Dear beloved family and friends,
Not Another Repeat
I know most of you have received an update letter from me recently in the past week or two, so you’ve already read briefly about Heartland Ministry, the VBS inland mission trip I am led by the Lord to go on; but in order to keep you updated and informed on what’s happening with the team building and ministry affairs Jubilee (the church) has created this website page for all of their current and upcoming missionaries. So, this page is actually to inform you a little more, in details, about what it is I will be doing, and what you will be a part of through prayer –hopefully stirring your hearts to get involved either through prayerfully lifting my team and I up more regularly, or also by supporting God’s work by financially contributing to this mission trip, needed to raise funds for.
Today Was a Success!
It was our first Heartland Ministry meeting and we totaled about 14 people in attendance. Our two leaders, Pastor Victor and Pastor Dan are on another mission trip currently, thus Sharon is left responsible for heading up the meeting for this week and possibly next. Our plan is to focus on team building so that we will have time to know each other by the time Heartland rolls around and the kids will witness first hand the power of love between adults, because 98% of these children come from broken homes where they don’t know what true love looks like, especially between Christians.
Who?
Who are we reaching out to? We are reaching out to a number around 300 children in the grades between 1st through 7th who live in small towns in the country side, where nobody wants to live. The children, like I said, come primarily from broken homes and the families’live only one step above governmental supplemental support. As Jesus preached, the rich are hard to enter into the kingdom of heaven because of their riches…well, the same type of hardening of heart is true for the children of the impoverished communities, though the opposite of Jesus’teaching on rich people. One major prayer request would be for the softening of the kid’s hearts.
Our Goal?
Is to expose the children to English and get their minds open to the fact that they too, just like the rest of the children of Korea who are able to afford to go to private English academies, are able to easily learn English and it is fun for them to be taught. Why? Since they cannot afford to go to afterschool English school programs, and studying and mastering even the most basic English form of conversation these days is imperative for a native Korean to attain a job here in Korea, we feel it is an important “felt need”to tend to, while also ministering to them the Gospel. Another way you can be praying for us is to have “one”strong, basic Gospel theme; like last year, Heartland used the color Gospel to explain salvation.
1 Thessalonians 2: 3-12
For our exhortation does not come from error or impurity or by way of deceit; but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts. For we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed--God is witness-- nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, even though as apostles of Christ we might have asserted our authority. But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children. Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us. For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers; just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children, so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.
Please Pray These:
Lastly, as there are many people involved in the process and ministry, especially leadership, the team, and the children we are reaching out to, please keep us in prayer. I do have 5 main prayer requests:
Open hearts for the children
Team vision and a strong Christian theme
Unity In Ministry
Within Leadership team
Within Team members
With the 300 Children
Team members
Spiritual protection, physical health, relational oneness
Supporters Raised Up
Prayer warriors
Financial sponsors
Thank You
...for taking the time out to read this newsletter and devote your time to prayerfully consider being a HUGE part of God’s ministry work here in Korea and on this side of the world, wherever you may be! When God’s peoples come together, God sees and hears and He rewards openly. I pray you be blessed with all spiritual blessings and see the richness of God fullness poured into your life as we go forward in this walk together. I am here for you if you need prayer. Don’t hesitate to let me know what’s going on in your life either, as I love to hear from you back home.
Love, in Christ’s graceful arms,
Patrina Watt