Y & Z are for Missions...? {Blogging through the Alphabet}

Y and Z are for missions... Think "Yiddish" and "Zimbabwe" {or any other words with those letters that bring to mind stepping out of one's comfort zone to bring the Gospel to others; those are all I could come up with!}

October 9-12, 2014, there was a Missions Conference at our church {Mayfield Village Baptist Church}, when we had two speakers from deaf ministry. Admittedly, they don't speak Yiddish {that I am aware} and are not missionaries to Zimbabwe, but they definitely stepped out to bring the Gospel to all the world. 

It was a great conference. I wish more people had of attended. Can you imagine the first words a deaf person hearing to be "Depart from me, I never knew you..."? How heartbreaking! 

Jim Bracelin was quite the funny guy- he talked about Jesus providing tuna sandwiches to feed the 5000. And there was something about grilled cheese, too {when directed to give bread and cheese...and it's hot in the Middle East! get it: grilled cheese... Eh, anyway *wink*}. He was made aware of the need for ministry to the deaf back in 1978*, I think, by Mr. Camp {of Silent Word Ministries}. Before that, he hadn't thought about the deaf. The Bracelins have been in this ministry since 1980.  *I might be getting the Schwalbes mixed up here.

Daniel Schwalbe, born and raised in India until he was 12, has a father who became deaf at two years old; and his father didn't even know sign language until he was much older {if I have my facts right}. Daniel didn't learn it that well until he was in his 20s. He met Hannah at Pensacola, and after they were married, they went to India to be missionaries to the deaf. Hannah didn't even know sign language before going!

At the conference were also Mary Amesbury, of Campus Ministry in Cleveland, OH, and Brian and Diana Starre, of HEART Ministry out of Broadview Heights Baptist Church in Ohio. They talked about the praises and prayer requests for their missions. I don't have a link for Mary's ministry but the Starre's can be found at HEART Ministry.

We had something called a Faith Promise challenge- if challenge is the right word- presented during the conference. We were to prayerfully considered what God would have us give to missions, and make a promise to do just that. On a slip of paper those who accepted the 'challenge' wrote down the amount they pledged to give for the year, October 2014- October 2015. No names were put on the papers; just the amount and when it was going to be given. The 'when' was so that the church could make a budget for missions giving based on the promised amounts. Previously our church had a 'budget' of about $9000. After the Faith Promise, that has risen to almost $24,000! 

Brother Bracelin said there are three types of missionaries: Go, Co-, and Oh... The first is obvious: They go and are active in the missionary field. The second may not be in a position to go but they want to be a part of it. They pray, first and foremost. Many also give monetarily or in other ways to help. The third is "Oh, I've given my set amount for the time I feel is good...I don't need to do anything else." And it's out of their minds until the next time to give comes around. 

We can't all go. But we can all pray, and many can give. Too many just are "Oh..." 'missionaries'. 

It was a really good conference that touched many hearts for missions. Perhaps you have considered going into missions? There is never a better time. 

Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest. ~Matthew 9:37-38

This is my last entry in the Blogging through the Alphabet. I think it may be a week early but it is what it is. See other 'y' and 'z' entries by searching 'abcblogging'.