LUMglobal #104 ---- 4/18/12
Posted by: lifeunlimited <lifeunlimited@...>
(Formerly Hope4Kyiv)
Bob and Jo Ann Tolliver
Life Unlimited Ministries
"Touching Nations Here and Abroad"
Number 104
April 18, 2012
Dear Friend, Family, and "In-Pact" Partners:
We can't believe we've not sent a letter since mid February, soon after our return from Colombia. We thought we had sent one in March, but apparently not. For that we apologize! We have much to share.
What's Been Happening:
+ Our Support: We constantly marvel at God's faithfulness in providing for our financial needs. Though it is often on a day-by-day basis, our needs have been met. At least a half dozen or more times in the past two months, God has moved in someone's heart to send unexpected gifts at just the right time while, also moving in the hearts of several current supporters to increase their monthly gifts. God's faithfulness has been demonstrated in ways ranging from someone buying us lunch, to another person unexpectedly buying our car, to a church letting us live in their missionary house rent free for seven months, to others who have given substantial one-time gifts to our ministry.
We can only praise Him for His faithfulness, and profusely thank those who have been sensitive to the Holy Spirit's prompting. While there is still qa significant need to increase the monthly support, especially as we anticipate having to rent housing after our free use of missionary houses comes to an end, we still praise God for those who have joined in with us in our new ministry adventure. Our God is truly an awesome God.
+ The Farsi Work: The latest Farsi report from "M" was of such importance that we felt it needed to be sent alone so you could grasp the full impact of it without being distracted by our other ministry reports. We sent it out on April 14th. If you haven't read it yet, please take time to do so. And, YES, we still gladly try to financially support "M" and his wife in their ministries. We invite you and others to consider joining us and others in making it possible for the two of them to continue ministering full time in the vast mission fields God has opened for them. Contact us directly at lifeunlimited@pobox.com for details as to how you can support their ministries through tax deductible contributions.
+ Our Ministry in NE Kansas City: Most of the things we mentioned in our last newsletter regarding potential ministry in reaching internationals have actually come into being, and others remain in the developing stages. As you recall from our last letter, we were asked by our good friend, Director of Missions Rodney Hammer, to come to northeast Kansas City to help reach internationals living in the area (it's about 90% non-white), help mentor and coach pastors working in the area, and explore ways to reach people groups yet untouched in the area, and to work as an associate to the Director of People Teams throughout the entire greater Kansas City area.
It is a thrilling ministry and vision-stretching experience. We want to take this letter to update what we've been doing, but more importantly, introduce to you some of the amazing people with whom we are privileged to work.
> Living Faith Church: Eight years ago Jason and his family felt God calling them to move into NE Kansas City to try to reach international immigrants, refugees, and long term residents living in a changing and deteriorating community. Over the next several years others felt the same call. Just over two years ago Jason and and two or three other families decided to plant a church pastored by a leadership team, and that would reach the internationals and locals through hands-on "missional home groups" involved in building relationships and meeting practical needs. They are already reaching several internationals, and are engaged in several of the region's community action groups. Numerous relationships have been established with non believers, and even as recently as last Saturday contact was made with people from nations otherwise not contacted heretofore. The guys will be formally ordained on April 29th under the ministry of Wornal Road Baptist Church, a sister church doing similar ministry in South Kansas City area.
Bobby, Vince, and Jason (L to R) pastor the church with Jason serving as the lead pastor. The church currently rents space fodr Sunday evening services in historic St. John's Anglican Church. This arrangement is far from ideal because of the dark feeling and the presence of icons and statues typical of the Catholic tradition from which the Anglican (Episcopal) Church comes. They are praying for a new and more appropriate location. As they faced some significant transition in their continued ministry development, the guys asked Bob to preach all four Sundays of March and the first Sunday of April. It was a time of refreshing for the pastoral team and members alike, and Bob was able to share some important things objectively as an outsider.
Their "missional home groups" meet in homes every other week and go out and do ministry the other weeks. It is exciting to see Living Faith people link up with other ministries to serve them and serve the community. They are praying that God will provide them another location that will allow them to meet for corporate worship on Sunday mornings. We attend Living Faith as often as is possible, Jo Ann shares in a women's Bible study group, and Bob meets regularly to mentor and coach the leadership team. Visit their website at http://www.livingfaithkc.com.
> Central Church: Pastored by Omar Sagovia, We have been privileged to attend several services, but any mentoring/coaching or other ministry has not yet developed. Central is an older well established church that had declined dangerously over the years until Omar came about three years ago as a seminary student. Since then, several other seminary students have joined with locals to rebuild the church.
Matt Inman (right) serves alongside Omar (left) on the pastoral team, along with several other young men from the school. A sizable Burundi group has also developed and is set to spin off soon as a separate congregation. The church is attended by people from several nationalities and is ideally located right on Independence Avenue and across the street from Don Bosco, a major community assistance organization providing a variety of services. Both Omar and Matt are bivocational, working at UPS. Omar has recently purchased a home in the area into which he will move next month. He also graduates from seminary in May. Matt and his family await appointment to foreign missions, and will eventually be leaving Central, so Central is in a time of flux and needs your prayers.
> Eleos: While we do not officially work with Eleos Ministries and Eleos Coffee House, we do regularly connect with most of the people there, and some of our training and mentoring ministries occur there. Eleos was founded by Dan Smith and family after he left a large church as worship leader. He is an awesome worship leader, but with the change felt God leading him to pursue a special and unique ministry. He had been interested in coffee production for several years and, as God burdened him and his family for the suffering people in northeast Kansas City, they moved into the area and launched their faith ministry.
Through a series of events Eleos Coffee House was birthed right on Independence Avenue in the very heart of Northeast Kansas City. It not only serves as the base of outreach for Eleos Ministries, but it is also a gathering place for evangelistic witnessing, Bible studies, English classes, free food distribution, prayer walking excursions, training meetings, "Fourth Friday" musical performances, and a great place to have good sandwiches, pizza, and great coffee. The Coffee House operates with only a handful of paid staff and a significant number of volunteers who give of their time and energy to minister to the people. Visit their website at http://www.eleoscoffee.com and http://www.eleoskc.org.
> Mentoring: Both of us are continuing to mentor and encourage some special people, some on a formal level and others quite informally. Jo Ann continues meeting with Danielle (see below left), an intern at Eleos Ministries who feels God is calling her as a missionary to Tibet. She also spends personal time with some other gals at Living Faith Church and Eleos as requested. Bob is meeting with the pastoral team at Living Faith Church and also with Andrew (see below center), who directs the People Teams ministry. Bob is officially an associate leader under Andrew's leadership with People Teams. Bob is pursuing official "Coaching" certification to enable him to satisfy the preferences of the regional and state entities with which we work.
Also, we have had some wonderful times with several seminary students, spending time in People Teams meetings, and hosting others in our Independence missionary home. Our years of leadership training and mentoring at KIBC in Ukraine makes us passionate about spending as much time as possible with young men and women who have hearts for God. We know we can't duplicate the KIBC work in KC, but we do know our 56 years of ministry provides insight that can make them more effective ministers.
> People Teams: People Teams is a loosely knit association of churches and individuals who are either already involved or looking to be involved in reaching specific people groups in the greater Kansas City area. One report indicates that there are immigrants and refugees from over 100 different countries in the greater KC area. Northeast High School, which is in our ministry area of the city, has 24 different languages spoken within the student body. Andrew Heusing, whom we met several years ago in Paris, France, heads up the People Teams work (see above center). He is a seminarian graduating next month, and is also getting married in June to a lovely young woman, Heidi.
With People Teams we not only teach pertinent topics during the monthly PT meetings held at Eleos (see above right), but we speak in churches trying to raise awareness of special international needs in the greater KC area, and we continue trying to build personal relationships with people groups on our own. Currently we've established essential contacts with several Bosnians living in the North Kansas City and Gladstone areas.
+ Upcoming Cuba Trip: It looks like the date of our planned trip to Cuba has finally been officially set. Over the past several months it has been moved from February to March, to May, to June, and finally back to the end of May. We will be going again with Richard and Stephane Blake, long time friends from our ministry in Ukraine when Richard pastored in Heidelberg, Germany. Richard and Stephanie currently call Burleson, TX as home, but are traveling internationally most of the time. They currently have growing ministries in Poland and Cuba.
Whereas our first trip two and a half years ago took us to Havana and Pinar del Rio in western Cuba helping train about 300 pastors and wives, this trip will take us into the eastern part of the island, probably in and around Bayamo, Holguin, and/or Santiago. Most pastors in that area have had very little opportunity to be trained for ministry, so we are excited about the possibilities of serving them.
Our two major obstacles are approval and Visas issued by the Cuban government, and also the sizable amount of funding we still need for the trip. We anticipate the total cost to be about $4500, which includes air travel, meals, local travel, scholarships for pastors, materials, and supplies. We ask you to seriously pray for us in this special need, and, if God prompts your heart to invest in the lives of Cuban pastors, help fund the trip financially. Your gift is tax deductible when you give to Life Unlimited Ministries, designating it for the Cuba trip.
+ Upcoming Social Media Events: We have recently talked with "M" in Ukraine and Tania in Finland, and have come to understand how their stories can be of such help to our ministry in Northeast KC, that we are scheduling live video Skype gatherings in the near future for each of them to share their stories. We are just trying to locate a good location with both adequate seating and a strong wireless internet service so that we can invite both believers and non-believers to hear their stories.
We also still want to resume our "Sky-ble Studies" with our regular group; we had to end it a few months ago, and since our involvement in KC, haven't been able to resume it as we had hoped. But, we intend to do so.
Likewise, we still want to put some of our studies on YouTube, GodTube, or GodVine so they can be used at leisure. It's just a matter of deciding which one/s to use, testing it out for quality, and then doing it. Fortunately, we have good wireless internet service both at home and at the missionary house in KC, so pray for us that we can begin work on this project. (It seems that our "good intentions" far exceed our actual "getting it done".
+ Coming Events: Here are just a few things on the agenda ahead.
> April 19 -- Return to KC. Bob meets with Living Faith pastor, Jo Ann meets with Living Faith ladies group.
> April 20 -- Bob meets with Andrew, Jo Ann meets with Danielle.
> April 22 -- Central Church AM service, Living Faith Church (with special baptizing) PM service.
> April 26 -- BRKC Executive Board Meeting
> April 29 -- Ordination service for Living Faith pastoral team
> May 03 -- Area pastors' meeting in Grandview, MO. People Teams training session at ELEOS.
> May 04 -- Grandma/Grandpa trip to Galesburg, IL
> May 25 -- Cuba trip (25-31)
+ Prayer Requests: We've never been more aware than we are today of our need for strong praying intercessors in our behalf. Every day there seems to be another door of opportunity that opens. We cherish your prayer over these matters:
> All of the items listed above.
> Continued increase in monthly ministry support.
> Special financial needs for Cuba trip. We still need at least $2,000.
> Wisdom concerning future housing in KC. If nothing changes, our time at the missionary house ends in late July.
> Opportunities to connect with internationals in Northeast Kansas City.
> Continued good health, endurance, and enthusiasm.
> Adequate time to prepare study and training materials to share via live sessions and social media (as noted earlier)
> Resources and God's hand on "M", "F", "H" and others and the ever-growing Farsi work throughout Ukraine, Europe, and the Middle East.
Finally:
There is so much more we would like to share, but this letter is already far too long. And, once again, we find ourselves deeply humbled and grateful for two very important things . . . . the fact that at our age God has chosen to continue using us to help advance His kingdom, train leaders, and share the Gospel of Christ with the nations, and the realization that you and others like you continue undergirding us through your prayers, encouragement, and financial support.
All we can do is give praise to God, and thank you for being who you are . . . our friends, our encouragers, and our supporters. Please let us hear from you. You can do so via . . .
Mail: P.O. Box 228, Collins, MO 64738
E-mail: (Bob) lifeunlimited@pobox.com; (Jo Ann) grandma12@pobox.com.
Facebook: (Bob) lifeunlimited01
Cell Phone: (Bob) 417-693-5149; (Jo Ann) 417-693-5313.
In His Bond, By His Grace, and For His Kingdom,
Bob and Jo Ann
Life Unlimited Ministries
LUMglobal
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