Training and Preparing Teams...

It was such an encouraging week to be with these young graduates who have committed to serve the Lord through Short Term International Teams (STINT). This is an opportunity Campus Outreach is developing to help mobilize trained graduates into strategic two year international ministry opportunities around the world. We met with teams preparing for deployment to Malaysia, Kenya, and Thailand.

Please pray for these teams as they prepare to deploy to some of the world's difficult places where the Gospel message is opposed at every point.

Pray as well for the crops of students to follow them. We are trusting God for 200 students a year to be mobilized into these strategic STINT opportunities. Pictured above was a meeting with some of the students in the Raleigh, NC area who are interested in considering a STINT upon graduation.

First Week of School...

Monday began a new school year for our crew! We now have two in high school (Luke -10th and Levi -9th) and two in middle school (John -7th and Emmi -6th). What an adventure! We are so proud of them!

Levi and Luke with Hannah Blazer and Meg Dempsey
(their childhood friends from our team in Brazil)

John's soccer team - U13 Briarwood Ambassadors
2013 Liberty Cup Champions - August

Emmi working her moves against a much larger opponent last Saturday
in their season opener for U12 Briarwood Lady Ambassadors.

Pray with us that our children would grow to become the salt and light of Jesus to those around them!

Deploying Laborers...

Thank you for your partnership in this ministry that makes it possible to be a part of Training and Mobilizing Christ-like Leaders Around the World! We could not do this apart from your prayers and financial support! Thank you for investing in God's Kingdom work with us! (2 Corinthians 8:1-5)

This week we had the privilege to provide the training and preparations for four of our staff preparing to move overseas to their long-term ministry assignments. This is such a huge transition for them not only as laborers, but in life as well: leaving their families and support systems to encounter new culture, new team, new language, and new responsibilities. Pray with us that they will abide in the power of the holy spirit as they seek to walk in the reality of their gospel identity, community, and mission! Pray God will use them as instruments in His hands, reconciling the world unto Himself! (2 Corinthians 5:11-21)

L-R: Lee Cunningham (Belo Horizonte, Brazil), Rev. Cheely, Erin Duncan (Brisbane, Australia),
and Brandon & Michelle Brown (Khon Kaen, Thailand)

During these training sessions we seek to help them become aware of what they are about to encounter and experience, giving them a vocabulary and basic understanding to be able to process and grow through this process. In addition to Gospel Identity, Community, and Mission we also covered such topics as: First Term Expectations, Cultural Awareness and Adaptation, Culturally Relevant Communication, Longevity, and Team Development.

Special Guests...

Nathalia, Priscilla, Claudia, Russell, & Wendy

Since the Global Staff Conference last month we have been blessed with having many of our international staff in town for training and development. It has been a joy and a blessing to serve and assist them. We have enjoyed having several of them from Brazil stay with us in our home! The children have enjoyed practicing their Portuguese. We are so grateful to you for helping make this possible!