2004 March

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These past two months have been very busy times for us here at the ministry as well as at home. Sometimes it’s easy to get kind of overwhelmed but then we think what would we do if we were lonely and had little to do but watch the day go by. Our family has been very blessed in that we have not really had any bad colds or flu to speak of. Jonathan has been working on his first preaching message for a couple of weeks now. You might pray for him as he prepares to preach on March 20th at Teens-N-Talents. Rachel’s favorite hobby is talking on the phone with all of her friends. Esther has been very busy staining trim and doors the last few weeks. We are just about ready to move out of our basement and enjoy living in a real house atmosphere once again.

Financially the ministry seems to be doing well. THANK YOU so much for your faithfulness and we trust that the updates from MAP this month will cause you to rejoice for having had a big part in these people’s lives through your giving and praying. We did have about six weeks there when the support that came in was only about half of what we needed and then God seemed to really test our faith when our main office computer went out. We had no choice but to replace it immediately. Our prayer is that God would maybe burden someone to help us pay the $900 back that we owe on it. We are very thankful for the past two weeks—we received offerings that were over and above what we needed to get by. We are also thankful to God for an additional church that took the MAP Ministry on for support. Thank you Lord!

We are very thankful to all the people that have helped supply the Donation Center with clothing and household items for the ones that are in need. We even received a van load of useful items that came all the way from a church in Missouri. Many others have also freely given and this has allowed us to help quite a large number of former Amish as well as Amish families. In the photo our good friends Larry, Dale and Danny from Community Bible in Mansfield spent many hours making clothes racks and building wooden shelving for the Center. The ministry applied for some grant money here locally in hopes that we can also add some heat and better lighting to the place. Please help us pray for this need. We will know if we get the grant by late April.

Rosie asked the Lord to save her several months ago and in February decided to follow the Lord in baptism. She had received several letters from her parents in Kentucky that really worked on her mentally but we all prayed and tried to encourage her to continue in the faith. She is a very big encouragement to all of us and we really appreciate her. Rosie faithfully comes to Church, Bible studies, and prayer meetings. Eli is from our local community and shortly after he left the Amish his cousin led him to the Lord one night and last month he also decided to follow the Lord in baptism. His hunger for truth has kept him coming to church and Bible studies faithfully. Just last night Eli was also at the prayer meeting for the first time! That’s what it is all about—Amen!

After the Sunday evening baptisms we all gathered at the Gess home for a time of celebration. We could not help but think back 16 years ago when Jerry and Carol opened their home to two complete strangers (us) and made it clear that they were there to help us in the spiritual as well as the physical. In some ways it kind of makes sense to say that the people in this photo are their spiritual grand kids. The Bible is commanding us when it say’s—Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

We first met Sam back in November of 2003. He was living in Kentucky at the time and needed to get his drivers license. Somehow we got connected with him and over the process of 3-4 months we not only helped him get his DL but on one of the nights that he had traveled to our place we asked him if he had ever done anything to prepare for eternity. That night Sam really opened up to us for the first time. By this time Sam had already figured out that this world had no real joy to offer. Later with tears in his eyes he gave his heart to Jesus Christ. Two weeks ago he left for Kansas where he will be part of this summers crop harvesting. As soon as he arrived at his destination in Kansas he called and said I am so excited to tell you that the man I will be working with is a born again church going Christian. We are thankful to God.

Chris is one of those guys that is very easy going and just trusts about everybody. We knew way back when we first met Chris that we could probably share the gospel with him and get him to pray a sinners prayer but if we did that, would he pray because WE wanted him to or would he really understand? This was a question that burned in our hearts. For about 4 months straight we would pick him up every Saturday evening and then take him to church on Sunday and then after the evening service we would take him back to the place where he is living. We also helped him get his social security card, personal items, etc. On many occasions we would share bits of Bible truth with him along with the messages he heard on Sundays. Two weeks ago he got saved during an alter call at our home church. The following week he went forward and made his salvation public to the whole church.

Chriss and Sam are two brothers who left for a two month missions trip to Papa New Guinea on February 27th. Before they left I asked them if they could send me a short email that I could include in the newsletter so that you would know how to pray for him. Chriss Writes…We are going over there to help with a housing project for missionaries that are moving into the jungle to spread the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It will be quite an adventure. It will be awesome to see how our Heavenly Father uses this to teach us new things about Himself.

Several days after they arrived in PNG they send us a 2nd email…Just a few lines to let you know that we arrived safe and sound in PNG. Our flight was a pleasant experience. There were no problems at all. Hallelujah!! Right now the plan is for us to travel out to Itutang (the tribal village) starting Wednesday morning. It will take at least two days to get there via truck and canoe. It is very beautiful here. Today we toured the town. We got a taste of what the local society is like. It is quite different from America. Thank you for all your prayers and remember I am praying for you too. Shalom, Sam and Chriss

Before we let William tell you about his trip to Costa Rica we would like to just say thank you for making this missions trip possible. In just a short time so many people had come together and financed the whole trip for William to go. It changed his life and it would have been good if you had been here to hear him and see the many pictures that were taken while in Costa Rico.

William Writes…Hi everybody. I just wanted to thank all of you for your prayers and financial support that I received to go on my missions trip to Costa Rica. It was certainly an experience I will never forget. It was something that I always wanted to do but never thought it would be possible. God opened the door for me to go to C.R. at a time when I was not very busy. First I sent out some letters wondering if God was going to burden some people to support this trip that I felt He wanted me to go on—especially on such short notice! But God came through like always. Thank you Lord. We had a wonderful time over there. It got pretty hot during the daytime. It was anywhere from 95 to 110 degree but most of the time we worked inside under the roof. About every morning I got up around 4:00 went out running and tried to be back in by 5:00 to do our devotions. We started work around 6:00 and by 8:00 we stopped for breakfast and discussed our devotions as a group. That was the best thing we did the whole time we were over there.

God started showing me things I never noticed before. The two weeks that I was over there this verse kept coming to my mind. John 4:35 Behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. The following Sunday Ron had a message about the three servants in Matthew 25:14-30 I felt like God had given me some talents and I just went out and dug a hole and buried them. Especially telling other people about Jesus Christ and his love that he has for me and the good work he has done in my heart. It is so selfish of me to keep that talent all to my self. I felt like Mosses did when God told him to go and get the Israelites out of Egypt in Exodus 3 & 4.

While I was there I spent a lot of time with God in the mornings and evenings just looking at the beauty and creation of God. Just pray that I would know where and what God wants me to do. THANKS AGAIN for your prayers and financial support. It would not have been possible with out you. May God richly bless you! With love in Christ William Keim

Marie Miller, age 14—I’m kind of troubled. I asked the Lord Jesus to come into my heart but I don’t know if He did or not. It might seem dumb but during the day it seems I always forget Him and I try to be the center of attention. And when we read the testament at home or at school I can’t really understand the German words. I never really told anyone about it but I really feel good opening up to you.

We are grateful to Tina (MAP Secretary) and Fannie (volunteer) for the many hours they put into this awesome ministry. Fannie volunteers 3-days a week to help out with this ministry and never asks for a penny. We feel blessed beyond words to have such good partners working with us every day.