Dear Praying Friends,
Yesterday, we got an email saying that our flight to America was cancelled! This is at least the 3rd time this has happened, so I wasn't too worried. The airline we're flying with is giving free re-bookings when there is a change in itinerary. However, it wasn't just a difference of a day or 2, it was a difference of weeks. The next available flight is on May 8th, and we were scheduled to fly on April 19th. Elina's home country is experiencing a surge in Covid-19 cases - though thankfully, not in her home state, where the numbers are still quite low. The national government has decided, therefore, to stop international flights for a few weeks. Sigh. Please pray that there would not be another delay, and that we'll be able to return on May 8. It's not horrible, but it is a challenge to be in transition for so long, and not know how long it may last. Life at Elina's sister's house is going pretty well. The food is tasty, there are lots of family and relatives to spend time with, and I'm teaching Elina how to drive a stick-shift. On the downside, mosquitos! Livy has got bites all over. Electricity is sporadic, so it's hard to stay cool in the heat sometimes, and hard to cook, etc. Also, the kids have to take online exams, with unreliable power and slow internet, and it's late at night because of the time difference with the USA. Jane is done, and we think she did fine. Linus is next week - please pray for electricity (and batteries) to last, and internet to work well enough for him. Thank you for praying. We look forward to letting you know what God does! Blessings, Scott, Elina, Linus, Jane, and Livy ![]() We are only 5 days away from Walk Week 2021 - April 11-17. Will you take this opportunity to set aside a week to learn about what God’s doing globally and to pray locally and globally as you prayer walk in your neighborhood? Sign up today so you can get your race packet including the first ever Walk Week shoe laces! We have over 230 Walkers registered so far! We are hoping to have over 300 participate in Walk Week 2021, so we’re hoping that you’ll register today! Registration is only $20 and this gives you all this:
I wholeheartedly believe you’ll be glad to have invested you and your family’s time, energy and resources in Walk Week! Together for the Unreached! Paul Van Der Werf Founder and Executive Director p.s. I’m only going to send 1 more email to remind you, so register now. Thanks for bearing with all these emails…can you tell we’re excited about Walk Week 2021?! I hope you had a wonderful Easter celebrating the resurrection of our Lord and Savior! Romania and Moldova go by the Orthodox calendar for Easter, so they will be celebrating on May 2nd. As Easter approaches in Romania and Moldova, we will be reaching our kids online and in-person (through our local staff) this year with the Easter message of hope. Please keep our FGCI kids and young adults in your prayers these next few weeks, and please pray for us as we share the message of Christ. CLICK THE ICON BELOW TO VIEW OR DOWNLOAD THE ENTIRE APRIL NEWSLETTER ![]()
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April 6, 2021
Dear Friends of Amnion, I want to invite you to participate in our Walk for Life on Saturday, June 5. It will take place at Eden Baptist Church in Burnsville beginning at 9:30 a.m. Every walker receives a lunch, courtesy of the Burnsville and Apple Valley Chick-fil-A restaurants, and a Walk t-shirt. We're also giving away prizes for top walkers and top team, and we have a drawing for a $250 Visa gift card. The Walk is just two months away. Register now and help make this our best Walk yet! Register Today! Mark Opseth Executive Director Help Offer Hope | Walk for Life "THY WILL BE DONE"
Someone once told us after we went through a rough time in our ministry; "If you are doing God´s will and doing God's work properly you will be blessed." At that time in our ministry it felt as though everyone had abandoned us but there was one who stuck by our side and never left us standing alone. "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven...." Matthew 6:9-10 Standing alone at times is hard, but remember if your doing God¨s will and doing God's work properly your life and ministry will be blessed. February 2021, was no exception to that rule because of the many blessings that E.M.M. received and was able to share with others. For over 30 years we instilled that basic principle in the lives of many children, to do God¨s will and not their own. Jose, our field director for E.M.M., along with many volunteers shared God´s will and love to the children of the Vallado Children's Home here in San Luis Potosi. How did Jose find this home for abandoned and abused children? You could say it all began as a dream of Jose´s as a child growing up himself in a children¨s home and being abandoned and abused as a child. He often said, "Someday I'm going to help kids like I was helped." He reached out to a children's home that he never knew or ever heard about in December 2018. He, along with other youth in the church, decided to find a children's home that no other church had ever helped. They got food together and headed out to just bring a smile to children in need. Of course you know the end result the youth were more blessed in the end. It was a total success. So much so Jose was asked to come back and help counsel some of the children, help fix their computers and more. Fast forward to today. It took over two years of patiently waiting and explaining to the directors Jose's real intention for the children. Allow the children to come to the Ontañon Church of Christ and see how God loves them even though they may have been abandoned. This is a private children's home but sponsored by the Mexican Family Services, DIF, and mainly funded by this govenment agency. They have no church affiliation, in fact they never took the children to any kind of church service. Through much patience Jose finally got the permission needed in January 2021, to finally have the children attend a service at the Ontañon Church of Christ. Just one! In February they began attending 2 services, in fact now they stay for the entire day to go to church, have lunch, play games, watch a ,movie and more. Looking back at some of the first photos you could see some pretty rebellious and I don't want to be here kids. Now there are actual smiles, laughter, singing Christian songs loud and clear and they actually want to go to church. Pray that they will soon be able to attend each week. "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." It´s wonderful to see and hear how your mission gifts are truly changing lives. This is just one of the many ministry opportunities we provided for children, youth and adults to the inner city of San Luis Potosi in February. Thank you for allowing us to do God's will and God's work. Jesus said, "Let the little children come unto me." Luke 18:16 God never closes a door before He opens a new door of opportunity. Thankful for what He has done, what He is doing and what He will continue to do through the ministry of E.M.M. Field Director: Jose Manuel Gonzalez Field Office Coordinator: Xitlali Ortiz Facebook: Emanuel Mexico Mission Iglesia Cristiana en Ontañon General Directors: David and Sheri DeBolt ![]() I hope this email finds you doing well and beginning to enjoy warmer weather! There is a lot going on with GoCorps this Spring that I have been keeping quite busy. We also took a week of vacation to spend some time together as a family outdoors and it was wonderful! Here are some highlights: Starting April 11th, GoCorps is having it's 2nd annual Walk Week.The purpose of Walk Week is to bring awareness to the fact that there are so many people (3 billion!!!) that don't have access to the Gospel. Many of you have signed up, but if you're interested, click on the link above! In March and April during a "normal" year, I would be busy preparing for GoWeek, the training GoCorps holds twice a year for those recent college graduates we send overseas. This year we are planning on holding a hybrid type of training which is still early in the planning phase. You can definitely keep GoCorps in your prayers as we make the best decisions to keep our Goers healthy! CONTINUE READING THE FULL UPDATE |
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