Mission MonitorTWIN OAKS PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH May 2017www.twinoakschurch.org/missions

Costa Rica - Scott Kerens

In March, David Barnes and I spent a weekend meeting with student leaders, praying with local pastors, and receiving an update on the work of God in Costa Rica.Since we did not fly United, we made it to San Jose, Costa Rica without incident and stayed the night with Rodney and Jana Davila in San Jose. Rodney and Jana are Twin Oaks supported missionaries with Mission to the World serving in Costa Rica. Rodney gave us soccer jerseys of the national team and took us to a restaurant where we watched a Costa Rica vs. Mexico rivalry match. Costa Rica lost, but every single person in the restaurant was glued to the game. It was the main event in the whole country!

We left early Saturday morning and drove two hours to the coast, where we met with leaders from the churches in La Montana and Costa De Pajaros. The leaders are young and timid, but listened and are understanding the Gospel more each time we visit. Saturday afternoon we drove back to San Jose and treated our hosts to dinner at an Indian Restaurant within walking distance of their home.

David and I spent Sunday morning worshiping with the main church, ICRICEN, in San Jose and then a delightful afternoon meeting with the student ministry leaders from that same church. We prayed and prepared for this July, when David Barnes and Isabelle Scheibe will lead the Twin Oaks short term mission team. David will teach at the camp (in Spanish) and the team will serve alongside another church from the United States, Mitchell Road Presbyterian Church, which is in Greenville, South Carolina. This will be the first year that two churches from the United States work together with the four churches in Costa Rica!

Please pray for Rodney and Jana Davila as they lead the team, and for wisdom for Jana for some recent health concerns. Pray for Pastor Moises and Mirabel De Campos as Mirabel suffers from multiple ailments, and for Pastor Miguel, Ingrid and their children for the work of the Gospel in the churches and in the communities where God has called them. Finally, pray for the many student leaders as the Spirit of God works in them, growing them and the Church!

Haiti - Brett St. John

Over spring break, I had the chance to particpate in a short term mission trip to Haiti from March 15-20. Our group’s main purpose was to give medical care to those in Haiti who needed it. This meant driving for hours over terribly bumpy roads to reach a facility in the mountains where those with disabilities are dropped off. These people are so poor they do not have ready access to the food, water and healthcare they need. That was our mission, to help them with services they don’t have access to. We were also able to see and help out with the Hope Community Project job development program that Luke and Julie Brouwers have developed over the past 3 years to serve the Haitians.** The Haitians now have a medical clinic that is open almost full time, an egg business that is booming, and a salt business that is building on teamwork and problem solving, something that the Haitians struggle with. This journey through the desolate yet happy country of Haiti opened my eyes to what God is doing through the Haitians, as well as what He is doing in me.

**Editors note: The Hope Economic Project builds and preserves the dignity of the impoverished families in Haiti by creating income through economic projects such as the chicken co-op and salt harvesting. These small buisnesses are designed to function well in Haiti’s small scale economy and give particpants dignity and a hand up instead of a hand out. Families accepted into the program are given training and follow up to ensure their success. The goal is to help families develop a sustainable income that allows them to keep their families together.

Thank you, Twin Oaks for your participation & support of missions

at our annual Talent Show & Auction!

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Craig & Stacy PohlChile

Praise• Our Chilean church’s first mission

trip to Nepal and Stacy’s concerts went well, were +faith building, & brought some to new life in Christ!

Prayer• For us as we embark on new

ministries with local church leaders.

Bruce & Barbara WannemacherAfrica

Prayer• For Barbara as she hosts a Women’s

Conference May 1-5 in South Africa. Many are coming!

• For the expanding role we have working with national partners.

• For new missionaries (2 families, 1 single) approved to go to S. Africa!

Dan & Becky YoungMexico

Prayer• For Becky’s ministry in art & faith

to continue to develop.• For God to open hearts to his Word,

such as Alex, Hector, & Jose Maria.• For church planter/pastor trainings

& assessments May 4, 12-14, & 16-19.• For Valle del Rey church to grow!

RUF - Indiana UniversityBrad Tubbesing

Praise• For a great Winter Conference,

with 35 students from IU who were deeply challenged by speakers.

Prayer• For Summer Conference, May

8-13. Pray for the teaching to be transformative for our 24 students, especially for non-believers who go.

Rodney & Jana DavilaCosta Rica

Prayer• For wisdom for Jana in addressing

a hole doctors found in her atria.• Daughter, Alyssa interning in

Thailand, & son,Christopher to find a job in Chattanooga.

• For our medical clinic & 5 summer teams to build up our churches.

• Moises’ ordination exam May 20.

Covenant CollegeLookout Mountain, GA

Prayer• For prospective students to commit

to Covenant & for a good incoming class for fall 2017.

• For our professors & students to have strength to finish the year.

• For God’s provision for funds needed for restoring Carter Hall.

Les & Helen ProutyHope Community Project

Praise• For God’s protection over Dr Mima

and her husband who were in a serious car accident in April and sustained no serious injuries.

Prayer• For wisdom in negotians for

expanding the ministry center; and timing of expanding egg co-op.

Steve & Marion SpencerMalawi

Praise• For health & no malaria this year!• For so many ABC graduates

ministering around the globe!• Our oldest sons & their wives have

been approved to work at ABC!Prayer• For ABC to grow, & for the new

Christian university in S. Africa.

Andy & Missy ShadburneAustralia

Praise• For the safe arrival of our daughter,

Scarlett Merita-Jane! She was born Wednesday, March 29, weighed 6 lbs, 12 oz, and was 20 inches long!

Prayer• For us as we adjust to being new

parents, along with continuing our other roles & relationships here.

Solomon & Ruby KendagorInternational Students, Inc.

Prayer• Pray for us as the gospel goes

out from our home in Des Peres, MO via TV and Radio on stations Kass/FM/Radio and SAYARE/TV internet. Thank you for your prayer & financial support, Twin Oaks!

Bethany Christian ServicesSt. Louis

Prayer• For more host families in our Safe

Families for Children program, to provide for children in need.

• For new adoptive families who are open to considering the several hundred international children with medical & developmental needs or who are an older age.

Rob & Tünde FutoHungary

Prayer• For God to bring 100 people from

our church to the church camp August 1-5. We stepped out in faith when we booked this year’s conference site. Pray church members will be able to take off work for this week of teaching on fellowship & mission.

Josue & Martha MayoMexico

Praise• For a wonderful joint Easter service

for 1 church & 2 church plants! Praise God that they are growing!

Prayer• For wisdom for Josue & others in

leading the Chihuahua Presbytery on the Evangelism committee.

• For Martha’s health, good in general but feeling abnormally tired

John & Cathy RugChile

Prayer• For coordinating May church

visits.• For Juanita as she works with MO

Rehab Services to help her address challenges of her disabilities.

• For God’s provision for the church plant and CEMIPRE foundation.

• For our son Benjamin studying for the bar exam in Chile.

Pete & Dagi SmutsSouth Africa

Praise• For a safe, refreshing mid-semester

break from classes, and a good college “Open Day.”

Prayer• For God’s blessing on our second

academic quarter (April 19-June 2).• For Pete’s teaching & preaching

ministry on & off campus.• For success in accreditation.

MAY PRAYER CALENDAR1 2 3

4 5 6

7 8 9

10 11 12

13 14 15

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Larry & Sandy RockwellPeru

Prayer• For relief from heavy rains & floods.• One of the adobe security walls at

the MTW Center where we live collapsed in early April. Pray for rebuilding & replacing windows; praise God for his protection of us.

• For relationships in Yanama, who we will see after the wall is rebuilt.

Scott & Kathy CraigMexico

Prayer• For our preparations for summer

teams, who will work construction on Torre Fuerte church & outreach to the communities around our 3 churches through English camps.

• For a medical team coming in May.• For wisdom planning for our 3rd

church plant, & for health & safety.

Terry & Francine ClarkeAustralia

Prayer• For our church in Australia, which

has lost one of their pastors & some members. John Butler, who stayed in our home while we were in the US, has been called to return & serve as senior pastor.

• For Terry in teaching & curriculum.

ThriVeSt. Louis

Prayer• For our Best Choice program in

our middle & high schools. We are meeting with school boards just about every week to make clear the success of this program and the truth about what is being taught. Please pray for the people fighting against this program to hear truth.

JG & Jenny PorwollRussia

Praise• For new teens and college students

who are getting involved as volunteers in high school ministry.

Prayer• For our current ministry partners

to continue support, and for God to bring new ones to join with us.

• For clear direction about next roles.

Susan NewkirkSouth Africa

Praise• For extra help for Bible club!Prayer• For the evangelistic course I am

teaching to Grade 7 at Westlake Primary, through June. Pray for 72 students to receive the gospel!

• For a friend in Westlake, battling in her marriage, for wisdom in Christ.

The GideonsJim Mitas

Prayer• For God to provide receptive

hearts, abundant workers, and favorable conditions for Scripture distributions at regional high schools in May.

• For additional men & women to do the work of this ministry.

Circle of ConcernValley Park

Prayer• For for wisdom as they administer

services including scholarships to many in need in our area.

• Pray for staff who must make hard decisions and for grace and love as they serve the area needy.

Mission GateSt. Louis

Praise• Hannah’s Ranch has a 96% success

rate, measured by the state of MO!• For our city supervisor, Will, doing

a great job helping men.Prayer• For a new building at Hannah’s

Ranch for 10 women & children.

Jarett & Mary Carole HallMexico

Prayer• For Jarett as he studies in seminary

& works with MTW, for wisdom in applying what he is learning to future ministry & online learning programs for Latin America.

• For Mary Carole’s work with Third Millennium, providing Biblical resources around the world.

Churches for Life / Life TeamDoug Merkey / Kerry Brown

Praise• For a great Life Summit! 138

people attended from 12 states representing over 44 churches!

Prayer• For God to water the seeds planted

at both the Life Summit & the Dementia Seminar.

• For God to shepherd Life Teams.

MNA MidwestTed & Ann Powers

Prayer• For plans to plant in Westerville

Ohio (church planter Justin Grimm), & for various planters in Ohio: James Kessler at New City in Hilliard, Chad Grindstaff in Fairfield Township, Bill Powis in Cleveland, & Mark Robertson in Shaker Heights.

Chris BarkerSouth Africa

Prayer• Please continue to pray for

logistics to fall in placeto train with Evangelical Music Union (EMU) this summer.

• Pray for God’s provision, wisdom and guidance in my next season of serving.

Fellowship of Former CSKatie Beim-Esche

Praise & Prayer• Ashton, a questioning CS friend,

attended the women’s retreat at the Kirk, then came to Kirk’s worship the following week. Pray for others attending the Covenant Bible study & asking questions, that seeds planted will take root. Pray for our national conference Aug. 4-6.

The Freedom SchoolSt. Louis

Praise & Prayer• Praise God for allowing us to do

testing for some special needs kids, so we can serve them better. Pray God will send volunteers & donors to help provide services they need!

• For families to connect with critical summer resources for childcare.

• For a new 3rd grade & art teacher.

MAY PRAYER CALENDAR16 17 18

19 20 21

22 23 24

25 26 27

28 29 30/31

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66,000

$66,000 - June 30

$44,000 - May 31

$22,000 - April 30

Gap Months (April - June)

June 21-26, 2017 Haiti Short Term Mission Team (Prouty)

July 8-15, 2017Costa Rica Short Term Mission Team (Davila)

July 27-August 6, 2017Hungary Short Term Mission Team (Futo)

October 7-8, 2017Twin Oaks Local Missions Conference

“Pressing In - Reaching Out”Conference Speaker: Dr. Herb Ward

November 10-12, 2017 PCA Global Missions Conference in Dallas, TX

(Pre-conference “Welcoming the Refugee”November 9-10) mtw.org/gmc

UPCOMING EVENTS

MISSIONS HEADLINESNews from our Twin Oaks supported missionaries

Genesis University – Steve and Marion Spencer (African Bible College/Malawi) Steve and Marion Spencer announced that they are part of a team working to bring the FIRST Christian Liberal Arts University to South Africa, and are seeking permission from the South African government to call it “Genesis University.” They are preparing to submit their first degrees for approval. Their hope is to begin with seven Bachelor of Arts Degrees. They are seeking God’s provision of property outside or near Johannesburg, South Africa as they will be centrally located, connected to a rich base of evangelical churches and close to potential Christian professors and students along with a myriad of outreach and ministry opportunities.

God is at Work at RUF – Brad & Caroline Tubbesing (Reformed University Ministries/Indiana) Brad reports that they took the largest group of Indiana University students ever to the Midwest Winter Conference this year. Since they returned, they have had opportunity to serve at a local Crisis Pregnancy Center, and lead a co-ed small group Bible study for upperclassmen on 1 Peter. One of their interns was asked by students in the school of music to begin a Bible study. Several non-believers are regularly attending. Pray for the Holy Spirit to move in their lives to illuminate the truths of the Bible.

Ministry week – Pete & Dagi Smuts (Bible Institute/South Africa) Pete reports that this year’s ministry week (last week of March during break) students ministered to the community in many ways. Pete’s group connected with a church in Mandela Park, an informal settlement in Hout Bay, on the Cape Peninsula. A huge fire had devastated the community about 3 weeks prior, causing a number of fatalities, destroying hundreds of homes and leaving thousands homeless. It was a community in need in the aftermath of the fire. Their week of ministry included participation in their church services, Sunday School, prayer-meetings, youth and Bible study meetings. Students were also involved in evangelism, tutoring neighborhood school children, and sorting clothes and helping with distribution of donated supplies. It was a challenging, memorable week in which the students had opportunties to preach and teach God’s Word, share the Gospel and demonstrate God’s love in many practical ways.

As of April 25, 2017

$ 16,855toward the

April-June Gap need of $66,000