Our team is heading to Wagner South Dakota to help missionaries Tim and Elaine Harris on the Yankton Sioux Reservation. We are taking a team of 25, 13 adults and 12 children (Ages 10-15) Our plans are to conduct Sports Camp, serve dinner to the kids and present the gospel message each day for three days. We will also be introducing “Drug Free” in the United States on day four. “Drug Free” is a program developed by Steve and Mindi Benintendi and is used to talk about Substance Abuse and evangelize simultaneously and has only been used internationally until now. We would appreciate it if you would join our team in prayer as we make plans and preparations for our trip coming up August 10 through 17.
Prayer requests for our team
- Pray that our team would be under the control of the Holy Spirit, pray that the fruit of the Spirit-the very beauty of Jesus-will be manifest in our lives.
- Pray for Spirit-Controlled Lives. We have a tendency to do the Lord’s work in our own energy and human ingenuity. Pray that our team‚Äôs actions will be under the control, and by the power of, the Holy Spirit.
- Pray that the people will have receptive hearts and that the Lord will lead our team to people whose hearts will be open to hearing and receiving the gospel message.
- Our team along with Tim and Elaine are prime targets of the enemy. Join Jesus in praying to the Father: “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one” (John 17:15) so that we will have the freedom to move in God’s will for our time in South Dakota.
Prayer requests for Tim and Elaine
- Pray that the Lord will supply the financial and material needs of Tim and Elaine “according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).
- Pray that the Lord will grant the measure of health and strength that will bring his greatest glory and the greatest good for the missionaries. Tim and Elaine are putting in long hours and face numerous struggles that drain their strength.
- There are two young women that are helping with Children’s Ministry but haven’t fully committed to ministry. Pray that God will give them clarity and direction for the call He has on their lives.
- Pray that God will provide a full-time, self supported COMMITTED children’s leader and youth leader to work alongside of Tim and Elaine to reach all ages on the reservation.
Prayer requests for our team leaders
- Pray that the Lord will give Pastor TJ, Pastor Josh and I wisdom as we make preparations and arrangements to get our team to and from South Dakota safely and that we not forget any of the important details.
- Pray for steadfastness as we plan and prepare for each aspect of ministry Paul gave this same advice to the Corinthians, “Stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58)
“Thanks so much for all you guys do.  I just wanted to let you know that my nephew Eric accepted Jesus Christ as his savior today in kids church.  He was able to tell us the whole story of Easter.  The day before we had asked Eric what happened 3 days after Jesus died on the cross and he said they had a funeral.  He now knows that after three days Jesus rose from the grave and that he now lives in his heart.”
The summer started in Appalachia where I partnered with Pastor TJ Wolfe from Warwick AG. We trained and prepared a team to go into Oak Hill West Virginia where we did street ministry and then held a three day evangelistic outreach for the children in that area. Over 26 children invited Jesus into their lives that week.
Next I headed to Dallas Pennsylvania where I spent a week at Camp Orchard Hill as the guest speaker. Using “Deeply Rooted” as the theme, I challenged the campers to evaluate their personal relationship with Jesus and to grow deeper in their faith. 76 children gave their hearts to Jesus and many others fell deeper in love with Him. When testimonies were shared one girl stood up and said, “Before coming to camp I really didn’t know Jesus and didn’t care but today I want everyone to know that I know Him and want to live for Him forever.” One of the boys stood and shared, “Now I know that Jesus will provide for me and I don‚Äôt need to worry about things.” The most touching was a girl that said, “I’ve learned that I can still have happiness even though my dad just died.” There are children here in the United States that are hurting and need the hope and love that only Jesus gives.
The summer was rounded off with five more weeks of kids camp and then I headed to Keyser WV with a team from 1st AG in Harrisonburg VA led by Trevor Whetzel. We had been invited to participate in a city wide outreach and minister to the children. All of our efforts were rewarded with 24 children making decisions to follow Jesus.
With cart in tow, Maggie entered the building with all of her belongings neatly tucked into compartments in her wire mesh cart. To get a little relief from the cold, she found shelter in an alley accompanied by some of her fellow homeless who were huddled around a barrel burning with scrap lumber and paper.  As she settled in a spot atop a palette covered with newspaper she covered herself with the only blanket she had, pulled out her hand made sign and cup and began to beg for money from all those who passed by.
and homeless shelter. As people stood in line, patiently waiting their turn, a meal was being served consisting of chicken rice soup, mixed vegetables, cheese, fruit cup and yellow sheet cake. Each person picked up a lunch tray, their foam plate and plastic utensils and walked through the line as volunteers served the food.
It was my privilege to help the children of the church seek out opportunities and ways that they could also be part of giving hope to those in need. I was able to share Galatians 6:10, “Whenever we have opportunity, we should do good to everyone.” Esau was our example of a person that missed his opportunity by giving away his birthright. He could have helped an entire nation but gave it away for a bowl of gumbo. We talked about how difficult it is to see the needs around us when we are constantly looking at ourselves. We need to see through Jesus’s eyes. He never saw himself because He was always looking at the needs of others.
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