Frequent Flyer Miles...

Cara on one of her trips to Teso

Tonya with Angela, who has been living with her and is now healed from her Turberculosis.

We have the privilege of partnering with two of the most amazing young women you’ll likely ever meet. Cara lives in Entebbe near the Nkumba schools, and Tonya lives about 4 hours east in Jinja. Both are in Uganda with Remember the Poor. They pour their lives out for the sake of the Gospel.

Trans-continental trips don’t come cheap! If you have frequent flyer miles that you’d like to donate (or un-used airline gift cards), please email me with the quantity of miles you have available as well as the airline. We have specific need for 4 tickets in late January, and 1 in March. We can use both domestic and international carriers, as some of the travel is within the U.S.

Thank you!

Swell Up and Die...

Dear Friends,

I would like to update you on our fundraiser and what the Lord has done, but first I would like to share a true story with you.

Acts: 28 1-10 ~ Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. 2 The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold. 3 Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. 4 When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live.” 5 But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. 6 The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead; but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.

On the way to Rome, Paul faced many life threatening events. In Acts 27 he boarded a ship as a prisoner and set sail for Rome with a centurion, guards and other prisoners. The crew decided to sail and beat the weather in order to deliver their cargo in a timely fashion. They sailed into some hurricane like storm. Paul warned the centurion to no avail. After the crew feared for their lives, Paul shared that an angel of the Lord appeared to him and that no one on the ship needed to fear. All 276 people jumped ship and swam to the island of Malta, all 276 men made it alive, just as Paul promised according to his vision.

In Acts 28, once the crew arrived safely on shore, Paul gathered some wood to throw into the fire. But a viper was hiding in the wood and jumped out and bit him on the hand. I love that the Lord had orchestrated that all eyes would be on his servant Paul. Verse 4 says that the islanders thought that Paul must have been an murderer and was getting what was due him, from the goddess Justice, because he escaped death from the sea. But Paul just shook off the snake. Verse 6 tells us that the people expected him to swell up or fall over dead, BUT “after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.

God had all eyes on Paul, everyone watched him, the centurion, the guards, other prisoners and now the Islanders of Malta. Not all of us has had the prospect of sharing our faith through a snake bite. However the Lord has orchestrated the things in lives to be such a witness to Christ. He draws attention to us, our life stories, our up’s and our downs for one purpose, to bring Him glory!

This is the case with a friend of mine living in Uganda. Tonya has been a part of our ministry at The Mission. The Lord moved her and her son Christopher to Uganda and she has been on a wild journey from day one. In just five months, Tonya has had to change her course about five times, move twice, saved a child from witch craft and starvation, has taken three children into her care under the age of nine from different tribes (one tribe being an unreached people group), lost and regained two of her children twice, been sick, feared for her life, been thrown in jail for protecting a neglected child, and has been in two car accidents. There is much more to her story that I can’t go into detail about now but you get the idea, Tonya has been under great pressure and great attack.

Tonya shares a compound with a Muslim couple. They have began to form a relationship and the couple really cares for Tonya and her kids. Just last week Tonya got into a pretty big car accident and had to take care of some personal business. The couple was concerned for Tonya and her family and was waiting for an update once Tonya returned. You see, the Lord has drawn attention to Himself, through his servant. This Muslim family has been watching Tonya get struck by “the viper!” They have been waiting, just as the Islanders of Malta, for Tonya to swell up and fall over dead! How could one person endure such venomous strikes and live?

With all eyes on Tonya, she gave testimony to the one and only, Christ! She has displayed his truths and testified to His name sometimes, without even knowing it. This Muslim couple has been watching. With their gaze fixed on Tonya and the wonder that she has not given up and died, they made a bold statement! “We are tired of this Muslim religion, we want to know about your Jesus!”

This is why we are set on traveling to Uganda and Kenya. This is our heart beat, the nations coming to faith in the one true God! This is why we have garage sales and fundraisers. This is why we ask for your support! Christ glorified is the reason we live! There is story after story of people giving up their “old idols” for new life in Christ. They watch and see that we have victory and no snake bite will take us from praising the TRUE God!

Our sale earned $1097! Praise the Lord! Thank you to all who participated by donating and helping so much. We fought against the rain the whole time, but God is good! We are approximately in need of $2000 more! Will you please pray and ask the Lord how he will use you to “send” us? It is the time of the year where we are all busy getting ready for Christmas and we know that it is the time of the year where finances get tight. Would you please pray and ask God to challenge you in the area of giving, and then trust Him through it?

If only 20 people gave $100, the task would be accomplished! We appreciate all of you. We thank you for your generosity, prayers and love for us and the mission of Christ.

There are two ways to donate, you can send a check to Remember the Poor (with a note “Thiele Travel”)

RTP
PO Box 1013
Lynden, WA 98264

Or you can go online to http://www.irememberthepoor.org/ and click the donate button and donate on line. Make sure you add a note to it, saying “Thiele Travel”!


As for the end of Tonya’s story with her new Muslim friends, we will have to wait and find out what the Lord has planned. Tonya can only do and say so much because of cultural barriers between men and women, but her friends are eagerly awaiting Bryan’s (and my) arrival so that he can ask questions of another man, a lover of Jesus

Blessings to you all. Please know that we are praying for you! Please email us your prayer requests, we would love to pray for you as well!

In the Matchless Name of Christ,

Bryan and Andrea Thiele

His Desires, My Desire...

Dear Friends and Family,

This past week we have learned so much about reaching the nations for Christ. Bryan and I were able to attend a Community Health Evangelism (CHE) meeting and it spoke right to our hearts.

“The purpose if CHE is not just breaking poverty or planting churches, though both are accomplished in CHE programs. The real goal of our work is a transformation in the lives and communities that is as deep as the human heart, and as broad as the whole range of the human experience on the world God made. We want Jesus to be recognized as the Lord over all creation, and our development activities to reflect the depth and breadth of the kingdom of God. CHE seamlessly integrates evangelism, discipleship and church planting with community health and development. The ministry is wholistic, seeking to obey everything that Jesus commanded and addressing the whole need of individuals and communities.”

We are planning on taking next steps with CHE to receive their formal training. This is will be a vital tool we use to reach out to the Karamojong people of Uganda and other communities.

Our trip to Uganda and Kenya will be a vision trip. We will be working with our missionaries in Uganda and our pastors & leaders in Kenya to cast vision and explore the possibilities of reaching local communities and unreached people groups with the Gospel of Christ.

As we all know, going to the nations requires the means to get there. While we know that reaching the unreached with the Gospel of Christ is important, we also know that some go and some stay to send the goers, every part is vital to a successful ministry and as the body of Christ, we seek to build the kingdom of God together.
Romans 10: 12-15 ~ For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”[f] 14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”[g]

We are well aware that this is the Christmas season and money is tight. I would like to present to you:

If 40 people gave $100 (or more) we would reach our goal.

40 x $100 = vision trip to reach the unreached!

Your donations are tax deductible, when you make your check to Remember the Poor. Please do not write our name on the check, but please do include a note, “Thiele Travel”.

RTP
PO Box 1013
Lynden, WA 98264

Or click here and donate online to RTP, please include "Theiel Travel" in your note.

Our fundraiser is one week away! Thank you to those of you who have donated to our sale, we are so grateful.

I will keep you up to date as we move along and God provides.

Blessings
Bryan & Andrea

Help Needed...

Dear Friends and Family,

I am sending out a reminder that we are having a DONATION GARAGE SALE on December 16th through the 18th . 100% of your donations, will go to our Uganda/Kenya trip. Remember it is almost the end of the year and ALL of your financial contributions are tax deductable.

Bryan, The Mission and I feel it is vital that we spend time with our missionaries in Africa. We have several ministries that need special attention and our help. We are asking for donations for our garage sale, and financial contributions to make this trip come to fruition and to be successful.

In Uganda, we plan on working with Tonya and another local missionary to effectively reach the Karamojong people. We believe the Lord has provided ways to begin ministry with the Karamojong, to teach them the Word of God, and bring Glory to His Name! The Karamojong are an unreached people group in the 10/40 window. You can learn more about their people on Joshua Project.

After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice:

“Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.”
Rev 7:9-10

The Bible says the Karamojong will be represented in heaven! Praise the Lord! This is our hearts cry! We long to serve Christ in this capacity, reaching the unreached of His nations.

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” Romans 10:14-15

We NEED your help:

We are accepting all donations for our garage sale ASAP! Please drop them off anytime to our house, or call and we will pick them up. (623) 910-4886, most of you know this routine, we have done it before

OR

You can donate directly to our ministry for our trip. Your money will go toward, travel, The Proclaimer (a tool used for translating the Gospel into native tongues), training, and needs for our missionaries and leaders. This is a great time to make tax deductible contributions, before year’s end!

You can send your financial contribution directly to the address below, or online by clicking here:
Remember The Poor
PO Box 1013
Lynden, WA 98264

Include a note “Thiele Travel”
Remember the Poor is a 501 c(3) charitable organization. All donations are tax-deductible. Please include your e-mail address so we may send your gift receipt by e-mail


Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for partnering with us in ministering to the nations of the world.

Blessings
Bryan and Andrea

“Ministry that costs nothing, accomplishes nothing.” John Henry Jowett

Reaching the Lost...

Urgent: The harvest is ripe the workers are few!!! Matthew 9:37

Dear Friends and Family,

I want to take this time to update you on some important circumstances in our ministries that need immediate prayer and financial attention.

Most of you are aware that we have ministries in Africa. Tonya is one of our missionaries that we sent out from The Mission and is one of the ministries that we support. She lives in Uganda and has been given the opportunity to minister to the Karamojong (an unreached people group) and street children.

Tonya has been facing some trials in the last month or so. It has been hard to send out updates for prayer, because her circumstances change sometimes minute to minute. I think now is a great time to try and update you while there are some things that need immediate prayer and financial attention.

First I will give you some back ground. Tonya has 5 children. 1 biological, 1 adopted and 3 foster children. The African tribe called the Karamojong live in Masses, near Tonya. That is not where they are originally from, but they venture out of their home town of Moroto, to the towns to beg, and earn money.

I am stilling learning about the Karamojong, and don’t want to tell you information that is not true, so I will be vague. The Karamojong are not highly regarded are not liked and looked down upon in Uganda. They also, believe that they own the cattle in all of Uganda, so they steal, pillage. They are sometimes a violent people.

Most of the Karamojong do not work. When they don’t have cattle, the women take their kids to the streets of Kampala to beg. The children are left by themselves to walk up to 15 miles a day, sometimes with a baby on their back, begging for money and food. If the children can’t make the long walk home to the slums, they sleep in store fronts, alone.

This is the story of thousands of lives, including Phillip and Angela. Phillip and Angela were picked up by the police, off of the street for begging and taken into custody.

Tonya finally was able to take in Phillip and Angela to care for them. They have been on the streets for most of their lives, or in custody of the police. She knows that the Lord has clearly told her to advocate for these children. She was looking for the birth mom, in order to make sure there was not a birth mom looking for them. The birth mom was able to find Tonya and her children. Tonya invited the birth mom, Maria to live with them, which she did for about 24 hours. Maria brought her supposed mom, infant and 4 year old son with her. Maria took Tonya to the slums where she lives in Kampala to sign papers so Tonya could have custody. Tonya was welcomed in by the women singing and dancing and praising a foreign god, not our own Jesus. The chief of the town, invited her back to help them in the future.

After about 24 hours, Maria decided that she would take the people she came with and Phillip and Angela with her back to the streets. Tonya tried to argue with her to let them stay, but Maria insisted. When asked if the kids would go back to begging, she said “Yes!” Tonya packed their clothes and loaded them up and Phillip and Angela walked into the night in the pouring rain. This is a note I received from Tonya after the return of her children the first time. I love her words, and I must share it with you. Tonya spent a horrible night sick to her stomach and that is the reference you read in the beginning about sitting on the bath room floor;

Wow sister, that was not, not fun! But I spent a lot of time with Jesus in those moments as I laid on my bathroom floor and I praise him even when satan tries to tell me that none of this is worth it.

I prayed about the slum in Kampala with all those Karamojong brothers and sisters. I was thinking that their rent is $2 a month and their food is no more than $2 a day. The kids are the ones who work, not the parents. But for them there is no other way.... BUT THERE IS.... JESUS!

I am praying in many moments a day about THE MISSION MASESE and about that slum in Kampala. My heart is forever tied to these people because that is what God did through my precious Philip and Angela. They asked me for help as they thanked me for the kids, and that, I believe, was God opening the widow to heaven.

I need help sister. I am but one woman with these huge tasks on my heart. The letterhead paper that the village persons wrote the letter on for me to care for Phillip and Angela says, "Together we can make a difference". I can't stop thinking about that and how with Jesus and just small, small resources we can change the lives of these people who feel so outcast yet God holds in his highest regard.

I remember reading a post that Gwen from 147 million orphans wrote after a visit last year to Masese1 where the Karamojong live that they work with. She said it was different, because when they pulled up there were not kids begging! I pray for the day we drive down Jinja road, the same path that my dear Philip walked with his little sister strapped to his back, to find no Karamojong children on that road working. I know I can pray that prayer with confidence because surely that is God's wish too. He wants justice.... OCEANS of it. He wants fairness.... RIVERS of it. Let us not yearn for the things of this world, but for JUSTICE and FAIRNESS as it is written by THE ONE we claim to know and love so dearly.

These past few days I have found myself homesick. I thought it was for AZ and all the people I love so and miss so dearly, but this morning I realized it was for heaven and the arms of Jesus..... whew, I get chills just thinking about that day. I love you. Come quickly, praying for God to make the path so clear and for his provision for every single need. XO from UG my dearest friend. Oh how I love you and long for the day that we serve his people together, arms linked and in community!

Please understand that the primary concern is for the children. Tonya’s heart is wrapped around these kids, but the heart ache comes when she knows that they are unwanted and are going to be living in conditions that are not suitable for a child. It is hard to imagine, that Angela was once in a warm bed receiving the medication she needs for her TB and now is living in the slum with no food to eat, facing a life of danger in the streets, with a mom she doesn’t know and a language she doesn’t speak.

We have been praying for the Lord to advocate on behalf of these kids and today, God is working miracles! Today Tonya is on their way to pick up her kids BY THE GRACE OF GOD!

This is just in from Tonya, via text:

“I have them, only by a miracle. I think Angela is drunk with alcohol and has a broken leg. They are in the same clothes and looks like they have not bathed. They are weak and limp, please pray.”

“Angela is drunk!! Phillip just told me they have no mattress, and slept on the dirt floor. She knew me and cried and them came back and won’t let anyone near her. She is gyrating and I think someone must have hurt her. We are going to the hospital.”

“Please, we pray we need God to keep showing up.”

Friends, here is the situation. Tonya NEEDS money. Most of you know that she doesn’t not have much support. She stepped out and trusted God for her circumstances. She needs money and support. It will cost money for the hospital and the paper work for the police. On top of that she trust that the Lord will supply all of her needs for food. They are going on faith right now.

It takes a lot of money to serve these kids, and their families.

Please pray and ask the Lord how he wants you to give right now. You can contact me directly if you can donate to Tonya and these beautiful kids, we can get it to her ASAP. Your donations are tax deductible, through Remember The Poor.

If you click here, you go right to the donation page:

https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_flow&SESSION=HVaKEdaLqPP6sHnzSMaMQWb9wMX8-yz-zj83LSxXlv6tZH405ZesIA_U6_e&dispatch=5885d80a13c0db1f8e263663d3faee8d9384d85353843a619606282818e091d0
Please include a note in your donation that specifies “Tonya, Uganda.”

Finally, friends, pray for the lost and dying world in Africa and the nations. These people need Jesus and discipleship. They are in desperate need of a Savior, until that time, nothing is going to change. The harvest is ripe, the workers are few! The Karamojong are an unreached, possible unengaged people group. There are no known churches among them. We are praying for the Lord to show us how to reach them. This is what the Lord has commanded us to do! Pray for him to make our path clear and to begin to soften the hearts of the Karamojong to accept His truths.

“Ministry that costs nothing, accomplishes nothing.” John Henry Jowett

Blessings,
Drea

More Than Words...

I have been thinking recently about words. We read a moving blog or a great book and leave feeling inspired or refreshed. Our heart is full and we cry or laugh. We tell our friends the story, or share the sorrow. A mean word from a friend can cut like a knife, and a kind word can encourage and build. Words are powerful but here is what I have determined; Words move people BUT truth transforms them!

I am a lover of words. I like to write, I like to share my stories. But more than just sharing words I want people that are reading the words I pen, to be transformed by the power of Jesus Christ in me. If the words that we read do not compel us into some sort of action, then it is just a word, it is stagnant and means nothing.

If what we read does not alter our thinking and leave us different than what we were before, then we have not encountered truth! Truth transforms! It changes us from the inside out.

Psalm 51:6, "Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place."

Truth invokes action and empowers us to do the impossible through faith in Jesus Christ. Matthew 17:20; He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.

Truth liberates us from the bondage of sin and darkness. John 8:30-32; "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

Truth purifies us and makes us holy. John 17:17; Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.

Truth brings forth new life and transformation. James 1:17-19; Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we may be a kind of firstfruits of all He created.

When we are transformed by the truth of the Word of God, He equips to do His will. He gives us the desires of His heart, then we are to carry out the action.

Today, I talked with Joshua, a young Ugandan man who has given his whole life to living out the Word of God. He cares for twenty orphans and about five widows. While trying to study at a university, Joshua is the hands and feet of Christ to these people in need.

In our conversation today, I could tell that Joshua seemed discouraged. I asked him what was wrong, this is what he said. "I am down. Like right now when some of my kids are sick, and we have no food. Our house is leaking and the piglets have no food to eat either."

I then asked him how I could pray for him. His response was, "Pray for each kid and me, we need to feel the worth of God." How does one "feel the worth of God?" The answer is through us! We are to take action, and demonstrate that they have value and are important to Christ. We brothers and sisters, are the catalyst of Gods love to them. Oh, how I want to shout that from the roof tops! If we sit complacent as followers of Jesus, we have not grabbed hold of the power of Christ, and have failed to allow His truth to change us.

We don't have to move across the ocean to demonstrate this kind of love and worth. We can do it right from home. One way, is to sponsor a child or a Jaaja (grandma). They are desperate for this kind of care. When you sponsor a child or Jaaja, you show them that Christ values each and every one of them. You also bring hope and a future, through the word of God. They incounter the life transforming truth of Jesus.

Our ministry helps to support Joshua and the kids. You can be a part too, by going to The Mission and clicking on the tab Get Involved .

Words merely rest on a page, but truth will dance in our hearts as it awakens our souls.

It is Well...

Dear Blogging Friends,

It seems like it has been a while since my last blog. I want to update you on my life, with all of our children and craziness, but this is just too good pass up. I promise to write and catch you up on soon. This blog was written by a friend of mine in who lives in Southeast Asia.

I wanted to share it with you, because I feel it captures the essence of why we worship this amazing God. He alone is worthy of our praise. I can clearly remember times hearing and sometimes feeling, "Worship was just not that good for me today," or "I just couldn't get into worship today." While we know that we sing to the Lord, sometimes we forget that worship never was and never will be intended for us. It is intended to glorify Jesus, to bless His name. When we worship, we are filled and do end up "feeling good," but if that is why we worship, then we have fully missed the mark.

I love the lady who has written this note to me, she is an amazing woman of God. I can only pray that the Lord continues to mature me to this place of really seeing and worshiping Him for who He is. Lord may I live my life completely abandoned to You, serving You wherever You go, and however You call us.

Today's service was absolutely awesome. I cried all the way through worship (so what's new :). This was just a tad different however. As we were waiting for the service to begin, the musicians were practicing and the song being sung by a lovely woman was "It is Well With My Soul." Alone, that is a very moving song in and of itself. As they were practicing, I shared with Harry a comment from one of the visiting professors just before she left to go back to the states. She'd seen me with several of our girls and I was sharing a birthday coffee with her and several ex-pat ladies, when another couple of my girls saw me and yelled across the room, "Hi mommy!" I responded with thrown kisses to them and proudly claimed as "mine". When the visiting professor, Carla, said goodbye to me the night before she left, she said, "I think you've found your home." That statement has haunted me ever since and today was the first time I uttered those words out loud - to Harry.

I have no idea of the full capacity of what that statement means. Is God leading us to live in Southeast Asia? Is our calling to young people of high school age? Is our home in Arizona soon to be exchanged with somewhere else God will lead? Only God knows. The one thing I can hang my hat on, however, is this: God knows and if we keep our hearts open to Him, He will lead us and we will not have to stumble along trying to find His way.

All through the service, God continued to "prime" my heart as He spoke to me in so many different ways.

First song up, "Great Is Thy Faithfulness." WHOA!! The words are like a love letter from God to us. Every morning He floods us with His new mercies and He provides everything I need. For each new day, He provides His presence to cheer and guide me and He freely gives me His strength for the now, and His bright hope for tomorrow. Tomorrow!!! That means tomorrow and the next day and the next day and the next day ... for however many days He has numbered my life.

Second song up, "Because He Lives." Because He lives, I CAN face tomorrow. Because He lives, all fear is gone. Because I know HE holds the future, life is worth living just because He lives. His promise to me is that because He lives and reigns in my heart and life, whatever tomorrow brings, I can face it because He will be in it and I have no need to fear. He holds all the my future in His hands and every breath that He gives me will be worth it, regardless of what it holds, because He lives in and through with me. WOW!! What a bargain.

Third song up, "Offering." You may not be too familiar with this one. I'd sung it a few times before but many years ago. The chorus goes like this, "I bring an offering of worship to my King. No one on earth deserves the praises that I sing. Jesus may You receive the honor that You're due. O Lord, I bring an offering to You." When you cling to the promises of God ... that He holds your future ... that you do not need to fear ... that He lives in the future with you - praises to Him just spill out everywhere - almost every orifice on the head for sure. If my ears could cry, I'd have a waterfall goin' on :)

Fourth song up, "Find Us Faithful." Oh my goodness - are there still tears left??!! "Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful. May the fire of our devotion light their way. May the footprints that we leave lead them to believe, and the lives we live inspire them to obey. Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful." "After all our hopes and dreams have come and gone and our children sift through all we've left behind. May the clues that they discover and the memories they uncover become the light that leads them to the road we each must find." Even as I sit and type these words, I am overcome at the desire of my heart that this sentiment be true in my life. That not only my children, but my grandchildren see through our lives and the things left behind that are important to us, that being faithful to God was the hallmark of our life and inspire them to follow in those footsteps.

Last song, "It is Well with My Soul." God what are you trying to do with me, wring me dry!! The enormity of the words from this song still hang in the air. "Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, let this blest assurance control. That Christ has regarded my helpless estate, and has shed His own blood for my soul." "My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought! My sin, not in PART but the WHOLE, is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more, Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, Oh my soul!!" That is the message in it's entirety!!! This is the message that the whole world needs to hear. This is the message I want to share to those who will listen!!

I'm not even sure how to conclude this missal. I guess I just needed to share my heart and I love that you understand it. Thanks for doing just that - listening. I just find that God continues to break me before Him. I think He's still trying to root out of me, Me!! So there's more room for Him. I know He wants to lay us bare before Him so that all we want - we thirst for and cling to - is more of Him. Oh I want that with every fiber of my being and I know He has to do a lot of "house keeping" to make that even possible.

If every fiber of our being could be saturated with Jesus! Isn't that our goal? To live is Christ and to die is gain? I often wonder if I am living my life as Christ would live it for me. I wonder what opportunities I have missed with my Savior due to business and distraction. I wonder what opportunities I have missed to share the Glory of the Lord with a person, who is dying and going to hell.

Jesus would have me be on purpose for Him. Giving my all to this loving savior. He would not have me think of all the what if's, but live as reckless abandon trusting in Him. I don't want to be safe, I want to risk it all. I want to live on the edge, following His lead, and be fully saturated with my Jesus.

Life! Will We Live It?...

Today was one of those days for me. Joyful on one hand and then before you know it SNATCH...the joy is gone.

Today was my daughter Meske's 15th birthday. We decided to surprise Meske and the other kids with taking them to an Ethiopian restaurant for lunch after church. Lately, I have been feeling filled to overflowing. Just that full feeling inside where we just know God is in control, and you just feel the natural joy that comes from knowing Jesus. Today was one of those days.

We drove to Tempe to eat at a wonderful restaurant called Lalibella's Cafe. We had Meske and Eyob help with ordering and we got served the most wonderful dishes of Ethiopian food. We were all hungry and it didn't take any time at all to down the wonderful foods. The children were so Happy to be eating familiar foods. The restaurant owners seemed just as happy. It was so fun to watch our kids interact with the other Ethiopian people. It brought me great joy.

We got out to the parking lot and Bryan had to change our tire. Our new Ethiopian friends followed us out to the parking lot where we continued conversation. We learned that our kids were from one of the same villages as some of them were. The kids had great talk in their own language. We learned of an Ethiopian church near by where the whole family attends. We found that we were believer's and that we shared other similarities, like one of the ladies actually attend a college class with my mother in law this last semester. All in all, the Lord blessed us with great conversation and a friendship worth pursuing.

The guys went inside to clean up and we were saying our goodbyes and promising to come back again soon, when the rug got pulled out from under us. One of the boys of the family at the restaurant decided to come running outside for his dad. We were all standing on the far side of the parking lot. The boy was in between two parked cars and was heading straight across the parking lot when he got hit by an oncoming car! We all saw it coming, but no one could stop it! The driver hit the young boy (3 years old) in the side. His head hit the car and then the pavement.

For those of you who follow our blog, you will know that this is twice in less than a year that we have been involved in an accident involving a car and a young boy. Our driver hit a boy while we were in Africa getting our 3 newest children. The accident was life altering. (To read about that story and Gods goodness click here). My two oldest were with us when it happened in Africa, and now they were with us again along with 7 other of my kids.

At first, it was terrifying. I even thought for a brief moment about how I was going to get away. After I got all my kids in our van, hoping that they didn't see any of it and really worried about Cade and Coral, I realized that I needed to check on the boy. There was loud waling and crying going on. The boys dad was out of control and wouldn't calm down. The boy was crying and looked considerably good for just getting hit. His head was swollen and his back and side several bruised. We called 911 quickly and tried to settle the crowd.

I really can't tell you what I was thinking at that moment, but I am going to try. First, I thought "Why God?" Why would we have to do this again. Like it was about me, it wasn't, it was all about the boy and his family. But why must we endure this again. I was worried about my children having to witness such a tragedy, again. I was worried about the little ones, who wouldn't understand, "Why?"

Secondly, I was thinking, "There is no way, I can help this kid." My stomach was instantly sick and I couldn't get in right frame of mind. If I could have, I would have just disappeared.

Thirdly, I thought, "How will we cope and deal with this? What if the boy is badly hurt or maybe dead, what will we do? These people are always going to equate this horrible tragedy with our coming to their restaurant, how will God be glorified?"

Once I got a grip, I determined that God is good, and I will do what I can to check the boy and his family. God gave me the strength to pull it together so I could assess the boy. The words from my sweet African brother, Pastor Cyrus, rung in my head, "Mom, we pray and then let God work." This time was different. I knew God was in control, we have done this once before and I was going to trust this time.

Now it is easy on the other side of the story to trust when you know all is well. It is a different story to trust when you are questioning what will be. The ambulance arrived and took the boy by stretcher to the nearest ER. We had the opportunity to pray with the dad of the boy and the mom. We prayed with the driver of the car and friends of the family of the boy. My kids were in the car crying out to Jesus, and shouting his name! We were asking God for a miracle, his healing hand.

After the police questioned us all and were wrapping up, I shakily crawled into a bus of crying children. My poor kids. Eyob almost passed out, Cade and Coral were so shook up and the rest of them were so worried for the boy. I got in the front seat of the car and this is what the Lord impressed on my spirit.

James 14:13 -14
Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit" - yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is you life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes."

I felt as if Christ had spoken right to me. "This is life! Life is just a mist, it is hear and then it is gone. It is not weather this boy lives or dies, we will all die one day. The real question is if he knows Jesus Christ." I understood. Our lives are hear today and gone tomorrow! Life is given and life is taken, it is short. All over the planet, people suffer these kinds of tragedies, and they die and go to hell! We don't have time to waste, because this is life! I felt as if the Lord was showing the Thiele's, that we have no time. I felt as if the Lord was saying, "Life! Are you going to live it?"

Although we didn't now if the boy was going to be okay or not, the picture became suddenly clear. We say we need to live our lives as if this was our last day, but how many of us do that? We need to live for Christ on purpose. We need to live as if we cared that there is a dying world going to hell. This accident showed me, that life is but a breath. We spend so much time wasting time, and now we were all crying over this boy wondering if he were going to live or die. The truth of the matter is, if we cared so much about him, then we would care about his eternal life, not the physical one. Granted this boy was just 3, but the overall message was one that rings clear.

Lets starting living the life we were given to glorify the Lord! Stop wasting time on self and other idolistic things and start doing what glorifies the Lord, LIVING our lives committed to serving Him. There are people dying today of starvation. There are people dying of disease today. Ther are people dying by their own hands to false Gods today. If we love Jesus, we can't wait until tomorrow!

I have called to check on the boy, he is doing fine. A full CT scan and x-rays, there is nothing wrong with him at all! We witnessed another miracle today. God is good! Our children are claiming the goodness of God! And the glory of the Lord was shown in Tempe TODAY!

I pray I do not soon forget. I pray that the Lord keeps it fresh on our minds that life is but a mist, here today and gone tomorrow. Are we willing to risk everything for the sake of the gospel to a lost and dying world? What will we do with life, will we live it?

Delighting to do Thy will...

Our family tends to draw attention. Either positive attention, negative attention, or just plain confused attention (when people try to figure out how Bryan and I made all these colorful children). People often look at us like we are crazy, or just plain called.

Our family also tends to draw a lot of questions like, "Are you done yet? or, How in the world do you do it?

Well today was a good reminder of "How in the world I do it." It is only by the strength of Jesus, that I even make it through the morning half the time. It is not me who does it, it is Jesus that does it all.

I was talking to a friend today about adoption. Adoption is a wonderful blessing, but it is not free from struggles. We tend to think of blessings in this light; smooth, fruitful, paved, or an opened door.

When we struggle, we often think of things in this light; this must be from Satan, the enemy is hitting us hard, or this isn't from God.

When Paul went from town to town, lead by the Spirit, Paul often encountered things like; stoning, beating, prison, and torture. Would we dare to say that Paul must not have been in Gods will if all things happened to him? Or would we say, Paul must have been ahead of God? No, we know that Paul's journeys were absolutely what the Lord wanted and allowed, even though most of the time Paul suffered a lot. However, through his sufferings Paul brought glory to the Name of the Lord.

Adoption is a wonderful blessing, one filled with pure joy and one that is filled challenges. Some days, I have sweet, beautiful, blissful days. Some days I don't. Some days, I am just tired. Not tired of being a Mom to my nine beautiful children, but mostly tired of talking (yes it is true). Some days, I just want to be...not that I don't want to be nurse, teacher, chef, etc.... but some days, I want to go to the bathroom with out talking through the door or breaking up another argument of who stole who's french fry, some days, I want to just be.

I bet that some days Paul would have loved to go into a town that didn't try and kill him. I bet some days he cried out to the Lord, "Lord, for real??"

The joy of Jesus was the absolute self-surrender and self-sacrifice of Himself to His Father, the joy of doing that which the Father sent Him to do. "I delight to do Thy will." Jesus prayed that our joy might go on fulfilling itself until it was the same as His. The full flood of my life is not in bodily health, not in external happenings, not in seeing God's work succeed, but in the perfect understanding of God and in the communion with Him that Jesus Himself had. The first thing that will hinder this joy is the captious irritation of thinking out circumstances. The cares of this world, said Jesus, will choke God's word.
Be rightly related to God, find your joy there, and out of you will flow rivers of living water. Be a center for Jesus Christ to pour living water through. Stop being self-conscious, stop being a sanctified prig, and live the life hid with Christ. ~ Oswald Chambers

Not that I can compare my life to Paul's life. I have never been stoned, or even almost stoned. But the journey I am on, is one that is not free from trials and full of blessings. Honestly, I don't want a life free of trials. The more the Lord teaches me, the more I have come to understand that the best place to be is completely sacrificed and dependant on Him. In my trials, and fears, I am just that. We can't do what the Word of God tells us to do independent of Jesus Christ. We must have Christ and trust Christ living through us.

Because we are dead to self and realize, it is not I who live but Christ, then we are able to do the things he has laid out for us to do. We will face trials, struggles, doubts, we will have fears, and second thoughts, but we DO have Christ. And for that reason, it is all worth it!

Christ is what makes our life possible. Christ is the reason we can do this thing called adoption. Christ is what gives us the strength to carry on. Christ enables us to do the things we are commanded to do. Christ, Christ, Christ! May we bring glory to His name!

~ If you keep My commandments you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Fathers commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy remain in you, and that your joy may be full. John 15:11

Fetch God...

"Fetch God?" Doesn't that sound so blasphemous, But, isn't that what we do in a way..throw God a bone? I mean, He doesn't ask for our left overs, He has asked for our "First Fruits." Giving anything BUT our first fruits is blasphemous.

Here are some facts:

30,000 children died today and will die tomorrow of preventable diseases, like diarrhea and starvation. Children like these.

Here is another fact:

Last year, the American Church spent $10billion on church buildings and programs. Buildings and programs like this:

Please understand, that I don't know these churches (I found the pictures on the internet), and while they are hopefully reaching the lost, I just believe that there needs to be equality. So, if a church can spend $10,000 (that is modest figure) on a new sound system, or comfy chairs, or some catchy program should it also be able to spend $10,000 to feed starving children, or house homeless widows? We try to mask it all in the name of Jesus and what we NEED to serve him better but, lets face it, when we reach heaven, I can't imagine Jesus saying "Well done my good and faithful servant, you sure did dial in that worship mix well, and the lights...whoa...I particularly liked the the foyer with the flat screen TVs."

Jesus will however, say something more along the lines of this if we are not careful:

"Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and you name drive out demons and preform many miracles?" Then I will tell them plainly, "I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!"

Jesus was not speaking here to irreligious people, atheists or agnostics. He was not speaking to pagans or heretics. He was speaking to devout religious people who were deluded into thinking they were on the narrow road that leads to heaven when they were actually on the broad road that leads to hell. According to Jesus, one day not just a few but many will be shocked-eternally shocked-to find that they were not in the kingdom of God after all.

~ Radical by David Platt

My heart is broken today as I sit and think of my sister in Africa, who just watched a 23 year old friend, weighing 35 pounds die of something preventable like starvation. There is NO need in the world for that to happen when we have been given so much. Our thinking is upside down. Instead of worrying about TRUTH we worry about the lies that Satan has spoon fed us in our churches today.

We also see no verse in the New Testament where God's people are ever again commanded to build a majestic place of worship. Instead, Gods people are told to be the temple-the place of worship. And their possessions are to be spent on building, not a place where people can come see God's glory, but a people who are taking God's glory to the world. ~Platt

The Temple of the Old Testament full of riches. Adorned with gold, silver, bronze, and jewels.

The Temple of the New Testament

Katie Davis 21 year, serving the Lord in Uganda, mother of 14, care giver of 100's. Giving her life in such a sacrificial way to love the people of God by adopting, and rehiblitation women.

Our local, Friday night RICE night group, devoted to fasting one meal a week and replacing it with rice and beans, donating the money they saved on a regular meal, in order to support orphans in Kenya.

Cindy and Frank May (not pictured). Founders of Remember the Poor. Father and Mother of 1000's in Uganda and Kenya. Perfect examples of servants who are willing to give up everything and risk it all, in order to spread God's glory among the nations.

Abdissa Layl. Father to orphans in Ethiopia, and Pastor of a church. Willing to give his life for orphans and the Least of These, bring hope to Addiss Ababa.

Cara Murray (in back) and Seggy Hannington (in blue t-shirt in back). Faithful servants in Uganda. Bringing the love of Christ to widows and orphans. Devoted to finding the need and then serving the people of small and large villages, digging bore holes for water and discipling them.

Harry and Ceci. Retired couple not settled with living a comfy retired lifestyle. Living out their faith, in Southeast Asia. They too, are parents and sudo parents to many, adding to the number daily. Discipling students to mighty followers of Christ.

Tonya Brown adoptive mom. Resigned a prestigious career and sold all of her possessions to move to third world, Uganda. Faithfully following Christ to make His glory known among the nations. She currently has three boys, and I am sure there are more on the horizon.

Pastor Cyrus, his board members and Bryan. Pastor Cyrus is 26 years old and runs an orphanage in Kisii, Kenya with his wife. They currently house 23 children and care for 13 street boys and the number is constantly growing. Cyrus is a light to the community, never tiring for the work of the Lord.

Bryan, my husband. Father of nine. Co-Pastor of The Mission, tired of the status quo. Discipling local men to, "Go make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you..."

We are the church the temple of the Living God. We don't need to adorn ourselves or our buildings. We must grow weary of serving ourselves and start to burn with passion in serving others. NOT with just our time and talent, but with our money. We need to grow weary of our church buildings being "Well Fed", when they are not eternal. Human lives are eternal.

We need to be passionate to want to serve and stand before a HOLY God who will say to us "Well done, my good and faithful servant, enter My Rest."

Where to Begin, Begining...

Where to begin? That question has been running through my head for weeks now, and now that I am home it continues to plague my mind. Where do I begin writing this blog? I have so much to share with you, but no place to begin. Where do I begin communicating the needs of this land and people that I love? Where do I begin helping a nation where everywhere you look is poverty, and more poverty. Where do WE begin?

I am going to begin with the Word!

If my people, who are called my name, would humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. 2 Chronicles 7:14-15

The solution is found in the Word, God's promises. If we would humble ourselves, pray, seek God's face, turn from wicked ways, then He will hear, forgive and heal!

While in Africa, I was overwhelmed with the amount of suffering and poverty. My eyes couldn't take it all in. In fact there was no where to turn and look to get a moments relief. At one point my soul was grieving and I gave up. "Lord, this is an impossible task. As far as the eye can see there is suffering, hunger, thirst, disease, disaster." The Lord reminded me that this is not my task, it is His task. What ever He calls us to, He equips us for!

We are called by His name, to feed the hungry, care for the widow and orphan, and to Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. (Matt 28 18-19). Jesus, teaches us in Matthew, that on the day of judgement He will separate the sheep from the goats. Those who gave Him food, drink, welcomed Him, clothed Him and visited Him will enter His rest, those who didn't, won't (Matt 25). Then James goes on to reminds us that faith without deeds is nothing.

If the God of the bible is true and we call ourselves followers of Christ, how then, do we disobey His word? For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgement, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. Hebrews 10:26

It seems so simple doesn't it? To live is Christ. In other words, It is not I who live, but Christ in me. If that is the case, why don't we live as Christ did? Simply Christ! If the Son of Man didn't even have a place to lay his head, why are worried about our next vacation, or our 401K, or how we are going to spend our money on Christmas? If we are Christ, then we have His knowledge, and we know how He wants us to live, then why do we go on sinning?

All these questions and more have been rolling around in my mind. Please understand, that it is I, who am challenged with these questions, I am just communicating my thoughts to you. I heard a great message this weekend that called this kind of living, the kind where we accept Jesus, but don't do what His Word says; Vampire Christianity. It is the kind of Christianity that says, "Give me some of your blood Jesus, so that I am saved from hell and I'll see you in heaven." We are warned about this kind of Christianity...it is simply idolatry and we make ourselves the idols.

James 1:22 ~ Do not merely listen to the Word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the Word but does not do what it says, is like a man who looks at his face in the mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But a man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it- he will be blessed in what he does.

Meet my friends, the Doers. The young boys that you see above, understand the meaning of doing rather than just hearing. The scripture says that if we just hear, we deceive ourselves. But the man who looks intently in to the law that gives freedom, continuously, not forgetting what he heard and applying it...will be blessed. Again, simple text that the Lord intended for us to understand and obey. Joshua (on right) understands enough to abandon self and obey. He is just 23 years old and has given his life for the Mission. He has taken on the task of caring for widows and orphans in his community. He has no job, no support, no food, no electricity, and no running water. He and his friend have heard the word of the Lord and decided to actually do the word of the Lord. Simple faith that requires, according to the Word of God, action.

Joshua takes action for faces like this one. An orphan, unwanted by the worlds standards, but a child of God. Doers, give their lives for the sake of the cross. They give their lives, because Christ gave His, the ultimate sacrifice. Doers, seek God's glory and make it known to the nations, for the purpose of glorifying Christ and Him alone. They don't make up excuses as to why they can't, or what they are waiting for, they hear and then they act.

James 1:27 ~ Pure and genuine religion in the sight of the God the Father means caring for the orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to not let the world corrupt you.

Widows, like this beautiful Jaaja (grandmother). She is alone, and up until she met Joshua, she lived by herself in a house that was falling down, sick and in need of medical care. Today, she is making crafts to sell, and is helping to care for the orphans. When I met Jaaja, I was overwhelmed with love for her, you can see the Love of Jesus in her eyes.

Joshua and his friend, currently care for 2o orphans and a handful of Jaajas. They live in a home with no electricity not because it is not wired for electricity, but because they can't afford it. They all cram into this this tiny house and pray for the Lord to deliver food.

This is what the Lord had in mind when he said in Acts 2:42~ All the believers devoted themselves to the Apostles' teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals, and to prayer....And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need....And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.

We are those apostles! We are to supply our brother Joshua, with his needs.

So where do we begin? How do we begin? It's simple, we hear, then we do. We are all called, it is all of our responsibility. If we call ourselves Christian, then we must stop idolizing ourselves and start Seeking His face and turn from our wicked ways...SO THAT... He will hear from Heaven, forgive our sins and heal our land.

Back with the Kids in Africa!

Hi honey, please update everyone for me. The internet is so...slow here in kisii town. We arrived last night (early morning) safely. The bus ride was uneventful, but of course different and a little nerve racking, but all was well. It is good that we have Seggy to travel with it makes things much nicer and I fell safe with him around. The kids were so happy to see us of course and everyone here misses you a lot, all have asked about you and Coral and Cadenn.
We had a board meeting this morning and you should see what they have done with the place, it is amazing to say the very least. It is clear that God's hand is in everything and we are only His vessels, because this is really impossible without Him. I can't wait to show you the pictures of the kids and the new building and houses. We visited the Chief, David, this morning and he was so happy that we kept to our word and came back. He really trusts us now. He said that usually most people never return but make empty promises. We are going to pass out our gifts this evening and that should be real fun.
Justin, should have died, but he looks amazing. His leg is almost healed and he is now going to school. There is so much to tell you, but I don't have the time here because it is slow. I am praying for you and I miss you more than you know. I have resolved that I don't like going without you, and want you to be with me always. I would do it again, but I don't like it. We work much better as a team :)
Please share this with our faith family. You can copy and paste this message and send it to The Mission in my contact list, that way everyone even Mary will get the update.
Be praying, a man drownd in the river here yesterday and they have not found his body yet. He fell in while washing his clothes and did not know how to swim. The kids have grown, and they are so beautiful. It is hard to hold back the tears when you see Gods goodness all around and how well they are all doing. Papa's feet are all healed too! That is a miracle.
Well, my love to you, all of our kids and our faith family, together we are making a difference in the lives of the least of these, it is a huge blessing to us. Talk to you soon. We will head back to Uganda wed night or thurs morning. I will call you tomorrow. xoxoxox

Africa Bound...

Dear Faith Family,
There has been a lot going on in the last couple of weeks that I will attempt to explain in this email.

First, Cyrus has received his money for the purchase of a new car! He called from Nairobi and said that he was in the process of picking up his new 4x4! Praise God for His provisions! He is good. I also talked to Justin on the phone (the boy who was badly burnt). He is doing much better. He is still in need of medical attention, but is beginning to walk now.

Secondly, Tonya and her son Christopher, and Howard and Celest, are getting ready to leave for their missions. Tonya is moving to Gulu, Uganda and Howard and Celest to Indonesia! The both leave in within the next couple of weeks! Please pray for them as they embark on this journey that the Lord has placed them on.

Lastly, God has provided for Andrea to accompany Tonya & Christopher to Africa! They both leave on July 15 and Andrea will stay until July 26th. They will be spending time in Nukumba, and Andrea will visit Kisii, with Seggy and Cara, and hopefully Gulu where Tonya will eventually be living. Andrea will be taking supplies to the orphanage and is only allotted two 50 lb. bags. She will also be able to take extra things for those of you who have sponsored children, if you want to send a special something to your child.

There are many needs, so I will list them below. Please pray and ask the Lord how he would have you minister and give.

Prayer For:

1. Cyrus and the kids at the orphanage in Kenya. Pray for protection and needs to be met in Kenya, and for God’s glory to be made know in the nations. Pray that all the children are sponsored.

2. Howard and Celest leave for Indonesia on July 12th . They need prayer for their visas that are in transit so they can leave. Also, that the things they shipped ahead will actually make it to Indonesia. Please pray that they adjust to their surroundings and the culture around them. The weather is hot and humid, so pray for adjustment there as well. They know that the Lord has called them for such a time as this, please pray for the people they come in contact with, that the Lord would prepare a way to minister to them and ultimately change lives for Christ. Howard and Celest, will have a blog that we can follow while they are away.

3. Tonya leaves for Minnesota on July 11th. Pray for her as she spends time with her son Cory. Pray that the Lord will continue to settle her heart on matters, also for provision in Africa and safe travels. Pray for Christopher and Tonya as they adjust to their new surroundings and begin the ministry that the Lord has called them to. Pray that the Glory of the Lord will be spread in Uganda through the lives of Tonya and Christopher. Pray for financial support of them both and their ministry.

4. Pray for Andrea as she travels with Tonya to Uganda. Pray for her traveling in Africa to Kisii and Gulu. Pray that the Glory of the Lord be made known to everyone she comes in contact with. Pray for the her travel back home as she will be alone. Also pray for the money she needs while in country.

Financial Needs

1. Cyrus in still in need of about $800 for medical needs for Justin. He is required to make frequent trips to the hospital for care and needs medicine to treat infection and promote healing.

2. Tonya is in need of monthly support. She currently has no monthly support and continues to trust God in providing for her. We have been entrusted with caring for Tonya and her needs. Please pray and ask the Lord what you could sacrifice and give to support her monthly. This is a big undertaking BUT with Christ all of things are possible. We have figured that Tonya will need approximately $1,000 per month to support her and Christopher. This will help them with the needs of the ministry as well as their basic needs. Also, she needs a digital point and shoot camera, so she can take pictures and send us updates.

3. Andrea is still in need of a few things for Africa. She will need about $300 to cover the cost of visas in and out of Uganda and Kenya, the luggage charges, public transportation and food.

4. We need donations for the Orphanage. Clothes, jackets, peanut butter, educational stuff like flashcards, 20 piece puzzles, books on letters and goodies for the kids. Money for donations is always excepted.

These are our immediate needs. Thank you for your faithfulness and love and concern for the Mission, the Lord has called us to. You are all such a blessing to us. We only have less than two weeks to get these things together for our trips. If you have donations for the orphanage, please get them to the Thieles before July 13th. This sounds like a lot, but our God owns the cattle on a thousand hills, and He who has called us is faithful and He will do it!

One time or monthly donations to Tonya can be made to:

Remember the Poor
PO Box 1013
Lynden, Washington 98264
623-203-1700
Or you can donate on line to:
http://irememberthepoor.org/make-a-donation
Please write in the memo: Gulu,Tonya

We love you dearly and it is a blessing to partner with you in serving Christ locally and around the world.

Bryan and Andrea

Urgent Prayer and Action Needed...

Friends,
This is an urgent prayer request for one of our orphans in Kisii, Kenya. We visited Pastor Cyrus and the kids in February when we went to get our children in Ethiopia.

Justin is a 14 year old boy, whom I love like a son. I fell in love with his servants heart and his love of Jesus.

Two days ago, Justin was in doing his chores before bed. He was in the girls dorm and lit a lantern because they don't have electricity. The match caught the mattress on fire, and then caught Justin on fire. Cyrus was in a different dorm, and could hear the screaming coming from the dorm. Justin was in trying to put out the fire. Cyrus ran in and got him out. Justin was burnt badly. There are pictures below.

Please pray for his healing. Also, Cyrus needs money for the hospital bill for Justin. There are some major needs in this orphanage. First there is no electricity, therefore they have to use matches and lanterns and that is how this fire started. They need a generator to eliminate this problem. Also, they need a car. Pastor Cyrus had to carry Justin on his back for 6 miles and no one came to help. He carried Justin to the police station and after awhile they gave Cyrus a car to take him to the hospital. They have desperate needs.

You can help! By donating to Remember the Poor all of your donations will go toward Justin's hospital bill and to bring him the medical treatment he needs.

Pastor Cyrus said this was truly a miracle. He does now know how the flames were put out other than the hand of God. Justin could have been consumed by the flames and they are rejoicing over God's goodness. Oh, we of little faith. Cyrus said they truly witnessed Jesus yesterday.

I will keep you posted as we are updated of Justin's status. Thank you for your prayers and participation.

Justin in the frontJustins legs and burns

Justin and Fred together.