Missionary Renewal

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

As we enter 2008, we are all looking forward to the new things that God has in store for the this year! So many changes are happening in world missions. We are truly excited to see what God has in store.

I am sure that you have already heard of many of the changes that are happening with the summer programs. Candidate School (CS) is being reduced from three weeks to two weeks, and School of Missions is being renamed to Missionary Renewal and is being shortened from 7 full days to 4 full days.

I want to let you know that the MK department is excited about the changes that are happening, and we are looking forward to these new challenges. I believe that the changes being made are truly with the missionaries best interest at heart!

ISMK was a part of a committee looking at the summer schedules. During CS our Missionary Associate (MA) MKs were on campus only for the first two weeks and the Candidate MKs stayed on for the third. It was always a let down for the Candidate MKs to say goodbye to their friends, and then have only half the number of MKs for the last week of CS. I have always felt that the MA kids walked away with just as much of a passion as the Candidate MKs! The bulk of the MK identity training was done in the first two weeks, to make sure that all of the MKs had the same training. The third week was always fun, but not as much instruction. I believe that we will still be able to have a quality Pre-Field preparation for our MKs in two weeks. We will continue to have MuKappa. Candidates coming through the summer programs can expect to have the same level of quality that ISMK has always given our missionaries!

Missionary Renewal (MR) certainly will have a new look for the MK program as well! However, I believe that the changes in the schedule are a positive thing for the MK program as well. While we are losing three days of ministry, we are able to adjust some of our activities so that we minimize the effect of that. We are adjusting some of the schedule, and will have a very powerful week. I believe that the changes in schedule force us as a ministry to be more effective, and more purposeful in everything we do. That is definitely a great thing for us! We will still have a day at Silver Dollar City with all the programs, as well as four evenings of powerful services. Pray with us that God will continue to touch lives and baptize MKs in the Holy Spirit during MR! I know that God has great things in store for next summer, and I am excited about the positive changes that are happening! We will still have a great, fun time with the MKs - and God will move in the services.

I am also very excited about REENTRY. Because of the change is schedule, we are able to be much more focused on the entire reentry program. Immediately following MRW, Caring Connection will lead the annual Reentry program. ISMK will be doing a bulk of our cultural adjustment sessions during Reentry! Some of those sessions were during SOM last year. I would encourage you to make sure you REGISTER for Reentry!!! Our program for those about to enter college is continually getting better, and these changes will help us even more!

Thanks for taking the time to read this letter. Needless to say, I am looking forward to next summer. The ISMK program is a part of World Missions, and I believe we need to morph and make ISMK what it needs to be for this generation of missionaries and MKs! We will not accept anything but the best possible program for our MKs. We pray that you have a great winter/spring (summer/fall depending on where you are)!

Thanksgiving Retreat

We recently returned from Winter Park, Colorado. Each year the Assemblies of God World Missions sends its college aged MKs to Colorado for a Thanksgiving Retreat. This year was the 35th anniversary of the ISMK Program, and the college retreat! The first AGWM College MK retreat was held in August of 1972! AGWM was lightyears ahead of other missions sending organizations.

This year we had the previous MK Ministry Directors attend the retreat. Each morning we had them share in a Q&A session. We had each of them share about the history of the program, why we do what we do, as well as lots of personal stories. We will be making a DVD of those sessions, as well as the video that I put together for the retreat. It was great to be able to hear from each of them. The only disappointment was that the original Director, Joan Schnelle, had to cancel because of illness in the family.

Each evening we had services, which were all great. Don Triplett spoke on Thursday night about being a Missionaries' Kid vs. being a Missionary Kid. John Bueno spoke on Friday night, and gave some of his testimony along with a great message about following God's plan! I spoke on Saturday evening, along with out "creative worship" service. All in all, I think the retreat touched lives! We all left there longing for more times of worship together. It is always amazing how quickly MKs can reconnect with each other!

I also left retreat with a burden for some of our MKs that are struggling with various MK challenges. Moving back to the States can always bring many challenges. I would ask that you pray for MKs that are struggling with cultural re-adjustments, which is only one of those challenges.

I will be posting the video on the internet as soon as I can. You should be able to see it in on this website later today.

Last summer was our first ISMK missions trip to Honduras. We had 12 people go, and it was amazing! Since it went so well, and so many have expressed an interest in another missions trip, I am going to lead another one!

Dates: July 24 – August 5, 2008
Cost: Airfare plus $1000*
Location: Nairobi, Kenya

Summer of 2008 I will be taking a missions trip to Nairobi, Kenya, with ONLY high school MKs! We will be working with a local missionary and the Area Director, doing ministry to young people in the city of Nairobi. We have room for 15 people on this trip (12 MKs and 3 staff). As of November 1st we already have 8 people (2 staff and 6 MKs) registered for the trip. These spots will be on a “first come, first serve” basis. There is a $100 deposit to reserve your place on this trip. If you want to be a part of this trip, fill out the application and send it in along with your $100. The total cost of the time in Kenya is $1,000, which will include all your transportation, meals, lodging and a one-day safari. Airfare will vary depending on where you are flying from.

I pray you are all doing well! Pray for us, as we are headed into Thanksgiving Retreat in just about 12 days! Things are hectic, but we are excited about the great things ahead. I would love to see the trip to Kenya filled up before Christmas, so everyone has the time to raise the necessary funds. So, if you are interested, I would encourage you to talk to your parents now. We will fill up, and we will not go over 15 people.

Northern Asia

Hello MKs and friends! I wanted to ask for you prayers as I head out to Northern Asia this week. I will be gone until the middle of October. We have quite a few families living there, and I will be meeting with them. For safety sake, I won't say much - but thanks for your prayers!

MK Events 2007

ISMK believes in reaching out to MKs where they live. Each year MK alumni travel around the world to regional retreats. In the Spring of 2007 we had the opportunity to minister to MKs in several countries.
· Nairobi, Kenya—80 MKs from South, Central, and East Africa
· Costa Rica—100 MKs from all over Latin America and the Caribbean
· Southern Spain—172 MKs from all over Europe

Alumni MKs also served in discipleship rolls at retreats for Latin American MKs in Waxahachie, Texas; an MK retreat in Eurasia, and a retreat in Mexico. In the coming year ISMK will travel for the first time to families in China. Every summer, ISMK leadership and staff live at Evangel University for six weeks as we minister, train, and challenge new MKs getting ready to face the challenges of living overseas for the first time. This summer over 300 missionary kids gathered and were ministered to during the summer program. God continues to open amazing doors of ministry and opportunity to reach the MK family.

In July, 2007 we led an MK Missions Trip. Partnering with Book of Hope, 10 MKs and three team leaders visited Honduras to share the Book of Hope in schools, perform skits, and share the love of Jesus. Here’s what some of the MKs who attended the trip had to say…

“Honduras was truly amazing, I thoroughly enjoyed every minute I was there. I was blessed with getting to meet new friends, see some of God’s beauty and have a taste of a new culture…It was an honor to work with other MKs, meshing our multi-cultured skills together and tweaking our habits to compliment each other…The highlight was to see the children’s excited faces and hear their anxious voices about their new-found knowledge: that there is a hope, our Jesus.” —Anna, MK from Thailand

“I have lived on the field all my life; however I have never gone on an overseas [missions] trip before. This summer, however I got the privilege to journey with fellow MKs on a trip to Honduras…The children were so sweet and so eager to hear what we had to say…If you didn’t go this summer you most definitely must go next time. It’ll change your life (it changed mine) and give you a new view of life and the world!” —Stephen, MK from Northern Asia

“The 2007 MK missions trip was an amazing experience. The memories our team built…will not fade any time soon!...Seeing the excitement of the little kids getting a Book of Hope at each elementary school we went to was a source of encouragement.” —Sarah, MK from Northern Asia

“I would definitely encourage anyone who has never been on a missions trip to get out there and go do it!” —Melody, MK from Japan