September 12, 2007

Dear Friends,

We are continually amazed at the ways in which our family experiences the movement of God to bring hope from the midst of despair, unity from division, and life from the midst of death in the ministry that we are privileged to participate in on the United States-Mexico border. We cannot express the depth of our gratitude for your support of us through prayers, encouraging words, and Direct Mission Support that sustain our life and ministry!

Mark has been asked to be a part of a big event that’s about to unfold in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). It’s called Mission Challenge ’07. During October, 48 PC(USA) missionaries will spend a week sharing the stories of their ministry in 144 presbyteries. Mark will be in Trinity, Foothills, New Harmony, and Providence Presbyteries in South Carolina.

The goal is for the missionaries to speak in 700 churches that month to share about the marvelous wonders that God is doing through World Mission and to invite churches who are not already in a direct relationship with a mission co-worker to begin participating directly in the life and ministry of PC(USA)’s World Mission.

In August, we had the amazing opportunity to participate in a missionary sharing conference together with over 30 other PC(USA) mission co-workers and were overwhelmed by the myriad of ways in which God is at work throughout the world through the mission work of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). We were all born into Presbyterian families, but have never been so proud to be Presbyterians as we were as we listened to the testimonies of God’s work.

In Evangelism - John and Gwen Haspels told how God is working to continue to grow the church in Ethiopia. They Haspels are sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with the Suri people, an “unreached people group.” Nate and Koolyash Fleming serve in Kazakhstan.  Nate, a native of Alabama, shares the gospel through an innovative drama ministry, and Koolyash, a native of Kazakhstan who tells about how she came to know Christ after the fall of the iron curtain, invites others into faith through a relational ministry with women.

In Education - Don and Wei Hong Snow, in China, shared how God is using the PC(USA) to help develop theological education resources and libraries to help the rapidly growing church in China to train pastors in attempt to keep up with the growth. Don and Laurie Marsden, in Russia, are helping churches in Russia develop resources for children’s ministry, including the first Russian-language children’s ministry magazine.

In Health - Dr. Sue Makin and Dr. Carol Brees are Christ’s healing hands on our behalf in Malawi and Pakistan respectively. They not only provide much needed Ob-Gyn services in their countries, but also train local persons to be able to enter into the healing ministry.

It is awesome to be among colleagues whom God is using in such marvelous ways. It makes us so proud to be a part of the PC(USA). We wish everyone in the church could have experienced this sharing conference.

While Mark will have to be away from the rest of our family more than we would like in October, we are all excited for the opportunity to participate in Mission Challenge ’07. Our hope is that every church in the denomination will make the commitment that your church has made in partnering with mission co-workers like us so that the church can not just maintain the number of missionaries but also increase the number dramatically to meet the needs and requests of our partner churches throughout the world.

Every day, in Christ’s name—and thanks to your faithful support—lives are being saved, wells are being dug, and hope is being shared with people in need around the world.

We invite you to join the excitement of Mission Challenge ’07:

• Celebrate how God has used you and your congregation as instruments of God’s good news throughout the world, and commit yourselves to continuing to be a part of the World Mission of PC(USA).
• Pray for the 48 missionaries, that God would use them to rekindle in congregations an excitement for and desire to participate in world mission.
• Host or attend events in your presbytery of the Mission Challenge ’07 (See the Mission Challenge '07 Web site for a list of participating presbyteries and speakers.)
• Encourage the use of bulletin inserts that will be sent to your congregations in early October and view a brief DVD featuring our new director, Hunter Farrell. It contains two brief videos that bring to life a representative sample of our missionaries.

Once again, thanks for your partnership in the gospel. We cherish you and hope to see you this fall.

La paz de Dios sea con Ustedes,
The peace of God be with you,

Mark, Miriam, Cindy, Anna Flor

The 2007 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 66