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Dear Friends and Family,
Do you remember that crazy week of seminary classes, Reformation Day conferences, team retreat and strategy meetings for which we requested your prayers? Thanks for praying! Please praise the Lord with us… · MINTS Seminary Course – Participation in the “Christ-centered Teaching & Preaching” course which Bill Yarbrough kicked off with a day-long intensive seminar was excellent! Now students are meeting in 2 different small-group classes to complete the course. It is a joy for Craig to be leading one of these 4-week study groups. Of the seven students in his class, three are working on masters degrees, two at the bachelor level and two are auditing. Please pray that Craig would mentor these students well so that he and they would become increasingly centered on Christ in their teaching and preaching. · Reformation Day Conferences & Joint Worship – These special two-night conferences focused on the marvel of our adoption as sons and daughters of God and as followers of Christ, our lives should be characterized the posture of humility. Several Hispanic and Quichua churches from the Quito area participated and were encouraged. The joint worship service on Sunday was packed as we celebrated the Lord’s faithfulness to his Church – past, present and future! · Team Vision Meetings & Mini-Retreat – We praise God that 12 families from our extended MTW “Team Ecuador” were able to meet together –many for the first time in the same room! This diverse group of our Hispanic & Quichua Ecuadorian partners, together with US & Canadian missionaries, worked (and played!) together for 3 days learning together and working to develop a common vision for ministry in Ecuador. Below you see a picture representing our Team Vision. Please pray with us that the Lord would continue to guide us in faithful ministry as we pursue this mission that he has given to us as a team.
New Mentor & Supervisor for Team Ecuador: · When Craig first began to lead our team, a little over two years ago, his first ministry mentor was Don Gahagen – who has served MTW and other mission agencies his entire career. We’re thankful for his personal care and expert guidance that he has provided our team as country director for several years. He is continuing to serve MTW as Assistant Hinterland Director but no longer directly supervises our work in Ecuador.
· Bill Yarbrough began serving MTW as International Director for Latin America three years ago. He comes to MTW with much church planting experience and a fresh perspective on missions today. Although Bill has been closely connected to Team Ecuador for the past two years, just last month he officially assumed direct supervision of our work. He’s been Craig’s friend since their days together at Covenant Seminary, and now he’s thrilled to have Bill as his “boss” and our team’s mentor, too! We give praise to God for the continuous faithful service of these three men and their families and ask you to pray for Bill now as he helps guide the ministry of Team Ecuador.
Family Visits: We praise God for blessing us with wonderful parents (who are now doting grandparents!) Both Stacy’s and Craig’s parents visit us frequently, and we are so grateful for their love and encouragement! Stacy’s parents came to Quito for a week in September (while Craig attended the LEAD conference) to love on Stacy and the girls. Craig’s folks are visiting us now for two weeks, and we are privileged to celebrate both Thanksgiving and an early Christmas with them!
Support Team: We thank so many of you for your faithful giving to the Lord’s work here in Ecuador! Thanks especially to those of you who have responded to our current low support account balance with about $2,000 in special, one-time gifts. We are still in need of $350 in monthly pledges and $6,000-$8,000 in one-time gifts are necessary to rebuild a healthy, sustainable balance in our support account. As we draw toward the end of the year and look forward to next, would you pray with us that the Lord would provide for these financial needs? Thanks! If you or your church is able to contribute financially, please see the donation information at the bottom of this letter.
Christ & His Church: We are most thankful now and always for Christ’s work in us, in the world and in His Church! We are reminded of this in so many ways, but principally as God speaks to his people in the Bible! It has been a blessing this year to open God’s word on many occasions to encourage Ecuadorian Christians. As we look to the Lord for guidance on how His church is to be Christ-centered and healthy – we look to Scripture. At the following link is a short meditation which Craig prepared from the book of Hosea – it first appeared as the opening article in our team’s new Quichua magazine. We trust that it will be encouraging to you, too! A Meditation
Many thanks for standing with us in prayer!
Your partners in Christ’s service, Craig, Stacy, Karis & Aimee
Personal correspondence (you may use either address): USA: Craig & Stacy Pohl ~ 1600 North Brown Rd. ~ Lawrenceville, GA 30043 Ecuador: Craig & Stacy Pohl ~ Casilla 17-08-8403 ~ Quito, ECUADOR
Donation instructions: (Make checks to the underlined name. Please note that the donation is for Craig & Stacy Pohl Account # 16019) USA: Mission to the World ~ PO Box 116284 ~ Atlanta, GA 30368-6284 Canada: Presbytery Agency Fund of Eastern Canada ~ c/o Mr. Sandy Mc Nabb, Treasurer P.O. Box 854 - Sydney, N.S. B1P 6J1
Special U.S. phone numbers (that reach us in Quito!): (901) 414-2354 or (314) 985-6725 E-mail: cpohl@mtwla.org Web: www.mtwla.org/people/cpohl.htm
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