Wednesday, March 2, 2011

March Update and Prayer request/Praises

We are always looking forward to what God is working on, and this month was full of new and interesting challenges. In the past few months, we have been focusing on ORS (cholera supplies), normal missionary requests and donated items, but this month was different. This month we received a few extraordinary requests which took us into new territory.

The first request started with a phone call from a friend who had acquired a truck, which the owner would like to donate to a ministry in Haiti. WOW!! A truck….how do we ship a truck???? That was a new one for us so Lance started working on options and plans. The truck was no ordinary truck. It was a 1970 M35 Deuce and a half. This truck was big and heavy, so it was definitely not going on the plane. But through a series of God ordained phone calls and connections, Lance found one of our missionaries who has experience shipping vehicles. He also discovered that this ministry was in need of a vehicle. The next step was to get the truck to their headquarters so it could be shipped to Haiti. Although this may seem like a very easy transaction to make, let me tell you it was no easy feat. Getting the right connections, the proper licensing, and the required phone calls was the key. We know it was God who made all those things happen. Thank the Lord for how He led us down this new path with His guidance.

The second surprising request this month came in the form of an email. An organization called Haiti Care Mission sent an email requesting that we link arms with them to provide dresses, diapers and sleeping mats for Haiti. Their sewing ministry (“threads of love”) makes over 50,000 items each year for Haiti. They have ladies sewing in 48 states and six countries. Their simple request was that we contact our missionaries and offer them free handmade items with free shipping. What a wonderful gift for the children of Haiti! Lance spent a few days sending out the information and gathering the requests. Next, we will wait for the items to arrive in FL and process them so they can be on their way to Haiti. What an awesome provider we serve! His connections are the best. We were just the middle man, He provided the rest.

Another special task this month was to work on donated medical supplies. Caring Partners is another organization which has linked arms with Agape to provide free medical supplies twice a year to the medical missionaries. Shipping to FL is paid by a separate supporter so these supplies arrive in the field for a fraction of the cost of actual product and actual shipping. Lance works to receive and organize the orders so they can be filled and sent. It is truly extraordinary to have all of the costs for these supplies greatly reduced. One of the most exciting parts of our job is watching these groups of people come together to be His hands and feet. Through all His connections, He is providing for the needs of His people.

Needless to say, this month has been busy but it has also been remarkable. It is amazing to see how things work out when God is in it. We may start with our plans for the month, but they rarely ever turn out the way we envisioned. Serving Christ through serving His missionaries, that maybe our mission statement, but truly we never know what that will involve. The best part is that if we stay focused on serving Him, we can trust that He will provide the direction we need to accomplish it.

And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Phillippians 4:19-20

Prayer requests and praises.....
*Praise God for the connections He has for us. It is hard for us to imagine the network He has and the way He weaves lives together. It is even more amazing when you sit back and watch His connections unfold in your life.
*Praise the Father for His guidance and direction with every new opportunity we face. He always seems to take us by the hand and lead us through new waters.
*Praise the Lord for all the people who have linked arms with Agape to provide for the needs of those in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
*Please pray for us as we desire to serve with excellence. Pray for strength and wisdom to complete what we are being called to do.
*Please pray for the Agape staff as we prepare to transition to a new Executive Director in the next few months.
*Please pray for the missionaries we serve. They need constant refreshing and renewing to serve in these challenging areas.

Thank you for all your faithful prayers and support. We are blessed to have linked arms with each of you, and we pray that your lives are filled to overflowing with God’s abundance.

Here are a few pictures from the field....

The truck that was donated for Haiti.

Recipients of the ORS that were made at Agape. Many lives are being saved through these packets.



Living victoriously in Christ,
The Anderson ministry team