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Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. ~Colossians 3:14
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It’s been a few months since I last sent a newsletter so I definitely needed to update you on all that has been happening over the last few months. THANK YOU for remaining faithful in your
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prayers for me, my safety, my healing, and the ministry in which I’m blessed to serve. I’m traveling again, and you’ll learn more about where I’ve been and where I’m heading to next, below.
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In February, I made my first trip to Jordan to visit one of International Ministries’ new partners, Zarqa Baptist Church. The church is doing wonderful work in a very difficult area due to the many challenges facing Syrian refugees and the poor Jordanian population. Despite the challenges, they have a thriving outpatient medical clinic, trauma counseling groups for women and children, education programs in refugee camps, widow support groups, a coffee shop that students use for a safe study area, and so much more. They do all of this faithfully, in spite of financial challenges to keep the programs open, especially the medical work. Email me if you have questions about how to help!
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Global servants (missionaries) from Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa met in Florence for a regional gathering in April. The purpose was three-fold: discuss the new initiatives at International Ministries with IM’s leadership team, meet the new Area Director (Julie Justus Williams), and reconnect with colleagues. Aside from it being a beautiful setting, we had wonderful discussions about where IM is heading, shared our stories, and learned about the work in local churches in Italy. These regional gatherings offer global servants and staff the opportunity to stay connected and learn more about how IM initiatives continue to address challenges, both in the US and abroad. Our fellowship time together was full of encouragement and definitely good food!
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I spent two weeks in Bolivia and had the blessing of inviting my nephew, JP, to travel with me. He had visited Cochabamba on a work team when he was 16 years old and that was 10 years ago. What a gift to travel with him and share, again, the love I have for the ministry and people of Bolivia. We spent a few days visiting cities I’ve never spent time in before, and as usual, there were all kinds of travel hiccups, including a national transportation strike and roadblocks throughout the country. This is still going on today and creating some serious issues for food and businesses that are limited by what can only be found locally. During my visit, I was able to meet with several leaders of the medical and dental outreach ministries as well as pastors and their congregations. I preached twice and led devotions for the House of Hope leadership in Cochabamba. It was really good to reconnect with all of them and hear how ministry has grown or is challenged right now. There are congregations without their own building and they are hoping work teams may be able to come and help them build a church. The medical and dental outreach is always open to teams willing to work alongside them or give a gift to support their volunteer work. If either of these sound like something you’d like to do, please reach out to me or see more information HERE.
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Ireland, Scotland, Northumbria, Northern Ireland
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My most recent travel was just 36 hours after returning from Bolivia, and I got to check off a couple of countries still on my bucket list! It was a much needed vacation to (mostly) Ireland and Scotland with a quick visit to Belfast and Northumbria. I traveled with my good friend and colleague, Rhonda Reed, with the goal of visiting cathedrals and castles. There were definitely a lot of those and we kept ourselves moving! I am grateful for the time to simply rest (I didn’t even bring my laptop!) and revel at the beauty of these countries.
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World Mission Conference 2026
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Have you heard the exciting news? The World Mission Conference will be held in person in Orlando, FL from July 29-31, 2026! I will be speaking on the opening night and hope that you will consider attending with your family. You can find more details here: World Mission Conference. The theme will be, “From Brokenness to Wholeness: Educate, Heal, Restore.” You’ll hear from many global servants and international partners while also learning more about the impact of International Ministries around the world. Please make plans to join me at the World Mission Conference in 2026!
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- All of my travel showed me how well my foot has healed. I will always have pain but am able to do most everything I’d like to do. Praise God!
- Prayers as I plan travel to churches and conferences this summer/fall
- Ongoing financial support for this ministry as well as the projects in countries where I serve
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