The Camenisch family has worked in Portugal for more than 26 years. A seasoned mis­sionologist, Glenn’s current responsibility is to pastor the Campo de Ourique church in Lisbon. Their plan is to develop the church to matu­rity of the leadership, so that they will be able to call a native pastor.

Jamie & Jen Burkemper
MTW, Street Child Ministry
Acapulco, Mexico
MAP Leader:

The Burkempers are Crossgate members who are working with street children in Acapulco at Sobre el Puente. They have two children, Jossi (8) and John (12).

Frank and Sheree have been working with MTW in the Middle East for seven years. Frank grew up in Florida and moved to Charlotte, NC, where he worked in banking and helped to plant a church. Sheree grew up in Tennessee and met Frank when she too moved to Charlotte. They have three children: Joshua, Kara, and Cameron.

The Jetts have a heart for the African people. The West African Partnership churches provide the personnel and funds for medical clinics, which open the doors for church planting in Africa.

John and Kathy are working with young people in the dark areas of London. Two thirds of those ages 18-24 now describe themselves as non-religious: almost half of the young adults do not even believe that Jesus existed as an historical person.

John & Kathy Lesondak & family. Front row L to R: Melissa, wife of Benjamin, Laurel-19, Kathy, John, Allana,-16; back row, Benjamin-25, Ethan,-20, Aaron,-23, Ruben,-26 & wife, Ashley
Map Leader: To be determined

Read latest news

Since 1997, John and Kathy Lesondak have been working in Trnava, Slovakia using several avenues of ministry that God has opened up: TESOL, summer camps, Bible studies, and a multifunctional ministry center called "The Building". By God's grace a Fellowship of believers gathers and worships together each week.

John and Kathy began their missionary service in October of 1981, serving with the Africa Inland Mission in the Seychelles Islands. During the day, John taught pottery and in the evenings he taught Bible studies as well as overseeing a church plant. Kathy has always been his dearest partner in all areas of ministries as well as raising six very wonderful children.

Their second field of missionary service was in rural Kenya working along side national pastors, helping with preaching duties at the medical clinic operated by the mission, and also pastoring a church and the team. Their third place of ministry was the Czech Republic and in 1997, they began working inTrnava, Slovakia.

Email to Dean Dobson
December. 2008

I have begunfull-time Japenese language studies, leaving English teaching aside for a while. The change of pace and focus has been a little bit difficult to adjust to. However, I havegood teachers so I am beginning to feel more comfortable in the role of student. As you know, Japenese is a very challenging language in all aspects, speaking reading and writing. Please pray for me as I attempt to learn how to communicate more effectively.

I cotinue to attend the Kokubunjidai Christ Church. (actually the congregation has voted to change the name of the chuch to Ichihara Megumi no Mori Christ Church. Ichihara is the city in which the church is located and megumi no Mori can be roughly translated as forest of faith. Some members didn't like the inference of the name Kokubunjidai. It is the name of the district in which the church is located, but the "dai" refers to a Buddhist temple.

Sunday, Nov 23rd was celebrated by our church as Thanksgiving Day. One of the main reasons for te congregation thanksgiving was the Baptism servie. Four ladies and four children were baptised! Praise the Lord! Alady and her teenage daughter, and two other ladies publically displayed their belief in Christ by being baptised. Two of these ladies each have two children and they were also baptised.Although the husbands of the three ladies are not Christians, they attendedthe service. I was very encouraged by this, since it seems to show that they are not opposed to their wives and/or children following Chrit and becoming part of the Church. Please pray for these ladies and their children.

After the service we had a potluck lunch. Their were the traditional foods common to the holiday. The congregation has a lot to be thankful for. While waiting for the meal to be set out, everyone was given a small paper turkey with five tail feathers that had been made by some of the older children. we were instructed to write on the feathers we were thankful for and then the turkeys were mounted on the wall. It made us all stop and consider the blessings God has given us.

In closig please pray for the MTW team here and the need for new helpers in the Englih classes.We nmeed teachers. Please pray for this need. Perhaps there might be someone there at Crossgate who would be willing to come to Japan for a short while.

Please make this opportunity knownto the congregation. We crave your prayers and help It would be such a shame to have to close those classes and end the opportunity of witnessingto the students Anyone who is interested can cotact me at my e-mail address and I will get them in touch with the person who can start the process going.

Thank you so much for your prayers and for the financial support which makes it possible for me tominister here in Japan.

In Christ Debbie Richards MTW Tokyo Japan Church Planting Team

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Burkemper Update August, 2009

Burkemper Newsletter Update: 8/09 PDF

Burkemper Newsletter Update: 7/28 PDF

Jamie and Jen Burkemper
MTW Missionaries to Acapulco Street Child

email:  jburkemper@fastmail.fm
Check out latest photos:  www.streetchild.smugmug.com


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Sunday, June 28, 2009

Hello to all, As God's kingdom moves forward in the Middle East, AND
IT IS!!, the enemy no doubt strives to keep his hold on areas closed
to the gospel. In the past month there have been 4 deaths of men and
women dedicated to shining the light of the Lord and sharing His love
with those in this part of the world.
(See below links for news)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8100500.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8118328.stm

These who have lost their lives are known by colleagues of ours.
Please pray for the families of those who have lost their lives. Pray
for the blood of martyrs to be sown and harvested for the kingdom.

Continue to pray for those who follow our Savior at a great risk,
whether from outside this part of the world or those who call it home.

We thank the Lord for the safe arrival of Kara. Pray for an enjoyable
time and a fruitful time. Please continue to pray for work for Joshua.
The Lord has provided, but he still needs regular work.

Continue to pray for Fred and his family to find a suitable place to
live that will be affordable and close to a good school. He praises
God for His provision to date and sees this as blessing on his step of
faith to move despite the lack of resources.

Thanks for keeping in your hearts and prayers the losses of our
Lord's servants.

Frank and Sheree

June 2009

Hello to all, It has been a while since we?ve updated you on our
requests. This will be a long one :)

Frank has been traveling a lot. He and Sheree were in Spain for a
conference for our organization, then Frank went to a country in N. Af
to learn about the work there. After that, home for lectures and small
business training and then to the US for meetings with investors in
the Language School, performing a wedding, visits with his dad and
Joshua and Kara.

Praise God for safe and fruitful travels.

Pray for the ch. in N Af. It is small, but strong and a good
foundation has been laid for how to relate as leaders. Pray for
opportunities to provide training and Theo Ed.

PRAISE God for His provision in Fred?s life. Praise God that they have
moved out of their town for the summer away from negative influences.
Praise God that his children, since they have been in the city aren?t
asking to go pray and have been watching Xn videos. They ask
specifically that the Lord would provide them an apartment that is in
their price range (about $100/month) and in a good place. Also they
ask prayer for transferring their children to a school where there is
less religious pressure. The move is an answer to a request we have
made for over a year now. Please pray that these next important steps
could be taken!!

Praise God for the small business training. We finished the second
class, three of whom will get a loan. Praise God for last year?s class
that is paying back their loans despite the tough economy. Pray for
the new class that they would use their companies for God?s kingdom.
Pray especially for Farid who was unable to complete the training due
to kidney problems. He is on dialysis and experiencing many problems.
He is just in his 20s.

Praise God for good meetings with potential investors for the
expansion of Frank?s language school. Praise God for the excellent
work and amount of effort given by a group of businessmen to prepare
for these meetings. Please pray that God would provide the $150
thousand we are seeking to grow the kingdom. Pray for wisdom and a
heart to follow our Lord as to HOW to use this business for God?s
purposes.

Praise God for good family visits for Frank with his family. He is
thankful for a good visit with his dad and to perform the ceremony for
his niece?s wedding. This is the daughter of Frank?s brother who died
last November. Pray that the words preached would be used to bring
those in his family who don?t know the Lord to see their need for Him.

Pray for Sheree as she prepares some lessons in English for a local
church?s summer program which includes studying stories and songs in
English. Pray that the lessons would be at the right level and
beneficial for the students. Praise God for a great year at the
preschool and for wisdom in working with her teachers.

Pray for Joshua, Kara and Cameron as they wrestle with applying their
faith to life. We are thankful for the interaction and trust the Holy
Spirit to guide them in His paths for His sake.

Pray for us this summer as we seek to recuperate a bit from travels.
Frank will be focusing on organizing a leadership manual from his
lectures on leadership. Sheree will be updating and organizing the
curriculum for the preschool.

Most of all, Give thanks that the Lord is building His ch. in the ME.
There are many signs of this. It is slow and often hidden, but it is
growing. Praise be to our Father!!

With much thanks,
Frank and Sheree

June 15, 2009

Hello to you, Wanted to share with you a note for great celebration
and one on the other end of the scale.

For celebration - We are praising and thanking God for the first
graduating class at AST seminary where Frank teaches. This comes after
4 years. This first class is Lord willing, the first in many who have
been trained theologically, have a mi$$10nal heart and apply the
truths of the Scriptures to their hearts. As well, it is a historical
time as one of the graduates is a blvr from another rel1g. background.
As far as we know this is the first time in this country. Truly a time
to celebrate ... and pray that the Lord would raise up others.

For consolation - Fred, who you have been lifting up for housing, etc,
his mother in law passed away this morning. Fred's wife Betty is
distraught. Her mom has had declining health for a number of months,
but death is always a shock and difficulty. What makes it even more
difficult is that Betty's mother is in another country and Betty
wasn't with her and can't travel to be with her due to financial
constraints. Please pray for Betty's comfort during this extremely
difficult time for her and their family.

The passing of Betty's mom also strengthens in me the desire for those
without a ch., a body, to be a part of. During these times, they don't
have the community to comfort them and care for them. They have left
their community, yet there isn't a new one formed yet that can supply
the comfort, help, teaching, etc that all blvrs need during this time.

Let us resolve to continue our prayers that God would build His ch. as
He promised especially for those who have none.

Thanks for letting us share these two related yet disparate events.

Peace in the midst of trials,
Frank and Sheree

Roger & Laura Dye
New Address (June 2006):
389 Poetic Drive, Winnsboro, SC 29180
We have no snakes. Garbage pickup is Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
Life here can be rather ordinary, but I am supposing that most of you
don't have your guest bathroom toilet in the front yard. Yes, ours is
in the front yard. Last week when we got a water bill fit for a
millionaire we called the plumber. There are only about two pipes that
the plumber has not replaced in the entire house. He found the leak in
the last bastion of old pipes. So the guest bathroom has been gutted
completely to get to the pipes. The front yard is not such a bad
option when I consider the places it could be, like the living room.
After 11 years in Chile I have learned not to ask how long the toilet
will be out there.

Our respected treasurer gave his report. When Daniel speaks everyone
listens. No one questions his transparent and wise handling of the
church money. He made a matter of fact statement, "Although the
church does comparatively well financially, only a few tithe." It was
a just and cauterizing statement and necessary for the next item on
the agenda: calling an interim pastor to lead the church through the
next phase.

I was worried that someone would have a problem with the only
available pastor in our denomination. I was afraid that they would
balk at paying someone. Perhaps someone thought about those things,
but those issues were not discussed. "How are we going to care for a
pastor and his family? We have to tithe. With such a small
congregation we all have to give sacrificially." There was plenty of
discussion but their response was unified.

The other item on the agenda was the clarification that when we return
to Chile Roger will act in a supportive role instead of as the pastor
of this congregation. No one is ready for that, but we must get ready.
The congregation must move forward in maturity. For us it may be
freeing, but it is also difficult to think about. We have done the
same thing for almost 11 years now. What now? There is still so much
work to do before there is a presbytery of churches in our area. Which
way do we go? Those are questions that we will have to talk to God
about over the next few months. Roger preached his last sermon as
pastor of La Iglesia Presbiteriana de Reñaca on Sunday. We aren't
quite sure how we feel about that.

For those of you who pray, our flight is May 19, arriving in Columbia,
SC May 20. In the meantime we need to pack the house up and find an
appropriate renter. That is a rather big issue for us so we would
appreciate your prayers about who might rent our home while we are
gone. If you know of someone in the US who does business in Chile,
perhaps you might have the right contact for us.

About the money. . . when Roger wrote to tell you of our financial
situation many, many of you responded in sacrificial ways. The number
of donations was humbling for us. We appreciate you all so much! In
February it was a certainty that we would go into the red, but your
generosity took care of that! We still need to find some regular
monthly supporters over the next few months, but you have eased our
burden and we are grateful!

Roger teased Suzy, asking her if she thought Hudson might want to
preach on Sunday. She said, "Maybe he might not want to, but he is too
short."

Know of our prayers for you all

Laura Dye for Roger and the kids

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June 2009

Hi All,

We are writing this prayer letter from beautiful San Juan, Puerto Rico.  Celebrating our 20th Anniversary is one of the many things we are excited to share with you in this up-date.  This week in Puerto Rico has given us much needed rest and time alone.  We had forgotten what it was like to be able to sleep late, get out of bed with no particular place to go, and no children to drive to school.   Although, I will have to prepare Sunday’s sermon and items for the bulletin, it is a joy to be able to prepare as I stare out over the Atlantic Ocean.  What a magnificent view!!

 Just a little more than a year ago seven (7) people began praying for what we now call “Door of Hope.”  As I watch the waves of the Atlantic Ocean crash onto the banks of the beach, I see several vivid pictures of the last year in the life of our work in Tallahassee.  There are many people enjoying the sun, sand, family and friends.  Many are walking along the edge of the water, but most are in the ocean.  Some are swimming, others riding on jet skies and others sailing on sail boats, but each enjoying this gorgeous body of water God has created.

Over the past three months, just before leaving for this trip, the work seemed just like the Atlantic Ocean.  It was enjoyable in many ways and at the same time intimidating.  I found myself needing to rely more and more in Christ’s love for me, and in me.

THE CHURCH:
Door of Hope (Mission) is still growing after holding steady for several months.  We have always known that Door of Hope’s growth was not going to be fast.  The Lord is working in the life of our small group, and blessing us with lots of children.  We are praising God for all those He sends!!  Our Remodeling is going slowly. We have all the offices and bathroom walls framed.  Now we are waiting on the Mechanical Engineer to do the layout for the electricity, heating and A/C load for the space.   In the meantime we have had to hire another Architect, because our original Architect moved away.  We are still moving forward with plans to be in the building by late summer.

 It is very exciting to see God use Door of Hope to bring several churches together around His work on the South side of Tallahassee. Four Oaks Community Church is an Evangelical Free congregation here in Tallahassee. They are partnering with us in many areas and many ways for the Gospel. Four Oaks provided Door of Hope with the funds to put a roof on our building.  The cost was close to twenty-five thousand dollars. Four Oaks also provides many volunteers for the programs we sponsor alongside Community Housing Partners at Sunrise Place Apartments on Texas Street.

As a result of our Kingdom efforts together we are picking up more than 6 to 8 people on any given Sunday.  Grace Church is another Reformed Church here in the city that has also partnered with us for the “GREAT COMMISSION.”  Pastor Rod Bunton from Grace Church meets with me for prayer and accountability twice a month.  Rod is fast becoming my CHUCK!!  He and His wife Ann serves as mentors at the Sunrise Place community center.  They are there every Thursday at 4:00pm without fail. Several members from their church are involved at the center on some level.  Grace Church also supports Door of Hope financially.  Many of you are familiar with Centerpoint Presbyterian and Wildwood Presbyterian churches in this city.  Wildwood provides Door of Hope thirty bags of groceries every two weeks from their Our Father’s Storehouse ministry to give to the residents at Sunrise Place Apartments.  The groceries are given to the residents every second and fourth Tuesday of the month from 5:00pm to 6:00pm.  As many as ten volunteers show up to help with prayer, counseling, handling the groceries and updating files. The volunteers are largely from the several churches in the area named above. 

Finally, PRAISE to our heavenly Father for the donation of a van.  Last week a local family donated Door of Hope a much needed van.  It is a 7 passenger Ford Windstar.  This Easter Sunday was special because we were able to get more people to church in less time.  What a way to celebrate with God’s people the RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD.

COMMUNITY CENTER NEWS:

We are at this time going through a HUGE transition at the community center. Patricia Freeland our on-site coordinator notified us that she would be leaving at the end of March.  Pat, as we call her, has done a tremendous job of putting many of the ministries in place as we directed volunteers her way.  Pat will be missed for many reasons, but I will miss her because of her gift to the center; having done this type of ministry in Houston, TX.

The leadership Team of Door of Hope has agreed that we should use the funds earmarked for the center to hire a youth director.  The youth director would serve as the on-site coordinator and youth leader for Door of Hope.  The Deacons and Elders of our PCA that I am accountable to also agreed that this would be the best course of action.  Door of Hope has a member who lives in the Sunrise Place community and volunteers at the Center, who will be hired part time to assist the Youth Director with day to day operations at the center and monthly reporting.

COLLEGE NEWS:

This has been a strange semester at FAMU.  The school has finally hired a full time President.  Dr. James Ammons began his tenure several months ago and his initiation into the college community at FAMU was anything but smooth.  Being apprised of the situation with the school, Dr. Ammons accepted the position anyway.  The school has been in financial trouble for many years, and all the probing by the state college board has proven that it has been going on for at least two decades.  The atmosphere on campus has changed.  Morale is up and students are coming back.  Coming back? Yes!!

In one semester in the spring of 2005, we lost 7 students from our bible study due to their funding not being available. The students were frustrated. We continue to make in- roads with the students as we talk with many of them mano-e-mano.  We meet with a small group of students on Thursday evening from 6 to 7.

In conclusion, here are some random thoughts:  This ministry is as beautiful and large as the Atlantic Ocean.  This ministry is as intimidating as the Atlantic Ocean, because of God’s grace and His spirit working in the lives and hearts of His people.  We can enjoy what God is doing in much the same way the people on this beach are enjoying this large body of water GOD CREATED.   Sometimes I feel like we are out in the middle of it and at other times it feels like we are swimming against the current.  Rarely do we get to walk alongside it, unless you get technical.  In the end we are happiest when we are where He is. Until the end of July and our next prayer letter, thank you all very much for your continued prayer and financial support.

PRAYER REQUEST:

-MEN WHO LOVE THE LORD WITH LEADERSHIP ABILITY
-PERMITTING AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO FINISH REMODELING OF DOH PROPERTY
-THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THE YOUTH DIRECTOR’S POSITION
-TYRONE AND PATRICIA FREELAND AND FAMILY
-VOLUNTEERS AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER
-DOOR OF HOPE MEMBERS
-THE SUNRISE APARTMENT COMMUNITY

GRACE CHURCH (new supporter)
CROSSGATE PCA SENECA, SC (new supporter)
MRS. GRAHAM (new supporter)

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