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ABFMS seal
When the going gets tough, the tough get going…
"Ohana” means "family." "Family" means "no one gets left behind."
“We are stronger when we are together.”
The first two phrases are very commonly known phrases. The first phrase is out of the 1980s movie “The Jewel of the Nile” and may reflect the concept of individual inner strength that allow one to persevere through hardships but also hints to the risk of individualism and losing sensitivity in the midst of adversity or when competition arises; it could stress the “me first”.
The second phrase is out of the 2002 movie “Lilo and Stitch” and strengthens the unity, companionship, and need for each other to put others first and make sure that “no one gets left behind”; hints to team and family efforts and work in unity for a better cause.
The third one is a quote from our colleague Elmo Familiaran, Area Minister in ABCNJ. In the context of this reflection, it could be interpreted as a combination of the first two… We all have strengths and weaknesses; that is a reality we face on a daily basis. When we work and play solo, the weaknesses show up the most and can hinder our endeavors from reaching completion. Yet, when we apply the second phrase (ohana=family=no one gets left behind), and put it in action, that is when we complement each other with our team and family work and efforts, to minimize the effect of our weaknesses and highlight those strengths that serve the group the best; hence we become stronger when we are together.
When Jesus was physically around, He prayed a precious prayer for His disciples in John 17. Verse 9 says “My followers belong to you, and I am praying for them.” Knowing He would be leaving soon, and knowing of our weaknesses and limitations, He still prayed “I am not praying just for these followers. I am also praying for everyone else who will have faith because of what my followers will say about me.” He knew before hand the importance of the witness of each follower, disciple, His friends… So those in generations to come, like you and us, have been prayed for since Biblical times! What a privilege…
Isaiah 6 provides us with beautiful, impacting images of how the Lord called Isaiah to His service. Verse 8 states “Is there anyone I can send? Will someone go for us?” Those same questions are prayed today and there is a “cloud of witnesses” that Hebrew 12:1 talks about, in this 21st century, carrying out that same mission Jesus prayed about in John 17!
Daniel L. Schutte’s “Here I am, Lord” is the song we sang when we were commissioned in 2000 in Green Lake. There were 19 of us that day being commissioned, many had preceded us and many have followed us. We pray, many are yet to come… In our mission society, an almost 200-years-old mission society, there is a “cloud of witnesses” leading others with their lives to become followers of the same Jesus that prayed for us. His mission continues until He returns (and He has already won!), and YOU are a vital chain link in this mission…
As global economy endangers mission endeavors’ financial sustainability (Baptists and non-Baptists alike), we are encouraged by Romans 8:26: “In certain ways we are weak, but the Spirit is here to help us. For example, when we don't know what to pray for, the Spirit prays for us in ways that cannot be put into words.”
The Lord knew how His mission would have different phases, ups, and downs, and He has already provided for us through His Holy Spirit interceding on our behalf, just like Jesus himself interceded for us. God’s mission is accomplished through you and through us, in partnership, in being together so we can be stronger, in being families so that no one gets left behind, so that when the going gets tough, we can be strong and can keep going.
We trust you will be nudged by the Spirit and encouraged to partner with colleagues who need your and our “Ohana-extra-lift” to meet current support goals in this fiscal year. These dear colleagues are: the Wests, the Kelseys, Dan Buttry, the Parajóns, the Armagosts, Walt White, the Smith-Garrisons, the Kalkmans, Mario Morales, the Martins, Wendy Bernhard, the James, the Lowerys, the Turleys, Roberta Stephens, Susan Hegarty, Deliris Carrión-Rosa, the Foxes, the Binkleys, Mike and Becky Mann, the Borquists, and the Niles. These friends serve in an array of vital and life-changing ministries in Bolivia, Brazil, Cuba, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Italy, Japan, Nicaragua, Thailand, and Zambia. Please visit their profile pages and learn of their ministries!
An “Extra-Lift Matching Fund” has been established to support these missionaries… These are 23 missionary units; 37 missionaries out of our 98 long-term missionaries. They have already said “Here I am, Lord. I will go, Lord.” They are "ready for either" as our seal states. It is our time to go to www.internationalministries.org/artifacts/24512 and learn how to partner with these servants of the Lord, this “cloud of witnesses” and their ministries and to www.internationalministries.org/drives/extra_lift_matching to give them that “Ohana-extra-lift”.
Pray, learn, act: you only have until September 27 to say to these “Here I am, missionaries. I will support you.” No one gets left behind because we are stronger when we are together when the going gets tough…
May the Lord bless each of you as He blesses us with your partnership!
"Ohana” means "family." "Family" means "no one gets left behind."
“We are stronger when we are together.”
The first two phrases are very commonly known phrases. The first phrase is out of the 1980s movie “The Jewel of the Nile” and may reflect the concept of individual inner strength that allow one to persevere through hardships but also hints to the risk of individualism and losing sensitivity in the midst of adversity or when competition arises; it could stress the “me first”.
The second phrase is out of the 2002 movie “Lilo and Stitch” and strengthens the unity, companionship, and need for each other to put others first and make sure that “no one gets left behind”; hints to team and family efforts and work in unity for a better cause.
The third one is a quote from our colleague Elmo Familiaran, Area Minister in ABCNJ. In the context of this reflection, it could be interpreted as a combination of the first two… We all have strengths and weaknesses; that is a reality we face on a daily basis. When we work and play solo, the weaknesses show up the most and can hinder our endeavors from reaching completion. Yet, when we apply the second phrase (ohana=family=no one gets left behind), and put it in action, that is when we complement each other with our team and family work and efforts, to minimize the effect of our weaknesses and highlight those strengths that serve the group the best; hence we become stronger when we are together.
When Jesus was physically around, He prayed a precious prayer for His disciples in John 17. Verse 9 says “My followers belong to you, and I am praying for them.” Knowing He would be leaving soon, and knowing of our weaknesses and limitations, He still prayed “I am not praying just for these followers. I am also praying for everyone else who will have faith because of what my followers will say about me.” He knew before hand the importance of the witness of each follower, disciple, His friends… So those in generations to come, like you and us, have been prayed for since Biblical times! What a privilege…
Isaiah 6 provides us with beautiful, impacting images of how the Lord called Isaiah to His service. Verse 8 states “Is there anyone I can send? Will someone go for us?” Those same questions are prayed today and there is a “cloud of witnesses” that Hebrew 12:1 talks about, in this 21st century, carrying out that same mission Jesus prayed about in John 17!
Daniel L. Schutte’s “Here I am, Lord” is the song we sang when we were commissioned in 2000 in Green Lake. There were 19 of us that day being commissioned, many had preceded us and many have followed us. We pray, many are yet to come… In our mission society, an almost 200-years-old mission society, there is a “cloud of witnesses” leading others with their lives to become followers of the same Jesus that prayed for us. His mission continues until He returns (and He has already won!), and YOU are a vital chain link in this mission…
As global economy endangers mission endeavors’ financial sustainability (Baptists and non-Baptists alike), we are encouraged by Romans 8:26: “In certain ways we are weak, but the Spirit is here to help us. For example, when we don't know what to pray for, the Spirit prays for us in ways that cannot be put into words.”
The Lord knew how His mission would have different phases, ups, and downs, and He has already provided for us through His Holy Spirit interceding on our behalf, just like Jesus himself interceded for us. God’s mission is accomplished through you and through us, in partnership, in being together so we can be stronger, in being families so that no one gets left behind, so that when the going gets tough, we can be strong and can keep going.
We trust you will be nudged by the Spirit and encouraged to partner with colleagues who need your and our “Ohana-extra-lift” to meet current support goals in this fiscal year. These dear colleagues are: the Wests, the Kelseys, Dan Buttry, the Parajóns, the Armagosts, Walt White, the Smith-Garrisons, the Kalkmans, Mario Morales, the Martins, Wendy Bernhard, the James, the Lowerys, the Turleys, Roberta Stephens, Susan Hegarty, Deliris Carrión-Rosa, the Foxes, the Binkleys, Mike and Becky Mann, the Borquists, and the Niles. These friends serve in an array of vital and life-changing ministries in Bolivia, Brazil, Cuba, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Italy, Japan, Nicaragua, Thailand, and Zambia. Please visit their profile pages and learn of their ministries!
An “Extra-Lift Matching Fund” has been established to support these missionaries… These are 23 missionary units; 37 missionaries out of our 98 long-term missionaries. They have already said “Here I am, Lord. I will go, Lord.” They are "ready for either" as our seal states. It is our time to go to www.internationalministries.org/artifacts/24512 and learn how to partner with these servants of the Lord, this “cloud of witnesses” and their ministries and to www.internationalministries.org/drives/extra_lift_matching to give them that “Ohana-extra-lift”.
Pray, learn, act: you only have until September 27 to say to these “Here I am, missionaries. I will support you.” No one gets left behind because we are stronger when we are together when the going gets tough…
May the Lord bless each of you as He blesses us with your partnership!