Update 04/14/06

Dear Prayer Warriors,

As we have been approaching towards Easter Sunday, we have repeatedly had this scripture ringing in our hearts: "Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise - the fruit of lips that confess His name." (Heb. 13:15) During this time of year, we are especially reminded of our "sacrifice of praise" and how it includes giving thanks to Christ for His sacrifice on the cross and how we need to tell others about it.

Thank you for your prayers as we attended our church’s annual Missions Conference in early March. After the conference, we headed south to Florida. What a beautiful site to see all the signs of Spring during a 14 hour drive. Our Floridian host and hostess were an answer to prayer in providing a place a refreshment and family time, especially when we received news that Cindy’s estranged dad died suddenly.

In the transition and preparations for serving in Ecuador, we have had to step down from the ministries that we were involved in here and there has been a real void in not serving within the church. However, recently we have been given several opportunities:

• One Sunday morning we shared about missions with a group of local Sunday School children.
• We have also finished up the work with our Wednesday night mission project: Konstruction Kids. They have raised over $1,400.00 for a church in Guatemala. Our final presentation was showing them pictures of the many cement blocks they helped to purchase, as well as photos of the church being built.
• Doug was asked to fill the Sunday night pulpit for our pastor who was out of town. It was his first opportunity to preach without the need for translators.
• Cindy has jumped at the opportunity to direct the drama for an Easter cantata.
  We can’t begin to tell you how thankful we are for these opportunities to serve the Lord.

Last Sunday, we visited Grace Bible Church in Cissna Park, IL. We shared with the Sunday School Class and were so greatly blessed by the mission work happening right there. HEY MFMI…… Grace Bible Church has a goal to send everyone in their congregation on a short- term mission trip. We saw so many hearts willing to serve and to be obedient to whatever God is calling them to do.

We won’t talk about Spanish classes in this update! But we are progressing.

We give Praise for:

• Jesus, and what He has done for us,
• Surfside Christian Retreat,
• Florida,Small ministry opportunities here,
• An awaiting ministry in Ecuador,
• Ministry partners (new and faithful),
• 80% of our funds are in!! Possible June departure!!

Please pray for:

• This Saturday and Sunday, we will be participating in our church’s Easter Cantata.
• Next Sunday, we will be speaking at Evangelical Covenant Church in Paxton, IL.
• Then on April 30 we will be speaking at the UMC in Bushnell, IL.
• The church - Iglesia Christiana de Restauración that we enjoy attending on Sunday evenings (when possible) will be celebrating their 2nd Anniversary and we would love to attend that celebration on the evening of April 30th.

Have a joyous Easter weekend.
Blessings to You!

Doug & Cindy

Update 03/11/06

Dear Prayer Warriors,

Our missions conference at the Gibson City Bible Church begins today Saturday, March 11 - Monday, March 13. Please pray:

1. For God's blessings on the entire conference and everyone who attends.
2. That our blinders will be removed and we can see all that God has for us.
3. That the Lord of the Harvest will send forth more labors.
4. That hearts will be burdened to pray.

This past Monday we were presented with an opportunity to head to a Christian retreat in Panama City Beach during Spring break. This was an answer to prayer as the owners were very generous to us. The owners are looking forward to sharing their testimony with us and we are looking forward to sharing what God has been doing in our lives as well. We've contacted the church where we will worship while we're there. Pray for the Lord to open doors in which we can possibly share on Wednesday, March 22. Please pray for our family time together. We will also celebrate our 19th anniversary on March 21st.

At Wednesday night church, Cindy received an inquire about Faith Promise Cards and we thought it would be beneficial to repeat the information. A faith promise card is a reflection of a commitment between you and the Lord in how He is leading you to become part of a ministry through your giving and prayers. The faith promise card should be sent in as soon as the commitment is made. The actual giving can begin whenever the Lord leads you to begin. Faith promise cards are immediately considered in our % funded. During the conversation, the supporter said that her card had been filled out for months and she didn't know when to send it in or when to begin. She was also concerned that her amount each month would be too small. There is no amount to small that God can't bless and multiply according to His will. If you are holding a completed faith promise card on behalf of our ministry, please send to:

OMS International
Box A
Greenwood, IN 46142

We continue to pray and plan for a June departure and can leave only when we have the remaining 35% in faith promises. Thank you in advance for how the Lord is leading you!

Blessings to You!
Doug & Cindy

Update 02/23/06

Dear Prayer Warriors,

When we're about God's business, He is about our business, isn't He? That doesn't sound very biblical does it? How about ~ John 15:4 "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me." Please pray that we abide in Him first ~ in all that we do.

Over the past 3 weeks, we had the opportunity to visit two of our supporting churches and we were greatly blessed by our worship & fellowship time together. Our desire was to hear the pastors preach and to be a part of their Sunday worship service. The Lord showered His love through these churches. Praise the Lord for those churches that have partnered with our ministry & the Lord's work in Ecuador.

Our Spanish is coming along. Cindy's analogy of learning Spanish up to this point was like playing in the pool before the actual swimming lessons. She just wanted to soak up what she could. Well, her analogy after 6 weeks is that she is all shriveled up and ready to get out of the pool. We are beginning to drive our kids nuts, as we are continuously practicing what we know. At this time, they aren't too interested in participating. Please pray for our ability to make sense of this language and be able to remember what we have already learned.

Our missions conference is March 11, 12, & 13th. The theme is Advancing Missions through Prayer (Colossians 4:2-4) Our desires, lives, and ministry are empowered by prayer and we believe it is no coincidence that this is the theme for this years conference. We continue to have a need to cover all 13 national churches in prayer. Please prayfully consider if you would like to adopt one of these churches.

Last Sunday night, Doug was asked to preach in the Hispanic church in Bloomington ~ Iglesia Cristiana Restauración (Restoration Christian Church). This is the church were we have attended various services and events, and have developed a special relationship with the Pastor and his family, and with many of those that attend. The Lord met us there! He answered prayers; He sent encouragement; He saved two young boys that came forward; He challenged hearts to obedience, and He blessed our time with these brothers and sisters. It was encouraging to see how so many come forward to receive prayer for becoming obedient servants for the Lord.

We received two handwritten letters this month that were great encouragement to us. The first traveled from the Field Committee meeting in Ecuador where many of our future fellow missionaries wrote a few words of encouragement. Praise the Lord that He is already binding us together for service unto Him. The second arrived from a man who sat behind us at the church where Doug preached. It was filled with encouraging words and scripture.
"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Praise the Lord for an opportunity to intercede on behalf of a Spanish classmate. Rachelle slipped Cindy a piece of paper (note passing in class) asking us to pray for her. No specifics ~ just a request to pray. I trust that it was more than a final plea before our quiz today. Please join us as we pray that the Lord will meet Rachelle and she will recognize that He alone can supply all her needs.

We appreciate you all so much. Thank you for your faithfulness to this ministry.

Blessings to You!
Doug & Cindy

Update 01/31/06

Hola Prayer Warriors,

A challenge that came from Dr. Wesley Duewel during our Cross Training session last summer was:
"Is your prayer life adequate to become a missionary?"

You are so much a part of our vital prayer life, and we can't thank you enough for standing in the gaps for us. We truly believe that the success of God's work in our community and around the world is greatly affected by the outcries of His people.
"Call to Me, and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things which you do not know." Jeremiah 33:3

There were so many deposits into our spiritual account this month! Praise the Lord for His goodness, grace and abundance!

• Our Spanish class has met for 6 sessions and we now know enough to be dangerous. Our learning is coming and we contribute that to answered prayers. We are developing relationships within our class. We look forward to how the Lord will cultivate these relationships for His glory.
  
• We attended our first Quinceañera, which is a young Latina woman's celebration of her fifteenth birthday. What a great cultural opportunity the Lord provided. Doug has been invited to preach at the Hispanic church where this family attends. Please be in prayer for the message that he is to bring to this growing congregation in Bloomington, IL.
  
• We have had numerous glimpses of how God's children are being obedient to His will for their lives. What a beautiful way to encourage each other!! Praise the Lord for Susie, the India team, dinner guests at a recent wedding, Gavin, our children, and our church family.
  
• Our end of the year statements came in toward the middle of the month and we were abundantly blessed financially. Again, we contribute all of that to answered prayers. We are currently 61% funded for our initial five-year term and pray for the remainder to come in by this May.
  
• Our time with the Christian Bible Church in Cissna Park was a special blessing. They are welcoming us into their missionary family and we praise God for answering your prayers.
  
• Cindy has relished in her time at home. She is not one to "Be Still" (Psalm 46:10) and yet the Lord has given her the task of "Being Still" and abiding in Him for a time. This was confirmed last week when she received a precious reminder from headquarters with John 15. Jesus is spending his last few moments telling his disciples the secret to surviving tough times. Rather than telling them to get active and serve Him, Jesus tells them to seek Him and abide in Him. It's truly a beautiful time of preparation.
  
• We visited with one of our very first prayer warriors this past week and were greatly blessed and encouraged.

Our prayer requests are:

1. For our February, March, & April calendars - to begin filling up with sharing opportunities.
2. That our supporters realize their vitality to this ministry.
3. Additional new supporters to begin partnering with as we work towards being 100% funded.
4. That we would be able to say, "No" when needed.
5. Our Spanish classes will continue to make sense.
6. For our boys as they spiritually prepare for departure in June.

We have committed to praying specifically for you on Mondays. Please let us know how we can stand in the gaps for you!

Blessings to You!
Doug & Cindy

Update 01/09/06

Dear Prayer Warriors,

Happy New Year ~ 2006!!

What will 2006 bring for all of us? What will really matter in 2006? Where will our priorities be in 2006? How can we effect eternity in 2006? As we ponder with excitement a new year and yet wrestle with the unknown, we can rest assure that if we are God's children, all things work for the good who love the Lord (Romans 8:28).

Our New Year has started with a vision to obtain prayer support for all the pastors and their churches in Zone 3 of Ecuador where we will be serving. There are 14 churches that need to be adopted by groups of 3 or more. The requirement to have a group of 3 or more is to follow the model of Moses, Aaron, & Hur in Exodus 17:8. Families, prayer groups, Sunday School classes, women's fellowship..... any kind of group of 3 or more who are willing & committed to pray for one of these churches are ready to proceed with the adoption process. We are also in need of a district prayer leader. This is a person who will visit zone 3 in Ecuador and claim it for Christ. Return home to organize all the prayer requests from Zone 3 and make these requests known to prayer warriors who have been called to pray.

Our college Spanish classes begin tomorrow. We received our books and page 1 looks like an advanced Spanish class. Cindy is asking herself, "Where's the alphabet? Where's the beginning sound pictures? Where's the two word sentences?" Well, she's not in first grade anymore!! Please pray for the ability to learn and comprehend what is taught. We also desire to be a testimony in this college classroom. We will definitely be the minority (as we'll be the old fogies) and we pray for opportunities to minister as well as learn.

We will be sharing with Christian Bible Church in Cissna Park on Sunday evening. Their pastor and his flock are very excited about missions and what God is doing around the world. We have already been greatly encouraged by them and pray that this developing relationship will bring God honor and glory as we help each other serve in obedience.

We sent out 28 letters this past week, informing churches that we are not departing for Quito until June and would welcome opportunities to share. Please pray for God's divine intervention in opening doors for us to serve and share.

The commitments are coming in from our youth group and we praise God for how He is working through them. Keep them lifted up!

Please join us as we pray for Jonathan's 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Cox, who has been in the hospital since Thursday with undiagnosed tremors and the inability to walk without assistance. She has been struggling since last Spring with health issues and over Christmas break the health issues escalated to the point of hospitalization.

We hope you all have a wonderful week.

Blessings to You!
Doug & Cindy

Christmas Letter 2005

Merry Christmas!

For those of you that may be overseas or have not received our Christmas letter, please click the links below:

• Christmas Letter
  
• Christmas Photo

We hope you all have a Blessed Christmas!

Christmas Blessings to You!
Doug & Cindy

Update 12/20/05

Dear Prayer Warriors,

Merry Christmas!! Isn't this such a special time of year? The miraculous birth of Jesus brings a hope that God intervenes and things aren't always as they appear. We are so overwhelmed with thoughts of His sovereignty that we can't organize them enough to record them in this email. Rejoice with us as we praise God for His intervention in your life and ours with the most greatest gift of all ~ JESUS!

The month of December has been filled with Christmas preparations, Doug's 42nd birthday, David's basketball games, and wrapping up a teaching career in the public school system. We count it such a blessing that we can sit down at this computer to share our praises and prayer needs with people who have been called to care. May the Lord bless you for your faithfulness to Him.

So many of you were led to pray as Cindy finished her last days of teaching in Gibson City. Prayers were answered as Cindy battled her will for HIS. Isn't it odd, that the more qualified we are, the more likely we are to make mistakes because we think we can rely on our ability and do not need HIM. God is now able to reign in this situation and He doesn't make mistakes. Please pray for the kids, their new teacher, and the administration. Pray that the transition will be smooth.

This month, we shared with a missions committee in Cissna Park (35 miles away) and the Lord has opened the door for us to share with their congregation sometime in January. It is so evident that the Lord has been working in this church and we're thrilled to be a part of what He's doing there. We were also invited last Sunday to share with our high school youth. They have been led to join us and each one will be in prayer for the next couple of weeks as they discern their involvement in our ministry. They have already raised $865.00 from a spaghetti dinner, but want to join us with monthly prayer and financial support. We've had several people step forward in obedience to His leading to partner with us. We are so grateful, as it is a visual testimony to how God provides through His people. For them and for you, we offer thanks and praise for coming along side of us in this ministry and making it possible for us to serve.

For the past ten years, our family has been making ornaments to share with family and a few friends. This year, we made a salvation ornament that contains six colors and a mini card explaining the colors with correlating scripture. (Gold=God, Black=Sin, Red=Blood, Clear=Forgiveness, Green=Growth, Blue=Spirit) Please pray that God would go before these ornaments and that many will hear the Good News story through this little gift.

Christmas Blessings to You!
Doug & Cindy

Answered Prayer 12/01/05

Dear Prayer Warriors,

Just a quick note to Thank You for your prayers. God was abundant in answering them:

• The nurse had an amazing ability to give our immunization shots without you really knowing it. Jonathan couldn't believe that she was done!!
  
• We all received Yellow Fever, and the boys also received Hepatitis A. We still need Typhoid but the doctor thought that 3 shots were too many for the boy's bodies to handle.
  
• We are all feeling fine today and we praise the Lord for it. 25% may have a flu-like reaction (Symptoms may occur up to 5 days, so please pray as the Lord leads).
  
• We had the opportunity to share with our attending physician, why we are going to Ecuador ~ pray that seeds were planted!
  
• We enjoyed great "family" time after the appointment. We needed that during this busy holiday season.
  
• All enjoyed a good night's rest (and awoke to 1 1/2 inches of snow ~ Jonathan was thrilled).

We have been reminded... “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6

Blessings to You!

Doug & Cindy

Update 11/23/05

Dear Prayer Warriors,

Happy

Time with family & friends
Home
Answered prayers
New partners in ministry
Kids
Safety provisions
Good health
Irrevocable promises
Vital prayer warriors
Invitations to share of God's goodness
Neighbors
God's only Son, JESUS!

We have much to be thankful for!

We are thankful for you and for your prayers. We recently completed a marathon of sharing our call to seven different churches over the past six weeks. We knew that you were praying for us, as we could feel them. During that time, we were healthy and other than a couple of minor technical glitches, everything went very well. Two weeks ago, we had the privilege of sharing in a church (Upper Room) that is 15 miles from home. We saw some familiar faces, and it was wonderful to hear stories about how this small church is growing spiritually and in size. They were all a real blessing to us.

Our marathon was such a blessing, but it was also nice to return to our home church (GCBC) this past Sunday. It was wonderful to catch up on what's been taking place, and to visit and worship with some old friends. As we had mentioned in our last update, due to our travels we were unable to attend a Spaghetti Dinner hosted by the youth of the GCBC. During this dinner, donations were collected to raise money for our flights to Quito. This past Sunday, a couple of the youth presented our family with a box that contained $864. What a blessing!

As many of you know, we had been planning and preparing for a January departure. As we are currently supported at 54% for our five-year term, it is appearing more and more that next June will be more realistic. We know that the Lord's timing is perfect, and He will have us there when He wants us there.

In an effort to continue moving forward with our support raising and preparations for leaving, Cindy has resigned from teaching effective Jan. 2. We have also registered for a Spanish class at a nearby Community College. The classes are two days a week from January to May, and we are hopeful this will help to give us a jump start on Spanish and will help to speed our learning curve when we attend language school in Quito.

Please pray for all of us as we visit a Travel Clinic on Wednesday (Nov. 30). We will be receiving our Typhoid and Yellow Fever immunizations. According to a good missionary friend, the Yellow Fever can "have a quite a kick to it", and you can have flu-like symptoms for a few days.

We hope you all have a very blessed Thanksgiving. Most of all, we are thankful for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who died upon a cross, to redeem us from wickedness, and to take away our sins. During this time of thanksgiving, "May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the powers of the Holy Spirit." Rom 15:13

Blessings to You!
Doug & Cindy

Update 11/06/05

Dear Prayer Warriors,

Our month long travels outside Ford County have come to an end today as we arrived safely home from Cedarville, IL which is located near northwest of Rockford, IL.

Last weekend, we returned to southern Illinois where we attended the Ellen Moore United Methodist Church in Fairfield. We felt so at home in this church as we saw familiar OMS prayer cards on their mission’s board, the design of the church reminded us of a church that we attended years ago, and an elderly lady adopted us right away as her own. We are now partners in this ministry for God’s glory! Hallelujah!!

Our journey home from Fairfield created an opportunity to finally stop by the Cross at the Crossroads in Effingham. Look at the picture carefully, and you can see Cindy, David, & Jonathan standing at the foot of the 198' tall cross!! What an amazing site and testimony this cross is for the 50,000 people that drive by it each day. Surrounding the foot of the cross, are the Ten Commandments etched in marble stones. For more information, check out http://www.crossusa.org.

Our time spent this past Sunday at Emmanuel Evangelical Church in Cedarville was a time of rejoicing and refueling. We attended the youth service on Saturday night as we sadly missed our own youth from the Gibson City Bible Church who were hosting a spaghetti dinner (with entertainment) on our behalf to raise money for our flights to Quito. It’s always such a blessing to see the future of the church love the Lord and worship in their own way ~ LOUDLY!! As we observed the youth in Cedarville, worshipping and fellowshipping, Romans 12:2 came to mind in how we are reminded “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world” and how when the youth leave the security of the church, the challenges that they face in continuing to exemplify a Christ-like testimony. Have you prayed for your youth recently, or for your own kids?

Our blessings continued as we spoke Sunday morning for 40 minutes to their congregation of around 200 people, sharing of how the Lord is calling us to serve in Ecuador. We met several people who confirmed why the door was opened for us to speak at this church. Praise the Lord for His orchestration of this time together.

We are reminded again of the privilege we have in serving Jesus. We continue to be in awe of His mighty plan and work in our lives: Two ordinary, unworthy people, being entrusted with His message in reaching His children for His glory.

As we approach this Thanksgiving season, we are so thankful for prayers and thoughts on our behalf. You are the heartbeat of this ministry and without you and your support, our efforts would be fruitless.

Please pray as we share next Sunday at the Upper Room Church in Paxton, IL. We look forward to seeing some familiar faces at this church. Please pray for Cindy as she works towards securing a teaching position at the Alliance Academy in Quito for Fall 2006. She has a passion for younger children ~ pray that the Lord will use her in the area of her passion.

Have a great week.

Blessings to You!
Doug & Cindy

Update 10/25/05

Dear Prayer Warriors,

Last week, we lost a highly valued and treasured part of our ministry. A Godly man from our church who was committed to praying for us daily, has relocated his home to heaven. After speaking this past Sunday at Ebenezer UMC and Calhoun UMC (both near Olney, IL), we drove back home to attend his evening memorial service. Praise the Lord that we did, as his service was a blessing to us, and to all that attended.

Olney, is about 3 hours south of our town, and as some of you may be aware - home of the white squirrels. The church services at Ebenezer and Calhoun were such a blessing and a source of encouragement. They opened their doors and their hearts to us. Jonathan loved singing from the hymnals, as he's not used to that. These two churches share a pastor, and requested prayer for their upcoming revival. Remembering revivals from our time in the Baptist church, we sat and silently longed for a good ol' fashioned revival. The Lord answers silent prayers that are the deepest desires of our heart. The memorial service we attended for this precious servant of Christ was nothing short of a revival. We entered the memorial service exhausted and sorrowful of our loss...

We left the service...

• being blessed to have known this man of God,
• with our hearts full of joy that we know where our joy comes from,
• with a challenge to be more Christ-like,
• with a responsibility to reflect the one we serve ~ JESUS!!

We praise the Lord for Ron Hayes and the legacy he has left us!

Before we returned home from Olney, we were invited to lunch by a precious seasoned couple. The Lord touched their hearts to partner with us in ministry. Our time together was blessed as we could see how the Lord orchestrated our partnership for His glory. We praise the Lord for this sweet couple! Aside from not seeing a single white squirrel, we have several reasons to visit the Olney area again.

It has been interesting to reflect back over last week and how we lost our good friend - Ron. However, the Lord continues to bless us by placing new prayer warriors in our lives every week. We praise the Lord for you and your faithful prayers for us. We have felt them, and they are sustaining us during these busy and challenging days.

We are making preparations for sharing with Ellen Moore UMC in Fairfield, IL this Sunday. On November 5th, we have been asked to briefly share during our church's High School Youth Group's Spaghetti dinner. Then that night, we plan to make the four hour trip north to Cedarville IL, (west of Rockford), where we will be speaking on November 6. On November 13, we are planning to share in Paxton, Il at the Upper Room Church. We ask that you continue to pray for our time with these churches, our health, and for traveling mercies.

Blessings to You!

Doug & Cindy

Update 10/13/05

Dear Prayer Warriors,

God is the master gardener but He gives us the job of planting seeds, watering, fertilizing, and grooming. However, as the master gardener, He is the one responsible for the garden. He is in charge of the "blooming". Now, imagine His kingdom as this hillside and imagine the beautiful blooms as His children. Are we doing what it takes to help God's garden grow?

We had a wonderful weekend as we shared last Sunday morning in a local church and Angie Rouley opened our message with the song she wrote for us, "Nothing is Everything". Her testimony and gift of singing touched our hearts and blessed us greatly. She will be singing again this Sunday. Please pray for Angie as she ministers with us.

We are amazed at how God opens the doors to visit and share in some churches and closes the doors to others. Sunday afternoon we traveled 165 miles south to Centralia, IL. As we were on our way down south, we realized that this was the first church in which we were invited to speak, and had absolutely no ties. We knew no one there, and they did not know us. We were blessed that people would give up their Sunday evening to come and hear us share, when they did not have a clue who we were. Again, we don't know why the Lord opened the door to that church down south, but when the door is open, we want to be faithful and obediant. There was a small group that attended that evening, and some may think that it was not worth our time and travel, however there was a family there who were relatively new beleivers, but seeking God's will in their lives. They were very interested in missions, and consiering the possiblity of full-time missions. They were wide-eyed as they stayed after and asked us many questions. Again, we may not know why the Lord opens the doors to various opportunities to speak, we just need to be obediant and let Him do the rest.

As God's children, we don't know if we're planting a seed, watering one, fertilizing one, or grooming one. We just have to be obedient to God's directing on our lives and put our trust in the Gardener to make everything bloom.

This Sunday, we will be speaking in our local First Christian Church. Pray that we will be faithful assistant gardeners.

Thank you so much for your "info" response. We love praying for you as it's the least we can do for your faithfulness to our ministry. Please never hesitate to send us a request.

Blessings to You!
Doug & Cindy

Weekly Update 09/22/05

Dear Prayer Warriors,

Do you have six-panel doors in your house? If you don't know what they are, they have two small panels at the top, two long panels in the middle and two stubby panels on the bottom. Our apartment is full of six-panel doors! If you have ever seen a six panel door, you know that between the two top panels and the two middle panels form a cross. This apartment has been such an answer to prayer and it continues to bless us by showing us the cross everyday.

The Premier Open House was such a blessing with several opportunities to share about our preparations for Ecuador. We praise the Lord for this mission-minded family business.

The Central Regional Office of OMS International recently sent out available missionary letters on our behalf to around 20 churches. Doug has been working hard to make contact with the correct individuals at these churches, seeking opportunities for us to share about our call to full-time missions. While Doug was working at home on Tuesday, the power went off briefly causing him some unplanned rework due to what he lost on the computer. However, shortly after that, he received a call from a church in Fairfield, Illinois (who had received our information from OMS) inviting us to speak on Oct. 30. The interesting part to this, is that they were not indicated on the list we received from OMS, and we would not have known to call them. The Lord is Good! Doug made around 50 calls this week. Our Sundays for the month of October are quickly filing up. We have received invitations to speak at two local churches, and four more in Southern Illinois. We have one Sunday open in October, and are working to schedule a speaking engagement on that Sunday as well.

One of the many blessings we have in raising our own support is seeing God move & work through His people to ultimately glorify His son, Jesus Christ. One such blessing happened last Friday when Cindy had a "conference" with one of her student's parents. This parent was inspired to write and compose a song for our ministry and by Tuesday, it was complete. It is so BEAUTIFUL! We pray that there will be a way for all of you to hear what God did through her. This has also filled a need that we really didn't know we had, until several churches asked if we could share anything musical. Up to now, we had to say, "NO!" What a testimony of obedience!

As we seek additional opportunities to share, we think of Apostle Paul's words in Col 4:2-4 which remind us to devote ourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful....and petitioning prayer that God will open doors for us to share clearly about Christ, and our call to serve Him in Ecuador.

We pray you have a wonderful and blessed weekend.

Blessings to You!
Doug & Cindy
http://omsinternational.org/profile/oms/ecuador/dctankersley

Weekly Update 09/13/05

Dear Prayer Warriors,

Thank you so much for your prayers. They are so vital to our ministry. We have recently been reminded that we can not complete tasks as simple as making ministry phone calls, without being covered in prayer. Doug tried to make several calls last week, and received so much static on the line that he could vaguely hear the person on the other end. Doug has been working hard following tips and leads from those who are investing in our ministry and the Lord's work in Ecuador. God is faithful and He will supply the fruit. "Our labor in the Lord is not in vain" 1 Cor. 15:58

It's been a beautiful week as Cindy prayed with a precious friend as she surrendered her will - for God's will in her life. WHAT A BLESSING!! We were also very blessed when we received several sacrificial gifts this week. We also received words of encouragement from two prayer warriors that have enjoyed reading our updates. Praise the Lord for His outpouring of blessings and encouragement this week.

On Thursday night, Cindy has been invited to set up our Ecuadorian display at a Premier Jewelry Open House. Profits from the purchases will be donated to our ministry. Please pray for those that attend and that they will catch a glimpse of our heart's desire to serve Jesus and help reach the lost in Ecuador.

The Central Regional Director of OMS sent out 26 letters to churches in Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio on our behalf. Please pray that these letters reach the right people and that they will respond according to the Holy Spirit's leading.

We are scheduled to speak at a local church on October 9th. Please pray for our preparations, as well as the hearts of those that attend to be open to what God is doing in Ecuador. Another local church is meeting this week to discuss our presenting at their church. Please pray that if it is the Lord's will, we will be welcomed to speak.

Blessings to You!
Doug & Cindy
http://omsinternational.org/profile/oms/ecuador/dctankersley

Weekly Update 09/06/05

Dear Prayer Warriors,

Our prayer requests seem so insignificant in comparison to the devastation that we have all witnessed in the south this week. The media has shown us first hand the hopelessness and helplessness of so many poverty stricken Americans affected by Hurricane Katrina. It has been heart wrenching to watch precious human beings unable to meet their basic needs. We know that there are entire countries living like this everyday, and long for a reason to "hope" just as so many Americans have this week.

WE HAVE THE HOPE IN JESUS CHRIST!! He is God in the good times and bad times. Join us in praying for those affected by Hurricane Katrina. We pray for opportunities to serve Jesus in the midst of this catastrophe. We pray God's Holy word, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him and who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28

We praise our Lord who is trustworthy! We praise Him for another "wake-up" call for ourselves, America, and the world! He is so GRACIOUS! We praise Him, for an enormous opportunity to reach out and to be Christ to those who need Him. We praise Him for our call to Ecuador ~ a poverty stricken country that is also searching blindly for the hope that is readily available and waiting ~ Jesus.

The hymn writer's words continue to ring in our head, "Our hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus blood and righteousness..."
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/m/y/myhopeis.htm

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the powers of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

Blessings to You!
Doug & Cindy
http://omsinternational.org/profile/oms/ecuador/dctankersley

Weekly Update 08/29/05

Hola, Prayer Warriors!

Cindy and the kids had their first full week of school, and are all back into the mode of completing homework. Jonathan had his first soccer game of the season, and David begins soccer practice this week. So, back into the world of soccer taking the kids back and forth to practices and watching games.

We are always amazed in seeing see how God directs our paths in ways that we cannot see until later in time. Sunday we were blessed with the opportunity to share the day with the members of Iglesia Cristiana de Restauracion (Restoration Christian Church) in Bloomington, IL. The day began when we met at 8:00 am. as a group in Bloomington, traveling down the interstate in a procession of 20+ cars (all with hazard lights flashing at 45 mph) on our way to Comlara Park. This was a special day of worship in the park pavilion followed by a baptism of 9 new believers in a nearby lake.

Pastor David shared a great message from Acts 2:38, and during the service we were invited to share about the importance of baptism and the significance it has for the believer. One of the those to be baptized included Maria, the wife of Felipe, a good friend of Doug's from work - who was the one that originally invited us to visit this church. It has been wonderful to see over the past few months how this church has been blessed and is growing in size and in Spirit. Following the baptism, we had a huge meal and we stuffed ourselves while having a great time of fellowship.

Our kids also had a great time, and "blended" quite well. As we were driving home, we discussed how it was amazing how God began a relationship between Felipe and Doug, which has led us to worship with this body of believers and to help us prepare for our transition to Ecuador.

Doug begins his new part-time schedule this week, and will now have Tuesdays and Thursdays to focus on building our support so that we can head to Ecuador. Please pray especially on these days as he make phone calls and visits. Pray that the Lord would go before us in all that we do, guiding our steps along the way.

Praise the Lord for a 6 year old who gave his "tooth" money to our ministry today. God blesses a cheerful giver. Here's a great web-site for kids who desire to tell others about Jesus: www.kidzplace.org.

Blessings to You!
Doug & Cindy
http://omsinternational.org/profile/oms/ecuador/dctankersley

Weekly Update 08/23/05

Dear Prayer Warriors,

Just a quick note to tell you "Thank You" for your prayers. Since we sent out our update this morning, the Lord answered our prayers as Doug received word this afternoon that his management approved his request to switch to working part-time. Doug will begin working 3 days a week, we will be able to continue our benefits, and he will now have the opportunity to focus 2 weekdays towards our support raising. We appreciate your faithfulness in praying for us.

Blessings to You!
Doug & Cindy

-----Original Message-----
From: Doug & Cindy Tankersley
Sent: Tuesday, August 23, 2005 7:12 AM
Subject: Weekly Update

August 22, 2005

Dear Prayer Warriors,

Thank you so much for your willingness to pray for us and our ministry. We have often prayed for the health and safety of missionaries when we didn't know how to specifically pray. We want to praise the Lord for keeping us healthy and safe. It's not something we take lightly but it is something that we often take for granted here in America. On foreign soil, it's a daily praise report for a healthy body and a His divine protection. Remember to pray for the health and safety of all overseas missionaries.

Praise Jesus for His presence at a small gathering on Saturday night. Three families sharing how Jesus is working in their lives and how He continues to lead them in service to HIM! Pray for Art and his family as they are farmers in central Illinois dealing with drought issues. Pray for Dave as he has accepted the leadership of a youth ministry. Pray for Josh as he serves the Lord through a youth band: Bullitproof ~ album to be recorded in September. Pray for Jenny as a spark for missions is being rekindled.

Doug has written and submitted a proposal for moving from full-time employment to part-time. This will give him two days each week to devote to our support ministry. Please pray that this would be accepted by upper-management if this is the Lord's will for us.

Praise the Lord for a great start to the school year!

OMS International has an updated version to their web-site. Check it out at: www.omsinternational.org

Have a great week!

Blessings to you,
Doug & Cindy

Weekly Update 08/16/05

Dear Prayer Warriors,

Who is the God we worship and serve? This summer, I have been in a bible study answering these questions. Here is the answer: God is holy, God is faithful, God is eternal, God is changeless, God is powerful, God is good, God is all-knowing, God is sovereign, God is ever present, and God is love. Throughout this study, these attributes of God convicted my heart, awestruck my mind, and empowered me to serve HIM!

Our trip to Goshen, Indiana (4+ hours one way) was flawless. The Lord was so good!! No traffic! No construction! Our time with the Men For Missions Council was precious, as this group is empowered to pray for missionaries around the world. We were greatly blessed by their prayers on our behalf. Rejoice with us for this group and the answers to their petitions.

It's been months, but Sunday night we were able to return to the Hispanic church in Bloomington ~ Resurrection Christian. We were encouraged as they were encouraged. In April, they celebrated their first anniversary. Their numbers have increased since May and they will have their first baptism service on Sunday, August 28. We pray that the Lord would allow us to be a part of this special event. We praise the Lord for this church and their outreach to the Hispanic population.

This week, we have been in preparations for the school year to start ~ August 19th. David will begin his 8th grade year and Jonathan will begin 4th. The administration has allowed me to teach until we leave for the field, so I am excited to touch the lives of 21 six year olds. Pray that we can all be testimonies of Christ to "our neighbors" in school.

We would love to move to Ecuador during our Christmas break if this is God's will for our departure. We are in need of prayer for direction and discernment as to when Doug should resign from his position at State Farm so that he can focus "full time" on our support raising ministry. We would ask for confirmation for a date and for doors to be open if this is His will for us.

"We love because He first loved us." 1 John 4:19. Thank you for loving us and standing in prayer for us!

Blessings to you,
Doug & Cindy

Weekly Update 08/07/05

This is more like a monthly update ~ our last update was July 4th. We recently completed our 3 weeks of cross cultural training at OMS headquarters in Greenwood, IN. Your prayers were answered!! We both received a certificate of completion. This was our last "pre-field" requirement to fulfill other than a lot of small details. We are now waiting on the Lord's timing for departure through our funds requirement. We are currently 35% funded and will be working towards 100% by December '05. We found out that we will need cash in our account to pay for one time expenses, i.e.) airline tickets, furnishings, vehicle, schooling, etc. If you were wondering when you should start your financial commitment, now would be a good time. Just send your first donation to:

OMS International
PO Box A
Greenwood, IN 46142
Memo line: Tankersley - 802314

They will receipt your payment with an envelope for your next payment. May the Lord bless your obedience in giving!!

We learned so much during our training and found that we have so much more to learn. Our boys didn't want to leave as they made many friendships with kids who are experiencing the same things that they are. We, too were blessed with new founded friendships! There were 16 adults that participated in 8 hours of training for 5.5 days a week, homework in the evenings, plus ethic church observations on Sundays. Of these 16, our group was from 5 different countries, preparing to serve in 8 different countries. We found that our training time together wasn't enough and we spent many hours together eating, playing, and worshipping together. The Lord blessed us greatly through these children of His!! Our training covered topics such as Interpersonal skills, preparing for transition, cultural competencies, inductive bible study methods, MK issues, mental & physical health, cultural stressors, prayer, family life, church planting movements, security contingency, and much, much, more.
We plan to speak at a Men For Missions council meeting in Goshen, IN on Monday night.

• Please pray for travel mercies as we make the 5 hour (one way) trip up and back on Monday.
• Pray that we would be a source of encouragement to them.
• Pray that our time together would be of one likeness: Serving Jesus!

"Home Sweet Home", "Home is Where the Heart Is", "There's no place like home", "My home is your home", "All the comforts of home" ~ I'm sure that you can think of other sayings about a place a refuge, a place of security, a place of love, a place of welcoming and a place of longing. We long to be at home with the Lord but until that day comes, He has given us earthly homes where His people gather. We praise the Lord for our church family and the home we have at the Gibson City Bible Church. Until we get to our new home in Quito Ecuador, it fells great to be HOME! It was also great to hear our Pastor preach today in English.
Have a great week and may Jesus bless you with a place to call HOME.

Blessings to you,

Cindy & Doug

Weekly Update 07/04/05

Dear Prayer Warriors,

Our praises begin as we praise and thank our heavenly Father for all the freedoms we have:

• We're thankful for the freedoms that we have as Americans.
• We're thankful for the freedoms that we have as American Christians.
• We're thankful for the freedoms that we have as American Christian Missionaries.

These freedoms didn't come without a price. We're thankful for those who went before us to pay the price, who counted the cost and moved forward anyway, who had a vision of freeing people in bondage and for the many who gave of their lives so that we can have these freedoms.

We have just returned from the OMS World Outreach Celebration where hundreds of people have one common vision ~ reaching the nations for Christ. Many were foreign field missionaries, many were homeland missionaries, many were youth, many were prayer warriors and many were seasoned saints. All were people willing to GO, DO and GIVE whatever God calls them to in order to further the Kingdom. Please pray for our son David, as we witnessed the Lord convicting his heart for a lost world.

Our commissioning service a beautiful and Holy time! It was another one of those indescribable moments. We praise God for this special time.

On Sunday 7/10, we leave for 3 weeks of cross cultural training at OMS headquarters in Greenwood, IN. We believe this may be our last pre-requisite before leaving for the field of Ecuador. We praise God for this year of preparations! However, we will wait on the Lord's perfect timing as He brings in our funds that will permit us to go. There are those that the Lord desires to be a part of His work in Ecuador with us ~ pray that we open our eyes to them.

• Please pray for Ecuador and the Lord's work in that country.
• Please pray for our ability to comprehend all that we will learn over the next 3 weeks in training.
• Pray for the Coates Family (Darryl & Tina) as they seek God's leading and directing in reaching the nations for Christ.

Just as Jesus is at the right hand of God interceding for His children, we thank you for interceding to Jesus on our behalf.

Blessings to you,
Doug and Cindy