Josh & Heidi Ausfahl

* Currently serving the Savior with the Association of Baptists for World Evangelism (ABWE) in Richard's Bay, South Africa.

Recent Prayer Requests & Praises:

• Pray for an increase in 4th Dimension (Sr. Youth) leaders.

• And an increase in Jr. Youth leaders because attendance keeps increasing!

• Pray for an increase in Worship Team members. We’ve added one singer and we are working on another.  We still could use a few instrumentalists.

• Pray for development of godly male leadership at Calvary (their church).

• Praise that Nolan and Josh restarted the discipleship Way to Joy with more interest by Nolan this time.

• Praise: Vicky’s discipleship group is going so well that the youth want another study!

• Gratitude to our financial supporters for their gifts even in challenging economic times.

Art & Deb Brammer 

* Currently serving the Savior with Baptists Mid-Missions in New Zealand.

Excerpt from a recent prayer letter (10/3/2010):

Just a week ago we informed you that one of our young core families left. Yesterday we had a father and his kids and the grandmother tell us that they were leaving. Only the grandmother is a member, but the rest of the family comes fairly regularly. We are afraid that this will continue the domino effect among others with kids. If we lose all our kids it will be very difficult to draw new families in. We need you to pray with us that God would give us at least one committed family with kids who will stay through the hard times. Will you pray daily for the next several weeks? We are not ready to quit, but a dwindling congregation is disheartening to all. Thanks for your prayers.

Dick & Mavis Buck

* Currently serving the Savior with ABWE in Salvador, Brazil.

Excerpt from their recent newsletter (7/2/2010):
Speaking of (the Aratu) Church, the challenges continue rolling in. The latest involves the Pastor of one of the branch congregations. He feels he has no support from his leadership. In fact, he says some even hate them. Yet he isn't ready to have the Mother Church send a “rescue mission” to try to deal with this. How shall we help?
 

Certainly through prayer. We feel we should go beyond that. But
we’re not going to force the issue.…July is going to be challenging. Dick will get to preach only 3 times in Aratu. Otherwise, he has outside commitments—virtually all Aratu-related. Praise the Lord for willing brethren who are willing and able to fill the preaching gap effectively.

Matt & Barb Douglas

* Currently serving the Savior ABWE in Western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Website: www.abwedouglas.net

Excerpt from a recent update (3/1/2010):
“The joy of the Lord is my strength!” That is so much more than just a slogan to me. I get it. Without God there is nothing – nothing to live for and nothing worth doing. When Nehemiah told the people that the “Joy of the Lord is your strength” (8:10) he was getting the people to look to God and be glad. The reading of the Word of God had left them wanting to weep. Nehemiah wanted them to have a very different reaction. Often today we are convicted by the Word when we realize how poorly we reflect God to others. The joy comes from the fact that God does not leave us in our weeping. He wants us to get on with life and grow in our relationship with Him. We praise Him for giving us all we need to accomplish all He wants done. …We had a wonderful Sunday. We so enjoy working alongside God’s people here. While many times people think of serving on the mission field as a sacrifice, we clearly view it as a privilege and blessing that is not to be missed!
 

Tim & Martia Franklin

* Curently serving the Savior with ABWE in Natal, Brazil.

Excerpt from recent prayer letter (1/31/10):  

Almost four years ago Jordão and Amanda arrived at seminary as newlyweds.  Although coming from a worldly church in a party town they pursued God’s call to the ministry.  Having dedicated themselves in Bible studies and fulfilling their field ministry requirements at Planície das Mangueiras Baptist Church, Jordão was especially instrumental in preparing about half a dozen of the men to rotate in leading the church services and did a good job on his oral doctrinal exam.  Amanda also has taken some classes, grown a lot as homemaker and leads the children’s ministry at church.  For over a year they have been anxious, yes worried, about “what after?” seminary.  Having accepted the call to stay, now the church is busy preparing an apartment for them.  Please pray for them and the church.

Tim & Esther Neufeld

* Currently serving the Savior with ABWE in Mango Togo, West Africa.

Excerpt from an email received 9/15:  

Greetings from Mango on a beautiful day.  Temperatures are below 90 degrees, and humidity seems to be down.  It rained early this morning, and that has apparently broken the heat that was building over the past few days.  We get the feeling that the rainy season is on its way out, and it’s taking the cooler weather with it.  But we certainly can’t complain, and are thankful for the long break we have enjoyed from the hot season. 

Esther is out on the hospital site painting the generator building. We continue to look for ways we can contribute and help keep costs down. The painter wanted 70,000 francs, or about $140 to do the work, and we said we could do it for less (try nothing). We hope to do all the painting with volunteer labor, meaning missionary volunteers, and we expect the savings

for the project to run into the thousands

Helen Steele  - (4th from left in photo)

* Currently serving the Savior in Athens, Greece at the Greek Bible College.

Excerpt from an email sent April 26: 

The school year has been going by fast.  Graduation will be again at the end of May with 27 students expected to graduate from the various programs.  Praise God for that! 

The new Greek government has revisited the “private college” law and in May the re-screening of the candidate schools will start.  Please pray that we will pass one more time and that we will be able to raise the remaining $300,000 guarantee money.

 During the Easter break I went to the island of Kefalonia in the Ionian Sea with three students.  I visited friends and relatives and made contact with some of the emerging churches there. 

In Athens I continue to visit the Center of Mercy as often as my schedule allows.  I help with the Afghan children and with the ministry to the addicts.