We found out that we had to both get German driver’s licenses. We thought our American ones were good for a year. But they

song writting class

are only allowed for 6 months! So we have to go to driver’s school, take written tests, and go through an amazing amount of paperwork. Eye exams, red cross courses, driver’s license translation from English to German, etc, etc…. Part of German culture is emphasis on regulations. It will take a long time to do it, among other things, but God will lead us!!!

Our long time dog, Ice will be joining us here. Our son, Nathan, has been keeping him for us temporarily until we could get settled into a situation where he could come.We’re so excited to have our friend back again!

Coming up in the first weekend in October, Teresa will be leading worship for the CC UK women’s retreat outside of York. It’s going to be such a blessing gathering with the saints in England. Bruce will be going to help that same weekend for the first CCIreland conference. He’ll be with a team being a support. What a blessing!

As the days get shorter, we’re reminded of our days in this world also getting shorter. We need to redeem the time, for the harvest is ripe and the fields are ready. Though the days also seem spiritually darker, we are the light bearers, pointing the way to the only One who can help; Jesus! Thank you for standing with us in prayer and giving.We so appreciate you.

Yours in Christ,
Bruce and Teresa

“Reaching the Nations…One Soul at a Time”

www.sgwm.com

I gave warning to our boys that in the midst of the blessings exceptional to the USA, we are not to be distracted from the holy calling of praying for souls. Clay responded with amazing understanding as he was able to see the “blessings of struggles” experienced in Kenya and the fruit of faith it produces, verses, the “struggle of blessings” which distract from crying out to God here in America.  May God help us to be unmoved whether in blessings or trials. Our need for God will always be greater than our want for God.

This has been one of the most enjoyable furloughs thus far. We have actually had incredibly sweet times of rest and times of re-connecting with family and friends, sweet fellowship while camping in some of the more beautiful regions of California (Big Sur and Yosemite) and finding refreshment not in the “doing”, but in the “resting” in God’s presence together, and somehow still getting done all that has been set before us. Thank you Father for these precious gifts and thank you family and friends for helping make special memories, largely for our boys!

Our Ministry:

We praise God for the special opportunities He opened up for both Nasiema and I to share the love of God and counsel from God’s Word to our own family members, and for me to share with the Body of Christ in home Bible studies and with our precious family at Irvine Canaan Christian Community Church and re-connect with the beloved body there.

As a Bible College teacher, friend, and Missions Pastor, I have had the privilege to disciple, counsel, and invest in both Benedictor and Ibrahim.  Both men and their families have ventured in faith to begin the process of a church-plant this summer; and by the grace of God, I get to witness the hand of God upon both of these brothers’ lives!
Church-Plant Updates:

MOMBASA…Pastor Benedictor now has two home fellowships and has been going “house to house” sharing the good news of Jesus Christ to the Muslim community and nominal Christians in the area. Pastor Benedictor writes:“I am so much blessed to be here with my new brothers and sisters in Christ here in Mombasa…as I teach verse by verse currently through the book of Romans, most of them ask a lot of questions that challenge me to study more…this reminds me when I joined CC Nairobi and used to ask a lot questions to my pastor…most of the guys here are eager to know more and get deep into the word of God! The challenges: we meet many Muslims who don’t know much about their faith and they refer us to their leaders for discussion.”

Please pray:

*For Pastor Benedictor to be led by the Spirit and continue to equip himself and his Fellowship with the Word that they might be ready to give every man an answer for their faith!

*For wisdom as to how to go about the church planting (Calvary Chapel Mombasa) amidst this predominately Muslim community

*That the Lord would provide for him and his family

CONGO…Pastor Ibrahim writes: “I am glad to be working in the field of our Heavenly Father… Currently, we are gathering for Home Fellowship Bible Studies in local houses…In general, everything here in Baraka, Democratic Republic of Congo must be done officially and demands money for finalizing everything.”

Please pray:

*That God would give Ibrahim favor with all the officials and wisdom in preparing all the proper documentation for the church-plant (Calvary Chapel Baraka)

*That God would provide for a home and church building for Ibrahim and his family of 9

*Anointing as he continues to teach and translate the Bible into his Tribal Bembe Language

Please also pray:

*For my time of preparation to minister to missionaries-in-training in the Extreme Missions Training Program, and for the preparation of their hearts to receive what the Lord has for them during this time. Once I begin teaching the EMT program, I will be in Murrieta while my family will remain behind in Placentia.

*Please pray for the boy’s hearts to find comfort and joy in the Lord during the transition away from daddy for the 8 week duration, and for obedient hearts while mama will be “alone” to disciple the boys (I will only be able to meet with my family on some weekends during this time)

*Although we are in the States, I will continue to administrate for the Bible College in Kenya. Please pray for diligence and efficiency with my time

*Please pray for the preparation of my own heart as I teach in various speaking engagements

*Please pray that the construction on our town home in Nairobi would be completed before we return as the water tanks, and electricity meters are still being installed…

*Please pray that God would provide the additional $250 per month needed so that our family would be able to live in this community and find safety with our team members, especially as I will be traveling more with the EMT’s and as Missions Pastor in the months to come

* Please pray that Nasiema would be yielded in her spirit to minister however the Lord sees fit in any given moment, as well as for wisdom and grace as she has picked back up homeschooling the boys again.

*Most importantly, I ask for prayer in the midst of business, to be faithful to my family.

We are truly grateful for each sacrifice made so that our family may be here in Nairobi to serve our Lord. May His blessings be upon you all. Thank you again for co-laboring with us for the gospel’s sake.

To Donate online to the Ramirez Family online click Donate
For Donations make a check payable to SGWM with Ramirez  in the memo to the address below.

17451 Bastanchury Road / Suite 203 / Yorba Linda / CA / 92886 / 714.993.4801 Ext. 108 / www.sgwm.com

By His grace, for His glory,

The Ramirez Family, Psalm 73:25-26
Arie, Nasiema, Clay, Joram, and Ezra

For pictures and a printable version of this update please click here

IT’S A BOY !

“Behold, children are a gift of the Lord…”

Dear Friends & Family,

This month Brian and I have an amazing testimony to share with you. It is the testimony of how God gave us our son, Luke Mukisa.
In May Brian and I celebrated our 4th anniversary.  From the very beginning we wanted to have children. After about 2 years and no children we went for every test imaginable but the doctors could find nothing wrong with either of us.  If you have ever struggled with infertility then you know all the questions and doubts that arise.  People would ask me about adoption and I felt that if God was not giving me children then there must be a reason so who was I to go and get one myself.  After sometime I was having lunch with a friend of mine who has adopted several children.  I was sharing with her that children are a gift from God and that James tells us to help orphans is pure and undefiled religion., encouraging her in her calling as a mother. Something happened as I was sharing with her, it was like the Lord was speaking to me, giving me those verses.  That day I went home and shared it with Brian.  He immediately said yes we would begin praying about it and would start inquiring when we came back from the states early next year.

Well God definitely had other plans.  For one, after that it was always on our minds and then one week everything started happening.  The first thing was on a Monday Brian and I were walking around  a store waiting for some friends and I was looking at appliances and Brian said if we move we will have to get bigger ones because we will soon have a family.  I got excited when he said that but again thought of next year.  Then that Wednesday we had an afterglow and the pastors and elders were up front to anoint people with oil and pray for healing.  Out of the blue Pastor Josh came up to me and asked if he and the elders could pray for me and Brian.  They prayed that God would give us a baby.  That very Friday a couple from our church who was adopting from a new babies home called Malaika, told us that they had seen our son.  With in the next 2 days 2 more people told us about the same baby.  We knew it could not be a coincidence so we had to go see.

As soon as we saw Luke we knew he was our son.  He even looks like us!  God is so amazing!  His gift to us is perfect!  When we met Luke he was about 3 – 5 weeks old.  After a thorough investigation to see if anyone would claim him, Luke came home for good, with much celebration and rejoicing, on August 27 at 10 weeks.

I know many of you are wondering where did he come from before we met him at Malaika Babies Home.  Luke was found alone in a garden in the old section of Kampala.  He was completely clothed and wrapped in a blanket.  Whoever left him there did not just abandon him but seemed to want him to be found and cared for.  For us it was like a present from the Lord.  As I have said before Luke looks like us and is most probably multiracial just like Brian and I.  We most definitely are his mommy and daddy there can be no disputing it.  Everywhere we go we get comments from people who do not know he is being adopted  about how much he looks like us, especially like Brian.

Adoption takes 3 years In Uganda.  Until then we are applying for legal guardianship.  Please pray with us that we would get it soon so we can apply for a visa to bring him to the States for a visit.  He has already met his Kanyike grandparents but we would love for him to meet my parents also, as well as all of you!  Brian has to be in America before December 2 so time is short.  Thank all of you who have been praying for us and for Luke Mukisa.

Mukisa means blessing and that is exactly what he is!

PRAYER REQUESTS
Praise  report: Luke Mukisa is now a part of the Kanyike family!

Pray for Brian and Jill to raise Luke for the Lord.

Please pray for Brian and Jill to learn to balance their ministry schedules with having a baby.

Pray for Brian and Jill’s Bible college classes as the new semester has started.

Pray for all the legal work that has to be done to have legal guardianship of Luke.

Pray for  Brian and Jill and all of their ministries in Kampala

Pray for Brian and Jill’s finances as they need to raise at least $500 more a month.

Once again we thank you for your continued prayer and support.

In Him,
Brian and Jill Kanyike (and Luke)

To Donate online to the Kanyike Family online click

For Donations make a check payable to SGWM with Kanyike in the memo to the address below.

17451 Bastanchury Road / Suite 203 / Yorba Linda / CA / 92886 / 714.993.4801 Ext. 108 / www.sgwm.com

“Reaching the Nations…One Soul at a Time”

Deanna Jevas

Prayer requests for Calvary Chapel Pedregales / Tijuana

PRAISE REPORTS:

Our women’s conference on Sept. 11th was a great blessing. About 150 women came, hungry for the Word of God.  All of us were filled!  Josie Pfluker, from C.C. Chino came and shared with us a teaching.  A big thank you to C.C. Pacific Hills who sponsors this event every year.

Construction has begun for dorm rooms at the men’s discipleship home in Ensenada. Praise God for His provisions. We truly see the Lord’s hand in this as He is fully providing all that is needed.

1.  Please pray for Pastor Chris’ health. He is experiencing, once again, heavy fatigue due to stress, I believe! Pray for the Lord to CONTINUE to raise up godly men and women both churches to help carry the load.

2.  Pray for our upcoming all church mission’s trip to San Felipe, Oct. 1st – 3rd. We plan to do Fiesta de Libertad, (Festival of Freedom), like a mini Harvest Crusade.  We also plan to build a house for our missionaries there, Octavio and Betty. Pray for provisions for the trip and the house.

3. Pray for provisions to finish our new youth room at CC Tijuana.

4.  Pray for the family of Yandi Pacheco, a young girl from our church who went home to be with the Lord. She ended her battle with cancer. Pray for COMFORT for her family. They all love Jesus very much!

5.  Pray for comfort and peace for Lorena, a church member who lost her husband a couple of weeks ago. He was murdered in front of his home.

6.  Pray for finances for all of us here in these hard economic times.

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU PRAYER WARRIORS!!

GOD BLESS YOU ABUNDANTLY,

Deanna Jevas

Kathmandu, Nepal

Tonielle Antenesse

Prayer Requests: With my trip rapidly approaching (September 26th – November 20th), I am doing some of the final calculations for my financial needs for my trip and am still $500 short of my goal.  I am also cutting it very close with my personal finances at home and fear I may not be able to pay some of my bills before I leave.  I know and trust that God will provide me with everything I need – He has never ceased to amaze me with His provision for my life and trips, in the past.  Please pray that He will continue to provide the funds needed and that I will continue to trust in Him no matter what.

I’m excited for this next trip and look forward to all that is planned for me out there. I know that this is a essential step toward my future as a full time missionary in Nepal.  I will be staying with a fellow missionary at a mission hostel while I am there and am excited to get to know her better as well as the others who are staying at the hostel.

Please also pray for the fiance visa paperwork to continue to go smooth.  We turned in the paperwork two months ago and it is still in the review process. The average processing time for the California office is about 5 months…so we are ALMOST there!! Pankaj will most likely have his interview with the American Embassy while I am in Nepal.

Thank you for your prayers!

God Bless,

Tonielle Antenesse

CC Pakistan

The Massey Family

Blessings, we all are doing great by our Lord’s grace, upcoming three weeks. We request you to please pray with us for following purposes.

There is Annual Christian Convention in neighboring city, thousands of people from whole Pakistan come there. We have been praying and have planned to take World Missionary Press Scriptural booklets there for free distribution. Joseph and Mr. Arif will be going there for a full week. Many churches have their stalls there, Calvary Chapel Pakistan missions  will have Free Scriptural Booklet’s stall. Please pray that our effort be fruitful and the word of God may go to many new areas with people and change their lives.

New Creation Ministry (A Christian Book Ministry) has planned to go to serve among flood victims, they are taking food, clothes and other items. We are sending 100 Urdu Bibles there. It will be one day trip, New Creation will arrange for the vehicle for transporting goods and team. The team members will contribute for the transportation. One member from our team will go with them. Please pray for this team.

Calvary Chapel Pakistan missions is blessed to be invited to a village named Deedo-wali to teach and distribute Bibles. This whole village was Jehovah’s witness, but now all of them have changed. A pastor working there came to our office yesterday and told us that they have used many of the small pamphlets we printed about Jehovah’s witness and Mormonism. The Pastor was very much thankful and he invited me to teach at his Church. We are going there on Sept. 29. Please pray for us. There are 42 Christian families who need Urdu Bibles.

I have received an invitation to teach in the central Jail of Gujranwala, Glory to God. I am going to teach there on Oct. 6th. Please pray for me to be blessed with wisdom when I go and teach those prisoners.

We are planning Sunday School Programs in 6 villages. Joseph is having meetings and is collecting information. Christmas is the ONLY Celebration that Christian children have, please pray that these programed be joyful, and very helpful for children to know and grown in the Lord Jesus Christ. please pray for all the arrangements and our need for Children Bibles.

We are going to start a new Bible course along with our regular Bible Studies. Please pray for me as I am translating the studies and pray that this Bible (study) course be very helpful for the Bible Students.

Please pray for me to continue good fellowship with Lord Jesus and our Heavenly Father. Pray that I may not be too busy to have some special time with God. Pray that I may always keep growing in the Lord.

Your Brother in Jesus Christ

Nadeem Massey

Mussoorie, India

The Masih Family

It has been raining continuously and it is heard to go out. Many
people have lost their lives due to this rain. The Lord has protected
us and has been using us for His glory.

1- Please pray that the Lord would stop the rain.
2-Please pray for Nandani, she is a new believer and she is between 30
to 35 years of age. Two months ago she lost her husband.
3-Please pray that the new believers in Deolsari may continue to
grow in their faith.
4-Please pray that the Lord may give us utterance to share the
gospel more clearly.
5-Please pray for Aroma’s fee. We have to pay $ 1000 next month.
6-Please pray for the fund for my car’s repairing.

Co-workers in Christ,
Pratim and Vinita

California, USA

The Broniste Family

Praises: For the many ways God reveals His love and mercy toward us daily.

-For the encouragement in Support raising and people wanting to help.

Prayer requests:

-For our walks with the LORD. That they would be rich and full and that we would make the time daily to seek Him.

- For continued health as the weather has changed and Chris and Cindy have already gotten sick. Please pray for protection of our family and for Chris to not miss any more work due to a cold or flu.

- For Josiah as he is teething! Pray that we would know what to do to help comfort him.  No teeth yet!

- For Cindy with decision about nursing. Her milk supply is low so she is taking herbs to help.  Then Josiah refuses to nurse at times…adds to the problem.  Pray that God would giver her wisdom to know what to do. Also if we need to go to formula (cause this has been a very trying process for all of us) that God would provide extra money for the costs.

- Wisdom and discernment with raising Josiah.  Also pray that we would find a consistent babysitter for our little man.  Pray for us to trust the LORD for our little guy and be able to spend much needed mommy and daddy time with out baby!

-For Chris and Cindy as they are working full time and working on support.  Pray for good communication with potential donors.  Pray too for many more references.  Pray that the LORD would provide many more new partners and quickly.  Pray for wisdom on how to balance family time and time to work on support. Pray for encouragement and strength in raising support. Pray that God would provide all that we need by our deadline of January.

-For us to find ways to lower our expenses.  Pray that we would have the money to buy food, diapers, etc. for our little man. We know God can provide and we are trusting in Him!

-For Chris’ bible study with college guys which will begin meeting weekly.  That they would continue to grow closer to the Lord through the study of God’s word together.

Thanks for praying! You are a vital part of our lives and ministry and we are so thankful for you!

Love in Christ,

Christ, Cindy and Josiah

Esztergom, Hungary

The McCartney Family

Praise God we had safe travels while in Ohio over Labor Day weekend.
Praises for continued provision and support raising.
Please continue to pray for more supporters. We are sharing with our sending church next Sunday. Pray that many more would desire to come along side in this ministry.
Pray for our rental house we have potential renters pray this would all work out. Pray for our current tenants to find another home quickly.
Pray for continued opportunity to share about the work in Hungary.
Pray that we can make the best use of the remaining weeks here in the States.
Thank you for lifting us up in Prayer

God Bless,

The McCartney’s

Addis Abba, Ethiopia

Monica Johnson

Prayer Requests:
-That the Lord would continue to give me a heart for this community. That He would show me how I can help and be apart of an organization or outreach here in Addis.
-Continued unity amongst the teachers here at Bingham.
-Continued strength and energy for teaching and coaching this coming week…and planning!

Praise:
-One of my students told the class during Bible last week that she accepted Christ in her live the night before…PTL!

-A team from Reality Carpinteria (my home church) was here in Ethiopia on a mission trip last week helping out with The Mossy Foot Project. They were in the city for a few nights so I got to meet up with them the other night for a great dinner and fun fellowship. It was sweet to see familiar faces!

-I am healthy again, thanks for praying…I was sick for a few days, which wasn’t fun (there has been a stomach sickness going around the school) so please pray for those still sick.

BLESSINGS TO YOU ALL!!! Thanks for all the prayers, support, love and encouragement. I wouldn’t be here without all of you!

-Monica-

CC Rosarito/ Rosarito, Mexico

The Vincent Family

Prayer Requests:

1. Please pray for our upcoming citywide outreach events this fall.
2. Please pray for Daniel and Grace’s new upcoming homeschooling year. We desire that not only do our children grow academically, but more importantly spiritually.
3. Please pray that God would continue to provide support for our family, the church, and the families in the church during these difficult economic times.

Con amor de Mexico, (With love from Mexico)

Mike & Sarah

Spanish Lookout/ Lighthouse Christian Radio, Belize

Clive Welsh

Praises to God for:

All the men of Amazing Grace Christian Fellowship for the hard work and the wives for the sacrifices made during the work on Horizon Radio!

An uneventful hurricane season so far, the peak hurricane season is between now and November.

Edler Blas doing very well in his studies at the Bible School in El Salvador, he is excited about all he is learning and falling more in love daily with the grace of God!

Alexander, a young man from Valley of Peace, who is studying to be a pastor someday, encouraging!

Thurman, a young man that I met when I first came to Belize and have been in and out of trouble and prison, he’s now growing in the Lord at Machaca Outreach Center!

Eric being sponsored so he can attend third form, his father is in prison and mother couldn’t afford to send him, thank you Lord for providing!

Please pray for:

-A radical move of God in the country of Belize, every district, city, town and village.

-Laws of Belize to keep abortion illegal and a unified, loving but bold voice against the homosexual agenda in Belize!

-A church plant in San Pedro Town, newly forming Bible Study.

-Outpouring of God’s Spirit on the believers in San Pedro Town to be a witness!

-Dennis, have had several opportunities to share in length with him, he needs Jesus!

-Pierre, new believer who needs encouragement and growth.

-A media missionary, mission minded volunteers, and/or missionaries for San Pedro!

-My personal monthly support which has dropped below ½ over the past few months.

-For Clive and his family as they recently lost his aunt.

-For traveling mercies.

Thank you for praying!

Clive

USA/ Greece

The Spencer Family

Prayer Requests:

-Kristin’s surgery, that it would go well, she would have an easy recovery, and that the Lord would provide the funds to pay for it.

-Travis’ classes at the school of ministry and his correspondence classes at the Bible College in Vajta, Hungary that God would teach Him whatever He desires.

-For Kurt and Kendall Kula (our friends that are missionaries in Poland) Kurt is going on a trip to Cambodia with several other pastors to teach Vietnamese pastors for a week, and their daughter recently hurt her knee and is on crutches. Please pray for Kendall as she takes care of all four kids by herself (all with different school schedules!) and for their daughter’s knee to heal. Also for Kurt, John Chubik, Phil Twente, and Jeff Gipe as they head out to Cambodia, that God would bless the time of teaching there!

-For more monthly supporters and more prayer warriors to come along side of us and our ministry.

-For provision for plane tickets as soon as possible.

Thanks again, and God bless you!

Travis, Kristin, Ksena, and Katienne Spencer

Frankfurt ,Germany

The McSweeny Family

Here is what is burning in out hearts for prayer:

1) Please pray for our Saturday fellowships, that the Lord would bless them and add to them. We would like even more people to come, and need wisdom on how to expand that ministry.
2) Pray for me (Marc) that I would have a fresh experience with God, and that I would be spiritually equipped for the ministry ahead. I am very eager to put that spiritual dryness behind me.
3) Pray for the family that is coming to help us. They will be moving in a few weeks and still need a solution for their business. Either somebody must take it over or they will have to close it down with a big loss.
4) Pray for our personal lives, that we would manage our time and affairs wisely and to God’s glory, that we may be more effective with the vision God has given us. “Plain” life has a tendency to keep you busy enough, and we need enough time and energy for the ministry.

Thanks for all your prayers and support!

Marc & Linda

California, USA

The Thiemann Family

Please Pray:

•For blessing on our marriage and wisdom and safety for the kids.

•For our support we need to raise at least 200 more monthly to be OK.

•For Wisdom and direction while building the New Missions Website

•For New missionaries to come on board

•For more volunteers to help with the day to day tasks of SGWM

•Support for all our missionaries during these difficult financial times

Thank you for your prayers! We love you!!

God bless,
Mike and Erin

California, USA

The Bohon Family

Thank you all so much for your partnership in prayer with our family.  We continue to be blessed by the encouragement that we are receiving as we step into full-time service to God and His glory.

Prayer Requests

Please pray for our families ongoing monthly financial support as we are in desperate need of additional support before the end of September

Please pray the God would provide additional monthly ministry partners

Please pray that God would open doors for our family to share God’s vision for us with others

Please pray that God will protect and guide our family as we step into full-time ministry

Please pray that Cyndy and Jordyn would be refreshed at the Calvary Chapel Saving Grace Women’s Retreat

Please pray that God will strengthen Chris with vision for Calvary Chapel Saving Grace’s Children’s ministry, the upcoming Harvest Festival Outreach, & planning of the Youth Outreach vision for our community

Please pray for Cyndy as she continues to co-lead the nursery at Calvary Chapel Saving Grace.

Please pray that God would continue to guide vision for Saving Grace World Missions in reaching the nations one soul at a time

Please pray for the upcoming Promise Child Golf Tournament on October 1st and all the plans and that God would be glorified in all that we do.

Please pray for Ends of the Earth Ministries as the ministry moves forward to share the gospel with the unreached around the world

Praise Reports

Chris returned from Africa safely and was able to help at the Saving Grace Word Missions Golf Tournament.

Chris’ time in Uganda was fruitful with Promise Child. He was able to follow up with the work that has been ongoing in Midigo, Uganda.  In addition Chris was able to encourage two new Calvary Chapel church plants, Calvary Chapel Yumbe and Calvary Chapel Arua.  Both of these new church plants are in 95% muslim areas.  Please continue to keep these new churches in your prayers.

Chris was able to attend and be fed as well as teach at the Calvary Chapel East Africa Pastor’s Conference in Nairobi Kenya with Saving Grace World Missions.  He was also able to spend time with Pastor Dave Zavala and his family to learn more about Calvary Chapel Nairobi and the area in which they are spreading the gospel.

Chris was blessed to spend time with Nadeem Massey the Pastor at Calvary Chapel Pakistan and share ideas for children’s ministry in Pakistan.

In His Service,

Chris Bohon

Thank you for joining with us in prayer!

“Reaching the Nations…One Soul at a Time”

www.sgwm.com

God hooked us up with Sea World tickets! Here are Ksena and Travis enjoying some spin time.

going on. But first we want to give you a quick update on what has been going on the last couple of weeks. The Lord has truly blessed us. We went on our family vacation to Lake Tahoe, and it was really fun. We really enjoyed spending time with family and being able to update everyone on our vision for Greece. We also went to Calvary Christian Fellowship Ventura (Pastor Don Modglin) and we were able to share, but more than anything, we were so blessed by the encouragement from the body. We were also able to see some old friends and catch up. It was a really blessed time. We have been picking up steam and a few churches and more individuals have agreed to support us monthly. This is so encouraging to us because we feel like God is reassuring us that we are going in the right direction. We still need to add quite a bit to our monthly support, and ask if you are not yet a monthly supporter, that you would prayerfully consider supporting us monthly, whatever amount you feel you can sustain.

We have also had further contact with Hellenic Ministries and they communicated to Frank that there are several places they would like us to consider church planting in. This is a great encouragement, because it is rare to have national

Our last meal together at the marriage retreat, these are the really awesome couples we hung out with.

organizations invite foreigners to plant churches. Please also keep us in prayer as we consider the best way to minister to the people in Greece, in whatever city God calls us to, because proselytizing is currently illegal in Greece. So we have to be creative. We know that it is God’s will for the people of Greece to know about His love and grace, so we are not going to be discouraged about this.

This last weekend someone sponsored us to be able to go to the Marriage Retreat with Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. It was WONDERFUL! Not only were the kids able to spend quality time with their grandparents, but we were able to spend time focusing on God’s will for our marriage, and hanging out with some really awesome couples. It was such a great time of refreshment, and on the last day all of the men came together and prayed over us and another missionary couple that was there.

Praise the Lord, Kristin has finally been given a surgery date

Best No Parking Sign EVER

to have her “diseased gallbladder” removed. It will be on September 23rd, as an outpatient procedure. We also found out that our cost will be about $1,600 for the surgery itself, and we have no idea how much we are going to have to pay for all of the doctor’s appointments leading up to this point. But, God is good, and we know He is going to provide. We would like to be able to pay for all of these medical bills before we leave the country. Please pray for provision in this area.

Travis has also been invited to audit classes at CC Costa Mesa’s school of ministry

Enjoying views of Lake Arrowhead during free time at the couples retreat.

until we leave, so he will start attending classes next week. This is a really unique opportunity and he is really excited. We are still planning on leaving the first week of November and need around $1,800 for plane tickets, so please pray for provision in this area as well. We are slowly marking off all of the things we need to do and get, and God has really been using this as a time of prayer and seeking His will. We have been having weekly prayer meetings with Frank and Suzie Gonzalez and can’t wait to join them in person in Sopron, Hungary where we will be able to get together to pray and make trips into Greece.

Thank you for all of your support and prayers, we really need and appreciate them! God bless you!

Our new family picture

Prayer Requests:

-Kristin’s surgery, that it would go well, she would have an easy recovery, and that the Lord would provide the funds to pay for it.

-Travis’ classes at the school of ministry and his correspondence classes at the Bible College in Vajta, Hungary that God would teach Him whatever He desires.

-For Kurt and Kendall Kula (our friends that are missionaries in Poland) Kurt is going on a trip to Cambodia with several other pastors to teach Vietnamese pastors for a week, and their daughter recently hurt her knee and is on crutches. Please pray for Kendall as she takes care of all four kids by herself (all with different school schedules!) and for their daughter’s knee to heal. Also for Kurt, John Chubik, Phil Twente, and Jeff Gipe as they head out to Cambodia, that God would bless the time of teaching there!

-For more monthly supporters and more prayer warriors to come along side of us and our ministry.

-For provision for plane tickets as soon as possible.

Thanks again, and God bless you!

Travis, Kristin, Ksena, and Katienne Spencer

“Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 5:20

For prayer requests, updates and donations please visit our blog

“Reaching the Nations…One Soul at a Time”

www.sgwm.com

UPDATE ON MOROCCO: There is not a lot of news to report about the situation in Morocco.  The court case that was presented on our behalf has been postponed twice.  We do not get a lot of news about the children or staff.  Learning to trust God for the changes in our own lives has been a big step of faith.  But learning to trust Him for the children and friends that we left behind has been an even bigger step of faith.  We plead with you to continue to pray for Morocco:  for all of the precious children of the Village of Hope, for all of the workers that are taking care of the children, for our neighbors and friends that we miss so much, for the king and his ministers and police force, and for a spiritual breakthrough for the whole country to turn from Islam to Christ.

UPDATE ON OUR FAMILY: August 21st was an eventful day for us, as we moved into our new home in Aurora, CO.  It started off with Lynn falling down the stairs to the basement of her parents’ house at 6:30 am.  She badly sprained her ankle and ended up on crutches for almost 2 weeks.  But throughout the day we were more and more amazed at God’s provision for us through CC Aurora.  We flew into this country a few months ago with about 6 bags of clothes and a few other items, and now we are living in a house that is completely furnished from top to bottom.  We received beds, rugs, furniture, linens, cleaning supplies, books, clothes, gift cards, and every needed item for the kitchen.   We had quite a moving crew to help pick-up and unload everything into the house.   We also had two wonderful sisters help out with meals for the moving crew and later on meals for our family.  We even received enough furniture for a guest room downstairs – so, we are giving you all an open invitation to come and visit us any time.  Our contact information will follow.  THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to all of our family members here in Denver, and to Pastor Ed and the family at CC Aurora for providing for our family in this awesome way.

HOME SCHOOL: Please keep Eddie in your prayers as he officially dives into being Maggie’s home school teacher this month.  We are blessed to have all of the supplies and the curriculum that we need to get started.  It really will be a team effort, but Eddie will do the majority of the teaching while Lynn is at work.  We know that this is what God has led us to do for this year.  We are also blessed to have a lot of support and resources through CC Aurora to help us in this endeavor.

CONTACT INFORMATION:  Here is the contact information for us.  Even though we will not be posting monthly newsletters through SGWM, we hope to be in contact with you all on a regular basis.  Please feel free to write, call, or visit.
PRAISE AND PRAYER REQUESTS:

•    Prayers for Morocco:  Please continue to pray for our boys Samir and Mouhcine, and for all of the other children form the Village of Hope.  Pray also for the workers that are taking care of them, and for the other families that were deported.  Pray for the court case in Morocco that is on hold right now.
•    Health:  Thank you for praying for Eddie.  His cyst has healed without needing surgery, praise the Lord.
•    Lynn’s job:  Thank you for your prayers for Lynn’s job.  She is adjusting well, but the administration, teachers, and students of the school need a lot of prayer (Arkansas Elementary).
•    Home school:  Praise God for good support in home school through CC Aurora.  Pray for Eddie as he takes on this new role.
•    Wisdom for decisions:  Please continue to pray for us to have God’s wisdom in all of the decisions that we make.  We are still praying about an evening job for Eddie, and about a new and/or second car.
•    Spiritual foundation:  Pray for our home and marriage to be firmly established on the Word of God and in prayer.

Also if you would care to stay in touch with us here in Colorado please let us know.  It would be nice to hear from you all from time to time.  Send pictures of your families so we can along with prayer request if you wish.

We hope you all are well,
Eddie, Lynn, Maggie, Ezra and for Samir and Mouhcine and the rest of VOH staff, children and families

“Reaching the Nations…One Soul at a Time”

www.sgwm.com

As many of you know, our plan was to organize a large event or series of events to “kick-off” our church plant. We were thinking of putting on some concerts and outreaches to prepare for weekly Sunday meetings. However, an unusually dry and dark spiritual season came by this past winter and spring. I began to sense that I was suffering from a small “burn-out” and I was a little depressed as well. As I mentioned in my prayer request update, through this the Lord exposed a flaw in personal life and I realized I had been drifting. I needed to stay plugged into the vine and draw from God’s unlimited resources of grace and strength.

All this has also had an impact on our church planting plans. We feel the Lord telling us to move more slowly, rebuild our relationship with him, and to concentrate more on what we already have. Honestly, at the time my heart was definitely not right for a church plant. We feel that the best thing to do now is to focus more on our Saturday afternoon fellowships and try to simply live out the life of Christ in us. I want to emphasize that we are engaged in a church plant and the goal is to meet weekly on Sundays. We just feel that right now we have to move more slowly and wait on the Lord. We of course value your prayers. I am realizing more and more that the greatest obstacle and the strongest warfare is really with myself.

In late August we had the privilege of attending the annual missions conference in Millstatt, Austria. As many of you know, Calvary Chapel has a “castle” there for use as a training facility and retreat center. The last time I was there was in 2006, shortly before I went to the Calvary Chapel in Munich to cover for the pastor for 6 months. This was also Linda’s first time there and she got to meet many of the missionaries in Europe. The guest speakers were Gayle Erwin, Bil Gallatin, and Damian Kyle. It was a great time of encouragement and I really came away with a renewed sense of God’s grace and a renewed appreciation for His Word. Damian taught through the entire Psalm 119 and Gayle did his usual fantastic job of covering the “Jesus Style.” It is all too important to know what God is truly like. We were also blessed through many physical comforts, from the beautiful location, the lake, the food, and some great cappuccinos and milk shakes. All of this reminded me of how much God loves us and takes care of us. He gives us those times of refreshment in the midst of our battles to remind us of these things.

We do have some good news to report: our Saturday fellowships have a new dynamic to them. We have some new people coming and I am going through the letters to the 7 churches in Revelation. I felt I had to get more into the Word and to teach something systematically. Too often I sat in the office trying to prepare some kind of topical devotional. This has really invigorated me, and the people are responding well to it. I think the letters to the 7 churches are perfect for us right now. There is a lot of practical application but also a lot that has to do with how churches are supposed to be (or not be). The second bit of good news is that a family from Siegen is moving to Frankfurt to help us. They used to live in Frankfurt and have a real heart for the Lord and for the city. They are great people who love the Lord and would be a solid help anywhere they go. We are looking forward to praying with them and seeing how the Lord wants to use us. They have 5 children and are living quite the adventure of faith in coming here. They had to sell their home and also need to find a solution for their family business in Siegen.

On a less “spiritual” note, Germany took third place during the World Cup, losing in the finals only to the world champion, Spain. Also, it looks like our summer is also over early. He had a very hot early summer, but now it has cooled off a lot. Hopefully the winter won’t be as bad as last year!

Here is what is burning in out hearts for prayer:

1) Please pray for our Saturday fellowships, that the Lord would bless them and add to them. We would like even more people to come, and need wisdom on how to expand that ministry.
2) Pray for me (Marc) that I would have a fresh experience with God, and that I would be spiritually equipped for the ministry ahead. I am very eager to put that spiritual dryness behind me.
3) Pray for the family that is coming to help us. They will be moving in a few weeks and still need a solution for their business. Either somebody must take it over or they will have to close it down with a big loss.
4) Pray for our personal lives, that we would manage our time and affairs wisely and to God’s glory, that we may be more effective with the vision God has given us. “Plain” life has a tendency to keep you busy enough, and we need enough time and energy for the ministry.

Thanks for all your prayers and support!

Marc & Linda

For prayer requests, updates and donations please visit our blog

“Reaching the Nations…One Soul at a Time”

www.sgwm.com

September 11th, 2010

So you may be wondering why 2003? Wasn’t that 7 years ago? Yes, but Ethiopia is a strange place…haha! Their New Years is Sept.11 and it is now 2003. I was able to celebrate Ethiopian style yesterday by coming along side a local Christian organization here in Addis called ‘Strong Hearts’, helping at their woman’s event. We passed out a chicken and 4 eggs to each women who came. There were over 165 woman! It was so awesome to be able to serve them and bless them. In comparison to US dollars a chicken is about $10 and rent for 1 month is about $8…so it was a huge deal for them to receive just 1 little chicken.

In the evening we went to the Strong Hearts guest house and celebrated the New Year Ethiopian style with bbq sheep, games, traditional fire dancing, and singing! It was quite eventful. It was very fun to experience part of the culture first hand.

Also, in the morning I got to watch the workers here at Bingham slaughter and cut apart and clean up a cow. The cow was brought on to the campus the night before; they tied it up to a tree about 30 ft. from my apartment. It was very interesting but also super gross! They bought the cow and about 25 of the workers here got to go home with a huge bag of meat! They loved it. And lets just say that none of the cow goes to waist here…they eat EVERYTHING! ::yuck::

I started coaching Volleyball last week. We had 2 practices so far, and it has been so much fun. The other guy coaching (coached last year) is a parent of one of the girls on the team. He loves the game, but has never really played. After practice on Thursday he asked me if I would be the “head coach.” Of course I said YES!! So I am very excited to be able to have this opportunity. There are 10 high school girls, all super sweet. I already see progress from the first practice from the end of the second practice. Apparently last year the team never won a game…but I am pretty confident that this year there will be multiple wins! Should be fun!

Prayer Requests:
-That the Lord would continue to give me a heart for this community. That He would show me how I can help and be apart of an organization or outreach here in Addis.
-Continued unity amongst the teachers here at Bingham.
-Continued strength and energy for teaching and coaching this coming week…and planning!

Praise:
-One of my students told the class during Bible last week that she accepted Christ in her live the night before…PTL!
-A team from Reality Carpinteria (my home church) was here in Ethiopia on a mission trip last week helping out with The Mossy Foot Project. They were in the city for a few nights so I got to meet up with them the other night for a great dinner and fun fellowship. It was sweet to see familiar faces!
-I am healthy again, thanks for praying…I was sick for a few days, which wasn’t fun (there has been a stomach sickness going around the school) so please pray for those still sick.

BLESSINGS TO YOU ALL!!! Thanks for all the prayers, support, love and encouragement. I wouldn’t be here without all of you!

-Monica

For prayer requests, updates and donations please visit my blog

“Reaching the Nations…One Soul at a Time”

www.sgwm.com

Proverbs 3:5-6

Ministry News by Cindy

Saving Grace World Missions

The Lord has blessed me by allowing me to stay home with Josiah and work from home.  It’s been a little over a month now that I (Cindy) am back to work and no longer on  Maternity leave. I am doing ok! There are days when it’s harder then I think I can handle but the Lord always gives me the strength and energy to make it through the day.  Working from home is a blessing since we really can’t afford to pay for baby sitting and this way I don’t miss out on his “firsts”.

So what am I doing now?  Well I am now helping all our missionaries by sending out their updates to their donors. We currently have 25 missionaries serving with Saving Grace World Missions. There are many ways someone can receive a missionary’s update.  The first  way is I send out their update by email.  The second way,  is on the SGWM Newsblog and the third way is that I post their update on the SGWM facebook page. It’s amazing to think what used to take months to hear from a missionary overseas and now it is only a matter of hours.

I also post news articles on the Newsblog and facebook.  For example this month we decided to have a news article called “30 Days of Ramadan– Praying for the Nations”.  I have been writing those articles and giving prayer points for the 30 days of Ramadan so we as believer’s can be praying for the various countries where 50% or more of the country practices Islam.  It’s been fun for me to learn about different countries around the world, some of which I had never even heard of!  If you would like to check it out please go to www.sgwm.com/newsblog

Campus Crusade for Christ

Well we are still currently raising support to join the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ and to serve at Cal Poly Pomona! We have seen God move and work but we are still a ways off from our goal. Please continue to hold us up in prayer as we share with others about the vision and mission of what we will be doing.  Pray also that God would give us strength and encouragement to meet with others after work.  Our team will be starting the fall without us so please pray that we would “trust the LORD” for His perfect timing and “lean not on our own understanding”. Thank you for being a vital part of our lives!

Personal life-Parents for 5 months now! by Chris

There is far too much to write here of everything that God has been teaching me by His Spirit in the last few months but I will do my best to give you a glimpse. When Cindy asked me to write in our newsletter, the word that God pressed upon my heart was goodness, not just goodness itself but specifically His goodness. Especially in this season of raising support for the first time in my life as an intern at Campus Crusade for Christ I have been learning to see the goodness of God both in the provision of his hand through the various saints he moves by his Spirit to partner with us and the way in which he provides and the heart that his people give it in. However, seeing the goodness of God in the birth and growth of our son as well as in the daily leading of our family has also been especially humbling for me as a husband, a father, and a servant.

I feel hedged in by two books these days. The first is “The Existence and Attributes of God” by Stephen Charnock and the other is “The Cross of Christ” by John Stott. Through these two books I am learning a great deal about both who God unchangeably is and what God has irreversibly done. I see both of these truths worked out in the young men I have been privileged to meet with. I am daily encouraged by their growth. To see the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives as He daily unveils for them the richness of what The Father did for them through the Cross of Christ has been amazing to watch. As a group we are currently reading Ephesians and Pilgrim’s Progress. As we have, each of them has come to a life changing conclusion about the Gospel which has in turned challenged my own understanding and application of its powerful and timeless message.

I am thankful that the Lord has given me the opportunity to fellowship with these young men. I am thankful that I have gotten to watch the Lord move in their lives for the past few years. I am thankful for my wife’s support and understanding in allowing me to meet with them. In all of this and more I have begun to see the goodness of God in new and more tangible ways which has ultimately caused me to grow in my love both for his word and His people.

I would ask that you would keep the guys and I in prayer though as we have decided to make our monthly meeting a weekly meeting. There has already been some significant warfare spiritually but we are pressing on. I would ask that you would pray for my family that I would not forsake them for the work of the ministry that I would daily grow in my value of them as the first work of God in me from which this ministry has grown. Finally please pray that I would continue to see these young men as God’s and leave their growth and leading to His Spirit.

Cindy, Josiah and I have all been blessed by your constant prayer and your loving support these past few months and pray that you would continue to lift us up as God would lead you, to the praise of His glory and the furthering of His ministry.

In Christ,

Chris, Cindy and Josiah

For prayer requests, updates and donations please visit our blog

For a printable version of this newsletter please click here-August sept 2010 Newsletter

Prayer Requests:

• Pray for our walks with God that they would be rich and full.
• Pray for our relationship as a couple. That we would invest the time to building a deeper relationship and have consistent date nights.
• Pray for clear and Christ centered communication for Chris and I.
• Pray for our health.  That we would continue to be healthy.
• Pray for encouragement as we raise support.  That we would continue to walk by faith and trust in Him not what we see.
• For balance with family life, ministry and raising support.
• For wisdom with raising Josiah.

Josiah’s Corner

Hi! I am 5 months old now and I like lots of things…

mommy, daddy, my dinosaur, grandma, sweet potatoes, rolling over, kicking, grabbing things, laughing, splashing in my bath, and making loud noises!

Here we are, starting out the fall semester. Summer has whizzed by, and even the weather has been showing signs of change.The mornings are in the low 40s (F), and Thursday has forecast 37 for a low. We are all getting busy, attending to things that need to be done. The students will begin arriving on Wednesday, the 1st. We’ll be doing airport “runs” to Frankfurt to pick them up. We’ve been meeting with the staff, praying, and discussing this next year. We now have 25 students, many of which are Germans.

Saturday is our orientation. We will all share with the students about our classes, registration, etc. Yesterday, at CCSiegen, we participated in missions’ day. Our booth was well attended. Many are interested in the college. We also will be offering weekend workshops this semester. That way, people from churches can also attend. Classes start next week, the 6th.

Yesterday, Sunday, we went with a team to Weisbaden, a beautiful city 2 hrs. south of here. We joined CCWeisbaden and some other churches in the area and played music and sang for their monthly outreach. It’s on a busy section of the shopping mall.

We passed out tracts, spoke with lots of people, and one man, from Pakistan, received Christ. He had just lost 20 people in his family due to the massive flooding there. God had softened his heart, and he stayed all day, listening to us.

Much of August was spent moving from our old apartment to a new one. The bible college rents an apt building to their staff. We moved here to accommodate our dog when he comes. (should be mid Sept.) It is on the bottom floor and has a small yard. We patched, painted, and landscaped the place. The church has a huge second hand store here, so it’s great when you have to get things. (like rugs, lamps,etc). It is about a mile from the college dorms. Our old apartment will be rented by a couple who are going to cook dinners for the school. It’s very convenient, as it’s right above the cafeteria.
We all pitched in , and painted the villa (dorms) and cleaned up everything. It’s nice and ready to go for everyone.

In mid-August,Bruce and I attended the EURO missions conference at the CCcastle in Austria. Missionaries from all over Europe and beyond, with their families were there. It was a wonderful blessing meeting with all these dedicated servants, many who have been on the field for years! I taught a women’s session on the last day, and led worship afterwards. We had a sweet time in the Spirit, with many tears, prayers, and lifted hands. God touched our hearts is such a sweet way. Bruce and I also lead worship for an evening session; It was all a wonderful blessing being in such a gorgeous place. The mountains, lake, trees, and sky were like watching a postcard. God’s handiwork is truly magnificent!

There is so much opportunity to minister here. We’ve had many invitations to come to churches and speak, lead worship, and evangelize. Hopefully (it’s our desire) to get time to do that. Once the semester starts, we know it will be BUSY!!!

Many are interested in the worship school. We’ll be offering 3 classes that will fulfill the requirements, plus several workshops.

God is good, and is being very faithful to us .. We think of you often, miss you and pray for you .. Please continue to keep us in your prayers. At times, the warfare is intense and very active! We are in a battle for souls and this next generation in particular.

Thanks for standing with us, and holding us up!!! May His name be glorified!!

Bruce and Teresa Muller

For prayer requests, updates, donations please visit our blog

“Reaching the Nations…One Soul at a Time”

www.sgwm.com