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