AFLC World Missions News is moving to our updated website. All new posts can be found at http://www.aflcworldmissions.org/resources/prayer-and-news/ .
Tuesday, December 02, 2014
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Joshua Dan Pillman
We are excited to welcome Joshua Dan Pillman into our family. Thank you to each of you who prayed for a safe delivery and birth. We thank the Lord for His goodness and mercy and that the birth went so well.
Because of Jesus,
Justo, Patricia, Nathanael, Hannah, and Joshua
To reply to this email, please write to pillmanfamily@gmail.com
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Mafú on Mission – October 2014
Hello friends,
It has been a while since I have updated you all on my life and ministry, and there is much to update. So, here I go - I’ll try to be brief and clear.
I have been in the USA for over a month already. First, I was in Alaska with my brother Andrew and my two brothers-in-law and my dad to celebrate my dad’s 60th Birthday; then I came to Minnesota where I am now. My fiancé, Ednay, is studying at AFLBS and is enjoying it very much even though it is very challenging because of the language barrier.
In September Ednay and I met with the AFLC Mission committee. We were accepted as AFLC missionary candidates and we are now going through the required paperwork. In December we will either receive a missionary call and begin raising support for the mission field or we will be given some more prerequisites of the AFLC as we prepare for the mission field wherever that may be. Ednay and I are open to a wide range of possible ministry options and are following the leading of the Holy Spirit one step at a time as He reveals to us “this is the way, walk in it” (Is. 30:21).
I have spent the past three weeks working on a farm in Stephen MN. Two weeks were spent harvesting sugar beets and one week harvesting soybeans and washing and winterizing farm equipment. I also had the opportunity of sharing at the Free Lutheran Church in Alma with Rev. Dennis Grey.
Now I am back in the Twin Cities metro area. I am blessed to be living in the basement of Dale and Gretta Westvig’s home in Chanhassen, MN. I am currently looking for work. I will be in MN until the 14th of December when Ednay and I will go back to Brazil for four big events - her sister’s wedding, Christmas, my cousin’s wedding and Children's Camp at the ARCA. We plan on returning in January for Nay to attend the spring semester of Bible School. I don’t know how circumstances may change our plans, but as far as we know that’s the plan. Ideally by this time next year I will be married and on the mission field serving long term.
Please pray for us as the days go by and decisions are made. Pray for the clear direction of the Holy Spirit. Pray for spiritual discernment for me. Pray for daily opportunities to preach the Gospel and share God’s love with people anywhere and everywhere. Pray for Ednay as she deals with the homesickness, the new language, new culture, the ever-cooling weather and me.
Thank you for being involved in my life. May the outrageous love of God bring you joy and peace today and always.
In His service,
Mafu Abel
P.S. If you are in my area and can make some time for us to get together sometime, please make it happen because I would love to see you! If you would like me to share with your church about missions I'd be happy to do that as well.
Contact me:
e-mail: mafuabel@gmail.com
Phone: 612-666-7746
Facebook: Mafú David Abel
Mail: AFLC World Missions 3110 E. Medicine Lake Blvd. Minneapolis, MN 55441
"However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me - the tack of testifying to the good news of God's grace." Acts 20:2
Monday, October 20, 2014
October Mission Devotional
“It is finished.” These are the words spoken by Jesus on the cross, in John 19, right before he died. And this tells us that Jesus had fulfilled the will of the Father. It tells us that his work of atonement was now complete.
Because this is true, have you ever wondered why we’re still here? If Jesus has atoned for our sins, why are we still living in this world? If our salvation is complete, why must we continue to live in a world of sin? If our sins have been cleansed, why can’t we go to paradise now?
I think this is addressed well in 2 Peter 3:9, where he writes: “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”
We see in this passage that God is patient. And, although we might like to experience his eternal kingdom sooner rather than later, this is yet another demonstration of God’s grace. He’s patient because he does not want any to perish. He’s patient because he wants all to reach repentance.
In displaying his patience, God is giving people the opportunity to turn from their sin. He’s giving them the opportunity to receive the salvation he’s provided for them. And this is where the role of the church ties in. This is where we see the purpose of missions.
As the church, we’ve been called by God to proclaim the gospel to the whole creation (Mark 16:15). We’ve been called by God to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19-20). As those who have received the grace of God, we’re to share his heart. We too are to desire the salvation of all. And we’re to make the most of every moment that others might have the opportunity to hear the gospel and trust in Jesus.
The question for us, then, is this: Do we share the heart of God? Do we truly desire the salvation of all people? Are we making the most of every moment, that others might have the opportunity to receive his salvation?
I, for one, am eternally thankful for the patience of God. Were he not patient, I would not share in his blessings. However, because he is long-suffering, I was given the opportunity to hear the gospel and to trust in him.
I now want others to have the same opportunity. Even though it would be wonderful to live in the presence of God right at this very moment, even though it would be delightful were I now free from this world of sin, I desire that others receive the same blessing. I am willing to endure what I must that others might not perish.
I pray that, as a church, this would be a desire shared by us all. I pray that, because of the great blessing we’ve received, we’ll patiently endure. I pray that we’ll endure that we might carry out the call entrusted to us by our Lord. And I pray that, in this way, he’ll use us to draw many to faith that they also might share in the blessings he’s provided.
~ Kent Sperry
Friday, October 17, 2014
Special Edition of Wagner Updates
Due to the growing threat of the Ebola Virus Disease in Sierra Leone, Lutheran Bible Translators evacuated our team. Our family left on August 3, and we anticipate being in the USA for 6-12 months until the epidemic is controlled. We continue in our Scripture engagement (Josh) and translation (Ruthie) roles in a limited capacity
while also picking up some projects for Lutheran Bible Translators HQ. Please pray for our friends and colleagues in Sierra Leone. We appreciate you, Team.
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
BORDER CROSSINGS–Schierkolks October 2014 Newsletter
Prayer points:
-So grateful to get Kirstie’s
Mexican passport!
-Thankful for a great VBS this
summer. Praying for the kids to
come to Kids’ Club as well.
-Grateful for your continued
prayers for our family spread out
in the U.S. and Mexico.
Wednesday, October 08, 2014
KVALE CONNECTION PRAYER LETTER -September 2014 - Supporting Missionaries in Bible Translation with Information Technology
As you think about your view of God, was it first shaped by the Word of
God? Maybe like most people, your view of God was shaped in your mind
based on relationships in your life or rules you had to follow or what love
looked like to you. Some of that was hopefully a healthy setting for you
and, sadly, sometimes many of us experience things that are very far from
the character of God and then we allow Satan to attach that thinking or
experience to our view of God. Until people come into our path that help
peel away our misconceptions, interpretations, or conditioning with
satisfying morsels of truth, we can walk around labeling God, ourselves
and others until we have created a rut under the soles of our feet.
It rains and then we try to figure out how to escape the muddy mess
the enemy loves to continually mucky-up. The grace of God is so
beyond us. His Holy Spirit very capably renews our minds through: the truth of His Word we read for ourselves, those who will share it with us, and those who will pray for us and with us. We can do the same for others. We pray for those without God’s Word or truth bearers near-by. God’s true character is so satisfying!
September 2014 brings us to anticipation of the Fall New Testament
celebrations unveiled and testimonials that humble us.
September for our family, brings us to: Lenaya turning 16 and
driving! Neli beginning her Senior year and graduating! Steve
and Glenda beginning their 25th year of marriage and eight years
serving with Wycliffe-USA! He holds our every moment in time!
IT Begins Rollout of New Software System
As Wycliffe continues to work to both sustain and increase the number of missionaries, financial resources and intercessors committed to the work of Bible translation, many of the software systems required to administer these resources have reached a tipping point of obsolescence and instability. Good stewardship now requires that they be replaced. The opportunity for increased efficiency, reduced costs and capacity growth
promises great dividends.
Beginning this month, our IT department will begin to implement
features of a new software system called Workday. The first phase of
the software rollout will take approximately nine to 12 months to implement, with the first benefits realized by our Human Resources
team. Workday will serve our staff by assisting with benefits, tax and
payroll information, performance reviews, expense tracking and even
timekeeping. The system is cloud-based and offers a mobile application
for staff convenience.
Your prayers will be appreciated as this phase begins and how Steve
is utilized for this project over the next year. Praying through roadblocks,
scheduling conflicts, technical difficulties and communication
set-backs is key. We also pray and trust the Lord for wisdom, unity,
blending of one another’s professional assets and the desire to glorify
God in it all. We are very excited about enabling global connections!
Prayer Requests
• For the Tolaki people of Indonesia as they become more familiar
with God’s Word in their own language since February 2014 and shed misconception about God, who He is and also shed strongholds of darkness.
• For the Wycliffe IT team as they meet each morning to pray regarding
the up-coming projects and all that needs God’s guiding hand and affirming Spirit.
• For continued stamina for Steve, and health & safety for all of us.
• For Jason in goals, dreams, work, and exact place to live.
• For Neli in her Senior year of High School, choices & peace.
• For Lenaya in 10th grade & 16!
• For VBS kids wanting more of Jesus in their lives.
• For Glenda in the victories of joy each day and the compassion
she shares for wounded women.
Praises
• Praise God for the Tolaki NT going forth and the hymns of
praise they are singing!
• Praise God for truth that heals.
• Praise God for decisions made on the next software project.
• Praise God for prayer warriors we sadly lost recently. May their
testimonies live in our hearts.
Jonni Sliver Newsletter – October 2014
It’s the Girls Turn
In the last two months we have seen two groups of sib-lings return to their families, two teen-agers run away (both returned to their families) and one young lady came for two days, on her way to a recuperation program for drug addicts (you can imagine she brought a little excitement to the house). During the last year we have almost constantly had 20 or more children in the house, and in August we had 25; suddenly we had 7! Can you imagine the silence?
The quiet only lasted a little while. Before I sent out the September letter three ones joined us: Yasmin (4 years old), Stefani (3 years old) and Mateus (1 year). It actually took us a little while to find out the children’s whole story.
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