September News, Praises and Prayer requests

September 15 marks a very important date for us. Two years ago, our journey of service for God at Agape Flights began.

In the past two years, we have had the very unique opportunity to see God’s hands at work in so many ways. When we needed volunteers to make ORS’s or sort donated items, God provided the right people at the right times. When we needed specialty items for a missionary, we saw God bring exactly what was needed with perfect timing. When we needed strength, we felt God’s hands lift us up. Finally, when we needed encouragement, God has sent a note from a missionary or supporter who spoke just what we needed to hear.

One important way that God has provided for us is through YOU. You are a big reason why we are here. Each of you has had a special part to play in our ministry. You have made financial sacrifices, so we could continue to serve. You have lifted prayers which have brought us peace. You have spoken into our lives and given us encouragement. We feel very blessed through our relationships with YOU; our friends, family and supporters.

Thank you for all you do to continue increasing His kingdom through our work here. May God bless each of you richly as you supply the needs of His people in Haiti, the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas.

Last month started with a time of refilling for us as a family. For the first 2 weeks of August, we took a family trip to Wisconsin for some “rest and relaxation”. We spent our break enjoying family meals, taking the kids to their favorite “Green Bay” sights , and spending quality time together. We were very blessed to have lots of “down time” which we desperately needed.

The demands of the last year have been great. God has been our strength through every challenge, but our bodies and spirits were ready for a time of refilling and refreshing. We are very blessed to have family that allows us to come home and just be ourselves.

Last month also marked the beginning of the new school year at our house. Both girls are enjoying their classes and new friends. They are happy students and love looking for ways to help their teachers. It’s hard to believe that they are both in elementary school, but we feel very blessed to have a great school for them to attend. I (Lynn) will be spending a lot of time in the classroom this year as both a volunteer and substitute teacher. Through the favor of God and the relationships I developed last year with the staff, I have become a part-time teacher at their school. It is a joy to be back in the classroom, and I am grateful for God’s hand in working this out for us.

Finally, on the last Friday of August, we had a very special night at the beach because Grace was baptized. She has been waiting for this day for almost a year. She has a very deep love for God and wanted to tell everyone of her desire to live for Him. The other day after church she told me, “Mom, I really love praising God. I think it is my favorite thing to do.” That statement describes our girl pretty well. She loves God and she loves people. We know God has great plans for her life. We are very proud of both of our girls and feel incredibly honored to be their parents.

Prayer requests
Please pray for the weekly flights. This is the time of year when weather is a big factor. Pray for the protection of the pilots and the airplane.
Please pray for the protection of the missionaries we serve. Pray that all severe weather is steered away from the island of Hispaniola during the hurricane season.
Please pray for us as we continue to press on for Christ. We need peace, strength and wisdom for our daily walk.
Praises
Praise the Lord for His provision over the last 2 years. He has met our every need, and we trust He will continue to meet our needs.
Praise God for a time of refilling and refreshing last month.
Praise the Father for the missionaries we serve. We are honored to be partnered with His faithful servants.
We could never thank you enough for all the prayers said on our behalf.

Many, O Lord, are the wonders you have done.

The things you have planned for us, no one can recount to you;

were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.

Psalm 40:5

God Bless,
Lynn for the Anderson family

August praises and prayer requests

Every month at Agape, as we sit back and reflect on the previous month, we are reminded that no two days here are the same and no two month’s duties are alike. This month was filled with a wide variety of tasks and assignments.
Lance wears many “hats” here at Agape. His job title says he is the Director of IT and Logistics. He also has the roles of Facilities Director and Volunteer Coordinator, so each day when he goes to work, he could be fulfilling any number of responsibilities. Within the span of this month, he has been working on the roof with the repairman to fix the leaks, coordinating the distribution of donated goods, supplying the medical missionaries with ORS packets, and shopping for the missionaries.
Quite honestly, the variety is sometimes challenging but it also makes his job enjoyable. When a missionary needed parts for a Bobcat skid loader, Lance was able to research the part and find the needed tools to make the repairs. (If you know Lance, you know that parts and equipment are right up his alley.)
Another job that was custom made for Lance was his assignment to shop for eye clinic equipment on eBay. Most of the internet connections in Haiti are spotty and unreliable so when it comes to shopping on the internet, they will often send their requests to Agape. Most of you know that Lance has extensive experience both selling and buying on eBay, so this job was again the perfect fit.
We feel very blessed that God has given us an assignment here at Agape which includes such a wide variety of tasks and duties.

Here are the prayer requests and praises for this month:
Praise God the calling He has placed in our hearts to serve and work at Agape Flights. He has given us a job where we can see His hands at work every day. We never want to take that for granted.
Praise the Father for the way He cares for His people. When our abilities and resources fall short, He always has enough.
Please pray for the flights and pilots as the storm season approaches. Please pray for clear skies and divine protection over every flight.
Please pray for rest for all of us as we take a short break this month. We need a time of refreshing and refilling of God’s strength. We absolutely love what we do at Agape, but, in order to be a full blessing to others, we need to be replenished and refilled. We hope to find that time of refilling this month.
Please pray for the missionaries we serve. We are constantly praying for protection, provision and abundance in their lives. Please stand in agreement with us for these faithful servants.

Thank you for all the prayers and encouragement. We appreciate every gift of prayer support, financial support and blessings spoken over us. You are a part of Agape Flights through your commitment to support us. Thank you!

Living Victoriously in Christ,
The Anderson ministry team

Mechanic needed for short term trip

Do you have a serve the Lord in Haiti? Do you have experience with small engines, diesel engines or generators? If so, we need you. We have a request from a missionary in Les Cayes, Haiti, for a mechanic. He has several vehicles (autos, bus, Bobcat skid loader) and some equipment in need of attention. The mechanic is needed for a week or two. If you are willing or able, or know someone who is, please let us know and we will give you all the details. This would be a huge blessing to this missionary and the people he served in Haiti.

July updates and praises

This month at Agape, we were very excited to see God's hands at work for His servants. Last month in the newsletter, nwe noted that a missionary in the Dominican Republic, who Lance met on the trip, was in need of a dental chair. Well, it is with great joy that we can report that a chair was donated to Agape last week via the connections only God can provide.

Early in the month, Lance started to receive phone calls of possible leads, and one of those leads led us to not one chair, but two. Two very nice dental chairs were donated to Agape, by a local dentist, to be distirbuted to missionaries. What an amazing gift from the Lord! I hope we never tire of watching His hands work and seeing the connections He has. We are so grateful for those who read this blog and newsletter and looked for a way to help. These folks, too, were on a mission for God, and through all of us working together, many people will be served for His kingdom through those dental chairs. It is just a thrill to see Him at work and we are grateful to be a small part of it.

In the middle of the month, we received a call from a missionary who was requesting more Oral Rehydration Solutions (ORS) packets to help treat the cholera epidemic. In the one and a half weeks since that call, we have made 3,000 ORS packets. We are hoping to make several thousand more. The most exciting part is that we didn't have to look for volunteers at all, God brought people to us that were eager to help. We have had people from age 4 to age 92 working on the ORS, and each one is a blessing to us. We love how God has placed it in the hearts of these folks to help and they are responding to the call.

June was a very exciting month for us at church as well as Agape. One week after the school year ended, we helped present our first Vacation Bible School at New Life Church. It was an exciting week of Bible lessons, crafts, missions, snacks and music. I (Lynn) had the privilege of helping the Children's pastor to prepare the VBS and lead the VBS team. With over 75 children in attendance, the church was buzzing with activity and energy. I don't know of any greater joy than that of watching kids sing their hearts out and dance for the Lord. Grace and Hope were part of the worship team and they gave it their all. We were very proud of them and of the entire team of volunteers who worked the VBS. It took a "village" to make the VBS run smoothly, and gratefully, the Lord provided a "village" of workers. It was an awesome week of worship, fellowship, and teaching, and we were thankful for the chance to be a part of this church outreach.

Well, that should bring you up to date about last month's happenings. We will celebrate Hope's 5th birthday tomorrow. We are very proud of our little girl. She is one energetic and fun loving child. She loves life and she loves the Lord. She asks great questions about God and faith. God has big plans for this girl and we are looking forward to seeing the plans He has for her.

Now, here are the prayer requests and praise......

Praise God for a wonderful week of VBS. We are grateful that God made every detail come together.

Praise the Father for the workers that are helping make the ORS packets. We are so blessed to be surrounded by volunteers who generously give of their time.

Praise the Lord for His protection over our lives. He is our rock and our sheild. We are thankful to have a place of shelter under His mighty wings (Psalm 91).

Please pray for the people of Haiti as the cholera epidemic is back on the rise.

Please pray for us as we work and serve the Lord. Every day the enemy tries to put roadblocks on our path. We need the strength of your prayers to see ways over and around the obstacles. We know our God is greater.

We are grateful for every prayer lifted to the Father and every word of encouragement spoken to us. We appreciate each of you and pray for you daily.

Living victoriously in Christ,

The Anderson ministry team

"I've told you all this so that trusting in me,

you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace.
In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties.
But take heart! I've conquered the world."
John 16:33

Here are some pictures of VBS fun........We are all superstars......

June updates

Hey Folks,
So sorry this is a week late...the beginning of June was a whirlwind at our place. Among preschool 'good byes' and grade school awards ceremonies, Vacation Bible school planning and helping build the extension at church, we were very busy and lost track of time. So here are the updates, prayer requests and praises for the month....

During the recent trip to the Dominican Republic, Lance was able to meet several missionaries we served through Agape Flights. It was really amazing to see all that is being done for God’s kingdom. We thought that this month we would take a little time to tell you about some of the missionaries we are connected with so you can get a glimpse of their ministries and how they are being served through Agape Flights.

One of the ministries, Lance got to visit was Sharing the Vision (STV) in Santiago, DR. Jim and Teresa White lead this ministry and they served with Agape extensively during the Haiti earthquake relief. They serve as the host couple for STV’s Mission Team House and during earthquake relief, many Agape pilots stayed with the Whites while shuttling loads from the DR to Haiti. The Whites also preach/teach in local churches, plant churches, provide outreaches for the poor, provide medical clinics in remote areas. Currently, they are developing a discipleship training center. It was a great pleasure to meet the Whites and thank them for all they have done to help Agape.

Another ministry that Lance got to visit was Casa Grande deMisiones Internacional (CGCMI). This ministry is located in Santiago and is led by Tim and Trena Johnson. The Johnson’s work is mainly evangelism which takes many forms. They are involved in preaching, teaching, youth and children ministries, church planting and humanitarian aid. Because of some conversations during the picnic, Lance has been helping the Johnsons by connecting them with Tri-County Air in Venice, Fl. Tri-County is assisting them in exploring the set up of a solar power system to help them eliminate the high cost of electricity. The DR is ranked as one of the highest countries for electrical costs, so this system would be a great benefit to them. What a great connection and relationship to be able to help foster. Only God can work like that. Another need that the Johnsons mentioned during the visit was a need for sports uniforms. Within just a few weeks of the trip, Lance and Allen Speers located a university which donated several sets of uniforms for their youth sports ministry. We love watching His divine connections that come together to fill a need in their ministry.

A third ministry that Lance was able to visit was that of Students International(SI) in Jarabacoa. SI’s focus is to bring students and the poor together. They have a cross-cultural approach to bring students to a deeper understanding of how they can help the poor and serve God’s people through their occupations. They work through technology, arts, construction, dental clinics, sports ministries, physical therapy, schools, and many more avenues. Currently, Agape is trying to acquire a dental chair for their new dental clinic they will be opening. (Anyone with leads on a dental chair ready to be donated, let us know.)

These ministries are just a sample of some of the great things being done for Christ in the Dominican Republic . The trip was not just a time of refreshment for the missionaries. It was an opportunity to see that the needs are and strive to find ways to help. We really enjoy being able to see first hand what Agape has been able to do to help and what we can do to help more. We are very grateful to be partnered with all of these amazing servants. Please continue to pray for all the missionaries serving in the DR, Haiti and the Bahamas. They are the feet on the ground in these countries and they are serving with all of their hearts.

Prayer request and praises.

Praise God for ways He builds connections and bridges for us before we know we need them.
Praise the Father for being our provider. We are constantly awed by the ways He takes care of our needs.
Please pray for the people of Haiti. Fear and uncertainty are a constant problem for the people in Haiti. This month some of the tent cities were destroyed by the government, leaving hundreds homeless again. Pray that the body of Christ will help them meet their needs and find a place to start over.
Please pray for the missionaries in the DR, Haiti and the Bahamas. Pray for strength, wisdom and provision as they strive to reach more souls for Christ.
Please pray for us as we serve Him. Please pray for strength, health and favor in every area of our lives.
We are very grateful for every prayer lifted on our behalf. We believe in the power of prayer and we never take for granted the prayer team God has given us. Please know that we are praying favor and blessings for each of you.

Also pray for the people of Haiti as the rains of this week are causing mud slides and horrible living conditions for those in shanties and tents. Please pray for protection of their lives and homes.

I will proclaim the Lord's decree:

He said to me, "You are my son: today I have become your father.

Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance,

the ends of the earth your possession. Psalm 2:7-8

May updates

PICNIC TIME!!!!

This month the hangar has been a buzz with lots of planning and preparations as Lance has been very busy planning a trip for 14 staff members to travel to the Dominican Republic to provide a “REST and RELAXATION” picnic for the missionaries we serve. Planning the menu, purchasing the food, setting the agenda and pulling all the pieces together was a challenge but was all worth it to give the missionaries a well deserved break.

Along with the time of fellowship and refreshment, the staff also took time to travel to several missionary sites to see each ministry and look for ways to better serve them. Often, after Lance returns from this type of trip, he will see a donated item come into the hangar and immediately knows someone in the field who could benefit from the item. It is a wonderful way for the staff to see the needs, but also, it is a way to see how what we do in Venice, FL makes an impact across the ocean. By putting faces to the names, we feel a stronger connection to the missionaries and we are propelled to work harder to help them in every way.

Besides the picnic work this month, Lance got to use one of his favorite hobbies at work….designing a mezzanine for extra storage space in the hangar. When we lived in Iowa, he was also planning and drawing out plans for shelving. This month, God used this pastime to help him design a new set of shelves for Agape. Home Depot supplied the materials and a crew of volunteer workers through a community grant program. We really loved seeing the project come together and the thought of an old hobby being used for God was such a highlight. Thank you Lord for using us in so many different ways.

Praises and Prayer requests

Praise God for a safe trip to the Dominican Republic last week. He made every detail come together from the flights to the weather.

Praise the Father for the resurrection of His Son that we celebrated last week. He is risen...He is risen indeed!!! We are so grateful for His sacrificial love for us.

Praise the Lord for the doors He opens for us in our own community.

Please pray for us as we strive to live our faith “out loud” for Christ. Pray we will never miss a chance to bring another soul into the Kingdom.

Please pray for the Agape staff as we prepare to transition to a new Executive Director this month. Pray that change will be an opportunity to stretch our faith and trust God for every detail.

Please pray for Agape members, Jan and Val Gutwien, who lost their 5 year old son in Haiti this month. Brett had a medical condition from birth but that did not stop this family from answering God’s call to serve in Haiti. Please pray for comfort and peace for Brett’s family.

Thank you for your prayers for us. You are a vital part of all God is doing.
Hope you all have a month full of blessings and abundance.
Living victoriously in Christ,
The Andersons

Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.
Jeremiah 32:17

April Prayer request and Praises

Thank you for stopping by to check out what has been happening this month. It was a busy month as always. Here are a few highlights: This month started with our annual volunteer appreciation lunch and this year we did "FLIP FLOPS" over our volunteers. Once again, I (Lynn) was asked to help plan and prepare our volunteer appreciation event. This year our theme was “At Agape Flights, we do FLIP FLOPS over our volunteers.” and we had a beach BBQ to pay tribute to our hard working volunteers. To truly appreciate what volunteers do for Agape, let me list for you some of the jobs they perform for us. Volunteers...process packages, sort mail, load cargo, wash airplanes, lead weekly chapel services, clean (the condo, kitchen, bathrooms, offices and hangar), pilot the airplanes, mow the lawn, maintain the airplane, complete plumbing jobs, build special projects, make ORS kits, assist in accounting, answer phones, stamp envelopes, fold letters, prepare mailings, make videos, and other jobs as specified. What would we do without them???? Agape could not function the way we do without the many hours that volunteers serve. Many of them serve on a weekly basis. Others with special talents are called in as needed. Either eay, each of them is part of the Body of Christ that is helping the missionaries in the field. Every volunteer hour that is put in is being used to further God’s kingdom in some special way. We are so grateful for our volunteers at Agape. We know that we could not “Serve Christ through serving His missionaries” without their help. We salute our volunteers and thank God for their servant hearts. This month was also marked with the announcement of our new Executive Director. Allen Speer will begin on May 1st. Allen has been the pastor of many churches in the Midwest and will be joining us from his most recent position in Cobden, Illinois. We are very excited to see the vision Allen has for Agape and welcome him and his family to the Agape ministry. Here are our prayer requests and praises for this month:

• Praise God for our Executive Director at Agape. We are very excited to see the new ideas and challenges that Allen will bring to the ministry.


• Praise the Father for beautiful weather and day for our volunteer appreciation lunch. God provided a wonderful day to fellowship at the beach and honor those who sere with us.


• Praise the Lord for a great family vacation over Spring break. We are so thankful for the time of rest and family fun. God knew exactly what we needed and He gave us the rest and recreation we needed.


• Please pray for us as we face a month with a full schedule of work, church and family obligations. Pray that we will not get too busy to remember to rest in the presence of the Almighty and hear His voice.


• Please pray for the Agape staff as we prepare to transition to a new Executive Director at the end of the month. Change can be a very stressful time so we pray for patience.


• Please pray for Agape staff and volunteers who will be traveling to the Dominican Republic at the end of the month for a missionary picnic.

We are grateful for each of you and cherish your faithfulness in praying for us. We pray you have a month of God's blessings and abundance in your lives.

Living victoriously in Christ, Lynn, Lance, Grace and Hope