What it takes for US to return to Madagascar…

Posted by on December 31, 2013 in Blog, Uncategorized | 1 comment

You may remember when we first went to Madagascar it was a bit of a trial… a trial to make sure that our family wouldn’t merely survive but thrive in ministry on the Red Island.  As a result, we decided it was in our best interest to go to Madagascar as “mid-term” missionaries. Mid-term being roughly 2 years with the possibility of extending.  This has been our status for the last 3+ years.

We have continually sensed God’s leading to make the jump from “mid-term” to “career” missionaries.  Last month, we were appointed as career (long-term) missionaries with our sending agency, WorldVentureUnfortunately, we didn’t realize our ministry budget was going to make such a large jump as a result.  But it has. $2,000 per month jump!  Yes.  It was a surprise to us as well.  Fundraising and partnership development is hard work when we’re in the USA… and it’s even harder when we’re half way around the world. After talking with our Africa boss, the decision has been made that we need to stay in the United States and postpone our return to Madagascar until we can raise the additional support.

To be honest, the best way to describe the process of missionary support raising is to imagine starting your own business… all the up-front costs, all the overhead costs, insurance, rent, supplies, salaries, kids education, living expenses, utilities, retirement, travel across continents, etc, etc, etc and then take it to the other side of the world to a large poverty-stricken island in the Indian Ocean called Madagascar.  That’s what we’re doing.

So why are we sharing this with you?  Because we’re asking you to prayerfully consider joining our monthly/quarterly or annual financial partnership team.   Because without regular financial commitments, our family can’t work in Madagascar to provide free prenatal, labor & delivery, and postpartum care to impoverished women.  Because without regular financial commitments, we can’t manage the steady employment of 225+ men and women nor the planting of 1.5 million trees per month with Eden Projects.  Because without regular financial commitments, we can’t offer hope in this world through micro-finance small business loans and women’s artisan projects.  Because without regular financial commitments, we can’t do the work that God has called our family to in Madagascar– to be His hands, to be His feet, to share His love with the single mom, the widow, the orphan, the leper, the prostitute, the drunkard, the downtrodden and the “least of these”.

Before we can leave the United States and return to the work in Madagascar, we need enough financial commitments to equal an additional $2,000 per month. That may equate to several $50/month commitments, several $100/month commitments and a few $250/month commitments or any other mixture thereof.  These can be given monthly, quarterly or annually.  Year-end and one-time gifts are wonderful and they help to fill in the gaps however they don’t sustain the monthly expenses on the field.  Would you pray about this and if led, would you please act and commit to regularly partnering with us as we seek to restore Health, Forests and Hope in Madagascar?! 

So how can you donate?  CLICK HERE to sign up, commit and give on the WorldVenture website. WorldVenture makes it easy to financially partner by check, credit card or electronic funds transfer.  All gifts are 100% tax deductible.  If you prefer to do so via mail or by phone, you can do that too:

WorldVenture
1501 W. Mineral Ave
Littleton, CO 80120
(800) 487-4224
*specify #834 in the memo and send a note with your gift that this is a monthly or quarterly or annual commitment*

 

Thank you to each of you who have already been partnering with us these last 3+ years.  We are humbled by the generosity of God’s people to sacrificially give through finances and prayer and we are amazed by God’s grace to allow us to partner with Him in the ministry that He is doing in Madagascar!!

1 Comment

  1. Hello Jamie,

    I’m a mission coach with WorldVenture for the SE Region. My wife and I had lunch with Joe B. and his parents today, March 1. Joe is a senior in high school wanting to get into missions ASAP. We told him the only option for a high graduate is Journey Corps. But this young man is looking to be a long-term missionary with WorldVenture eventually. He’s a fine young and serious young man. He loves the outdoors and saw your ministry on the WorldVenture site. Any chance of working with you straight out of high school? He can’t join a Journey Corps team until the Fall of 2015 so we’re looking at other options for him. Thanks for any help you can give. I see you guys are in the States until you get your support up. I also put this question on the Eden Project site. Thanks you. – David Jenkins

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