tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33156703379546312722024-03-13T17:00:53.889-05:00Birkeys' BlogSharing in our journey with Native AmericansUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315670337954631272.post-10721032660141226392016-07-25T17:34:00.000-05:002016-07-25T17:34:27.960-05:00Birkey Ministry Updates have moved!<br />
Oops! Looks like you've got an old link! We're still in Arizona doing camp ministry, but we no longer use this blog. Facebook is much easier for us to keep up to date.<br />
<br />
Follow our family on our Facebook page by clicking here >>> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jlbirkey/" target="_blank">Jon and Lindsay Birkey</a><br />
<br />
And don't forget to follow our camp Facebook page by clicking here >>> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/simccamps/" target="_blank">SIMC Camps </a><br />
<br />
Shalom,<br />
<br />
-The Birkey FamilyUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315670337954631272.post-89269652524599842752015-11-22T21:34:00.005-06:002015-11-22T21:34:42.121-06:00Birkey Bulletin November 2015<a href="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/cf3a3552c8c2ec136cdb47d61/files/Birkey_Bulletin_Nov_2015_short_PDF.pdf" target="_blank">Click here to check out our latest newsletter</a><br />
<br />
If you are looking for more regular updates, check out our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jlbirkey/" target="_blank">Facebook page here!</a><br />
<br />
The camps we run have their own <a href="https://www.facebook.com/simccamps/" target="_blank">Facebook page too!</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315670337954631272.post-59768850679490095382015-05-25T13:38:00.000-05:002015-05-25T13:38:11.273-05:00Prayer Letter Update May 2015Check out our latest <a href="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/cf3a3552c8c2ec136cdb47d61/files/Birkey_Bulletin_May_2015.pdf" target="_blank">prayer letter update!</a>Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688974180605590425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315670337954631272.post-46748150757186605062015-03-10T11:37:00.004-05:002015-03-10T11:37:43.105-05:00BIrkey Bulletin Prayer Letter<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/cf3a3552c8c2ec136cdb47d61/files/birkeybulletinfeb2015_short_pdf.pdf" target="_blank">Here is our latest prayer letter.</a></span>Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688974180605590425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315670337954631272.post-6664375092917729422015-02-16T15:16:00.003-06:002015-02-16T15:16:59.423-06:00It's Been A While....Hey all!<br />
<br />
It's been a while! We sincerely apologize for letting this blog fall so far behind. We will do our best to keep this blog updated at least quarterly. That said, stay tuned for a post of our latest newsletter. To keep up with us on a more regular basis or catch up on what you may have missed, check out our Facebook page, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jlbirkey">https://www.facebook.com/jlbirkey</a>!<br />
<br />
Thanks for your prayers, dedication, and support!<br />
<br />
Blessings,<br />
<br />
<br />
-Jon & LindsayUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315670337954631272.post-30191722824891953962014-07-31T16:41:00.001-05:002014-07-31T16:45:17.774-05:00Summer Prayer Letter<a href="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/cf3a3552c8c2ec136cdb47d61/files/90c26a56-12ed-4f48-9724-bfbb9af5d219.pdf" target="_blank">Click here to read our Summer Prayer Letter!</a>Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688974180605590425noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315670337954631272.post-65542828858926207922014-04-27T09:52:00.000-05:002014-04-27T10:05:07.283-05:00Follow Me<div style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them...Peter saw him, he asked, "Lord, what about him?" Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is it to you? You follow me." John 21:20-22 (NIV)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We took off from MTI in Colorado around 11:30 yesterday
morning eager to get on the road as we had a 12 hr drive ahead of us. As we got
into southern Colorado, we noticed the wind picking up drastically. Before we
knew it, we found ourselves caught up in a dust storm with winds so strong that
our little truck at times could barely manage to maintain 60 mph. We fought the
wind and dust all the way into New Mexico and through Albuquerque when all of a
sudden the dust turned into pouring rain. As we pushed forward through the
rain, we finally found the calm after the storm with some rays of sun. As we
pulled into a little town for dinner about an hour or so from the Arizona state
line, we realized that we had just driven through a cold front. By the time we
were done eating, clouds once again filled the sky and flurries of snow began
to fall. Fortunately, the warmth of the day kept the snow from collecting on
the road and since the front had passed through, we also didn’t have wind to
deal with. Finally, we felt we were making good progress.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As we got into Arizona, after the sun had set, we were
driving along I-40 when a couple of cars quicker than us were coming up on our
truck. I decided to move over to the right to let them pass. The first car went
by and sped on its way. The second car, an SUV, got up right beside me and
suddenly hit his breaks and quickly pulled in behind me. My initial thought was
maybe he had a radar and it had went off. A couple of minutes went by and I
began to get annoyed with him because he was following rather close, with his
headlights coming right over the top of my little truck into my eyes. It was
making it hard to see. I decided to pick up my pace a little and try to get
some distance, but he followed me. I then decided to slow down to below the
speed limit hoping he would pass me, but he followed me. Every move I made,
speed up, slow down, or pass...he followed me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After about 20 minutes, I began
to think this could be a serious situation. I wanted to take an exit ramp and
try to find a well-lit area or gas station to where I would hope he wouldn’t
follow me but in eastern Arizona, those places are few and far between. So we
drove on towards Flagstaff another 20 minutes or so. In the meantime, I began
to pray for God to give me the wisdom and understanding on what to do. As we
got into Flagstaff, I knew we would be taking the exit to I-17 which heads down
to Phoenix. I told Lindsay that I was not going to use my turn signal and would
turn onto the exit ramp at the last second hoping to shake our follower. It
didn’t work. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We both looked at each other and knew what we need to do next,
call the police. As Lindsay got ahold of dispatch and then in contact with an
officer, I slowed the truck down and continued heading south towards Phoenix.
The police officer told us to take an exit about 4 miles up the road and to
meet him at the gas station there. As we come upon the exit, I once again
decided to try a last second exit but to no avail. He followed me down the exit
and as I saw the gas station parking lot, NO POLICE! What should I do?! By
instinct, more likely by God directing me, I pulled up through the pumps and
made a quick U-turn back through the pumps and out to the road. Not only did it
give us an opportunity to finally see the make and color of the SUV (being dark
and with his bright lights, we had no idea what exactly was following us) it
also got him hung up because he couldn’t maneuver his car through the parking
lot quick enough to follow us out. A few seconds later our policeman called us
back wondering where we were. We told him what we had done and the description
of the vehicle. We pulled into the parking lot of a bar just down the road and
waited for further instructions. In the meantime, our police officer had
already pulled into the gas station and found the car we had described. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Over
the phone, Lindsay could hear the officer talking to both dispatch and the
person but not much could be distinguishable.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> After about five minutes, the
officer picked up the phone and told us that the man in the SUV was drunk and
would be arrested for DUI. What a feeling of relief! Thank goodness this is
over! But wait, why did a drunk guy follow us for a whole hour? What was it
about our car that he made him want to follow us? Why was he drunk in the first
place? These questions bounced around my head all the way home. Obviously, I
won’t know the answers to them but I do know one thing, the man behind that
wheel was looking for someone to follow. Someone who could lead him at a time
he felt that he couldn't do it by himself. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Father God, only you know what struggles in life this man is
going through. You alone know why he decided to get drunk last night. You also
know why he choose to follow us. Lord,
we pray that this man would get the council and treatment necessary to repair
his physical, emotional, and spiritual brokenness. We pray that he would come
to know the perfect leader to follow, Jesus Christ. We pray that we too will
recognize the need to follow our Leader, especially in times where we feel we
can’t do it by ourselves. Amen. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688974180605590425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315670337954631272.post-68334331492186730882014-03-19T16:25:00.000-05:002014-03-19T16:55:37.377-05:00Past, Present and Future<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Greetings!</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Jon and
I (Lindsay) wanted to take some time to update you on a few things from the <b>past,
present and future...</b></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Past:
Grace Bible Church Missions Conference & Elementary Weekend Camp</span></u></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We had
a wonderful experience at our first Missions Conference at Grace Bible Church
in Sun City! We enjoyed getting to know the congregation as well as the other
missionaries better. It was great to see how God was at work all around the
world and have the opportunity to speak about how the Lord is working here at
SIMC! Words cannot express the kindness, hospitality and support we have
received from GBC! From small conversations, to shared meals and gifts, Grace
has been such a blessing to us and we thank God for the staff and congregation!</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Elementary Weekend Camp was March 14-15. We had about 51 elementary campers along with 5 LIT youth who assisted staff in leading programs and activities. It was a blast! We talked about our super powers as followers of Christ and took part in activities such as games, worship, Bible class, and art class. We even turned our chapel into a movie theater and watched The Incredibles, complete with popcorn and drinks! Jon and I enjoyed being a part of this camp and getting to know our elementary campers. </span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4eO5PK2T9k8/UyoSJ3Cs0UI/AAAAAAAABB0/aqmTDv2fXZw/s1600/elem+wknd+cmp+run.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4eO5PK2T9k8/UyoSJ3Cs0UI/AAAAAAAABB0/aqmTDv2fXZw/s1600/elem+wknd+cmp+run.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Present:
Connecting, Networking, and Camp Planning</span></u></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Currently,
Jon and I are in the process of contacting everyone on our support and mailing
lists and sharing the news of an offer we received recently. An individual
connected with our ministry at SIMC is willing to match any new or increasing
donations that we receive up to $250 per month for 2 years! What a blessing!
Jon and I have been praying for an opportunity such as this one to carry us
into full-time ministry. At the moment, we are involved in summer camp planning
as well as networking with local churches on how they can get involved in and
support our ministry, but these<i> <u>relationships take time</u></i>. We
are planting seeds that we hope to see grow in the years to come. But, in the
present, we need help from supporters like you to get us over the hump to 100%
funded so that we can begin to do the work God has called us to full-time. This
will enable us to further develop our leadership development and camper
follow-up programs, and fill other much needed roles. Will you join us in
prayer that this opportunity would come to fruition and consider giving a new
or increasing donation? (To donate online, click the "Donate" tab above.)</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Future:
Missions Training and Upcoming Camps</span></u></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A little over a week from now,
on March 28th, Jon and I will be leaving for our Missions Training in Colorado.
We will be going through a month-long training course called Compass. Why is
Compass important and what does it do? Here's a quote from the website:</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> "<i>Compass</i> is
designed to help you—and your family—develop the practical skills and attitudes
that will successfully
take you through the challenging and rewarding process of being interwoven with another culture.
"</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">In a nutshell, that is what
Compass is about- preparing missionaries to adjust to the new culture of their
mission field and equipping them to be effective witnesses for the Kingdom. The
Compass program is put together and carried out by Mission Training
International. Many missionaries from all over the world take this training.
For more information on Compass and MTI, please visit <a href="http://www.mti.org/"><span style="color: blue;">mti.org</span></a> and
click on the "Programs" tab. We are excited about this training and
what God has in store for us there!</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When are our next camps? Soon!
They're coming up fast! Our next camp is May 2-4, right after we get back from
our Compass training. This is another LIT Camp designed to prepare our older
teens for leadership roles in our elementary camps. After LIT Camp, our four
summer camps will begin in June and July. Our theme for camps this summer this
year is The Great Adventure. Although we don't want any spoilers about camp to
leak out, (we try to keep it a surprise for our campers), we can tell you that
the theme will be based off of Hebrews 11:8-10. We will be talking about how
following God on the adventure of life is a journey of faith. Summer Camps
begin with our two Teen Camps June 15-19 and June 22-26. In July, we will
continue with our Elementary Camps with Grades 4-6 July 6-10 and Grades 1-3
July 13-17. We look forward with anticipation of reuniting with campers and
watching God work in each of their lives. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Be sure to click the
"Praise & Prayer" tab above to read how you can be praying for
us, our ministry and our campers.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Blessings! </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Lindsay and Jon</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315670337954631272.post-88200613341604066892014-03-13T12:53:00.000-05:002014-03-13T12:53:08.733-05:00Spring Prayer Letter<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0D0CSpNFkv1VUpJRmFMNnU3NTQ/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Check out our latest Prayer Letter!</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315670337954631272.post-47480260268542884382014-01-27T11:52:00.000-06:002014-01-27T11:52:11.243-06:00We're in Arizona!Hello!<br />
<br />
Well, after being snowed in for three days under 17" of snow and below zero temps, we were finally able to begin our journey from Indiana to Arizona. Our original plans were to pack our u-haul trailer on Monday, January 6, and head out to Arizona on January 7. However, as we all know, more often than not, our timing is much different than God's timing. This was certainly one of those times. We were very eager to reach Arizona, but in this instance, God was calling us to be patient and wait on Him. Sunday, January 5th brought 17" of snow with gusting winds and waist-high drifts. The following days produced windchills of close to 48 degrees below zero. We finally saw a plow on Tuesday afternoon, January 7th. Wednesday, we were able to dig out, pick up our trailer, and get it loaded. After packing nearly all day Wednesday, we were able to begin our journey from snowy Indiana to sunny Arizona Thursday morning, January 9th.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E9dajakxXws/UuaZ31ZJHwI/AAAAAAAAAqo/PQAdlRJimoM/s1600/CAM00060.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E9dajakxXws/UuaZ31ZJHwI/AAAAAAAAAqo/PQAdlRJimoM/s1600/CAM00060.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">view out our door in Indiana</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Nty8MCVdtGo/UuaaUOUqwgI/AAAAAAAAAqw/NC-y6GyqBZw/s1600/CAM00079+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Nty8MCVdtGo/UuaaUOUqwgI/AAAAAAAAAqw/NC-y6GyqBZw/s1600/CAM00079+(1).jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">view out our door now in AZ</td></tr>
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We thank you for all your prayers for our safe travels. We certainly felt them along the way! By Thursday evening, January 9th, we had reached Springfield, Missouri. Our second day of travel brought us to Tucumcari, New Mexico. On our third day of travel, Saturday, January 11th, we reached our destination at the Southwest Indian Ministry Center in Peoria, Arizona around 6pm. We were very glad to reach our new home and we were very well-received! We were welcomed by pizza, groceries, and the Colt's game all in our apartment thanks to the other missionaries her on the field. It was great!</div>
<br />
We quickly settled in and jumped into camp. LIT Weekend Camp was just around the corner. LIT Weekend Camp in January is for our youth who are interested in leadership in general, whether that be leadership in their schools, churches, communities, etc.--it's an all-encompassing leadership camp. For this camp we had a total of 13 Leaders in Training (LITs). Jon and I led 3 training sessions on leadership. The first focused on leadership as Christ commanded it in the Great Commission in Matthew 28 when He called us to make disciples of all nations. The second lesson focused on the great leaders of the Bible. We chose to dig a little deeper into the story of Gideon in Judges 6 and 7 and discover the qualities that made him a great leader of God. Lastly, we chose to focus on what happens when leaders fail. We thought it was important for our young leaders to realize that you don't have to be perfect to be a leader and how to pick yourself back up again when you fail and continue on God's path. For this lesson, we spoke about Peter's denial of Christ and how Christ offered him a chance to redeem himself in John chapter 21. This camp is also important because it is a chance for our youth to help us brainstorm ideas that they would like to see implemented into our summer camps this year. They had some awesome ideas! The weekend was also packed with 3 video messages from Louie Giglio, a hike and scavenger hunt through Thunderbird Park, a youth-led Sunday worship service, lots of games and icebreakers, smoothies and food that "tasted like it came down from heaven" (camper quote). It was a great chance for us to build relationships with future youth leaders and it was very inspiring to see God at work in their lives!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vC59fYJwasI/UuabLY1jQgI/AAAAAAAAAq4/vRGx9PMhCCY/s1600/1514987_10202937306892677_1398461954_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vC59fYJwasI/UuabLY1jQgI/AAAAAAAAAq4/vRGx9PMhCCY/s1600/1514987_10202937306892677_1398461954_n.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Group pic before our hike</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Games in the dorm</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Youth-led Sunday worship service</td></tr>
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Now, our focus is continuing with our fundraising. One way we are doing this is by connecting with local churches. Unfortunately, after we switched from being a boarding school to being a camp ministry back in 2000, we lost contact with many of our supporters and volunteers for the ministry. Jon and I are trying to reestablish these connections, and partner with local churches to get them back involved in what we are doing now at SIMC. It has been fun to reconnect others with the ministry. It seems that just about everywhere we go, we find someone who has been involved with SIMC in one way or another and we enjoy listening to their stories about how God has been working through history to develop this ministry. We look forward to meeting new friends through this process.<br />
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We thank you for your part in our journey and will continue to keep you updated on how God is working here,<br />
<br />
-Lindsay and Jon<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315670337954631272.post-88091910667714167022013-12-11T09:59:00.000-06:002013-12-11T09:59:04.215-06:00December Prayer Letter<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0D0CSpNFkv1UExsRUYwODhhX0FwbEVBWHduLW5qbEtidmZB/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Click here to check out our December Prayer Letter!</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315670337954631272.post-58198016508444934312013-12-02T12:21:00.000-06:002013-12-02T12:21:42.323-06:00Exciting News & Upcoming EventsWell, the moment has finally arrived! We have a date for when we will officially be moving to Arizona. January 7th, 2014, we will leave Greentown, IN and begin our journey to new adventures at the Southwest Indian Ministries Center in Peoria, Arizona. We are very excited about how God is working and can't wait to share with you about our plans in the upcoming months!<br />
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But first, a brief overview on the last few weeks here in Indiana...<br />
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On November 17th, several tornadoes ravaged Illinois and Indiana. After church that Sunday, Jon and I got on the internet to find that an EF 4 had gone through Washington, IL. For those of you who don't know, Washington, IL is about 10 miles north of Morton, where Jon and I lived for about 3 years as Jon served as Youth Pastor of First Mennonite Church. We were shocked by the news and as we wondered about the safety of our friends still living in that area, we realized that the same storm was headed our way. The storm moved FAST! By about 3pm, winds had picked up and the tornado sirens were going off in Greentown. We quickly headed to a friend's house who has a basement and camped out there with several friends of ours until the storm passed. As we climbed out of the basement, we soon received word from others that the tornadoes had passed to the northeast of us, hitting Kokomo, a nearby town, with two EF2 tornadoes. We felt very blessed. All we had in Greentown were high winds with no damage.<br />
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Over the next few days, we received word that although there was damage to some homes, everyone we know, both in Illinois and Indiana was safe. Time spent by Jon and I cleaning up damage in Kokomo with friends on Nov 22nd and 23rd revealed many down trees, snapped power poles, strewn debris and many damaged homes, but no deaths were recorded in the state of Indiana as a result of the tornadoes. We have seen and heard many stories about God working in the hearts of people to join in relief efforts in both Indiana and Illinois. People have selflessly offered their time, resources, and even their homes to people in need. Devastation, like that brought by these tornadoes, is often very ugly but the way in which it brings people together to help one another, especially in the love of Christ, is a very beautiful thing. We praise the Lord for His protection and provision.<br />
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On a brighter note, Thanksgiving for us was spent up in Wisconsin with Lindsay's family. As a matter of fact, we enjoyed celebrating Thanksgiving twice- once with Lindsay's mom and dad on Wednesday, and again on Thursday with her grandparents and other family. It was a great visit!<br />
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Christmas this year will be spent with Jon's family here in Indiana. Then, in January, we make the highly anticipated move out to Arizona! Leaving on January 7th, we hope to arrive on the 9th or 10th dependent on weather. Once we arrive, we will take part in on the field training as well as more fundraising and spreading the word about camp at local churches. Friday, Jan 17th, marks the beginning of LITE Leadership Training and planning for the summer camps of 2014.(LITE, or Leaders in Training Experience, is a discipleship program for our older youth in which they are discipled to be leaders for our elementary camps as well as other local ministries. The goal for LITE is to disciple young people to become leaders for Christ in their churches, schools, and communities.) We are excited about our first opportunity to experience this weekend event as it will decide the theme for summer camps.<br />
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We are currently about 80% funded, so when we arrive in Arizona in January, we will still have some fundraising to do. We are excited about this opportunity because it will also help us to spread the word about camp and offer churches the chance to be involved in local ministry. Before we can begin our full-time work at SIMC, we will also need to complete a training course in Colorado. This is a month long training taken by many missionaries around the world. As such, it is very difficult to get into, since it fills up so quickly. We are on the waiting list to complete the training in April, but if there appear to be no open spots, we will complete the training in the month of May and begin our full-time status at SIMC in June for the start of summer camps.<br />
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Many new and exciting adventures lay in wait for us in the coming months! Please continue to keep us in prayer and don't forget to visit our Praise & Prayer tab above to find updates on praises and how you can be praying for us, those we know, and the ministry. Thanks for reading!<br />
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Blessings and safety to you and your family during this Christmas season!<br />
<br />
-Jon and LindsayUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315670337954631272.post-27270844735053948792013-10-17T12:09:00.002-05:002013-10-17T12:10:51.069-05:00UpdateHello all!<br />
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<b>Just a little update for you on where we've been, what we're up to, and how support raising is going...</b><br />
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The past few months have flown past and fall is here already! We have been very busy traveling and connecting with churches and individuals in the Midwest. We have enjoyed traveling, meeting new people, and sharing about what God is doing at the Southwest Indian Ministries Center.<br />
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<u><b>Our recent travels have taken us to:</b></u><br />
-Arthur Mennonite Church, Arthur, Illinois <br />
-Hopedale Mennonite Church, Hopedale, Illinois<br />
-Dayspring United Methodist Church, a Native American congregation in East Peoria, IL<br />
-Trinity Park United Methodist Church, Greenfield, IN<br />
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<u><b>We look forward to visiting the following locations in the near future:</b></u><br />
-First Norwood Mennonite Church, Peoria, IL<br />
-Heritage Memorial Church, Washington Court House, OH<br />
-First Mennonite Church of Morton, Morton, IL<br />
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<b>We are very excited to announce that with our combined support totals (both monthly and one-time gifts), we are around 70% funded!</b> We praise the Lord for His continued blessings and provision. Our goal is to be in Arizona at SIMC full time by January of 2014.<br />
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We ask that in the coming months, you would continue to keep the ministry and our support raising in your prayers. We appreciate your prayers and support and couldn't do this without you!<br />
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Many thanks and blessings,<br />
<br />
-Lindsay and JonUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315670337954631272.post-4513515396243484712013-09-09T09:43:00.001-05:002013-09-09T09:55:53.205-05:00September Prayer Letter<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0Bx2OdHTpddwnUlZhU21aNWN3cFE/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Click here to check out our September Prayer Letter!</a></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315670337954631272.post-79567562647899942302013-07-30T21:58:00.000-05:002013-07-30T21:58:56.828-05:00On the Road Again...Hey folks!<br />
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Sorry for the delay in writing a post. We have been...you guessed it!...on the road again. First, we'll try to get you up to speed on what we've been up to since our last post.<br />
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Back in June, we made the trip out to Arizona for 2 weeks of youth camp out at SIMC. We really enjoyed the opportunity to meet campers, build relationships, share the Gospel, and get our feet wet as camp co-directors. We were able to lead games, speak about our favorite Bible heroes, get to know the youth, spend time with the work teams, and get the feel for what it will look like for us to be camp directors once we are able to be on the field full-time. We had a blast! Even though we were not able to stay and help for all four camps, we are so very grateful to inform you that our total number of campers for all four camps was 168. Of those 168, 40 chose to follow Christ for the first time or rededicate their lives to Him. Praise God! We are thankful for the way God is working through staff, volunteers, and campers at SIMC!<br />
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That said, please continue to keep the campers in your prayers as they have returned home to normal routine and temptations that may lead them astray. Although we try to follow up and keep in touch with our campers as much as possible, we know that going back home to the daily grind can be tough. Pray that they would be strengthened in the hope of Jesus Christ and be surrounded with people who will be strong Christian influences in their lives. <br />
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After we returned from camp in the beginning of July, we were able to come back home to Indiana for some rest and regrouping. We were there just long enough to make a few phone calls and make a few connections before heading out on the road once more.<br />
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Next, we were off to a couple camps to be missionary speakers. On the way to our camps, we stopped to visit family and friends and connect with them about the camp ministry at SIMC. It is so wonderful to have family and friends who are willing to host us for a night (or two or three!) and connect with us about what God is doing in the lives of Native American children and youth. We thank them for their servant hearts and for the support they have given to us.<br />
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Our first camp was White Pine Holiness Camp in Arbovale, West Virginia. We couldn't help but notice the beautiful scenery on our way there and we enjoyed marveling at God's creation all week. The staff and campers we met at WPHC were absolutely amazing. We wanted to share with you about one particular young man we met there.<br />
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At WPHC, there is a tradition, and her name is Bonnie. Bonnie is a small clip with a ribbon tied on it that gets passed around throughout the day. Now, although the name Bonnie sounds pretty harmless, you don't want to end up with Bonnie by breakfast time the next morning. If you end up with Bonnie clipped to you before breakfast, you may find yourself drinking or eating something unappetizing, singing a song with motions in front of all the other campers, or getting a pie in the face--thanks for being a good husband and taking the heat for me Jon! (Please understand that this is all done in good fun and most of the kids actually want to have Bonnie because they enjoy the challenge.)<br />
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Another concept at WPHC is the immunity necklace. Each day, an immunity necklace is hidden. If it is found, the wearer of the necklace can chose to have immunity from doing their daily cleanup or immunity from having to do the Bonnie Challenge in the morning. However, you must guard the necklace, because people are allowed to take it from you. Now, back to the young man we were telling you about...<br />
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An older camper let this young man wear his immunity necklace, trusting that the young man would give it back to him later. After wearing the immunity necklace for some time, the young man was approached and told that he should keep the necklace because the person he received it from was supposed to be guarding it. This young man was about 8 or 9 years old. When you are 8 or 9, this is a very tempting decision! Keep immunity and protect yourself from the Bonnie Challenge or chores OR keep the trust with your friend and give the necklace back. To my (Lindsay's) surprise the young man said, "No! I'm not like that. I wouldn't do that. I'm giving it back."<br />
"But, you could keep it and protect yourself from..."<br />
"No! I'm not like that."<br />
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Wow! What an unselfish, truthful act. We were very impressed with this young man's character, but God wasn't done with him yet. There had been an evangelist there at camp who had spoken all week about salvation. Each night he spoke about who Jesus is and why we need Him in our hearts. Throughout the week, there were a few altar calls and a few campers accepted Christ there at the altar or back in their cabins afterwards. The last night of camp, at the end of the service, there was a healing service and many people cam up to be healed and anointed with oil. Most of those who came up to be healed were older adults. So imagine our surprise when the young man came up and got in line. I think a lot of us were wondering what was going to happen and what he was going to say. What could this young man possibly need healing for? As the boy approached the evangelist, the evangelist asked, "What do you need healed of?" The boy replied as one who is overwhelmed with the Spirit of God. "I...I just need it all...all of it." The evangelist knelt down and got on eye level with the boy. "You're here for salvation, aren't you?" he said with a smile. The boy nodded. They prayed together and that night this young man gave his life to the Lord.<br />
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What a great testimony of the working of God in our hearts! Looking back on the week, I saw Satan working trying to get the best of this young man. Earlier in the week, he had gotten into a fight with another boy. Earlier in the week, he ran away from an activity crying because he took something someone said the wrong way. Earlier in the week, he was tempted to betray someone's trust and keep the immunity necklace for himself. Satan was trying to get at him, but our Lord has overcome! Through camp, the staff, and the working of the Holy Spirit, this young man has begun his life as a new creation in Christ. Praise God for the ways He is working through ministries like WPHC and SIMC to reach young people for Christ!<br />
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This week, we are in Otway, Ohio at Mt. Hope Bible Camp. We have only been here for a couple days, but we can see God at work here. Would you join us in prayer for the campers and staff not only here at Mt. Hope, but for children's and youth ministries around the world? Satan does not want these kids to have life changing experiences that bring them into relationship with God. But we know that God has overcome! Please pray that campers and staff would remain strong to resist temptations to fall away from God and to keep the commitments that they have made to follow Him.<br />
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Thanks for reading and be sure to check back in a couple weeks to hear more about our experience here at Mt Hope!<br />
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Blessings,<br />
<br />
-Lindsay (and Jon)<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315670337954631272.post-40390111286578352013-06-17T01:01:00.001-05:002013-06-17T01:01:34.848-05:00Summer Prayer Letter<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our summer prayer letter has arrived! We are excited to see the Lord working in the lives of Native American youth here at Southwest Indian Ministries Center! Today we started our first camp of the summer with 24 teenagers! <a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0Bx2OdHTpddwnX0c3bHlXSF8zdUE/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Check out our prayer letter here.</a> </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315670337954631272.post-47211204335807941342013-06-07T13:59:00.001-05:002013-06-07T13:59:53.745-05:00Travels to Wisconsin & Minnesota<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last weekend we were invited to speak at Lindsay's home church, New Life Assembly of God in Sparta, WI. While we were there, we had the opportunity to catch up with some of Lindsay's family. Saturday evening we drove up to Winona, MN to take Lindsay's grandma out to dinner. Afterwards, we met up with two of Lindsay's aunts and took a walk along the Mississippi River downtown. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(left to right: Aunt Linda, Grandma Sherman, Lindsay & I, Aunt Joyce, Dennis (Lindsay's Dad)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On Sunday, Lindsay's grandparents on her mom's side of the family joined us for worship. We had the opportunity to share with the congregation and met some new friends after service. We were able to spend time Sunday afternoon catching up with Lindsay's grandparents and enjoying their company. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(left to right: Dennis & Cheryl (Lindsay's parents, Grandma & Grandpa Kaste, Lindsay & I)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are privileged to have such a great family. We are thankful for all their prayers and continual support. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Blessings</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315670337954631272.post-633015229727087532013-05-13T20:34:00.000-05:002013-05-13T20:34:18.978-05:00Summer Plans<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The days are getting longer and warmer, trees and flowers
are coming to life, and the farmers are hard at work in the fields. It looks
like summer is just around the corner. Our summer is starting to look busy. We
are excited to say that we will have an opportunity to spend three weeks in
June at the Southwest Indian Ministries Center! Although we won’t be able to
spend the full summer out in Arizona (since we have yet to reach our
fundraising goal) we will have the opportunity to be a part of the two Jr./Sr.
High camps. We will also have some time to visit some friends and churches
while out there. We hope this trip will prove to be fruitful on many levels for
us. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In order to spend time in AZ and to dedicate the amount of
time fundraising requires for us to be full-time, we have decided to wrap up
our temporary jobs at the end of May. We are excited and eager to begin this
next step in our journey towards serving Native Americans! We are taking a big
leap of faith in trusting that the Lord will provide the finances necessary for
us to support raise full-time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">July looks to be another busy time for us as we will be
heading to a couple of summer camps in Ohio and West Virginia. We look forward
to sharing our heart for missions with these youth and the staff. We also look
forward for the opportunity to join in all the camp activities and get to know
the youth better. Growing up, camp was a big part of my (Jon) faith formation.
We look forward to being a part of the lives of the youth at these camps. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ultimately, our goal is to be fully supported by the end of
summer. As of this point, we are 24% funded. There is a lot of work to be done
and many miles yet to be traveled but like Paul, we “press on toward the goal
to win the prize for which God has called (us) heavenward in Christ Jesus (Philippians
3:14).” Please continue to pray for perseverance and patience.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Blessings,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jon & Lindsay </span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315670337954631272.post-52788640737301744152013-04-03T19:17:00.000-05:002013-04-03T20:02:18.878-05:00Spring Newsletter<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are finally getting some spring weather here in Indiana which means summer is quickly approaching! <a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0Bx2OdHTpddwnQzZUN2UwdzBRdVE/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Here is our most recent newsletter!</a> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Blessings!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315670337954631272.post-52504183313582746912013-03-06T20:25:00.001-06:002013-03-06T20:25:40.251-06:00Perspectives<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recently we've signed up for an online course for a part of our continued training. This course is called "Perspectives on the World Christian Movement". I think you can guess what the focus of the class is on. One lesson in the course that caught our attention talked in detail about how the Bible is not merely a series of stories with various lessons to pull from but rather one big story that focuses on you guessed it, missions. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The story starts out in Genesis 1 when God creates the heavens and the earth along with Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve were in a right relationship with God and all was well until they ate from the forbidden tree of knowledge and truth. Because of Adam and Eve's act of defiance, humankind's relationship between humans and God was broken by sin. Man was no longer in right relationship with God. But God being a loving God, came up with a new plan to restore His relationship with mankind. He chose to make a covenant with a man named Abraham. Abraham was to be the father of a new nation called Israel and through his descendants, all nations would come to know the love of God. Israel was to be the hands and feet of God serving as His witness to all of the other nations on the earth. Although we see times where the people of Israel followed God and did many wonderful things to show the other nations who was truly the God of the universe, they also turned from God and failed to live up to expectations. Ultimately, their acts of defiance weakened them to the point that Babylonians were able to overtake them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Four hundred years passed since the time Israel was captured by the Babylonians and many followers began to think that God's promise to Abraham was never going to be fulfilled until a young lady gave birth to a baby boy in a manger in Bethlehem. His name is Jesus, God with us. Jesus came to restore the broken relationship between mankind and God. Through giving His pure and blameless life, he atoned for our sins restoring our relationship with God. All we have to do is accept this free gift. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But God's mission doesn't stop at us. He calls each of us to "go and make disciples of all nations". As spiritual descendants of Abraham through Jesus Christ, we too are called to be the hands and feet of God and a witness to all the other nations on the earth. Will we accept this calling of missions or allow our acts of defiance keep us from furthering God's kingdom? Only time will tell...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Blessings.</span><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315670337954631272.post-56989223513933104542013-02-16T19:58:00.000-06:002013-02-16T19:58:03.769-06:00RechargedThis past week has been a challenging one- in a good way. It was also very busy. Last Friday, Feb. 8th, late in the afternoon, we set off for Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix, AZ. Our plane landed around 8pm Mountain Time. Our plans that weekend were to reconnect with a couple missionaries there at the Southwest Indian Ministries Center, see the progress that had been made on the new dorms and multi-purpose building, visit a couple different churches, meet Lindsay's Great Aunt and Uncle, and also to interview with their church's Mission Board on Monday.<br />
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The construction had progressed quite a bit from when we visited back in May of last year. When we were there at that time, the foundation for the dorm was just being poured. Now, most of the outside of the dorm is finished, most of the framework inside is done, insulation has been sprayed inside, and most of the plumbing is done as well. It is really coming together fast! Also, last time we visited, the multi-purpose building's floor was still being cleaned and mopped and bathrooms were almost finished putting in. Last week, Jon and I were able to enjoy playing basketball (Thanks Steve!), the bathrooms were functional, and the equipment room was stocked. It is so very exciting to see everything coming together!<br />
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On Saturday, we were blessed with the opportunity to re-visit the Heard Museum of American Indian Art and History. We were also able attend a Hoop Dance Contest in Phoenix. Click the following link for more information. <a href="http://www.heard.org/hoop/abouthoop.html">http://www.heard.org/hoop/abouthoop.html</a> The hoop dancing was phenomenal. We enjoyed watching dancers from many places including Arizona, Canada, Hawaii, Utah, New Mexico, Tennessee, and California. For pictures, please go to our Facebook page, Jon & Lindsay Birkey.<br />
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Saturday evening, we met with Lindsay's Great Aunt and Uncle. We had a wonderful time getting to know them and hearing their stories. They were a great connection for us as we interviewed at their church before the Mission's Board for support on Monday. More on that in a bit. We thank Jim and Esther deeply for their faith in us and their generosity as well as their hospitality.<br />
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Sunday morning we visited Grace Bible Church in Sun City (Jim and Esther's Church), early in the morning. We enjoyed our time there. We then visited Trinity Mennonite Church in Glendale, where we met with the senior pastor, youth pastor, and worship leaders. We hope to return and meet with both churches again soon.<br />
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Monday afternoon, we interviewed at Grace Bible Church before their Mission's Board. We were challenged as we were reminded that we only have a few short months to raise the rest of our support by the end of May. We needed this reminder in order for us to refocus and recharge our hearts and minds with the mission that the Lord had laid before us. This trip to Arizona was exactly what we had needed to jump-start our support raising efforts. We have new goals in place and feel very refreshed and renewed in the Lord and His plans for the SIMC.<br />
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We returned to Indiana Monday evening and arrived at WGM Headquarters in Marion on Tuesday morning to begin our week-long training. We enjoyed meeting two new Missionary Disciple couples as well as reconnecting with another MD couple that we had met previously. We also enjoyed connecting with other missionary couples who were on HMA and meeting with some new and familiar faces of WGM staff. That time was spent attending teaching sessions, cooking and eating meals with one another, doing a work project together, and getting to know one another. We completed the training week on Friday and picked up one very excited dog from Jon's parent's house on Friday evening. We were finally ready for some rest.<br />
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Do you need recharged? What is draining you of your energy? Do you need time to refocus? How has the Lord used times in the past to help you rest in Him? We pray that God would reveal to you ways that you are being drained of your energy and focus in the Lord. May He come alongside you and help you find ways to refocus your heart and mind on Him and what He has for you as a part of The Body. May you find rest and fulfillment in the One who created you and may you bring Him glory all the days of your life.<br />
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Blessings,<br />
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-Jon and LindsayUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315670337954631272.post-72445440734265752632013-01-15T19:12:00.000-06:002013-01-15T19:12:53.631-06:00How to Cure Summer Boredom <br />
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<span style="color: white;">Recently a fellow missionary at the SIMC in Arizona wrote an article for WGM's <i>The Call</i> magazine. We thought we would share it with you. If you want to read this article or other articles about what God is doing through other WGM missionaries around the world check out this link. <a href="http://www.wgm.org/boredom">http://www.wgm.org/boredom</a></span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">By <a href="http://www.wgm.org/dunn" style="text-decoration: initial;" target="blank">Billie Sue Dunn</a>, <a href="http://www.wgm.org/aif" style="text-decoration: initial;" target="blank">American Indian Field</a><br />January-March 2013</span><br />
<span style="color: white;">Once school starts, children begin to count the days until summer. When I taught school, I would hear the students say after the first day, “Only 179 days to go.” But then when summer would arrive, parents would hear, “I’m bored! When does school start?” Students need activities to keep the summer boredom away.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white;"><a href="http://www.wgm.org/summercamps" style="text-decoration: initial;" target="blank">Summer camps</a> at <a href="http://www.wgm.org/page.aspx?pid=2499" style="text-decoration: initial;" target="blank">Southwest Indian Ministries Center</a> on the American Indian Field provide opportunities for children to have a Bible-based camping experience. Four different levels of Bible camp are offered, which includes teen camps and elementary camps.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">Campers enjoy devotional time with worship and Bible lessons, crafts, games, sports, cooking and computer classes, and working with puppets. They also have Bible class to study and memorize the theme Bible verse. Making new friends is another key activity at camp. One camper said this about her camping experience: “I laughed, played, sang, and just had fun.”</span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">Campers also have the opportunity to experience fun events like the zoo, circus, baseball games, and story hour at the local library. Swimming is the highlight of every day. Memories are made as the campers do photo projects and assemble scrapbooks to take home. Summer boredom can’t overtake the children with all that happening.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">Most importantly, campers have the opportunity to learn what Jesus has done for them. One camper wrote, “As the days went by, I learned more and more on why Jesus died for me, for my sins, for everything.”</span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">Winter weekend camps are also offered to help revitalize the children and their relationships with God. This enables the staff to show Christ’s love to the campers for more than just the week at camp during the summer.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">You can be a part of enriching the lives of Native American children. A minimal registration fee of $50 is requested, but that covers only one-third of the $150 cost for each camper. No camper is turned away if he or she is not able to pay the $50. You can become a part of the camp scholarship program, which helps camps be affordable for all Native American children.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">The days are counting down until the 2013 summer camping season begins at Southwest Indian Ministries Center. You can play a part in keeping boredom away from Native American children.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">You can become a part of the American Indian Field camp scholarship program. Although camp costs $150, any size offering will help send a kid to camp. Send your check to World Gospel Mission and write account #23749-CALL on the memo line.</span><br />
<span style="color: white;">World Gospel Mission<br />P.O. Box 948<br />Marion, IN 46952-0948</span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315670337954631272.post-51834125835270151152012-12-26T20:41:00.002-06:002012-12-26T20:41:58.637-06:00Winter Prayer Letter!<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our winter prayer letter is finally finished and heading out in the mail. If you would like to receive these prayer letters in the future, please email us at lindsay.birkey@wgm.org or jon.birkey@wgm.org with your email or mailing address. <a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0Bx2OdHTpddwneng3T1JOZjVIRnc" target="_blank">Click here</a> to view our fall prayer letter online. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Blessings,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jon & Lindsay</span><br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315670337954631272.post-31005980823451099212012-12-26T20:28:00.000-06:002012-12-26T20:28:47.708-06:00Christmas Travels<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Merry Belated Christmas!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This year we traveled up to Wisconsin and Minnesota to visit Lindsay's family for Christmas. The Lord provided safe travels up and were able to make great time (7 1/4 hrs). Lindsay's parents live in Sparta, WI (about 1/2 hr east of Lacrosse). We enjoyed catching up with her parents as we haven't seen them since last Christmas. We also were able to meet with the pastor of her parents church about getting an opportunity to share about going to AZ. He welcomed us back to share with the congregation sometime in the next couple of months! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On Christmas Day, we visited Lindsay's grandparents (on her mom's side) for Christmas Lunch. We opened gifts and I (Jon) talked their ears off about Ireland. Hopefully I didn't bore them too much with all the pictures. :) Speaking of pictures....Here is a family photo from Christmas Day. </span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9Kb3Hr1hQh8/UNuvtFzJYlI/AAAAAAAAAO0/Zu645ob2tYQ/s1600/Lindsay+family+xmas+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9Kb3Hr1hQh8/UNuvtFzJYlI/AAAAAAAAAO0/Zu645ob2tYQ/s400/Lindsay+family+xmas+2012.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the way back home on Christmas, we dropped in to see Lindsay's grandmother (on her dad's side). She enjoyed seeing all of us again and also watching Amos react to her singing stuffed dog. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We noticed a winter storm was brewing in Indiana so we took of early this morning from Wisconsin. After a brief stop at my Aunt's house in northwestern Indiana to check on the weather, we finally made it home after 9 1/2 hrs on the road! Ugh. Glad to be back home and sleeping our own bed tonight. We are grateful once again for God's provision and safety and for great times with our family. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We hope that your Christmas was filled with special memories and fond moments with loved ones. Blessings to you all!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jon & Lindsay </span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315670337954631272.post-71582795705878616862012-12-06T20:03:00.001-06:002012-12-06T20:03:55.176-06:00Jobs and Family Time<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tonight, we thought we'd update you on our jobs and time spent with family. First, jobs. Jon's job at Pioneer is going well. Harvest lasted till the end of October. Since then they have been packaging seeds. Jon has been doing a lot of fork truck driving. Pioneer has been a good employer. They gave us a turkey for Thanksgiving and have been very good about giving time off when we need it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lindsay's job has been going well also. Recently, she's been sent out to a satellite location of the hospital for a few days each week. She's really enjoying the opportunity to work with kids and their families on a day to day basis. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This Thanksgiving we were given a couple days off to visit family. We gathered at Jon's Aunt's house in Crown Point, Indiana. It was great to meet up with family from Ohio and around the area. This Christmas, we plan to go visit Lindsay's family up in Wisconsin. Please be praying for good traveling weather as we will have an 8-9 hour drive ahead of us. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At the end of the month, on the 29th, we will also be welcoming Jon's brother Phillip and his wife, Esther, back from Bangladesh. They were married this summer in Northern Ireland and we will be having a 2nd wedding reception for them back here in the States. We look forward to celebrating with them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We hope you are able to enjoy the holiday season in the company of friends and family as well! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wishing you safe travels and many blessings in Christ,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-Jon and Lindsay</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0