Going Home

I’ll be honest and say that I’ve never fully understood when people say that they long for Jesus to return. I do want to see Him return and I’m excited about Heaven but to actually long for it? I never fully understood that until today. For some reason, today I’m getting it….I’m starting to understand.

I see the news about the deadly school shooting in the US, I am reminded on facebook that the organization IJM exists because there are sick and evil people out there who stop at nothing to inflict horrendous atrocities on men, women and children. I watch helplessly as people I love and care about battle through the pain of their own disease or the cancer of a loved one. I hear from a friend about a family breaking apart and I read in the church bulletin about the persecuted church and people suffering extreme torture, even death, simply because they have asked Jesus to be their Saviour. I read about the number of children who are aborted in our country each year and I hear on the radio about the debate to set a policy in place that will allow a Doctor to end the life of another human being.

O Lord, how long will this go on? How much more havoc will pain be allowed to make? How much more can people survive? How much more can our world withstand?

“O Lord, the God to whom vengeance belongs, O God of vengeance, let your glorious justice be seen! Arise, O Judge of the earth. Sentence the proud to the penalties they deserve. How long, O Lord? How long…?” Psalm 94:1-3a

I’ve seen and heard these things before….but today….today I feel them. My heart is breaking for individuals I know and love and care about, but it’s also breaking for our fallen world which is in desperate need and terrible pain. Today I’m understanding that longing, for Jesus to return. The whole earth is groaning for it and today my heart is joining in, the longing for Him to remove us from this place of woe and pain is rising within me and pushing aside indifference, busyness, apathy and shouting out from the depths “Come Lord Jesus!!! Come, for it cannot be too soon.”

I’m reminded of a song that used to play, many times on the old record player in our house when I was growing up.

“Maybe one more hour, 

Maybe one more day, 

Until Jesus shall come to catch His bride away. 

No one knows the hour 

But the time is near 

When the trumpet of God shall sound His coming here.

And I’ll be leaving, I’ll be leaving,

No more sorrow or grieving.

I’ll be leaving, I’ll be leaving,

Going on home,

I’ll be going home.”

Going home…….Oh that today could be the day…no more sorrow…no more grieving…

We know what is to come...it’s the pain in the waiting that makes the waiting so incredibly hard.

Until Jesus comes to catch us all away...in these days of waiting, may we cling to these words…

“The Lord hears his people when they call to Him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:17-18

Come Lord Jesus, Come!

The Thiessen Talk’O - Christmas Report - Dec. 2012

Merry Christmas From The Thiessens 

May Freedom & Exuberant, Spontaneous Joy Be Yours This Christmas!

For us, the picture above captures the beauty of freedom when expressing the joy within one’s heart! Freedom should give birth to joy! When our sins have been forgiven and we’ve been made new and given right standing with God, we have reason to rejoice! Our freedom in Christ enables us to live in relationship with God Himself! For there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ! And God made this freedom possible by sending His only Son to be our Saviour.  “For God so loved the world, though He knew what love would cost, He made a way in a manger, to make a way to the cross.” This love, which made freedom from sin possible, should birth within us an exuberant, spontaneous, uninhibited, overflowing Joy! 

May this kind of joy be yours as you celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ this Christmas season! We are thankful to be spending Christmas with loved ones, friends & our church family. We thought we wouldn’t be here, so it’s truly a surprise blessing!

Although we do not have much time or space to decorate or set up a tree, we are praying that God puts time and space in our hearts and lives to focus on Him. The Saviour of the World came so that we might live in joy and peace, with hope for eternity. It is this hope for eternity, the good news for all people, that spurs us forward and onward to Mexico.

Going, Going….Gone!

The title for our October Newsletter was “Going, going...not quite yet.” As you can see it’s now changed to “Going, Going...Gone!” That’s because God has proven Himself faithful & in control! We just heard back from our church conference (EMC) & the new budget for next year does have space for us to be supported as Associate Missionaries! We are praising God for answering our prayer in this way & for His continued provision! With this support we are only a few % points away from being fully supported on a monthly basis & we now find ourselves preparing to leave for Mexico! 

This means that during December we will be trying to balance Christmas celebrations & gatherings with last minute sorting, packing, paperwork, passport & visa stuff, school concerts, last gymnastics & hockey practices & good-byes. It’s going to be a whirlwind with mixed emotions & we will be in the middle of it! Therefore, we request & appreciate your prayers for us in this busy, stressful season of transition & change. We trust God will give us the strength & wisdom to get everything done & to finish well. 

We also ask that you join us in prayer for safety as we travel to Mexico. The plan is that Anthony, Josiah & Karlene’s Dad will drive our Toyota down, starting from La Crete on Dec. 28^th or 29^th & hopefully arriving in Guadalajara, January 5^th-7^th. Karlene, Keyana & Karlene’s mom will then fly down sometime January 5^th-7^th, once the boys have arrived & are able to pick them up at the airport.

We praise God that just yesterday a contract was signed on a rental house for us in Guadalajara! This means that we get to skip house hunting & can move straight into our home. This will give us time to settle & acquaint ourselves with the city before we start language school on January 15^th! 

We are excited & incredibly blessed! We are also humbled by those who have faithfully encouraged us & helped us on our way. Getting to Mexico & serving there would not be possible without the countless people who are standing with us in prayer, encouragement & support! Thank-you so much! We praise God for His faithfulness & for creating His church to be a network that interacts in various ways, using God given abilities and spiritual gifts, to expand His Kingdom. In whatever role God has given you, in The Body of Christ, know that you are needed & play a vital part in His Kingdom Work!

We trust that your Christmas will be full of exuberant & spontaneous joy as you celebrate the greatest Gift of all time - Jesus Christ! Praise His Name!

We Wish You A Very Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year….until our next Talk’O together ....be blessed!

                         In Christ, Anthony, Karlene, Josiah & Keyana

Pray

Pray that we will continue to experience God’s peace, direction and guidance as we prepare, pack and say goodbyes.

(esp. for Josiah & Keyana)

Pray for continued spiritual growth as God uses this time of transition to refine our faith and build our trust in Him.

Pray for safety as we travel to & through mexico. Pray that entrance into the country will go smoothly.

Praise

We Praise God for Provision through His people that has enabled us to reach the support Goal needed for departure at the End of December! Things Have come together according to God’s timing & we know this will continue B/C He is in Control!

we praise God For the extra time He’s given us to better prepare for our departure and to spend Christmas with Family.

We praise God for providing a house for us in Guadalajara!

Give

If you would like to partner with us financially, 

EMAIL: giving@teamcanada.org 

                                                    ONLINE: http://www.teamcanada.org/index.php/give

CALL TEAM Canada: 1-800-295-4160

OUR COUNTRY CODE IS 2400 AND PERSONAL ACCOUNT #110689. 

THANK-YOU FOR CONSIDERING THIS IMPORTANT ROLE.

Stay Connected

To receive our email newsletters (in color and with pictures) contact us at: anthonythiessen7@gmail.com

To read our blog “The Thiessen Times” visit: www.akthiessen.blogspot.com

Find us on facebook:…...coming soon :)

SOME EXCITING NEWS…

TEAM has just launched a new logo & website!!! You can check out the main site at the link below:

http://www.team.org/

You can also visit specific sites for the various countries where TEAM is serving. Check out TEAM Mexico’s page at the link below:

http://mexico.team.org/

An All Day Pass And Two Granola Bars

by Karlene Thiessen 

(written after my weekend at Mending The Soul Training in Portland Oregon - September 21^st -24^th, 2012)

I think I discovered this weekend why I don’t like living in a city. It’s not just the congested traffic, the smog or the continual busyness. It’s because…..it breaks my heart.

Today, I met Gary. He got on the subway a stop or two after I did and sat across the isle from me. I smiled at him and he held out his hand which displayed a few coins. He followed his action with the words, “I was going to buy a ticket but the train pulled up at that moment and I didn’t want to miss it.”

I noticed the suitcase bag on wheels that he had pulled in behind him and without thinking asked, “are you headed to the airport?” He looked at me a bit strangely and then said, “No….but I wish I was. I’d like to get on a plane and get out of here. 12 years is to long to visit a place.” 

And before his next words were spoken, I wondered……..and I was right.

“I’m homeless,” he said. I realized that there had been some tell tale signs like the mismatching clothes, the worn shoes and the pieces of dried grass still clinging to his jacket.

My smile was enough welcome for him to launch into his sad story.

“I had an apartment but I left ‘cause I got a job offer. See, I’m a personal care attendant and this person offered me a job to take care of him. I was suppose to move into his house. But when I got there, he had changed his mind. So I went back to my landlord but because I had told him I had a job offer that would require me to leave, he thought I was gone for good and wouldn’t give me back my apartment. So, now I’m homeless.” 

My heart broke for this man. I felt like I should say something, but I found myself at a loss for words. Nothing I could say would help. My words wouldn’t miraculously remove him from the streets of Portland. But oh, how I wished they would. Feeling like I had nothing to give, I gave him eye contact and a smile. If felt so insignificant. 

However, it must have been invitation enough because he continued by saying, “I don’t do homeless very good.” He pointed to his face and arms, “see this soft tissue damage? That’s ‘cause someone came and ground my face into the sidewalk when I was sleeping. They stole my phone too. I’ve been going a couple days, trying to keep awake so it doesn’t happen again but last night I actually slept. I have a blanket from the shelter and I put it on a piece of cardboard. That’s my bed. And I stick my head in my bag.” “To stay warm” I asked? He nodded. “Ya, it gets really cold at night.”

I sat there feeling helpless to help. Sure I tried to be a warm and empathetic listener, but it didn’t seem like enough. I wanted to do so much more. 

For me, my stop came all too soon and as I got up to leave, I noticed the look of disappointment etched across his face. “You’re getting off already” he asked? “Yes” I replied. I reached my hand towards him. It was holding my ticket and 2 granola bars. “Would you like my all day pass?” His eyes lit up, “Sure! That would be great. Thanks.” He held out his hand and said, “I’m Gary.” I shook his hand firmly, the way my Dad always taught me to shake hands, and said, “Take care Gary.” 

We smiled at each other and I stepped off the train. The doors closed behind me and as the train sped away I caught one last sight of Gary. He smiled and waved and I did too.

Tears slid down my cheeks as I walked the hill back to my hotel. I felt guilty for holding bags in my hands from my morning of early Christmas shopping. It wasn’t right that I was getting to go home with gifts for my family while Gary would get to sleep on the cold, hard ground again...and again...and again.

As I sat alone with God in my hotel room later that morning, praying and reading His Word, I asked Him to reveal to me what He wanted to impress upon me. After some time of being silent in His presence the Holy Spirit settled these words upon my heart. 

“Do not be distracted by the cares of this world and love people like Gary.”

As the tears fell, I committed myself to this task, desiring to walk daily in obedience and the power of the Holy Spirit, knowing that the only way I can serve God is to be totally reliant on Him. 

I’ll be praying for Gary but I wish I could have done more. An all day pass and 2 granola bars just doesn’t seem like enough. 

That’s because it wasn’t.

My prayer is that I can do more for the people God has called us to serve in Mexico, then I was able to do for Gary. I feel so inadequate, so unworthy and so unprepared to go and yet my heart’s cry is to be used of God. To be broken and molded by His loving potter hands, into a vessel He can fill and pour out in blessing to others.

An all day pass and 2 granola bars will help for a day but the love of Christ will change hearts and lives for eternity! 

So Lord...

make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love.

Where there is injury, pardon.

Where there is doubt, faith.

Where there is despair, hope.

Where there is darkness, light.

Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,

grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;

to be understood, as to understand;

to be loved, as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive.

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

O Lord,

To give more than an all day pass and 2 granola bars…

This is my Prayer.

Amen

God Reveals His Truth In Places We Least Expect

The Mexican Flag And The Message Of Truth Within 

~ by Karlene Thiessen

In September we got a little creative and hosted 2 “Taste of Mexico” Nights. We decorated the coffee area of our church with curios from Mexico, Zambian chetenge table cloths that passed for Mexican ones because of their designs and multitude of colors and had Salsa music playing in the background. We served some tortillas and salsa, guacamole, Maria cookies, Mazapan, Jarrito’s and Canel’s chewing gum - almost all having been imported from Mexico by one of our local grocery stores. As much as we would have loved for more people to come, we are very thankful for each person that took the time out of their busy schedules to bless us with their presence and to hear about what God is doing in Mexico. 

As I was preparing for this event, I had the idea that it would be neat to have little papers, on each table with the Mexican Flag printed on them, for our guests to take home. So I searched online for the flag to cut and paste and in the process, became curious why it looks the way it does. Upon further research, I came across a list of 46 interesting facts about Mexico. One of the facts was taken from the book “Mexico the People” by Bobbie Kalman and it said: “Mexico’s Flag is made up of three vertical stripes. The left green stripe stands for hope, the middle white stripe represents purity & the right red stripe represents the blood of the Mexican people. The picture of an eagle eating a snake is based on an Aztec legend.”

And just like that, I had my answer to why the Mexican Flag looks the way it does. I thought this interesting fact would be good to include so I cut and pasted and as I began to design these little papers, God revealed to me that there was a message of truth, His Truth, within the Flag of Mexico. I know this revelation was from God because I wasn’t studying the Flag to find a way to use it to share the Good News. God laid this on my heart and I can’t take any credit for this insight. 

As I copied and pasted the Mexican flag onto my layout page, God impressed these words on my heart, “the Truth of Gospel is in the Flag.” At first I shrugged them off and set about figuring out the task at hand. But the words came again, “the Truth of the Gospel is in the Flag…..just take a moment to think about what you’ve learned and you will see.” This time I stopped what I was doing and looked at the colored Flag which appeared on the page...

HOPE               PURITY           BLOOD

As I reflected on the image in front of me and the words that I had placed under each vertical stripe...BLOOD….PURITY…..HOPE…...my excitement began to grow and I found myself in awe of the One who was choosing to reveal this message to me!

I began to type what God brought to my mind and this was the result...

“We are excited to join God in the work He is doing in Mexico! To us, the Mexican Flag serves as a reminder of the Good News we have to share. The red stripe represents Jesus BLOOD which was shed so we could be forgiven for our sins. The white stripe serves to remind us that when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, we are washed & covered by His blood, our sins become as white as snow & this makes us PURE in God’s sight. The green stripe represents the HOPE we have in Jesus Christ, who made it possible for us to have eternal life. The Eagle reminds us that our Great & Awesome God reigns! He defeated satan, the serpent, at the cross! He is mighty to save!”

As I finished typing these words, I sat back and marveled at the awesome tool for sharing the Gospel, that God had just given me! Maybe there are other people out there already using the Mexican Flag to share the good news of Jesus, but for me, this was a first time discovery and one that made me extremely excited! What a neat object lesson to be able to use with a Sunday School class or a church congregation, a gathering in the park, with a group of teenagers or one on one with someone I meet on the sidewalk during a National holiday when the Flag is being hoisted from the rooftops and waved in the streets! People feel patriotic toward their country’s Flag. They are proud to see it billowing in the wind and standing guard in places of importance. What an amazing opportunity to be able to hold up a Mexican Flag or point to one and not only celebrate the history of it’s people represented within, but to also share the truth of the One who created these people, the God of Love who sent His Son to die in their place so their blood did not have to be shed, the Son who willingly gave His life so their sins could be forgiven, making them clean in the sight of God Almighty who has crushed satan and secured them a place in Heaven for all of Eternity! 

I praise God and thank Him for His insight. I anticipate and look forward to the opportunities He will bring my way to use the Mexican Flag, and the message of Truth within, to share the love of Jesus with those who are searching for The Answer!

Sing Your Praises Campaign

I am SO EXCITED to be able to launch the 'Just Act' -  "Sing Your Praises Campaign" to raise awareness and money for International Justice Mission! This amazing organization works throughout the world to "Seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.” - Isaiah 1:17. Please take some time to visit my campaign page and consider supporting the work of IJM. In doing so, you will be helping to bring justice and freedom to the hurting in our world! Together and in the power of God, we can make a difference!!! 

If you donate to IJM during this campaign, I will send you my CD "Sing Your Praises" free of charge as my way of thanking you for supporting this amazing organization! With God's help, "Sing Your Praises" was produced as my way of helping to rescue the enslaved and oppressed. All of the money from the sale of this CD goes to International Justice Mission Canada. To date, the CD has raised over $7000 for IJM to help them rescue children who are trafficked and sold and exploited in the commercial sex trade.


To find out more about how to donate and how you can receive your free copy of my CD, visit the 'Just Act' -  Sing Your Praises Campaign at this link! Please feel free to share this campaign with others!

The Thiessen Talk'O

The Thiessen Talk’O
October 2012 - Update

Missionaries To Mexico Serving with TEAM & Associate Missionaries With EMC

Going, Going...Not Quite Yet

We are encouraged to have many people asking with surprise, “You’re still here?” We’re glad people are noticing as this assures us we are being prayed for. Our hope was to leave in October but God obviously has a different plan. Since He is sovereign and in control, we continue to wait and pray for open doors and the “green light”. 

What are we waiting for? We felt so close to being able to go, but were depending on about 15% of our support to be approved this last month. Although this did not happen, we continue to trust that this support will be available in the New Year. We will find out more in November. 

We are praying that God will provide in one way or another. We are at 76% of the monthly budgeted support, and continue to be blessed and encouraged every week by another couple or individual who confirms God’s calling on our lives by joining us through financial giving. 

A blessing, in a later departure, is that we will be able to work on our visa application. We have to get documents translated into Spanish through approved, official translators. There are about 15 pages of needed identification.

Our next target date is right after Christmas. Two families move out of houses in Guadalajara that would be suitable for us to stay in during language school, there by making our transition that much easier. Language school starts another term January 15^th, 2013. It’s beneficial to have several weeks to settle in before starting full-time studies, so we can help our children become accustomed to our new place and to give us time to adjust as we learn how to live and accomplish things in a city of 5,000,000 people! 

We are eager to leave, but don’t want to go before God opens the doors. Please pray with us that we will know His leading and guidance in this. We’ve personalized Ps. 25:4-5 as our prayer:

  “Show us the right path, O Lord;

    point out the road for us to follow.

Lead us by your truth and teach us,

    for you are the God who saves us.

    All day long we put our hope in you.”

Mending the Soul and Spiritual Warfare Training

Training...

Karlene travelled to Portland, Oregon Sept. 20^th-23^rd for a double dose of training from Mending the Soul Ministries. MTS is an educational and equipping ministry that trains organizations, empowers communities, and equips churches for ministry to those impacted by abuse. MTS integrates scientific and social research on abuse with biblical and theological truth and has created curriculum and resources to equip and train on the nature and effects of abuse, sexual brokenness, and healthy intimacy. MTS seeks to embody the justice, mercy, and goodness of God by standing against abuse; protecting the vulnerable, helping to heal and love the broken and to restore God’s design for healthy relationships. This is done within the context of a group where people who have experienced abuse share their stories and journey together on the pathway of healing. Karlene is very excited about the opportunities to minister, in the above way, to people in Mexico. So when she approached TEAM asking if she could take the MTS training to learn how to facilitate an MTS group and received a resounding ‘yes’, it further confirmed that her burden for the hurting and her passion to help them, are from God. It’s also exciting that MTS has been to La Paz in the past, to train missionaries and nationals and that TEAM Mexico envisions using MTS as part of the ministry in La Paz.

Further Training...

This last week we had the privilege of learning more about spiritual warfare. A fellow missionary spent an evening with us and another couple, reading scripture and discussing the implications of Jesus’ teaching concerning the unseen battle we all face. It was encouraging and exciting to become more prepared to engage the enemy. We are so glad that we have the victory in Jesus Christ!

On The Home Front…

Since we sold and moved out of our house in May, we’ve been living with a wonderful friend who was so kind as to give us the upstairs of her house while she moved into the basement. We shared the kitchen and the arrangement worked very well. However, it was only meant to be for a short time since we had hoped to make the August language school. As August came and went and the end of September drew near, we felt it was important for us to give our friend back her space and were again blessed as God provided a 2 bedroom apartment for us to rent until the end of December! We are in the process of settling into our new place and thank God for His continued provision!

Josiah is enjoying grade 2 and Keyana is loving grade 1. They both think they have the best teacher and enjoy the fact that now they can walk across the road to school (yes we are that close :). Keyana is extremely excited to be able to take another class of gymnastics and thoroughly enjoyed her first session this past week. Josiah is chomping at the bit to get back on the ice and is thrilled that shinny hockey begins this Friday. Since we hope to leave the end of December, he won’t get to play the whole season but he’s excited that we’re allowing him to play for as long as we’re here! However, this change of plans has sent us scrambling for winter wear and hockey equipment since we got rid of this earlier this summer.  Praise God for people who are willing to lend us these items!….....Well, that’s all for now! Until our next Talk’O together…be blessed!

In Christ, Anthony, Karlene, 

Josiah & Keyana

Pray

Pray that we will continue to experience God’s peace, direction and guidance as we wait on him.

Pray for continued spiritual growth as God uses this time of waiting to refine our faith and build our trust in Him.

Pray that we will reach the support goal needed for departure & that everything will come together according to God’s timing.

Praise

God has called us to be a Part of His work in Mexico and we are blessed to have others join us in it! 

We praise God For His continued provision and for the extra time He’s given us here in La Crete to better prepare for our departure.

Give

If you would like to partner with us financially,

Email: giving@teamcanada.org

Online: http://www.teamcanada.org/index.php/give

Call TEAM Canada: 1-800-295-4160

Our country code is 2400 and our personal account # is 110689. Thank-you for considering this important role in the work God is doing in Mexico!

Stay Connected

To receive our email newsletters (with pictures :) contact us at: anthonythiessen7@gmail.com

To read our blog “The Thiessen Times” visit: www.akthiessen.blogspot.com

Or find us on facebook: This page is coming soon... :)

Some Exciting News 

TEAM has just launched a new logo & website!!! You can check out the main site at the link below:

http://www.team.org/

You can also visit specific sites for the various countries where TEAM is serving. Check out TEAM Mexico’s page at the link below:

http://mexico.team.org/

(We hope to add our profiles by next week.)

Moving Forward as God Leads

As I type, we are traveling to share at a church in Manning. This will be the 14^th church that we will share at and at each one, we have been warmly welcomed and received. What a blessing it has been to fellowship with the wider Body of Christ! 

We continue to be encouraged through the many people who are walking alongside us in this journey. We praise God for our advocacy/care team, those who are financially supporting us and everyone who is standing with us through encouragement and steadfast prayer. 

God continues to prove Himself faithful and his provision never ceases to amaze us. We have a place to live, Anthony has a full time teaching position for the month of September, Josiah and Keyana love their teachers and are enjoying school, we have learned where we will be ministering after language school and each passing day brings us closer to leaving for Mexico as God raises up partners who are joining us in His work!

Our desire is to serve in Mexico and our excitement to get there is building! We are amazed to be at 74% (89% unconfirmed) of our financial monthly support needs. We feel close to being able to leave for Mexico, but are waiting for God’s timing. We would ask that you pray for us in this, that the finances would come in and that the paperwork would be completed as needed. 

Many have asked us when we are going, and why we have not left already. Perhaps we should never have shared our hope to leave in August, then October; in our desire to join God with TEAM Mexico, we have set our own timeline on occasion. God will enable us to leave for Mexico according to His will. 

Please Pray…

Please pray for peace, that even as we stay longer or leave soon, we will accept God's will for us. We are trusting and learning every day as we wait on Him.

Please pray that we will be able to get our paperwork in order before we leave. We need 5 different documents translated and certified into Spanish. We have been advised that this should be done as soon as possible and before we leave Canada.  

Pray for La Paz, the city of our ministry area and the TEAM Missionaries already there. As they share the Word of God, pray that people will turn to Him, that the Holy Spirit will convict and draw hearts into relationship with Jesus Christ and that He will prepare the way for us to join in His work in La Paz!

A Taste Of Mexico Night

Hey all,

We've just received some great news about where God is calling us to serve (in Mexico) after language school! Gone are the months of wondering where we will be serving! Gone are some of the unknowns.....and we are sooooooo excited about the place God is preparing for us and how it fits with the passions and gifts He's given us!!!!! 

To hear more......we'd like to invite you to come out for a "Taste Of Mexico" on a night of your choice - today, Friday, September 7th at 7:30pm or tomorrow ,Saturday, September 8th at 7:30pm at the EMC church in La Crete, in the coffee area. Come enjoy an evening of yummy Mexican snacks, fellowship and hear about what God is doing in La Paz, Mexico! Bring a friend and come on out for a fun evening! Hope to see you there!

THE THIESSEN TALK’O 
Summer 2012 - Update

Missionaries to Mexico serving with TEAM & Associate Missionaries with EMC

We have been traveling steady for several weeks with not much time to breathe. It has been both busy & fun.  

We are excited about recent developments & want to take a few moments to update you with what is happening, as God unfolds His plan for ministry in Mexico!

We recently spent one week in Wheaton, IL, training for missions with TEAM. It was a great time of learning & being challenged. What a blessing it was to come together & fellowship with other’s who are on the same journey as us, who share the goal of Being & Building the Body of Christ through church planting. 

We were further encouraged when we spoke to our field director about where we will serve after language school. We are excited to share that they have asked us to join the TEAM Ministry Initiatives(MI) in La Paz through youth/sports ministry & compassionate ministry. God is preparing a place for us according to His perfect timing & plan!

La Paz (The Peace), a city of approx. 300,000, is the capital of the Mexican State of Baja California Sur. Presently, TEAM Mexico has 4 MI’s in La Paz: A ranch that uses Bible camp/horse ministry to reach youth, a seminary & 2 church plants - Marquez de Leon & El Faro. TEAM Mexico has invited us to become a part of the El Faro (The Lighthouse) church plant by using our gifts in sports, teaching, counseling & investigating how to help victims of human trafficking & abuse. El Faro has vision to reach out in creative ways to those who desperately need Jesus & we are excited to join them as they share the love of Christ with those who are broken! TEAM Mexico also has 2 other MI’s under development: a possible partnership with the local English speaking church & a women’s shelter for the vulnerable & abused. The latter is where they have asked Karlene to be involved. But the opportunities to serve don’t end here. TEAM Mexico really goes about missions as a team & that means we will be able to serve in the other MI’s as well, using Anthony’s love for sports and discipleship & my heart for social justice to build the Body of Christ in La Paz!

We continue to be amazed at how God is bringing things together, even to the point of tailor-making opportunities for ministry that will use our gifts & fit our passions. It’s also exciting to note how God cares about all the details of our lives. Since he’s been able to talk, Josiah has wanted to be a Rancher when he grows up! How neat to think that he might get to live out his dream already!

I (Karlene) love music & singing & feel strongly that God created these to draw people to Himself. To read an exciting story about how this happened at the Ranch visit this link: www.ranchoelcamino.org & read the April 2012 update post!

At this time we are at 75% of our monthly support, 60% of our one-time outgoing expenses & we are eagerly preparing to leave October 1st, 2012. Once we have our monthly support raised we will demonstrate to TEAM that we are able to sustain our ministry in Mexico through our sending church & supporters. We continue to pray that we will find favor with God. We know He will provide. Our hope is to attend the October 15th language school in Guadalajara. We continue to seek more financial partners, whether through individuals or churches. If you are able to help us out in this way, you would be an answer to prayer! 

James 4 is our guide...

“13 Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” 14 How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. 15 What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” 16 Otherwise you are boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil.”

So we continue to plan knowing that we are in God’s hands, who is faithful & has prepared us and is preparing us for what lies ahead.

With Love & Appreciation for your prayers, encouragement and support;

                            Anthony, Karlene, Josiah & Keyana

Pray

Pray that we will continue to experience God’s peace, direction and guidance as we wait on him.

Pray for wisdom in choosing the right option for our children’s schooling on the field.

Pray that we will reach the goal needed for departure & that all will fall into place according to God’s timing.

Give

If you would like to partner with us financially, 

EMAIL: giving@teamcanada.org 

ONLINE: www.teamcanada.org/index.php/give 

CALL: TEAM Canada at 1-800-295-4160. Our country code is 2400 and our personal account # is 110689. Thank you for considering this important role. 

Praise

God has called us to be a Part of His work in Mexico and we are blessed to have others join us in it! We praise God who has revealed himself to us daily as Lord & Provider. Join us in praise for what He has done and will do! 

“The LORD lives! Praise to my Rock! May God, the Rock of my salvation, be exalted!                             

2 Sam. 22:47