You can read my earlier post to pray more specifically. 

Use the #Superbowl for Good

Leverage Superbowl for Good

Thanks to Jon Dansby for sharing the post for using the Superbowl to reach people for Christ. 

The Apostle Paul wrote “To the weak, I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some. And I do all things for the sake of the gospel, that I may become a fellow partaker of it (I Corinthians 9:22).”

Most people will watch some of the Superbowl. Over 110 million people tuned in to watch the Superbowl last year.

Photo from Flickr

You can use this event as an opportunity to reach out to those who need to hear the gospel.  Consider your list of people who need Christ. Pray over your list.  Find out who is going to watch it. Invite them over or ask if you can come over to watch part of it. Use this as an opportunity to get to know one or more of your friends or neighbors.   

Be hospitable.  Throw a party to invite others over. Or go to a party and offer to invite them over for dinner some time. 

Above all, pray. Ask God to guide you to an opportunity.  Do everything you can to see God save people.  

Please share how you could use the Superbowl for Good. 

   

Seahawk & Patriot families from Flickr

Sharing life change to the Nations--Cathy Simms goes to Cambodia

Cathy Simms travels to Cambodia with a team from Women of Grace USA (November 11-24).  The team includes women from Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. 

How to Pray for Cathy Simms and the Women of Grace Team:

• Ask God for safety as the team travels 30-plus hours from US to Cambodia
• Pray for everyone one on the team to remain healthy
• Ask God the Holy Spirit for team unity (Ephesians 4:3)
• Pray that the team can encourage Jill Kane & Becky Good 
• Ask God for the power to encourage the Cambodian Ministry Partner wives
• Pray for the team to do whatever it takes from a servant's heart.

The team will serve in English classes providing English-speaking dialogue for the students. They will encourage the Cambodian Ministry Partner wives who serve along with their husbands in developing fully devoted followers of Christ in churches in Northern Cambodia.  

English as Second Langauage Class (ESL)

Cathy shares on her prayer card, "Please pray for our team that we would be willing and able to pour ourselves out in love for those we will minister to, and that Christ will be made known through our interactions there."

Jill Kane & Becky Good

Cambodian Ministry Partner wives

Our passion is to develop every person into a more fully devoted follower of Christ. "We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom,so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ (Colossians 1:28)."  

I miss the interns

I miss the interns who served with me this summer. Rachel Landon and Jared Poorman served with me. God did a great work in them and through them. They are busy starting the next year of college this week. Rachel is back at Malone University (Canton, OH). Jared is starting at Grace College (Winona Lake, IN). May God be their guide and strength as they embark on the next phase of their life journey. Well done interns! Well done!

Rachel Landon

Sowing Hope Intern

Graduated from Triway HS

How did you first hear about the outreach internship, and why did you decide to apply?

Pastor Daron contacted me and told me about the position. I took a while to think about it and then decided to apply. I wasn't really sure that I could do it but Daron's confidence that I would be good for the job pushed me to accept it.

What’s your favorite regular responsibility or one-time project so far in your internship?

Honestly, organizing a storage closet. Every time I go back in there to get supplies, I can see how sorting things and knowing what we have has saved money and made things easier. Rather than having to go out and buy lots of things for every event, I can brainstorm on how to use what we already have and use that instead. It gives me a sense of accomplishment that my work has been helpful.

Favorite music genre to work/travel/relax to?

I love pretty much like all genres of music (except country...). In the car, I usually play rock music as loud as my speakers will allow (Nine Lashes, Skillet, Red, Thousand Foot Krutch). When I work or do homework, I play movie soundtracks (Chronicles of Narnia, How to Train Your Dragon) or piano music. To relax, I play fun, upbeat stuff or worship music (Shane and Shane, Phil Wickham, Matthew West).

​If you were stranded on a deserted island, what two items would you have with you and how would you escape? (Or would you want to escape at all?)

As long as I had food and the necessities (such as sunscreen for my fair skin:) ), I would not want to leave. I would want to have a journal/paper and some device to play music.

What are you passionate about?

Kids, learning (specifically studying psychology, one of my majors), music, reading, and organization.

You’re leaving your house or apartment – what do you always have with you?

My phone, chapstick, and a hair tie. 

Jared Poorman

Sowing Hope Intern

Graduated from Smithville HS

How did you first hear about the outreach internship, and why did you decide to apply?

 I first heard about this internship from helping with Torrey and Nate last year during the week long camps. I loved helping and being around kids in underprivileged areas and just being a Godly male in their lives to help, play with, and give them hope in and through Jesus.

What’s your favorite regular responsibility or one-time project so far in your internship? 
My favorite regular responsibility would definitely be our neighborhood Bible clubs we did. 

Favorite music genre to work/travel/relax to?
My favorite music to drive and chill too would be a little of everything. I like anything from country to christian rap. It's whatever sounds good that day.

What is one superpower you would most like to possess? 
If I had any super power it would definitely be to fly. There's so much you can do with that and the views and sunsets would be great.

What inspires you?
I'm inspired by real Godly people who overcome and seek God through thick and thin. I'm inspired from the greatness God shows in my life and in others...through all areas.

You’re leaving your house or apartment – what do you always have with you?

When I'm leaving my house I always have my cell phone and money on me.