During 2012, there were trips taken to Russia (3x), South Africa, Guatemala (2x), Kenya, India (2x),
Pakistan,
Burma (Myanmar),
Sri Lanka,
Ghana,
Togo,
Liberia,
the Philippines,
and Vietnam!
January
January
During
January, there was a mission trip to India with a team of six as well as a trip
to Guatemala!
February
During
February, a trip with a team of four went to Pakistan for the first time in ten
years and then continued on to Myanmar (Burma). There was also a trip with a
team of three to Russia.
March
The team
which went to Pakistan and Burma last month continued on to Sri Lanka for
several weeks before going home.
April
A team of
two went to Ghana, Togo, and Liberia. A short trip was made to Guatemala in
April as well.
May
A team of
nine went to the Philippines. Five of them continued to Vietnam while the other
four stayed in the Philippines. There was also a month-long trip to Russia!
June/July/August
The trip to
Russia finished up in June. Foreign Mission missionaries attended the
convention and spoke at various other youth camps and churches throughout the
summer.
September
A trip was
made to India.
October
A team of
two went to South Africa for three weeks. A team of two went to Russia with an
additional stop in the Ukraine.
November/December
A team of
five went to Kenya for three weeks.
One or both
of our traveling full-time missionaries, Dennis Hilman and Leona Matson, were
on most of the trips mentioned above as well as at least one of the board
members or our administrator, John Ruotsala. Our full-time missionary in
Guatemala, Ryan Ruotsala, was also working tirelessly in Zacapa. In addition to
the trips and the full-time work in Guatemala, there was also ongoing work such
as skype sermons, monthly pastor support, weekly Spiritual articles sent by
email, and much more!
Priorities
in the field
Last year,
this year, and as long as the Lord allows our priority is to follow the command
of Jesus and preach His Gospel to all people wherever we go!
With His
guiding, we teach and hold seminars so that local pastors can continue to
preach the Gospel of salvation once we leave. Due to lack of time, finances,
language skills, and cultural understanding, we know that local pastors are
often the best evangelists in their own countries. We trust that God is with
them just as He was with the Ethiopian eunuch after Philip was taken away.
We share
God’s love wherever and however we can! This is God’s work! All glory and
praise to Him! Please also remember that this is Your Foreign Mission. It isn’t
the work of just a small number of people, but the work of everyone who
supports the work through prayer, encouragement, finances, volunteering time,
or joining us on a mission trip. Thank you so much for this essential support!
We pray that you would continue to help Your Foreign Mission throughout 2013.
