August Prayer requests and Praises

Welcome to August! We are in the heat of the summer down here but we are learning to adjust.

Life at Agape this month was very “normal”. It is hard to really define normal anymore because it has been a long time since we had a normal month. This month we flew our 103th Agape flight to Haiti and the DR for the year. During the earthquake we had numerous other aircraft and those increased our numbers but our actual Agape plane has flown 103 flights this year. (Note-we flew 50 last year.) There is still much need for relief cargo, but, for now, the regular cargo outnumbers the relief supplies. Most of the missionaries we support are back in business so we are trying to keep up with their regular shopping requests and shipping needs. Customs and red tape are affecting how we operate at some airports but with prayer and connections we know God can take care of these issues.

I’m sure many of you are wondering how life in Haiti is six month post-quake. Well, life in Haiti is still very devastating. The living conditions are hot, rainy and uncomfortable. People are still living in tent cities. Many buildings are exactly where they fell on January 12th and progress to rebuild is very slow. Our pilots report that a ride around Port au Prince is heartbreaking but reports from other areas tell of slow and steady progress to rebuild. Many teams have converged on Haiti this summer to help the process. It is one building at a time and one team at a time that makes a difference. The people of Haiti are strong. They have lost so much but they have not given up. They continue to move forward and do all they can based on their limited resources and materials. Please keep the Haitian people and the missionaries in your prayers. There is still much to be done.
Here are our Prayer request and Praises for this month....

• Praise the Lord for the release of all the remaining sea containers. He worked His ways in customs again and all the supplies are already distributed in Haiti.
• Praise God for the many hours of volunteer work that goes on at Agape each week. From lawn mowing to plane loading to accounting, volunteers allow us to get it all done. God is faithful every week to provide the man power we need and we are so grateful for Him and the way He leads people.
• Praise the Father for our supporters who encourage us and allow us to serve at Agape.
• Please pray for customs issues that we face on a regular basis. Pray for God’s provision through the red tape in both Haiti and the D.R. He will find a way.
• Please pray for our family. We are constantly being stretched in new directions and we want to honor God in every way.
• Please intercede with us for the people of Haiti. There is still hopelessness and despair in many areas. Pray for God’s touch in their lives and that they will see where true hope comes from.
• Please pray for the search for a new Executive Director.
• Please also keep in your prayers Lynn's mom. After having a very good month, she is currently back in the hospital with unexplained neurological issues. Please pray for healing, peace and rest.

Thank you all for your faithful support and prayers. We are grateful for each of you. Please let us know how we can be praying for you.
Have a great month!
Living victoriously in Christ,
The Andersons

Happy Birthday HOPE!!

Today is another special day for us. Our little girl turned four today. Hope Carolyn, also known as Hope Carolyn TeaBlossom Barbie Corine Courtney, had a wonderful day today at Busch Gardens. (Yes, that is what she calls herself if you ask her for her name) This kid is one of a kind and we are so blessed to be her family.


Hope is such a fire ball. She is extreme in all she does. She gives everything she does her all and then she gives napping her all. She says and does things that are not normal for a four year old. For example, the other day she started reading road signs while I was driving and told me "Mom, you can not do a u turn here and there is no parking over there. Now, you better obey." When she was at the doctor for swimmer's ear, the doctor asked her when her ears hurt and she told her, "Well, (long pause) they only hurt when I speak English...if I speak Spanish, they don't hurt." (and I said "what???") Like I said, she is one of a kind.


Hope has a huge heart for hurting people. She asked questions about Haiti all the time (Like, "Mom, has the earth stopped shaking there yet?"). She wants Build a Bear to make a donation bear for Haiti, so US kids can buy Haitian kids bears to send over. When we started talking about her birthday a few weeks ago, she asked if she could make a donation for Haiti for her birthday. That's our girl.


Our prayer is that she will set the world on fire for the Lord with her extreme spirit and love for life. She is one incredible girl and we are very proud of her. We know that God has big plans for her and we can't wait to see what He is going to do through her.


Here are a few of Hope's favorites

• Food---Chicken strips with ranch



• Ride at Busch Garden---Tidal Wave (also known as the Frog Hopper in Wis. Dells)



• Playmates---Grace and Bailey



• Color---PINK pink Pink



• Movie---Barbie and the 3 Muskateers And all princess movies



• Toy---Leapster 2 (Backyardigans and Nemo)



• Animal---Butterflies, especially Monarchs

• Summer activity---Riding scooter

• Song----John 3:16



• Dance---ballerina dancing

Here are a few picts. of her past year.....

Happy Birthday Hope!! We love you!
Living victoriously in Christ, Lynn, Lance, Grace and Hope

July praises and prayer requests

Is anyone else having a hard time believing it is July already??? My internal calander is not computing this at all. Where has this year gone so far??

What a year and what a month we have had, though!? We are still busy at Agape but just not the same tempo and urgency of busy as post earthquake. Our flight schedule has returned to once a week. We are still sending supplies and relief materials to Haiti but we have also resumed on all other deliveries as well. The two day flights leave on Thursday and return on Friday each week.

The amount of donated items we still have is enormous but we are not rushing to send them in until the missionaries are ready for them. Over 300 boxes of clothing and medical supplies are ready to go for when the missionaries are able to distribute them. The girls and I(Lynn) worked for days this month on sorting and organizing the clothing as well as packing backpacks for the homeless. We have condensed 2 warehouses into a maze of shelves at the hangar.

This month Agape started a year long celebration of 30 years of ministry. On June 26, we had a big picnic at the hangar to celebrate God's goodness and faithfulness over the past 30 years. The Soarin Celebration was an event to dedicated our new airplane and celebrate all God has done for us. It was a wonderful (and HOT) picnic which included entertainment, prayers, food, fun and words from our founders, Clara and Keith Starkey. The Agape kids even performed for the crowds. (Video link is below so you can see the performance for yourselves.)

As a family, we have been very blessed this month. God completed what He started in April with the sale of our house. The house closed on June 21 and we are so grateful. God is the ultimate realtor and I highly recommend Him to any one wishing to sell a property. If you need His number give me a call. :)

Lance has been extremely busy at work as well. He has so many jobs to do now that I can't keep track of which one he is working on. It is easy to say that no two days are alike and he is never bored. God is using all of his talents and skills every day. Praise the Lord, that's why we are here. It is all for HIM.

Well, that should have you updated for now.
Here are the monthly praises and prayer requests:

Praise the Lord for the all the workers for the Soarin Celebration. The event was wonderful because of all the help we received and the hundreds of people who came out in the heat to see what God is doing.

Praise God for the closing of our home in Iowa. God provided the buyer and the timing just like He always does.

Praise the King for His protection and provision. He is our all in all and He is watching over us at every turn.

Praise the Father for our volunteer chaplains that lead our staff in weekly chapel services. We are blessed to have many faithful pastors who give their time to help us stay on track and follow God’s word in our ministry.

Please pray for our flights over the next few months. The rainy season and storm season is upon us. Flying into these storms can be difficult to navigate. Please pray for clear skies and safe flights.

Please pray for Agape members, John and Joyce Hansen. They were home from Haiti for their mission convention and their daughter, Cynthia passed away unexpectantly. Please pray for a covering of peace in their lives and healing for their hearts.

Please continue to pray for Lynn’s mom as she continues to battle cancer. She had a very difficult month but now is back on the mend.

Please intercede with us again for the new sea containers waiting in customs in Haiti. Pray that God would prevail again and we will see them released this month.

Please pray for the search for a new Executive Director.

Thank you for all your encouragement and prayers. We are praying this month brings you blessings upon blessings.
Happy 4th of July! Enjoy your freedom celebrations and remember real freedom comes from only one source, Jesus Christ.

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

PS. To watch the Agape kids video, go to http://theprayernotes.blogspot.com . Barbara posted her video and picts of the kids. Thanks Barbara.

June updates and praises/prayer requests

Since January 12, 2010, when the earthquake hit, Agape Flights has sent more flights than in the past 3 years combined and shipped more cargo than in 5 years. The numbers are staggering but it is still not enough. We are still in constant action trying to provide relief supplies to the people and missionaries of Haiti. The needs are different but there are still needs.

With all the needs still present, we have slowly been returning to some type of normal but it is certainly a new “normal”. We are now flying two flights a week instead of one. One flight goes to Port au Prince to bring relief supplies and one flight goes to the Dominican Republic and other Haitian airports with core supplies. Core supplies refers to “normal deliveries”, like mail and packages. We are hoping this new schedule be sufficient to meet all of their needs.

The last sea containers arrived in Haiti the first weeks of May and are waiting in customs. Lance worked this month with another sea container organized by a local church. It was for a missionary associated with Agape so they tapped into Lance’s container knowledge to help get their container loaded and shipped. We are prayerful that all the containers will be processed and distributed quickly.

Agape certainly has learned a lot over the past 4 months. We have been pushed in every way; more flights, more cargo, more volunteers, more hours worked, more fatigue. But God has been God through and through. We have seen miracle after miracle as He made things happen for us and He worked out the problems that we would face. He proved Himself as sovereign every day and for that we are extremely grateful. The biggest lesson we have learned over and over again is “to lean not our own understanding but to trust in Him.”

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

Here are this month's praises and prayer requests....

Praises and Prayer requests

Praise the Lord for the staff and volunteers at Agape. The “family” at Agape works together like none we have ever seen. Each person at Agape has a gift and a purpose in the ministry. God has orchestrated a wonderful group of people into His service.

• 
  Praise God for provision of a new plane. It is so cool to see His provision in tangible ways. This plane is more evidence of God’s hands working for this ministry.
• 
  Praise the King for His protection and strength. We have felt weary and tired but God always has picked us up. There have been times when we know we could not have continued without His intervention. Praise God that He is so powerful and so faithful.
• 
  Praise the Father for our partners. He has given us a wonderful support team. Without the encouragement and prayers of our team, we would not be here today. We are grateful for you and that is a reason to praise God.
• 
  Please pray for us as work on deputation and support raising. We are now looking forward to year 2 at Agape and need to refill the support base from one time gifts last year. Please pray for God to open hearts and minds to hear our story and link arms with us at Agape.
• 
  Please pray for an Agape members, Cody and Maria Whittaker and their daughters. After surviving the earthquake in Haiti, they discovered that their 5 year old daughter, Susana, has a very aggressive form of cancer. They have relocated to the US for treatment but they need prayers for strength and peace through this journey.
• 
  Please continue to pray for Lynn’s mom as she continues to battle cancer.
• 
  Please intercede with us again for the new sea containers waiting in customs in Haiti. Pray that God would prevail again and we will see them released this month.

As always, thanks for all of your faithful prayers. We are so grateful and humbled to have people who lift us and our needs to the King. We appreciate you. Don't forget, we would like to pray for you and your needs as well. Please email us if you have specific requests so we can petition God on your behalf.
Have a great month and thank you for linking arms with us.
Never give in!
Living victoriously in Christ, Lynn for the Anderson ministry team

May update and Prayer requests/Praises

Since January 12, 2010, when the earthquake hit, Agape Flights has:
· Made over 160+ flights into Haiti
· Delivered almost 600,000 pounds of donated emergency supplies
· Delivered over 300 backpacks to homeless people of Haiti
As you can see, the stats just keep jumping. The work level at Agape is still running at a fast pace. The needs have changed but the amount of needs has not. There is still so much to do. We have utilized 2 extra warehouses (besides the hangar) since the earthquake. One is now empty but the other is still full of boxes and supplies that need to be delivered. Every day, plans are being made and carried out to move these supplies into the hands of the missionaries. Two more sea containers are on the way to Haiti. Hopefully, they will be released in a timely manner and the 50,000 pounds of supplies in each will be through customs quickly.
We are extremely joyful to report that all of the sea containers in Haiti which were previously sent have been released. All 5 containers were released in one week, which meant over 250,000 pounds of supplies became available to be distributed. The items in these containers varied from food to medical supplies to homemade bunkbeds. The bottom line is that God worked in big ways to get these containers released. Thank you for all your prayers for these containers. God heard them all and He did what only God can do.
Along with planes and containers, backpacks are also a part of the Haiti relief efforts. Over 300 backpacks have been filled with critical living supplies at the Agape hangar. A missionary from Haiti, who was in the US during the quake, suggested that we start a project of filling the backpacks for the homeless. So with many donations, Agape volunteers and church groups have lovingly packed these backpacks. We are receiving great reports from the missionaries that the backpacks are a hit.
We at Agape are committed to the rebuilding and reconstruction efforts of Haiti so although a lot has already been accomplished. We will not stop until every missionary has what they need and are back on their feet. We want to serve them in every way as they minister to the Haitian people.
Thank you to all our prayer warriors who storm the throne for us. We can not thank you enough. Here are this month's praises and prayer requests.

Praise the Lord for the release of the sea containers. Many missionaries are fully stocked now that they have had over 250,000 pounds released in one week. Praise the Lord for overcoming the government obstacles and red tape.
Praise God for the sale of our home in Iowa. He found a better buyer than the first and is releasing us from that burden. He is quite a realtor.
Praise the King for His protection and provisions at Agape Flights. Missionary aviation presents a load of risk but God is constantly providing His protection and blessings on Agape aircraft and personnel.
Praise the Father for strength to keep pressing on. The work load since the earthquake has never really lightened up but our strength has come from the Lord. He gives us the power and energy to complete His mission.
Please pray for us as we face persecution for standing up for the Word. We expected to have trials and we are experiencing a large load of them. Pray for us to have strength to withstand the fire. We also need you to stand in agreement for peace for our oppressors.
Please pray for our Iowa house to close perfectly without any glitches. It will close in the end of June and we are praying for a smooth transition.
Please continue to pray for the staff at Agape. Each team member has dedicated their lives to in serving this ministry. It has been a long year so far and we all need pray for refreshing and renewal. Pray for God’s strength to keep flowing in us.
Please intercede with us to the Father for the people of Haiti. New challenges are being presented to them every day. This month, millions were moved from their “tent cities” to safer ground for the rainy/flooding season. These people are still in desperate need. Pray for their protection, their health and their safety.

We hope you are all enjoying the spring weather. We love you and appreciate you. We could not be here without your support, prayers and encouragement.
Have a great month.
Living victoriously in Christ, Lynn for the Anderson ministry team

New Life Church sews for Haiti

A few weeks ago, one of the ladies of our church, Loretta Cooper, approached us and asked if she could help us with the backpack ministry at Agape. Since the earthquake, Agape has been filling backpacks with critical supplies and sending them to the missionaries to distribute to the homeless people of Haiti. Loretta asked if it would be helpful if she headed up a campaign to make and fill bags with the New Life family. We thought it was a wonderful idea so we agreed to help her in what ever way we could.
Loretta's campaign was called Sew On Fire and they made 96 bags for Haiti. Today, I had the pleasure helping this project first hand as the girls and I went to Loretta's house to help fill the bags. Donated supplies (tarps, blankets, towels, silverware, food, soap, shampoo, toothbrushes, etc.) were used to fill the bags. and then the bags were delivered to Agape. The bags will be loaded on next week's sea container and will arrive in Haiti by the following week. Praise God for these hard working people who sewed all the bags, packed them with love and worked as His hands and feet to send God's love over the ocean.
We are so blessed to be part of a family of believers who link arms with us and join us in our efforts to help Haiti. Thank you, New Life family. We love you and appreciate you.
To Haiti with love....

Filling the bagsFilling the van

Safely delivered to Agape, ready to be tagged and processed

Living victoriously in Christ, Lynn for the Anderson ministry team

PS. Big praises to God for all the sea containers. Every one of them has been released and the 50,000 pounds of supplies in each container are now flowing through the hands of the missionaries into the hands of the Haitian people. God is amazing!!!

Grace turns 5!!!!

It's a big day in our family tomorrow. Five years ago, Lance and I went from husband and wife to Mom and Dad. What a transition it has been??!! God has blessed us to richly with our girls and we are so humbled to be their parents. We didn't know the joys and heartaches we would have in front of us but we would not turn back a single day.

Grace is our amazing first child. We are so proud of her. She is the sweetest, most loving child I know. She puts her heart first in everything she does. She loves the Lord and sings praise songs to Him all day long. She loves her little sister, adores her dad and opens up to her mom. She is very compassionate and caring. She will go out of her way to give a hug and a smile to everyone she knows.

Grace enjoys life to the fullest. She loves sports. She will be starting soccer in a few weeks and she would like to try T-ball in the fall. She loves riding...whether it is a horse, bike, scooter, Harley, roller coaster, sled or a ATV... she loves to ride....the faster the better. (one guess where that comes from??) She could sit and make craft projects for hours. I can not keep up on all the things she wants to make. She loves animals of all kinds. She is a whiz at her school work and just started reading to us. That is a joy to watch. Grace just plain loves life. She is a very happy, healthy and energetic girl.

We are very proud of Grace and very blessed to be her parents.

Here are a few picts of Grace from this year....

With her best friend

Loading the plane with her favorite pilot, Uncle Paul

With her favorite house guest, Dr. Chuck Stecker

Sledding in Green Bay

Slip n slide time

Loving the animals on the farm

Swingin' with sister in their cool hats and glasses

Heading to the Wild West party with her favorite Dude

Happy Birthday, Grace! We love you and we thank God for you.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—Ephesians 2:8

Living victoriously in Christ, Lynn and the crew