June Update - 'Headed to Haiti!'
It's been a normal week heading up to a mission -- There are always significant attacks from the enemy before we go. Randy has been so ill tthe past week that it is the night before flying out and he is still has not packed. Thank God that our prayers and those of our friends have enabled him to feel good enough to go at all.
Haiti is still reeling from the earthquake of 2 years ago and though much work has been done -- there are still an estimated 500,000 people living in tent villages where sanitation is poor, crime is rampant and rape is common.
Pray for the team's health, safety and impact as we serve together.
Randy has also been working hard making preparations for the September mission to Uganda Africa. This mission starts in 3 months and Lord willing, will help launch 2 new churches in needy areas.
We are especially excited to minister in southwestern Uganda where we went a couple of years ago. Today, there are 40,000 people fleeing for their lives from the Congo over the borders of Rwanda and Uganda. Many are ending up near the town of Kihihi where we are hoping to plant a new church that will minister to those with spiritual and physical needs for years to come.
Please pray for the resources needed to hold a two day Pastor's training conference and to build a structure and rent land for the church building.
Wouldn't you like to have a part in something significant like this?
You can pray, give generously and maybe even go on a future trip to see what the Lord is doing in the middle of so much heartache and evil.
Won't you join us?
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Lira Uganda Prison Ministry
In our last newsletter, we mentioned our dear friend and ministry partner, Pastor James Okori. He is pictured above, calling on God to do a mighty work beginning here on the Nile in Uganda and all the way to Egypt, where the Nile empties into the Mediteranean Sea.
In addition to pastoring his church, working with Africa Hope Bible Institute, being a member of the Lira Pastor's and Elder's fellowship -- James is also ministering at the Lira Prison. As mentioned last month, we would like to help provide Bibles in the local language and Discipleship materials, but can only do it if our friends provide donations to help.
If you would like to participate - note "Lira Project" on your donation and they will go to provide these materials for prisoners to grow in Christ.
Here is an updated email from Pastor James to Usher In:
Lovely greetings in the name of Jesus, our Saviour and Lord.
We are so blessed by what the Lord God is doing through you; making yourselves available, obedient and faithful for the Master’s use; and the ministry of Usher In International galvanizing the Lord’s people across the nations to worship Him on Indian continent, the Pacific, Africa as well as the Americas, etc.
We had an all week prayer retreat here in Lira-Uganda, lifting before the Lord the needs of the ministry. We trust the Lord will fulfill all the planned requirements for the June 2012 as well as the September 2012 mission trips to Haiti and Uganda.
And we will continue to pray for you and the ministry each time we convene for our prayer meetings as the Lord has began to do a new work here gathering His people across all Christian denominations to pray together for His kingdom and the work of the gospel in the nations. There is a great yearning and a burden of the Lord in the heart of men and women here to regularly gather together in prayers for the work of the kingdom in Africa and the nations.
This year 2012, Uganda celebrates her Jubilee – 50th year of independence from colonial yoke. We are seeing a new release of grace upon the church as we mark the jubilee year. Blessings of the Lord Jesus our Saviour and Master to you and Usher In International as the Lord God Almighty has found her faithful to come and join in the harvest of African souls this jubilee season in July and September 2012.
We are seeing gatherings of fervent prayers, great crusades, in depth teaching of the gospel of the Kingdom and the grace of God all around us.
We are also making a commitment to share every monthly newsletter of Usher In with our friends from all walks so as to expand the cause of the gospel to the lost, the lonely, the hungry, the sick, etc as well as share the burden of the Lord heart with many.
James and Esther,
Pastors at Hosanna Worship Center,
LIRA-Uganda.
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Please pray for Pastor James, Esther, their family and the ministry in Lira Uganda. May the Lord grant them favor and power to reach thousands with the Gospel of His Grace.
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Prayer requests:
Pray for health and safety of team in Haiti this week. Pray for spiritual growth by all and effective ministry to those in need
Pray for our good friend Steve Mueller who is suffering with cancer and has deteriorated quickly in the past two weeks after receiving the diagnosis. Pray for strength, peace, healing and a testimony of his faith, along with his precious wife Carol.
Pray for resources to plant the two churches in Uganda and to bring good news and hope to the thousands of refugees fleeing from the Congo. Pray for peace to return to this troubled region where hundreds of thousands have been killed in the past two decades.
Pray for outreach in Southern Sudan by graduates of Africa Hope Bible Institute. Pray that the Gospel will penetrate the lives of many who live in fear and in the midst of political turmoil.
Pray for the Usher In board as we make decisions regarding future ministry in 2013 and that resources are provided to make them happen.
Pray for the Lira Prison outreach and Pastor James Okori
Pray for Brad Butcher and family ministering in Hyderabad India with Passion 4 People.
Pray for Bud Jones who just left our home to move to Thailand to work with Remember Nhu - ministry to aid at risk girls impacted by the sex trafficking industry.
Pray for Pastor Praveen Chakravarthy in Kakinada India and the 240 orphans and 1000 churches this young man oversees in the remote areas of the country.
Pray that we always lift up the name of Jesus so that the whole world might know that He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords with all authority in heaven and on earth.
We will see Him again soon and behold His glory. Blessed is the one who He finds doing what He asked us to do, when He returns.
Amen! Even so -- Come Lord Jesus!
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Make a difference that lasts for eternity.
Join the Usher In Team. |
Randy's Calendar and Ministry Opportunities
Haiti Mission
June 15-23rd
Uganda Mission
July/Aug - 10 days
(dependent upon funding)
Woodhaven Comm. Church
August 19
speaking two services
Uganda Mission
Sept / Oct - 2.5 weeks
Launch 2 churches, community outreach, pastor's conference
India Mission
Dec / Jan - 2.5 weeks
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Facts to Ponder---
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You did not choose who your parents would be or what nation you would be born in. Those choices were within the plan of God for you but have nothing to do with your value or worth as a person.
If you have never missed a meal, cried out suffering unbearable pain or had to hide from those who would like to kill you -- you should give God thanks each day. Many are not so fortunate - even today, around the world.
Although many of us care - we often don't know how we can make a difference. We cannot fix everything -- only God can do that - and He will one day soon.
What we can do today is make a difference in practical ways - one person at a time.
"If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth."
1 John 3:17-18
The greatest human need is to have a personal relationship with God through His Son - Jesus Christ. That is the only place where a person finds forgiveness for their sin and eternal life as a gift from God.
Closely following that need is the need for food, shelter and health that a person may live in peace and glorify God all the days of their life here on earth.
Won't you help us make a difference today?
Contact us and we'll show you how you can change lives forever: info@usherin.org
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Specific Ministry Financial Needs:
Usher In Staff - monthly salary / travel expenses (currently <10% pledged)
Uganda Mission: July or early August planning and leader conference:
$3500
September MIssion: Two new churches, Pastor's conference, ministry to sick, prisoners, police, school children
$20,000
Lira Prison Ministry: Bibles and Discipleship materials
$8 per Bible, $5 discipleship material, $5 hygiene kits
India Mission - outreach to Hyderabad and Kakinada
$10,000
Evangecubes $4 each in lots of 100
Soccer balls (need 250 donated - do you have a contact to help?)
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