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: Michael Thorsland

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.

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.

For more information about the Lesondak’s and the ministry of The Building.

From: Glenn Camenisch GDCamenisch@usa.net
Date: Mon, 8 Oct 2007 16:42:42 +0100
To: "Undisclosed-Recipient:;"@cmsout01.mbox.net
Subject: Prayer Update

Dear Ones,

It has been a busy summer, and I haven't done very well in keeping you updated.  

During most of July and September we had men working to replace the roof on the main part of the Campo de Ourique Church's facility.  They also re-plastered the back of the building, painted the back and the front, and repaired the balcony on the back.  Unfortunately the quality of the work was not the best, but hopefully it is adequate and will not give us problems.  We are still working on parts of the roof over the other part of facility behind the main building, but it looks like we have stopped the worse of the leaks for now.  At this point we are starting to work on the inside of the church area as well as the two apartments above.  This will take much more money than the church has at this point, but we are going to take it a step at a time and trust the Lord will provide as we have need.  I am going to send some pictures that will hopefully give you some sense of what I am talking about.

1

2

3

1- This first picture is of the building from the front while it was in process.  Notice the roof is off at this point.
2- This is a picture of the back of building after it has been re-plastered and painted, and the balcony (or terrace) has been repaired.  This picture was taken on the terrace on the second floor in the back, and you can see that there is still a third floor.  So, above the church facilities, on the ground floor, there are two apartments (one  is an attack apt.).  The Lord willing, these (or at least one of them) will be used as a residence for a pastor when ready.
3- Here you see the roof over the sanctuary which is behind (or on the back side of) the main building.  This part of the roof has had some repairs also, but was not part of the contracted work referred to.
As you can see in the last picture the outside looks a lot better now that it is finished.


Thank you again for praying!  The Lord is at work.

Please continue to pray for wisdom and provision as we press on in these repairs, but also pray that all of this will be used of the Lord for the building of His Church and the glory of His name.

Also, please continue to pray for more workers for this harvest field.  Pray especially that the Lord will raise up Portuguese pastors to work in these churches.

Grateful for your participation with us,

Glenn and Frances Camenisch


From: Glenn Camenisch GDCamenisch@usa.net
 Date: Wed, 4 Jul 2007 13:22:00 +0100
To: Ronnie Brockway kimanron@bellsouth.net
Subject: Re: Crossgate PCA, Seneca South Carolina

Hey Ronnie,
Just a note to give a little more info about what we are doing here in Portugal. I have added you to our update list, and hopefully you will be getting those.

Frances and I are involved with a very small denomination of only 4 small churches which is concentrated mostly in the greater Lisbon area. There is a new church plant underway in the north of the country which, the Lord willing, will be a 5th church. Our ministry focuses primarily on the church that is down town in Lisbon in an area of the city called Campo de Ourique.

This church was here before we (the MTW team) came in 1979 and started this denomination. After other churches were planted and the presbytery established they joined. This church, at one point before it joined the presbytery, had been quite a healthy church. However, it dwindled down so low that it eventually came and asked to be a part of the denomination because it was desperately needing help. Unfortunately it still is struggling and thus I am pastoring the church with the hope that it will grow and one day be able to have its own local pastor.

So our ministry is teaching, preaching, visitation, outreach, etc., and right now we are heavily involved in trying to restore and renovate the facility the church owns. It is in very bad shape and a lot of work needs to be done (as we are able of course).

We have had the joy of seeing three new people join the church recently—two by baptism and profession of faith and one by letter of transfer. Our prayer is that the Lord will continue to build His church, and to add to our number those He is saving.

May the Lord bless you!
Glenn

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Email to Dean Dobson
early Nov. 2007

Thank you for the email. I hope everything goes well on the missions trip to Biloxi and at the Global Missions Conf. in Atlanta. I will not be able to attend. But, I trust that it will be an inspiring and challenging conference. My support is slowly reaching the point where I am beginning to pack my belongings (in my mind) and will begin working on my visa application. If I am able to raise the last 5% of my support soon I will try to return to Japan in January/February. Thank you for your prayers, keep interceding for me. I am so appreciative of the prayer and financial support that I receive from Crossgate Church and from individuals like you and your wife. God bless you for it.

Here is some information about me that I hope will be a good introduction to me and to the ministry in Japan. Most of this information is available on my prayer card. Let me know if the church needs any more copies of it; I will send some more. I was raised in a Christian home and as a young person felt the Lord's challenge to commit my life to serve in overseas ministry. I attended Nyack College in NY and earned a B.A. in Eng. Lit. and later attended seminary at Columbia Inter. University and earned a M.A. in Intercultural Studies with a certificate in TEFL (Teaching Eng. as a foreign Language).

In 1995 I went to Chiba, Japan with MTW for a short-term missions trip and stayed for three years. I worked with the Tokyo Church Planting Team particularly in their English Outreach program. I was impressed by the tremendous spiritual need of the Japanese people and returned to Chiba in 2001 for long-term missionary service.

In addition to teaching English classes, my ministry activities include teaching English Bible Studies, playing the piano for the Chiharadai Church worship services, co-leading a weekly Mom's and Kid's Club and a monthly children's outreach, as well as helping with some administrative work for the missionary team. I return to Japan for my second 4-year career term, I hope to spend the first 6 months to a year in full-time Japanese language study. It is a difficult language to learn and I appreciate your prayers for me in this regard.

The spread of the gospel in Japan faces many obstacles and the Japanese response is typically slow, However, the Tokyo team is encouraged by every person who turns to Christ and by the spiritual growth among believers. In reliance upon God, the team is praying for and striving toward the goal of seeing a church-planting movement take hold in the country of Japan.

Debbie Richards

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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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Email from Frank and Sheri
May, 2008

Hello all,

Been a while since our last update. We appreciate your prayers for
God’s work in and through us here.

Please join us in praising God and petitioning Him for:

Successful small business planning. We have completed the first group
and are looking toward a second group starting in the fall. Pray for
wisdom on how to conduct the training. There are MANY difficulties in
carrying this out and we need MUCH wisdom. Personally, I can’t see a
clear way forward, yet I know the Lord wants this, so pray I would
trust Him and walk by faith in what HE can and will do and not by
sight on what I can do.

Please continue to pray for Fred and his wife and children. They are
attempting to leave the country so they can educate their children in
a safe and friendly environment. We would miss them greatly, but
want what is best for the children and their spiritual growth.
Pray for God’s clear direction on whether to travel or not.

Praise God for His direction for Kara. She will be attending Elon
College in NC. Pray for a good finish here and that she would say good
bye well.

Pray for us as we prepare to take her back to the states this summer.
Pray we would wrap up projects here. Pray we would use
our time wisely this summer and follow His lead.

Praise God for Joshua settling well this summer and for all the help
the family of God has provided him (job, place to live, etc.). We
praise God for His family and their care for us.

Pray for God’s people here. There is much repression of bodies of
believers in the area with fines, threats, insults to God’s people,
laborers in the harvest being kicked out, etc. Satan means this for
evil, but God can and will use it for good. Please pray for your
brothers and sisters who continue with great courage in the face of
deep opposition. Pray for their joy and strength.

Thank you for doing battle in the heavenlies. God’s kingdom moves
forward and His influence spreads.

Praising God,
Frank and Sheree

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From: John Hall
To: bettydobson@bellsouth.net
Subject: News from the Halls

From: John Hall
To: bettydobson@bellsouth.net
Sent: Thursday, October 18, 2007 4:10 PM
Subject: Hall Update

From: John Hall
To: bettydobson@bellsouth.net
Sent: Monday, October 29, 2007 3:56 PM
Subject: Gathering Update

Roger & Laura Dye
New Address (June 2006):
389 Poetic Drive, Winnsboro, SC 29180

May 2006


Gabriel Cayul pronounced our mission church, La Iglesia Presbiteriana de Reñaca, a particular church on Sunday, April 9, 2006. No sooner had the words left his mouth than a fight broke out on the back row. Melanie's little voice rang clear and loud, "No! I am not little! I am big!" Suzannah argued with her that she was indeed little. It was important that the entire church family be in the service for this moment in the life of the church, so we all put up with a little noise.

We didn't make a big deal of Sunday, although in our minds becoming a particular church is what we came to Chile to see happen. The service was attended by members and a few others, followed by an expanded coffee time. The charming chapel at the top of the hill is no longer a mission, but a church governed by its own elders, ready to grow without us, and just a little bit terrified of the new responsibilities.

Mr. Lindsay Pope, 95 years old, lived alone in Winnsboro, SC until last October. He left the home where he was born for another home where they could take better care of his aging body. A few weeks ago Mr. Lindsay offered his home place for us to "rent" while we are in the US. Gaye Campbell told me all of the details of the house to my incredulous ears. The Pope home was built in 1835. It withstood Sherman's march through the south, but will it hold up under the Dye children? I inquired, "Does he know we have four kids?" She laughed good-naturedly and said that he did. The beautiful old home comes with furniture, sheets, towels, and a dog! When God provides, He does so down to the dog!

We leave Chile on May 16, and arrive in Mexico. Roger will give a Creation conference in Querétaro. We will arrive Winnsboro on May 31st. Our plans are to return to Chile in May 2007.
Our address in Winnsboro, SC from June 2006 to May 2007 is 389 Poetic Drive, Winnsboro, SC 29180. Our phone number is (803)635-4635. Our e-mail remains the same: rdye@mtwsa.org.


We plan to visit 40 churches, rejoicing with them at what God has done in Chile, and asking for prayer for direction for our return to Chile. Our schedule is already filling up quickly so be sure to contact us to set a time to be in your area. We look forward to hearing from you!!

We are excited about being back in the US, while concerned about leaving our Chilean friends, our house, our two dachshunds, our life here. We anticipate some bumps in the road for our children as they enter a Christian school in the US after years of home schooling. We look forward to it all, knowing that it will be overwhelming. We look forward to spending time with family. We haven't even met one of our nieces, who is three years old! Uncle Charles has a promised fishing trip with the kids. My goodness! There are lightening bugs to catch! (They don't have them in Chile!) We look forward to seeing our parents (both in Mexico and the US) who have all struggled physically in the last few years. Roger needs the time to study several different areas of ministry and theology. Laura needs a library. It is just time to be gringos for a while.

In addition to our own congregation in Reñaca and the mission in Osorno (in southern Chile), Roger has been working with a new mission in Quintero, about thirty minutes up the coast. Three families have been meeting for worship, praying that God will help them to grow and reach the families in Quintero, a beautiful peninsula with 20,000 people living there year round and about 100,000 in the summer. It's a fishing village that oozes coastal charm, mixed with the largest per capita incidences of AIDS in Chile. It is a place that needs the Gospel of Christ desperately.



The pastoral candidate, Juan Montecino and his wife Paola, are a remarkable pair. They aren't typical, but it is obvious after just a few moments of talking with them that there is little they will not do to insure that God is glorified in Quintero. Roger has been giving classes to Juan, and will leave that task to other members of presbytery while we are gone.



Laura's sister watches amazed as churches in the US prepare to welcome us home: “Y’all are like rock stars here!” It's a bit humbling to know that we are supported and loved by so many. Thank you all! We look forward to seeing you very soon!
Roger and Laura Dye
with Deanna, Isaac, Hudson, and Suzannah

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Prayer Requests

Birthdays

6/5  Kathy Lesondak--praise for the nine interns/leaders from Trnava, Slovakia, 2 pregnant, 2 with babies, one with Lupus--for their time with New City Fellowship in Chattanooga. Pray that God has instilled in them all the skills and principles they need to help lead the church plant in the direction God is leading

6/8 Josh ______  -pray for his Sr. year at Wake Forest that he will continue to grow into what God wants him to be.  That he has Godly people helping while he is away from his family.

6/10  Laura Dye  -  praise for growth in the Sunday School which they have faithfully held despite the culture that resist awakening before noon on Sundays

6/10 Kathy Hall  -  pray for Christ to show them how to relate with resistant cultures in Camden--that she deals well with loneliness and separation from her children, especially Emily who will be starting college at Clemson U this fall