Up here in the North we are already planning for the end of summer. August is really the beginning of our fall here. It’s a funny time. It seems like every year someone at the coffee shop will make a comment to the effect of “this is a strange August, it normally doesn’t blow and rain like this.” The funny thing is they said the same thing last year… and the year before that and the year before that. This is also the time of year we begin to get ready for our prime time of the outdoors. The Cohos (or silvers) are beginning to show up, duck hunting is just weeks away and deer hunting is about to kick off. Tis the season of the “hunting and fishing widow” and it lasts ‘till January. All of you that consider yourselves “football widows” can call yourself blessed.
Three trips? Four trips? More? The opportunities abound, but it’s not always easy to know which ones to pursue. In addition to our work in India and Romania, there are opportunities to go to Kenya and South Sudan.
ROMANIA
Plans to return to Romania are moving ahead. There is a need, a real need, for training for leaders in the Church. They need pastors, evangelists, revivalists, “lay leaders.” And we can help in this. LTI is in a unique position to bring a fresh type of accelerated leadership training by combining the academics of our Bible School with discipleship training. This next trip will be about getting such a school up and running as soon as possible. We’ll be working out the practical stuff, the where, the how long and the dreaded how much. And we’ll be talking with pastors and leaders to get their input, what they believe is needed. Mark is hoping to make this trip in November and he’s hoping that Julie can join him.
INDIA
We are planning to make this trip in January. Right now we are working on our ministry plans but the short version is we will be working within the churches and laying the ground work for outreaches to villages. Ministry in India is different. We can’t do open air evangelism so we’ve been seeking the Father’s alternatives and medical/mercy ministry seems to be the direction He’s pointing us in. For that, and for the ministry in churches, we need teams and that means an opportunity for you! Please, ask the Lord if He would have you join us! We would love to have you!
KENYA
Next month, Mark will be introducing you to Pastor Mathew Ondicho. What a treasure this man is! But for now, you need to know that Mark intends to go to Kenya in November. This will probably be an extension of the Romania trip. Doing it that way saves a lot of money and a lot of time. Pastor Mathew is already making plans for open air evangelism and seminars in his churches.
SOUTH SUDAN
This young nation needs our prayers. A civil war continues to rage and it has been devastating. Thousands of been displaced, maimed and killed. Our potential host is in Uganda right now and intends to go into South Sudan and do what he can for our brothers and sisters plus check on their properties there. There is a chance that this door will again open to us and we would like to be prepared to send Mark if it does.
Seems a bit overwhelming, doesn’t it? 4 or more trips? Wow! But our Father is able and willing to provide. And it’s not quite as daunting as it appears.
Romania/Kenya will cost about $2300 in airfare for Mark, plus $2500 for food, housing and transportation in country. Add about $1500 if Julie goes for a total of $6300.
India will cost about $4000, $2200 for airfare and $1800 for in country expenses.
South Sudan would cost about $1700 for airfare plus $2500 for expenses for a total of $4200.
That’s a grand total of $14500. To put it another way, that need is met by only 100 people giving $145 each. That’s doable! Would you stand with us in prayer and ask the Lord to provide for these outreaches?
Thanks again for all that you do. You are an indispensable part of what the Father is doing through LTI.
Yours for the Kingdom,
Mark & Julie
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