Dear Friend,
How great and awesome it is sitting here writing to you! Whenever I sit down to write this newsletter, I pray and ask God to guide me through, which makes it alive as I can imagine seeing all your faces as if I am right there talking to you one on one. I imagine different locations, settings, and even what kind of day it might be like. My day is sunny and cool, sitting on this couch and having rays of sunshine penetrating through the curtains, reminds me of the chilly wet days we have just left behind. As I mentioned in my previous newsletter how hot a summer it had been, I had no idea what Oregon would be like, but that was soon to change, as later arriving at this Youth camp, everyone wore sweaters and jumpers, chilly as it could get, I felt like being in a totally different country yet just another States.
Ministry news
I have spent most of the month on the road, since I got here 4 weeks a go I haven't been in any particular location more than a week. Right after being picked up from Portland airport by my friend Colin who Pastors a small church in Grants Pass Oregon, we headed straight to the youth camp where he had to teach a workshop for a week. Helping him during his classes, I also got so many opportunities to minister in the youth and staff devotions everyday for the entire week. At the end of the week I headed to Grants Pass which is 6 hours away from Portland, where I preached to Colin's congregation on the need of the “Holy Spirit”! The following week, I was invited to a young adults conference known as the WYI( Western Youth Institute) to Washington State near Seattle City about 9 hours a way from Grants Pass, where we spent a week in this 5 minutes drive into the forest camp site. During this week I felt God dealing with me on the need to spend more time in prayer, in the middest of this really tight schedule I made a commitment to spend an hour in prayer everyday in this place away from all outside interruption.
Coming back to Oregon, I spent 3 days in Salem Oregon with my friend Daniel Summers who is a very talented musician, it was a blessing when his family invited me to join then for a family vacation of three days near one of Oregon's clear lakes an hour drive up MT, Hood. Daniel and I had a wonderful time as he explained how God uses him to bless the people around him through his talent, and made me realize how affective music can be in ministry.
Now being back in Grants Pass where I will be for 2 more weeks, I still remember that week of prayer at the WYI, I feel a more compelled desire and need to spend time in prayer, relating to the vision God gave me at the beginning of this year, showing me that prayer is the “Backbone of every successful ministry”!
Mexico
I am in touch with everyone in Mexico while on the trip until I get back in 3 weeks time, Paul went back to the mission field last weekend, preparing for the mission school which will be starting in 2 weeks time. I have also started to prepare for my classes this year, teaching evangelism I am reading a number of books on the subject.
Call for prayer
I don't know exactly what is going on in your life right now, but I would love to invite you to join your faith together with mine this coming month, and dedicate it to praying and praising God.
I thank you so much for all of your prayers and support, I am always reminded that I am not alone in this calling, but encouraged that you are standing with me as we look to God who can do abundantly above and beyond that we can and ever dare to ask or think according to his might power that works in us all.
Have a prosperous month, and I am looking forward to sharing with you what God will be doing in and around me in this coming month.
Blessing
Loveisking
Donald
Friday, 29 August 2008
Thursday, 7 August 2008
July's Newsletter
Dear Friends,
Here I am stirring at the clouds at over 40,000ft above the sea-level from this small airplane (American Easyjet type) trying to figure out how much time until the whole summer is over. This is one of the busiest summers I have ever had in my life, with a year going faster than I could hardly remember when it started, but just seeing the end point approaching sooner than my realization. I would also say the hottest I have ever had, having spent the first 10 weeks of it in San Pedro Mexico, where its really hot-dry due to the deserted climate, and spending 10 days in Corpus Christi Texas where its hot but very wet, marking the first time since I left Africa in 2002 wishing if it was a little bit colder!
I am on a 8 weeks trip, traveling around the United States, visiting different churches, in different states. This tripe came about as a result of different invitations by friends in the US, who are interested in the missionary work we do in Mexico, particularly the missionary School. As I mentioned in a couple of my previous newsletters that Paul and I were working on an information pack for the missionary school and were planing to visit different churches doing presentations. Our goal is to promote the missionary school by partnering with different churches for financial support, and also raising its awareness as we are accepting international students at the same time. We have just heard from a young man from Houston Texas, who would like to come and study with us for a year.
Right now I am on my flight from Corpus Christi to Oregon, where I will be for about 4 weeks. I had originally intended to take a road trip thinking it would be cheaper, but as most of you are aware that the gas (Petrol) prices are way high, after doing some research, flying come out to be cheaper than actually traveling on the bus for 3 days. I had a wonderful time in Corpus Christi, where I was invited by a Mexican Church as their guest speaker for the morning and evening services. What was so interesting, the Pastor had said that she was planing for me to speak, however, did not mention when she wanted me to. Yesterday just turning up at church in the morning, thinking that she had intended that I would be speaking in the evening, she said “are you ready?”, I said “ for what,” her, “your are speaking this morning” I was like OK. Then later she said, that she didn't have anybody to translate, and she asked if I was OK preaching in Spanish, to which I said “ I will do my best”. I had prepared nothing, thinking nothing, then just started speaking in tongues and asking the Holy Spirit to give me a message and guide me. Ten minutes later I was on the pulpit preaching a 50 minute message in Spanish of becoming on an “Over comer” to this church of about 70 people! Two people got saved, and about 1/3 of the people later come forward for prayer to make some adjustments in their lives. Later thanking God for this message, I remembered Pastor Rob Smilie ( My Pastor in the UK) say a couple of years ago “on the mission field, you don't always have time to prepare yourself, so you need to be ready 24/7”.
Ministry news
All the missions are going well in Mexico, this whole month we had different groups from the US visiting, we had many opportunities to visit different village and present dramas. I asked my friend Gerardo to keep the Delicias ministry going, Marcela also said that someone will be visiting the Village during the time I am going to be on the trip. Paul and Jason are also traveling to the US, visiting churches and family, so Stephanie who has just come back from Canada where she went to visit her family, is now overseeing the cell groups until we get back.
Thank you very much for all of you who are standing in faith, prayer and all the support you give me, I really appreciate you guys, but above all we know for sure that the Day of the Lord is sooner than we some times think, I like the way my friend James (African minister in Uganda) puts it “ keep reminding them that Jesus is not only the WAY, but that He is also ON HIS WAY back”.
Bless y'all
Loveisking
Donald
Here I am stirring at the clouds at over 40,000ft above the sea-level from this small airplane (American Easyjet type) trying to figure out how much time until the whole summer is over. This is one of the busiest summers I have ever had in my life, with a year going faster than I could hardly remember when it started, but just seeing the end point approaching sooner than my realization. I would also say the hottest I have ever had, having spent the first 10 weeks of it in San Pedro Mexico, where its really hot-dry due to the deserted climate, and spending 10 days in Corpus Christi Texas where its hot but very wet, marking the first time since I left Africa in 2002 wishing if it was a little bit colder!
I am on a 8 weeks trip, traveling around the United States, visiting different churches, in different states. This tripe came about as a result of different invitations by friends in the US, who are interested in the missionary work we do in Mexico, particularly the missionary School. As I mentioned in a couple of my previous newsletters that Paul and I were working on an information pack for the missionary school and were planing to visit different churches doing presentations. Our goal is to promote the missionary school by partnering with different churches for financial support, and also raising its awareness as we are accepting international students at the same time. We have just heard from a young man from Houston Texas, who would like to come and study with us for a year.
Right now I am on my flight from Corpus Christi to Oregon, where I will be for about 4 weeks. I had originally intended to take a road trip thinking it would be cheaper, but as most of you are aware that the gas (Petrol) prices are way high, after doing some research, flying come out to be cheaper than actually traveling on the bus for 3 days. I had a wonderful time in Corpus Christi, where I was invited by a Mexican Church as their guest speaker for the morning and evening services. What was so interesting, the Pastor had said that she was planing for me to speak, however, did not mention when she wanted me to. Yesterday just turning up at church in the morning, thinking that she had intended that I would be speaking in the evening, she said “are you ready?”, I said “ for what,” her, “your are speaking this morning” I was like OK. Then later she said, that she didn't have anybody to translate, and she asked if I was OK preaching in Spanish, to which I said “ I will do my best”. I had prepared nothing, thinking nothing, then just started speaking in tongues and asking the Holy Spirit to give me a message and guide me. Ten minutes later I was on the pulpit preaching a 50 minute message in Spanish of becoming on an “Over comer” to this church of about 70 people! Two people got saved, and about 1/3 of the people later come forward for prayer to make some adjustments in their lives. Later thanking God for this message, I remembered Pastor Rob Smilie ( My Pastor in the UK) say a couple of years ago “on the mission field, you don't always have time to prepare yourself, so you need to be ready 24/7”.
Ministry news
All the missions are going well in Mexico, this whole month we had different groups from the US visiting, we had many opportunities to visit different village and present dramas. I asked my friend Gerardo to keep the Delicias ministry going, Marcela also said that someone will be visiting the Village during the time I am going to be on the trip. Paul and Jason are also traveling to the US, visiting churches and family, so Stephanie who has just come back from Canada where she went to visit her family, is now overseeing the cell groups until we get back.
Thank you very much for all of you who are standing in faith, prayer and all the support you give me, I really appreciate you guys, but above all we know for sure that the Day of the Lord is sooner than we some times think, I like the way my friend James (African minister in Uganda) puts it “ keep reminding them that Jesus is not only the WAY, but that He is also ON HIS WAY back”.
Bless y'all
Loveisking
Donald
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