robharrell - summer newsletter

The Harrell's Summer Newsletter

"Gone Fishing"

"Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men"

For the past several months I have been working hard to make sure the groups that I have going on mission trips this Summer are prepared. We at AIM make sure that all of the participants go through missionary training prep. I spend time with my youth pastors and leaders praying with and for them. I also answer any questions or concerns that they may have. I make sure they are ready and have everything they need to carry the love of Jesus to people around the world. We at Aim spend a lot of time during late Winter and early Spring going to the locations cultivating the relationships that we have with local Pastors and beginning new ones. We also make sure we have adequate housing, feeding, service projects, and outreach opportunities. We work extra hard in the so called off-season so that the groups that God has entrusted to us will be able to go to a location and plug into where God is already working. Our prayer is that everyone that goes on an AIM trip will be forever changed. And then will take what God has taught then on their mission trip back to their church and community stronger Disciples of Christ and fishers of men for Jesus on their mission field.

The first two weeks of summer trips I have groups going to Houck Arizona to minister to American Indians of the Navajo Nation, Peru South America, Appalachian Kentucky, New Orleans Louisiana, Atlanta Georgia, Long Beach Mississippi for Katrina relief, and Matamoros Mexico. I believe the best way for me to tell you all what is happening in the lives of God's missionaries on these trips is to let you read there own words. Enjoy!

6/11/07 Long Beach Mississippi

6/14/2007 By: Dawn Hastings, Adult Leader

Jetersville Baptist Church-Virginia

This AIM trip has been awesome. My daughter, Brittany, and I attend Jetersville Baptist Church in Jetersville, Virginia. My daughter and I have been arguing and not really getting along well for a couple of months prior to our trip. The problems we had been having had me considering not making the trip. However, we made the trip as scheduled. On the first full day of our trip, we had the most exciting thing happen. While having our "Listen in Prayer" time, Brittany stayed in front of the church and I walked around back. While I prayed, Brittany grew heavier and heavier on my heart. When I went back to the front to see her, I actually met her half-way with open arms. We hugged and began to cry. We walked around together for a long time and talked about all of the things that we had been through the last couple of months. We both felt such relief and a sense of renewal of our relationship. Since then, we've prayed together and have gotten along great.

Amazing

6/11/2007 By: Macie Bechtel

Presbyterian Church of Waynesboro- Waynesboro, PA

The simplest way to explain our week so far is AMAZING. And it's only Monday night! God has been so present within our group and within all the people we're staying with. In total we have about fifty people here that make up this week's team and it's a wonderful group. I feel so at home and so comfortable here because I'm surrounded by people my age who are completely into God. I've never been as surrounded by God and the Spirit as I am here. We've had amazing experiences with head to head prayer, prayer walks, VBS, and house reconstructing. My group has done painting and prayer covering so far, and it's amazingly powerful. We spent the morning fighting the spiritual battle for our teams with prayer. Then we accomplished helpful house painting in record time! I can't wait to work with the kids and evangelize tomorrow! God is truly, 100% with us.

Matamoros Mexico

Bethel Baptist, NC (Joe Woodward)

Looking back these past couple of days, we experienced memorable things with the people participating on the adult trip. There was Frankie, who was a drug addict and gave his life to the Lord. There were Juanita and Cecilia who had been friends for 15 years. They shared their joys and laughs with us. There were also many kids that joined us for VBS and increased a better understanding of our Lord. Overall we helped overcome spiritual warfare in Las Palomas Colonia, and showed to love of Jesus to his people. Thanks to all who participated.

ministry update Appalachian Kentucky

6/20/2007 By: Jimmy Hutson, MC

We are having a great time serving along side each other here in Kentucky. During construction one of our teams from PA got to know a lady named Lillian who taught at the school that we are staying at. The other construction group from PA helped tear down a rock wall. When they first started they were using a wheel barrow and when the family got home they let them use there 4 wheelers and jut got a lot of joy talking and getting encouragement from the family. While at VBS on the second day one of the residents accepted Christ. Praise God. At sports evangelism God was awesome and put the right person at the right place. Nicole from PA who loves to play with kids got to hang out with a lady who brought 7 kids to the park and got to minister to them while playing and talking with the young woman. Our spa ministry team has just been a blessing to all. They did massages and manicures with the ladies at the nursing home but also to those of us serving along side them.

1st day of VBS

6/20/2007 By: Deb

Cornerstone

June 17th
Our trip to the nursing home today was really fun! We presented a VBS lesson including music, a bible story, memory verse and game, and a craft. The residents seemed to enjoy the songs and joined in with with clapping and motions. We brought bubbles for one song ad they loved it! We had one woman actually sang us a song and one requested this little light of mine. Everyone joined in for that song! During the invitation for salvation we had several prayer requests for family and roommates! It was really awesome to know that they recognized who their source of help was. We ended our time helping the residents with their craft (we brought picture frames for them to decorate for their rooms) and we were able to give a few ladies hand massages and manicures

We had a great time!!!

Our evening ministry was a work project painting a deck and front porch for a local family. It was a great time of fellowship as we served this family? We laughed a lot and got to know our Christian Vogul one of the members of our leadership team.

Thanks for the opportunity!

First Day of Ministry in Lima Peru

6/19/2007 By: Stella Tippin, interpreter

Four Winds Christian Fellowship- Marshall, MI

We greet you from Lima, Peru after a fruitful first day of ministry. Here's what some of the missionaries have to say about their experiences:

Kirsten Weld of Heritage Christian Academy in Minnesota says:
Pray for Joanna, a girl in her 20s (maybe) who we met at a tienda (a little store). A group of us explained about the love of Jesus, and she responded by accepting Jesus as her Savior. You could see the joy of the Lord in her face. We gave her a Bible and also signed our names and wrote encouraging notes in her new Bible.
Another group had a chance to ask three teenagers if they knew where they were going after they died. They didn't know. This resulted in an explanation of Heaven and salvation, followed by the sinners' prayer.
Some of us asked the Lord for His direction when we were unsure of where to go next during door to door ministry. Autumn pictured a green house with an arch and a white door. We walked, found the house, and invited the little boy there to our VBS. We also had two hours to do "covering prayer." A group of us talked to the Lord about our trip so far. We prayed for individuals and their needs. It's amazing. One might think that praying for two hours would get tiring, but after doing it, you discover the immense blessings that go along with "covering prayer."

Adam Pollard of Covington Christian in Georgia says:
Today was great. I could really feel God's presence in worship this morning. When we went to the church, we went on a prayer walk. Then we went door to door.

Kenny Grant of South Carolina says:
Door to door in the morning. One man got saved. Also went to kids' school in morning--great. Prayer walked in afternoon.

Debbie Wenlund (staff, from Minnesota) and Becky Cooley (long-term AIM missionary) say:
Wow. God rocks!!! Fourteen people gave their lives to Christ today! Amazing. The youth are on fire and can't wait to see what HE has in store for tomorrow.
During door to door ministry time in one of the six homes that we visited, Philip and Eric shard the love of Jesus and His salvation with a young man who was so deeply touched by the Lord that he had beads of sweat on his forehead and tears in his eyes as he prayed to accept Christ. Afterwards, everyone prayed for him and encouraged Ricardo to attend the local church to be discipled by the Christian brothers there.

The proof is in the testimonies. Sometimes God wants to do a work in us and sometimes He wants to work through us and sometimes He wants to do both.

Prayer Requests

Kim's step dad- Joe Bishop. Undergoing chemo twice a month for non Hodgkin's Lymphoma
Landon-Most of the testing is complete. He is going to speech therapy twice a week, occupational therapy once a week, and he has got to wear a brace on his feet to help him walk normally. Please pray for Landon to understand that these things are to help him, he is feeling very uncomfortable about having to go every week. The brace will cost $373.00 after the insurance pays their part. The testing also helped us understand how better to teach him in school-he is a visual learner. Please pray for Kim as she tries to prepare his school for the upcoming year.
We need $500 a month support or $6000 to keep us supported through next year.

Praises