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New Total for Camp Rhino – Over $80,000 Now
This past week my family was privileged to be a part of Worth Baptist Church’s missions conference in Fort Worth, TX. Pastor Tyler Gillit, his staff, and church people put on a spectacular conference. The Saturday night Foreign Food Festival was unbelievable. I’ve never seen so much involvement in a dinner like that, and I’ve definitely never tasted so many wonderful tasting foreign dishes in one evening. Throughout the entire conference we were blown away by the encouragement and kindness of everyone.
On Sunday evening of the conference, Worth Baptist really was a blessing to our family, and one of the things that really stuck out was the offering they gave to help with Camp Rhino. The generously gave $2460 to help buy property and take us past a pretty big hurdle.
We’ve broken the $80,000 mark and the new total of funds given or committed is $81,188. Another $18,812 will take us to our $100,000 goal. Praise the Lord.
Just shy of $79,000 for Camp Rhino
First Baptist Church of Judson, TX and Pastor Tim Smith recently decided to partner with our family. It’s always an honor when a church chooses our family to be their representatives in South Africa.
First Baptist also surprised us this month by sending an extra $1500 for Camp Rhino. With this great offering our total is now at $78,728.00. With exactly 4 months left with our furlough, we’re excited about where we are.
Please be praying for our children’s visas. We are hoping to get them back in the next week or so, but nothing is guaranteed. If we do get them back, we’ll go ahead and pay for our return tickets that are being held which have us leaving January 10th.
One more $1000 from Dundalk, MD
On Sunday, August 27th, I dropped into Calvary Baptist Church in Dundalk, MD to visit Pastor Stacey Shiflett and his family. It had been many years since I saw the Shiflett’s. It was through him that I made my first visit to South Africa back in 2003. I don’t believe I would be a missionary to South Africa now if it wasn’t for this family.
It was encouraging to see the great ministry going on at Calvary and how the Lord is using this family from the “South” to reach folks in Maryland. It was an exciting atmosphere in Dundalk where there is definitely a need for the Gospel.
Pastor Shiflett gave me an opportunity to present our ministry, and immediately afterwards, the church voted to give $1000 for Camp Rhino. What a blessing! With that donation, we are now over $77,000.
To Washington D.C. and Back Again
This past weekend, Luke and I flew up to Washington, D.C. to be at two meetings in the Baltimore, MD area. On Sunday morning, it was great seeing Pastor Stacey Shiflett, his family, and people at Calvary Baptist Church. During the Sunday PM service I was privileged to report back to Pastor Scott Tewell and the folks at Rosedale Baptist Church. We returned back to Georgia on Monday afternoon, and Monday evening we received some unexpected mail. Our children’s passports that we applied for less than two weeks before, surprisingly arrived. We were expecting it to take 4-6 weeks. We needed the renewed passports so we could renew our kids’ South Africa Visas.
After flying up to D.C. for the weekend and finding out we now have all the passports, we jumped in the car Tuesday, and drove straight back to D.C. and arrived at midnight. Wednesday morning at the South African Embassy was a little challenging, but by Thursday, everything was worked out. The applications for our kids visas were accepted. Please pray they will be approved and returned to us ASAP. Several South Africa missionaries have faced problems getting their visas renewed in the last few months. Since Amy and I already have our visas we don’t anticipate any problems, but we definitely still need your prayers.
We did have an added bonus, on Wednesday evening we were able to visit Crossroads Baptist Church and hear Pastor Kenny Baldwin preach. Pastor Baldwin is someone our team of young preachers in South Africa respect very much. They were a bit jealous finding out I was in his church for their Wednesday evening service:)
Kentucky & Missouri
Today and tomorrow, I am traveling with my son Luke to present our ministry to a church in Gilbertsville, KY and then to report back to a supporting church in Poplar Bluff, MO. Following the evening service in Poplar Bluff, we will head back to Georgia in order to escape the Monday eclipse travelers. I always look forward to meeting new people and reconnecting with others as we travel to churches. Thank you for your prayers as we travel.
Please continue to pray also for our fund raising efforts for Camp Rhino. We are only $26,000 short of our $100,000 goal.
A special thanks to Bill Goins and the folks who help with his ministry at Calvary Stand Print Ministry. This ministry sends out our monthly prayer letters, and are also available to help with many other printing needs. Brother Goins sent me this picture of the folks at Lupton Drive Baptist Church in Chattanooga, TN helping stuff our prayer letters. We couldn’t do what we do without the helps hands of people from all over.
$1000 at a time
Last night, one of our supporters, Mt Zion Baptist Church in Danielsville, GA with Pastor Duncan, voted to give $1000 for Camp Rhino. That’s 3 churches since last weekend to give $1000 a piece to help buy property to start this new camp ministry. This gift takes us over $74,000 that has been given or committed. God continues to bless and more and more people are getting involved.
On Saturday, Amy was privileged to teach for a ladies conference hosted by Believers Baptist Church in Griffin, GA, and I was able to preach their Sunday AM service. Pastor Victor Edmonds and his people were a great blessing.
The Wilds
When deciding to start Camp Rhino, I knew there would be an enormous learning curve heading into that area of ministry. Since our arrival to the States, I’ve tried to visit different camps and meet with their directors in order to gain as much knowledge as I could about camp ministry.
Last month, when visiting Wolf Mountain Camp in California, I was privileged to meet Evangelist Mark Herbster who “just happened” to be there as their main speaker. Mark also works at The Wilds Camp in North Carolina during the summers and insisted I come for a visit. This past week Mark arranged for me to visit during their last week of summer camp. He also put me in contact with key people at the Wilds that were a great help. I had one-on-one meetings with their Presidents, their Camps Abroad Director, their Retreat Coordinator, their Food Services Manager, and their Program Director. After two days of being able to meet with their people, attend their services, meal times, games, and activities, I really came away with a wealth of knowledge.
I’m really blown away by the people I’ve been able to come in contact with since deciding to start Camp Rhino. The Lord has placed key individuals in my path that have been overwhelmingly helpful.
August 2017 Prayer Letter
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$2000 for Camp Rhino from Ohio
Sunday morning I reported back to a faithful supporter, and Sunday evening I presented our ministry in a new church. Both churches surprised me when they each gave $1000 for Camp Rhino.
Calvary Chapel Baptist Church in Minster, OH has faithfully supported my family since 2001. I enjoyed seeing Pastor Robert Warnick, and the Assistant Pastor Cory McGuire and all the great people of Calvary Chapel.
In Eaton, OH, I caught up with some old friends, Andrew and Jaclyn Stensaas. Amy and I met them when we were in college together at Crown many years ago. Pastor Andrew and his family are doing a great good there at First Baptist.
With the $2000 from Sunday, we are now over $73,000 in total for Camp Rhino. Praise the Lord.