Monday, February 11, 2013

2012 year in review

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
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.