Perhaps you've heard the story of the man on a beach littered with starfish that had washed ashore, waiting to die apart from their ocean habitat.As he walked along, he would reach down, pick up a starfish, and hurl it back to sea.Another saw him, and said, "How can you possibly hope to save all these starfish -- How can your effort possibly matter?"With that, the man picked up another starfish, hurled it back to sea, and said, "It mattered to that one."

In a world full of much trouble and pain, you may wonder how your efforts of love and compassion can possibly matter.Let us share a few ways that your partnership with us has made a difference in individual lives.

• When the worker asked the orphans to let her pack their new blankets for the return trip to the orphanage, they didn't want to let go.Their new gift was so precious to them!Your partnership allowed us to provide these blankets and other essentials to needy orphans!
• "With just $180 I'll be able to stay at seminary for a term," are the words of seminary students from Philippines, Myanmar, Thailand and other areas where the per capita yearly income averages less than $800 per year.We are humbled to think that Americans may spend in a week what these friends spend in a year.Your support has allowed worthy students to train for ministry and service.
• As the dark head disappeared beneath the water, the preacher declared, "I baptize you my brother, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit."We rejoiced to see three men baptized that day as new believers, and into the fellowship of Faith in Christ Community Church, a group of believers we'd sought to nurture through preaching, teaching, and retreats.It was doubly exciting to participate in the commissioning of their pastor, a recent seminary graduate, and his family as missionaries to Thailand, a nation with less than 1% Christian.
• They had left after breakfast to go to market, and returned to see their barrio of shacks and shanties ablaze.Scores of homes of these squatters living in the metro Manila were gone in a matter of minutes.Through our prayers, encouragement and resources, we were able to help the sister of Leah, our helper.Her family had lost everything.This is the dilemma of many in the world who live day to day with very little security, safety or resources.

Thank you for your partnership in the gospel with us.Through your love, encouragement, gifts and prayers, we are able as partners to extend the light of Christ into the world.Although you are half a world away, the transforming power of your love is felt.

In the bond of Christ,

Flint and Debbie Miller