Recently a Chinese student sent a letter to his former English teacher, a short-term SEND missionary:

"Dear B ~ how are you doin?

Missing you already for sure~

I have a good news to you: Alpha course is over and now I trust in God~
I start reading Bible and the book that my teacher gave me. It's called "the purpose chosen life."

Makes me feel good ~ you know, God loves us~!

I can't wait to share with you about this~and really thank you for your help. I'm not sure if I could trust God without your help~friend~

I think the English program helps me a lot not only using English but make me change inside~

I'm really look forward to seeing you next summer, the sooner the better~

your friend,

Jon"

Praise God for another changed life!

We thank you so much for your prayers. Adult English Camp ended on Tuesday. Nineteen adults participated. The youngest one was a 19 year old college student and the oldest camper was 71 years old.

The team from the United States (three college girls) worked very hard teaching English, doing skits and dramatic readings. There were many valuable conversations during Team time. Our speaker (a SEND missionary) used the story of Nicodemus to challenge the campers to choose Jesus, search for Him, and ask Him questions. There weren't any campers who made decisions to follow our Lord, however, we saw many mini-steps taken toward Him.

"I think that there is Someone out there."

"If a doctor told me I only have six months to live, I would accept Jesus." This is a giant step for Mrs. A who has been resistant for 30 years.

There was a Christian camper who had a wonderful testimony. She shared how her husband persecuted her when she first became a Christian. "Every Sunday, before going to church, he would beat me and kick me. I suffered his violence for three years. Then one day, he suffered an accident at work, had a multiple fracture, and was hospitalized. During his stay in the hospital, God intervened and he became a Christian!"

God sent us a gift with an awesome thunder and lightning show. He was also so merciful by sending cool weather during the camp.  (Most of the rooms don't have air conditioners and we were worried for the older campers. Japan has experienced an unprecedented heat wave and over 100 people have died.)

Thank you so much for your prayers! We firmly believe that God was and will be working in the campers' hearts.

Put up the tent, take down the tent, put up the tent, take down the tent, put up the tent, take down the tent…

Two weeks in June were filled with put the tent up and take the tent down – five times per night. Six ministry teams from Grace Church held twelve 5-day VBS-style camps in the neighborhoods surrounding the church.

Our teammate Sara, intern David and short-termer Karissa were a travelling animal balloon making team, spending each night at a different site. The puppet team also worked its way through the different camps. Both were big hits with the kids.

We began setting up the six tents at 4 p.m., one every half hour so that I could get from location to location with the equipment needed. The red van was the rolling storage bin for five of the teams. We would then repeat the process after a few hours in taking them all down. In all, over 500 children attended the camps.

The fact that the camps took place at all is a bit of a miracle. They were scheduled to begin on Monday, June 7 at 4 p.m. At 10 a.m. Monday morning we were still waiting for the final approval by the local authorities so that we could hold the camps. Without the paperwork in hand, the camps could not take place. Due to a variety of factors, the process had dragged on and on and on….. and it wasn’t clear which way it would go.

On Sunday, we gathered the teams together after the morning service for prayer and an update. So everyone prepared and then we waited, van loaded and with the “engine running.” By 1:30 p.m. the final approval was given, with the “warning” that the committee would be visiting all ministry sites to observe and ensure that the program was safe for the children. Individuals quickly made copies of all the documents so that team would have them on hand for any inquisitive authorities etc. which actually only happened once. Praise the Lord!

Wow, what a night!  We laughed, we celebrated, we renewed old friendships.  As support staff in the home office, I communicate regularly with the field missionaries by email and I read their newsletters.  But it is such a joy to see them face to face and to hear their stories of the amazing work God is doing around the world.  As our US Director, Phil Baur, says, "they are our heroes." 

We also took time to rejoice in the work God has done in the Philippines.  God used SEND missionaries, among others, over seven decades to engage the unreached and establish reproducing churches.  The missionaries were so successful that they have worked themselves out of a job.

It's such a blessing to be part of an organization that takes its job of reaching the lost seriously and yet finds joy and humor in life. I'm excited to see what happens during the rest of the week!

Recently after coming home exhausted from a second week of camp, I still had to prepare for a memorial service for a young man who was killed in an automobile crash in June. I was just about to get ready for bed when the Lord laid it on my heart to go up and visit with the family even though it was close to midnight. Sleep was sounding real good. Following the Lord's direction I went.

When I got there, the mom and the girlfriend of the man bombarded me with all sorts of questions about death and end times and how they were grieving over their loss. God gave me a great opportunity and words to say as I shared the gospel with them. The girlfriend says she accepted Christ at a young age, but is living as she said "a sinful life."

Please pray for these women that they will think on the scriptures that were shared that night and that the truth of God's word would change their hearts.

Leaving at around 1:30am, I rejoiced that the Lord had led me there that night and He was working in their hearts long before the visit.
-Tim