Opening a new chapter of life can be stimulating and intimidating. For Connie and me it’s been both as we adjust to this new reality of being permanent residents in the USA after 26 years in East Africa. The stimulation has come from being more involved with family relationships and settling into a new home. The intimidation comes from trying to re-learn the daily stuff of life and culture in Indiana while gearing up to lead the Connection Pointe family toward greater Global Impact. How ironic to be less in the know here and more comfortable with the international! It’s why we’ve come. It’s why we need each other.
In this first month I have enjoyed learning more about our mission partners around the world.
- Our partners in Turkey are involved in ministering to the Yazidi who were chased from their homes and are now on refugee status.
- Partners in SE Asia work with leaders of house churches, improving training to plant more churches – in a country antagonistic to Christianity.
- You’ve probably heard recently of three wells successfully drilled by our partner in Maasailand after repeated failures. God is faithful all over the world! Read more.
CURRENT MISSION TRIPS…
This month two CP mission teams successfully engaged with our partners in Guatemala and Kenya, bringing hope to children, encouragement to teachers, communities and churches. Their blog posts have been informative and inspiring. I encourage you to take a few minutes and read them. And if you see any of the team members in person, thank them for going! You can find their blog posts HERE.
WHAT’S NEXT…
Coming up in November, we have a team going to India to build a vision for Connection Pointe’s increased involvement with a house-church movement that is breathtaking! Millions are now part of Christ’s Kingdom in India with tens of millions more likely to join in the next few years. We are looking for local paradigms that fit with our movement here to see how God would like us to build our partnership.
Our Guatemala hosts from Vision Trust are coming to town the weekend before Thanksgiving. Be alert to opportunities to be with them and learn of their ministry, including the OPEN HOUSE Saturday night, November 22 at 6:30 in the church gym. Find additional information and registration for the open house HERE. Families welcome!
Also in November the Global Impact Team will host David and Marsha to hear of their decades of service in Africa and honor them as they retire from the field. (Note the omission of their last name – a common practice to minimize risk in volatile regions.) They are excellent examples of what God can do with lives willing to act extremely on God’s touch on their hearts. David left his work with the airlines to be a missionary.
AN OPPORTUNITY TO HOST…
I hope some of you have been able to register to host international students for Thanksgiving. You are all in for a memorable day! Read on for more about this opportunity.
2015 MISSION TRIPS…
Our mission trips for 2015 will be similar to 2014. We will have the schedule out soon. Perhaps God is challenging you to go on one next year?
UP NEXT … REPORTS ON INDIA
You will hear from the team after we return, as security is an issue in this limited-access country. But while we are there, please pray, as we meet with thousands of house-church leaders and seek to clarify the vision for our church with this strategic partner.
