THE FOREIGN MISSION MONTHLY NEWS UPDATE FOR OCTOBER 2019
The Foreign Mission Annual Meetings were held in New Ipswich, NH at the end of September. We would like to thank the board for their time and energy as they make many decisions and work on behalf of your Foreign Mission. The Pastors on the Board preached in all three ALC churches in New England while here!
Left to Right; Carl Aho, Bob Maki, Jacob Seppanen, Ryan Kandoll, John Ruotsala, Ansten Tretten, Brian Niemitalo, Scott Niemitalo, Gregory Greve and Raymond Hilman.
Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Timothy 1:17 Would you like to join us? The Foreign Mission has opening on trips in 2020 and invite you to join us. We are starting a mission training soon. (See below for more details)
The mission training is open to anyone. Are you interested in learning more about missions, interested in going on a mission trip (soon or in the future), or just want to learn more about your Foreign Mission?
Each missionary of course should be journeying by the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ by God's Grace, before coming on a mission trip. This mission training consists of lessons about the Spiritual and practical things one encounters before, during and after a mission trip.
In Short, what does mission training consist of? - 19 lessons received via email over the course of a few weeks. - It is interactive and thought provoking, with Bible Verses to read, follow up questions, and information about everything from preparing your heart to packing your bags. - Bible verses which show the reason we go on missions, and which show us the Great Commission. - Suggested Packing list. - Mission team covenant / release form
Blessings from generous hearts
Dear beloved Dad in Christ,
God's peace,
Dad, Thank you for your prayer and your great gift of food, God bless you and multiply your work there.
Again Thank you for your good teachings and good encouragement for us to the kingdom of God.
Prayer for me and my children who are going to sit there exam on 28-10-2019.
Pastor Benmark's daughter Agnes is struggling with Leukemia in Kenya. Please continue to pray for Agnes and her family. She was helped a bit this month from the Emergency Medical Fund.
This month the EMF has helped people in the Philippines, Africa, and Guatemala. It is such a blessing to share the provisions as the Lord provides! This box of shoes and one other like it, was sent back with Pastor Timothy to Kenya He was recently visiting in Minnesota. This donation came from 'Crocs and Corn For Kenya'. This will bless many in Kenya. The 12 year old donor will receive pictures in the coming days of those who received this blessing.
News From the Field
Togo
We ask Pastor Frank Famiyeh to go to his neighboring country every few months to conduct Pastors Seminars. Pastor Frank was in Togo this month. We are thankful for his gift of teaching and his willingness to travel.
Pastor Frank Famiyeh teaching in Togo this month.
Kenya
I am blessed with your love teachings,Let our almighty Father strengthen you and your team. Thank you for comfort me and my friends who are near and far to receive Christ through you. when will you come to proclaim the good news of Christ? thanks and God bless you as well. send teachings as you can.
Yoves Onduso
(Sent in response to The Weekly Diner) Yoves is a local driver for hire in Kenya who we used some years back.
India
This photo was sent from in India. Street evangelism, the church proclaiming the good news through the neighborhoods.
Bibles to the Nations
Each month we attempt to distribute Bibles around the world through your donations to the Bible Fund.
Requests are received often; This one is from Rwanda.
Dear Rev. John, God's peace!
Reverend, we would like to request you a donation of 100 Kinyarwanda Bibles. As you know we have many church members who need Bibles.
We shall be very glad if you grant this request as you used to do.
God bless you and God bless your family,
In Jesus Christ, Pastor Jean Claude
(Note from John R. : I am not a Reverend, rather just an ordinary servant. However, in an effort to keep the letters received as they come, I did not want to change his wording. Should any Pastors around the world see this, please kindly take note!)
Other Highlights or Events
Did you know the Foreign Mission Sends out a Christmas Catalog every year?
There are many great organizations that send Christmas giving catalogs out this time of year. This is such an incredible way to give at Christmas time! Did you know the Foreign Mission has a gift catalog, we follow up each gift with a photo and a note. You can personally see where your gift was given. You could also come with us some year to see those you blessed, should you so choose! Be watching in the next month for our FM gift catalog!
The Foreign Mission fully understands that nothing can be accomplished except that God through His Holy Spirit would move His children to help in their individual capacity. We certainly give all Honor, Praise, and Glory to God. Items are put here only so you can see the various ways that you can help in the Lord's Vineyard, even if you cannot leave your home! Prayer is of top importance of course!
Praise & Prayer and Upcoming events section:
* Pray for the ALC of Nigeria. Pray that the Political and Religious unrest and disturbances which sometimes cause hardship across their country, does not hinder their worship.
* Pray that the government of India would allow Christianity to have free course.
* Pray for the ones we work with who suffer so much poverty that basic medications, food supplies, and even Bibles, can be out of their reach at times.
* Pray for persecuted Christians world wide! Many are dying or being misplaced due to their faith in Christ.
* There had been a lot of unrest in Guatemala. The government has taken extra precautions to end the problem, thus leading to no public gatherings in certain areas for a time. This has since cleared up a bit, and the Christians are happy to gather again, although they do so earlier in the day so that they are finished by evening. Hopefully the government order will be released on November 10 as scheduled. Please pray for those in Guatemala!
O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Psalm 107:1
Upcoming Trips
Would you like to join us? Trips that are happening in the coming months!
South Africa - January 2020 (this trip is full) India - January 2020 Philippines - May 2020
Praying for God to send laborers for other trips in the near future, if it be His will that we go. Stay tuned for further announcements in this section each month!
Are you looking to donate for a specific most needed cause? Ask for the administrator top 5 list! Click Here to email
Church building fund: We have a small specially donated church completion fund set up. So far several church roofs have been completed. The FM believes it best for the local congregations to put their own prayers, sweat, and treasure into their own church so that each congregant takes personal interest in the church. We do enjoy helping such congregations finish their building, hence the fund. We have many current needs for church buildings!
Emergency Medical Fund:
Poor Family Fund: Help in those situations where a family is not able to educate, feed, or otherwise support their children due to death, injury, sickness, or poverty. Each situation is monitored closely.
The Bible Fund; We get many requests for Bibles. It is such a blessing to give the WORD of LIFE! Click here to donate.
May God Bless Your Month!
Mailing address for DONATIONS: The Foreign Mission of the ALC 1601 NW 4th Avenue Battle Ground, WA 98604
Mailing address for CORRESPONDENCE: The Foreign Mission of the ALC 63 Poor Farm Road New Ipswich, NH 03071
THE FOREIGN MISSION MONTHLY NEWS UPDATE FOR SEPTEMBER 2019
Season's come and go, the seasons in our life keep changing, but God's Word must continue to go forth in every season!
Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. 2 Timothy 4:2
We are thankful that God is allowing our Foreign Pastors and Church family to continue forth with His work all year long!
Below are some examples of such that has taken place in the last couple months. Of course this is only a small random sampling, as these issues cannot be too long!
Greetings of God's peace.
On 1st our Pastors received Sunday School books...they are thankful to SS Board.
Here is a picture of a group of children using our Sunday School text book in one village.
Pastor K in India
(Note: A dontation to the FM by the ALC National Sunday School allows for printing of SS books)
Youth Camps and Services
Many youth events were held over the summer, both abroad and in the USA. Below are pictures of recent ones.
Held by Pastor Fredrick in Kenya: These youths attended plus 10 who had gone and did not appear here during the time I took the photo. (below)
Pastor Timothy in Kenya also had youth services. He says: . Many thanks from the youth. We were very blessed and looking to learn more from you. We pray you come this year.
Below is one of the Youth events held this summer in the USA. The theme and some verses and thoughts were shared with the Kenyans.
Of course youth in Christ are not always young. Whenever new believers (babes in Christ) are added to THE CHURCH, we are joyous!
From Pastor K in India:
One of our associate pastor John. .. 10 persons baptised in His village...added to the church. ..the Lord is building His church. ..all glory to Him and Him alone.
Another associate pastor Sion Raju. .. baptised 3 persons in his village...all glory to God. ..the Lord is building His church. ..thank you for your prayers and loving concern for us and the mission work in India.
Also from Pastor K.
Beloved pastorJohn. ..God’s peace. A few children are sick. ..please pray for them. Would you please help us to re-print the Hymnal in Telugu as I have been requesting. ..we need more copies sir...please consider this need.
Praying for you. ..please pray for us. God’s peace.
Note: These kind of requests are so often we cannot keep up. We do as God allows in His time.
Bibles to the Nations
Each month we attempt to distribute Bibles around the world through your donations to the Bible Fund.
From Pakistan
We thanks God for our ALC Monthly meeting on 10th August 2019. Lord has blessed us in this service and with the power of Holy Spirit we preach the Gospel among lot of much people. we also distribute some Urdu Bibles among needy people. Please pray for our ALC mission work and also more contribute with us for this Evangelism and Bibles Distribution program. God bless you all.
Bibles funds were also sent to Africa recently as well.
Emergency Medical Fund
Thanks to your loving donations to the Christians suffering with poverty around the world, we were able to help the following people in the last 2 months. A few of you are regular donors to this fund, and we are so thankful for you!
Those helped included:
> A lady in the Philippines who suffered severe burns
> A girl in Guatemala who needs eye work to attempt to retain some eyesight.
> A girl in Guatemala who gets medicines for epilepsy and diabetes.
> A girl in Kenya who has leukemia has received help for treatment
> A Pastor in Togo who had a severe rash on his head causing much pain.
> A Pastor in Rwanda who had an accident causing loss of teeth and an injured leg.
The Foreign Mission fully understands that nothing can be accomplished except that God through His Holy Spirit would move His children to help in their individual capacity. We certainly give all Honor, Praise, and Glory to God. Items are put here only so you can see the various ways that you can help in the Lord's Vineyard, even if you cannot leave your home! Prayer is of top importance of course!
Praise & Prayer and Upcoming events section:
> The Foreign Mission has it's annual meetings in New Hampshire on September 19 and 20. Services will be held at the ALC churches in the area with some of the preachers. Please pray for these important meetings.
> The Guatemala ALC will be having a youth event within the next month.
> Pray for the many services conducted each week in so many churches we fellowship with around the world.
> Lord willing, after the September FM Meeting, a new trips schedule can be announced. Stay tuned!
If you have an interest in any trip, email foreignmission@comcast.net
O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Psalm 107:1
Upcoming Trips
Would you like to join us? Trips that are happening in the coming months!
Guatemala June 2019 for the convention
Kenya: Fall 2019
Praying for God to send laborers for other trips in the near future, if it be His Will that we go. Stay tuned for further announcements in this section each month!
Are you looking to donate for a specific most needed cause? Ask for the administrator top 5 list! Click Here to email
Church building fund: We have a small specially donated church completion fund set up. So far several church roofs have been completed. The FM believes it best for the local congregations to put their own prayers, sweat, and treasure into their own church so that each congregant takes personal interest in the church. We do enjoy helping such congregations finish their building, hence the fund. We have many current needs for church buildings!
Emergency Medical Fund:
Poor Family Fund: Help in those situations where a family is not able to educate, feed, or otherwise support their children due to death, injury, sickness, or poverty. Each situation is monitored closely.
The Bible Fund; We get many requests for Bibles. It is such a blessing to give the WORD of LIFE! Click here to donate.
May God Bless Your Month!
Mailing address for DONATIONS:
The Foreign Mission of the ALC
1601 NW 4th Avenue
Battle Ground, WA 98604
Mailing address for CORRESPONDENCE:
The Foreign Mission of the ALC
63 Poor Farm Road
New Ipswich, NH 03071
THE FOREIGN MISSION MONTHLY NEWS UPDATE FOR JUNE 2019
The Philippines
A group of seven embarked on a trip to the Philippines in May and stayed into June. These faithful servants led by FM Board member and preacher Brian Niemitalo, and fellow board member/preacher Gregory Greve, served in many different capacities in this beautiful country!
Here is a comment on the trip just received from Daisy Senonis, who is Pastor Bernie's wife.
Dear brethren, Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ Thank you so much for the untiring effort, love and time that you bestowed upon the Filipino brethren. We are so blessed with your life that you shared to us. The life and heart that full of compasion for souls to be saved through Jesus Christ our Saviour. You've fed us by the Word of God and it nurished our spirit and soul to be more zealous in serving the Lord no matter what it takes. Even you were so tired but you still smile and we saw God's glory upon you, because your love to serve is overflowing. Thank you so much for every day you didn't forget the Philippines to be of your ministry. We were so blessed to have you here. May God multiply His blessings to all ALCA family. Filipino love you all brethren. We'll keep you in our prayers.
In the meet a friend section below you can see more of what they did there.
(above) Gregory Greve delivering the Good News of the Gospel in the Philippines.
The annual convention in the ALC of Guatemala was this past weekend! By all accounts it was a wonderful time of Christian fellowship. Those members of our three congregations that could make the trip to Juan Ponce (our newest church) gathered around God's Word. It is certainly all of our prayers that this time of reshreshment and feasting on God's Word would be a lasting blessing to all that we're gathered.
Christian Fellowship on our shores!
It is always a blessing have visiting pastors and their families visit us! It gives us an idea of what it must feel like for them when our Pastors go to their countries. In May we were able to host Pastor Frank Famiyeh and his wife Florence from Ghana, Pastor Jukka Mulinen from Finland and his family, as well as a preacher from Sweden, Mikael F., and his son. Also, another speaking brother and his wife from Finland came to a family wedding and joined us in fellowship as well. It has been a wonderfully busy, and we have been so blessed by our brothers and sisters from overseas. It is always such a joy to have Christian fellowship with people of different cultures and life situations. We worship the same Lord! The sermons by Pastor Frank and Jukka are available on both the Ashburnham and New Ipswich ALC websites.
MEET A FRIEND(s) Humanitarian brothers!
(Through this section in each Monthly News, we hope you can feel better connected to some of your brothers and sisters in Christ throughout the world.)
Jesus said in Matthew 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Dentist Danny Franco on the left, from Guatemala, and Randy Kinnunen are examples of so many of God's people who give their time and talents to help the less fortunate. Dr. Daniel repairs and or removes teeth, does root canals, fillings and cleanings one after the other for all and anyone who attends. In the last two trips to the Philippines alone, he has worked on around 1000 patients. He has also done several dental clinics with us in Guatemala.
None of the costs of doing this comes from the Foreign Mission. Danny and his friends foot the entire bill!
Randy is a tenderhearted Christian brother who has given of himself and of his limited resources and inspired others to help fund and find educational and medical care for literally dozens of children and adults over the last 13 years in the Philippines and Vietnam. He has especially focused on helping children with cleft palates and other facial abnormalities.
The Foreign Mission Emergency Medical Fund has contributed from time to time towards the hospital bills for some of those that Randy has had a heart to help. Many others have also donated privately to this cause.
Danny and Randy are pictured here on the trip they just completed as they traveled with our Foreign Mission team to the Philippines and Vietnam.
As you can see, Dr. Danny is at work, and all the other team members work hard at the clinics as well.
News From the Field
India
Both notes and pictures below are from Pastor K and were sent 10 days apart.
Even in this hot summer weather we keep preaching the Word. .. last night we had a cottage open air service at a home in our village...once again the Word preached...thank you for your prayers...
Today we had gospel preaching through one village. ..all the associated pastors with ALM of India joined with us...preached the Word and distributed gospel tracts. ..glory and honour to Him...let us pray for the harvest of souls with the help of the Holy Spirit. ..thank you for your prayers and being with us in Spirit of prayer.
Bibles to the Nations
Each month we attempt to distribute Bibles around the world through your donations to the Bible Fund.
From India:
Two pastors namely George and Solomon. ..taking the Holy Bibles, song books, Sunday School books and gospel tracts to distribute in their villages in the evangelism program. ..thank you for help for this...we need more of this literature. ..please pray for and help us further to continue this programme in various parts of our state. ..thank you!
Other Highlights or Events
> Pictured is another church we were able to help fund with the special donation for this purpose. This one is in Togo. Several congregations have already been helped in similar fashion this year through the love of the Christians in the AALC.
> The ALC of Guatemala holds it's annual convention in early June. (note above) Scott and Karen Niemitalo went to attend and serve at this convention. The local pastors did much of the preaching.
The Foreign Mission fully understands that nothing can be accomplished except that God through His Holy Spirit would move His children to help in their individual capacity. We certainly give all Honor, Praise, and Glory to God. Items are put here only so you can see the various ways that you can help in the Lord's Vineyard, even if you cannot leave your home! Prayer is of top importance of course!
Praise & Prayer and Upcoming events section:
> Kingston, MN ALC is hosting the Annual Convention in St. Cloud, MN on June 27th-30th. All are invited to attend. Please be in prayer for this upcoming time of services. We look forward to seeing you! > The FM will have a table at the conventions! Come to see us! We love your thoughts and input!
> The FM will have a very short video presentation and will share a bit about the mission at 2 PM Saturday afternoon at the convention. There will also be a full sermon as well during the 2 to 4 time period.
> The FM Administrator and his wife will again visit churches this summer. With the conventions being in the midwest, the focus will be in that area. He loves to meet you and get your thoughts, input, and suggestions.
> Please note: at this time of year, we have now completed the cycle of trips for our FM year. Therefore, NO trips are scheduled until after our next planning meeting in September / October. If you have an interest in any trip, email foreignmission@comcast.net
O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Psalm 107:1
Upcoming Trips
Would you like to join us? Trips that are happening in the coming months!
Guatemala June 2019 for the convention
Kenya: Fall 2019
Praying for God to send laborers for other trips in the near future, if it be His Will that we go. Stay tuned for further announcements in this section each month!
Are you looking to donate for a specific most needed cause? Ask for the administrator top 5 list! Click Here to email
Church building fund: We have a small specially donated church completion fund set up. So far several church roofs have been completed. The FM believes it best for the local congregations to put their own prayers, sweat, and treasure into their own church so that each congregant takes personal interest in the church. We do enjoy helping such congregations finish their building, hence the fund. We have many current needs for church buildings!
Emergency Medical Fund:
Poor Family Fund: Help in those situations where a family is not able to educate, feed, or otherwise support their children due to death, injury, sickness, or poverty. Each situation is monitored closely.
The Bible Fund; We get many requests for Bibles. It is such a blessing to give the WORD of LIFE! Click here to donate.
May God Bless Your Month!
Mailing address for DONATIONS: The Foreign Mission of the ALC 1601 NW 4th Avenue Battle Ground, WA 98604
Mailing address for CORRESPONDENCE: The Foreign Mission of the ALC 63 Poor Farm Road New Ipswich, NH 03071
