FOCUS '09

Today was the second day of our annual missions conference at church. This year's theme for the conference is FOCUS. The purpose of the missions conference that my church hosts every year is for various missionaries, both ones that we support and do not support, to come to my church and talk about their field, their prayer needs, what they do, and give their testimonies. We have a guest preacher come in and preach several services, and it is a good time to meet new people and come with your family, and just to meet the incredible people who have surrendered their lives to the mission field for God. You're probably sitting there (if you're reading this) and going, "Wow, okay so why do I care about this?". Well, after sitting at today's part of the conference and going to several sessions to hear different men and their wives speak, and meeting many of the missionaries I didn't get the chance to hear, I decided that I would get their information cards, that way I could post a little bit about them, and so I could have everyone reading this to pray for them and their families and their specific needs. I also am going to put on my sidebar (the items on the right side of my blog) their names and to remind people to pray for them, because what they are doing is truly amazing and glorifying to God.
Here are some of the missionaries that were at the conference toady:

○ The Orrick family -- Richie and Missy Orrick
- They are hoping to get to the country of Wales, in the capital city of Cardiff, by the end of 2010. Wales is a post-Christian country being mostly converted to muslim beliefs, and the people of the country are being taught to mock the Gospel and call it nothing more than a "fairy tale".
- They have two children; Isabella (almost two) and Briton (3)
- Please pray for the funding they need to send them to the people of Wales (the currency exchange rate for pounds is high), for the guidance they need from Christ, for the safety of their family as well as their friends (several veteran missionaries who are already over in Wales doing the works of the Lord), and for them to stay faithful and true to God.

○ Rich and Jan Godinez
- They are missionaries to the country of Paraguay, which is in the middle of South America.
- Please pray that they can continue to glorify God with their evangelism and the churches they have started over there, as well as their safety and the people they are trying to reach, that they would come to the knowledge of their need for a Savior.

○ Chris Meyer and his wife
- He is planning to get to the Dominican republic and start proclaiming the word there, and evangelizing to the people of that country by 2011.
- He has a five-week-old daughter, Gabrielle (Gabby).
- Please pray for him and his family, and that they will be able to gather the finances, and that it will work out okay. Also pray that God will continue to use him in his hometown in Texas before he gets to the Dominican Republic, and that God will keep preparing him for the work he will be doing over there. Pray for his family too, please.

○ The Bandaru family -- David, Leena, Michael, Michelle, Myrtle, and Marcus
- They are missionaries to India, where they have been establishing new Independent Baptist churches (Faith Baptist Mission [1994] and Faith Baptist Church [2004]). They are also training nationals in the country for God's ministry, and have started the Faith Baptist Bible Institute in 1995, and 15 missionaries have been sent out by Faith Baptist Church.
- Please keep their family in your prayers, as well as the churches and missions they have started, the missionaries they have sent out, the people they are currently training, and the Christians of India (persecution is getting pretty bad over there).

○ The Pearcey's -- Kevin and Shanise
- They are planning to go to New York City, and get affiliated in several of the Independent Baptist churches there, and start a ministry called Unashamed for Christ. They will be starting near the Bronx area in a community that is highly Dominican Republic citizens. Their ministry will be an evangelistic ministry that will reach the lost people of diverse NYC and get them baptized and involved with some of the local Baptist churches tehre.
- They have two twin children, a girl and a boy; Braden and Haven (17 months old)
- Please pray that they will be able to get to NYC and begin their work easily and without any interference. Pray that Kevin and Shanise will be guided by the Lord, and that as their children grow and they expand their mission field, that they would be safe, and that God will bless their family.

○ Nick and Meina Cogan
- They are missionaries to China, which is where Meina is from. She is an incredible woman with an incredible testimony. Meina and Nick met when he was studying in China, got married several years ago, and now he has been called to the mission field over there. They are leaving on October 31st for China. Once they get there, they will be involved with some of the local churches and friends/pastors they know over there, as well as evangelizing to the many people of China. China has 1.3 billion people and the majority are atheists. They are hoping to also be involved with the children and schools there.
- They have a 17-month-old son, Merrick.
- Please pray for their family and safety as they train up nationals from China to start and preach in churches, they meet new people, start a new lifestyle there, preach the Gospel, and try to raise their son over there.

Well, that is all of the people I have. Please keep them in your prayers....they are doing some great work, and if they're not already in their "field" yet, they have great plans!

Kayla