Birmingham Missions Cohort As I've been "stranded" in the States due to the pandemic, one way in which I've been able to be involved in missions is through the Birmingham Missions Cohort. "B-MC" ("Bee-Mac") "is an intentional community seeking to train and mentor young professionals to use their gifts in God's global mission." Seven young adults were accepted into this first Cohort, and have been meeting twice per week since the end of January. Various missionaries have been visiting with the group, while others have been teaching on various missions topics. Dr. Richard Pratt speaking (via Zoom) to the B-MC on "The Mission of God"  As announced in my November newsletter, my initial intention was to move temporarily to Birmingham and get involved in a local international ministry in order to then involve our cohort members. However, due to Covid, that was no longer a legitimate option. Additionally, I deemed it good stewardship to finish my basement apartment renovation sooner rather than later in order to start getting a return on my investment. So, rather than moving to Birmingham, I have been commuting to Birmingham once each week, helping to lead Thursday night meetings, then returning to Jackson on Fridays. I've also been meeting regularly with one of the B-MC participants as his missionary mentor. This current week, I have stayed in Birmingham for the weekend in order to lead a couple of international activities. On Sunday morning, our group will visit the local Hindu temple in order to learn more about this false religion and the Indian culture. Then we will worship together at the Briarwood Hispanic ministry, exposing the participants to a fully Spanish worship service. Next week Saturday we will travel three hours to Clarkston, Georgia, just outside Atlanta, home to a significant international refugee community, largely Muslim. We will learn about ministry opportunities to internationals right here in the States. One of our goals for B-MC is for each of the participants to be more involved in cross-cultural ministry locally, but we have also been praying for three participants to become long-term overseas missionaries. Additionally, we have been praying that this new MTW ministry will be replicated in other cities to further equip young professionals for ministry. Please join us in this prayer.   Prayer Points   Pray for the B-MC participants, and that each of them will be faithful to the great commission, whether that be overseas or here in the States. Pray for B-MC to be replicated in other cities to increase the call to foreign missions. Pray that God will allow for the reopening of the Australian borders and that I will be able to begin my ministry in Sydney in July 2021. Pray that God will soon provide the required financial support that will allow me to equip young adults in Australia to serve as missionaries throughout Asia-Pacific. Follow FB Group Forward to a Friend Australian Borders   With the continuing pandemic, the opening of Australia's borders is still not known. The most recent prediction from my immigration lawyer is July, but that is by no means a certainty. Please pray toward that end. Support Status   THANK YOU to all those who have faithfully partnered with me through funding the work to which God has called me. Especially during these uncertain times, when I'm unable to serve in Australia, I appreciate your partnership. My current support level is at 97%. An additional $288 in monthly pledges is needed before I can be cleared for departure. If you would like join me in equipping young adults to reach Asia for Christ, you can either: Email me with your pledge, or Give online. House Update   As you may know, I bought a house in September and have been renovating the one-bedroom basement apartment since then. I will occupy the apartment when in the States, and will be able to rent both it (during my time overseas) and the main floor as short-term rentals. Work is finally nearing an end, as I will soon be installing flooring and other finishing touches. I am thankful that God provided such an ideal home, as it has provided meaningful work during this interim period, and will provide additional income once I am able to list it for short-term rental. It will also provide an ideal location for my own local ministry and hospitality while in the States.   Ministry Overview Click here for a video presentation on the ministry to which God has called me in Sydney.

Borders Opening? When the world shut down about ten months ago, my Australian immigration lawyer predicted Australia would not open up its borders until at least the beginning of 2021. He is now optimistic that he can get me a visa and permission to enter in July. I'm excited that there appears to be a glimmer of light at the end of this Covid tunnel. Support Raising Update Before I can depart for Australia, I need an additional $500 in monthly pledges. My support level has fluctuated over the last year, and I will lose one church which is disbanding at the end of this month, leaving me at 94% of my needed pledged support. I currently have thirteen churches and sixty-three private individuals partnering with me at various levels. Would you consider partnering with me as well? Here's how you can make a pledge: Email me with your pledge, including amount and frequency (monthly, quarterly, or annual). Email Savannah at MTW, including amount and frequency as stated above. MTW Website: You can make a contribution and indicate that it will be recurring. You can also arrange for automatic debits from a bank account or credit card if you prefer. Thank you for your consideration! House Update Since moving into my house in September, I've been busy renovating the basement apartment. I recently finished kitchen cabinets, most walls and ceilings are prepped for paint, and I'm beginning to build a new shower and the bathroom vanity. I hope to have the apartment finished by mid-February before the Birmingham Missions Cohort starts. I'm very thankful for God allowing me this project to remain productive while waiting for the Australian borders to open.   Equipping to the Ends of the Earth Click here for a video presentation on the ministry to which God has called me in Sydney. Follow FB Group Forward to a Friend Calendar February 19-20 MTW Virtual Missions Conference I don't know how it will all work, but there will be various missionary speakers, and even an opportunity to visit with individual missionaries (including me) online. Everyone is welcome -- you don't have to be a PCA church member!  Register online.   February 22 - May 6 Birmingham Missions Cohort. (See the November newsletter if you missed the article about this exciting new ministry.) Despite Covid, we are moving forward, hopeful that in-person meetings will be possible.   February 26-28 Redeemer PCA Missions Conference; Jackson, MS   July Departure goal for Sydney Prayer Points   Praise God for reason for optimism about a July departure! Pray that God will supply the final 6% of support needed for departure by July. Pray for the Birmingham Missions Cohort -- for 12 participants, for engaging and effective training and mentoring relationships, and that the cause of the gospel would be benefitted with additional missionaries and senders of missionaries.

Birmingham Mission Cohort I'm pleased to announce that I have begun working with a new MTW ministry in Birmingham, Alabama. The Birmingham Mission Cohort (B-MC, pronounced "B-Mac") is the result of seven others in Birmingham (missionaries, pastors, etc.) who have been dreaming and meeting since September to develop a mentored mission-training program for young professionals. The plan, as I understand it, is for a ten-week program to run February 22 - May 6. Twelve young professionals will meet twice each week for missions training, as well as meeting regularly with an experienced missionary/mentor. The group will also be exposed to several international ministries in Birmingham (with internationals living there). We are praying for at least three of the twelve participants to eventually serve as foreign missionaries. I've been invited to join the committee and to head up the international missions component, as well as perhaps do some teaching, and mentor one (or more) of the young men. I'll be meeting regularly with the committee via Zoom, but will need to move temporarily to Birmingham, likely in January, to be more fully involved in the program and with whatever international ministry I may be able to serve. Although the B-MC committee desires to see this ministry become a regular event, this is an interim ministry for me as I wait for God to open the doors to Australia. And as there are many similarities to the equipping ministry in Australia, the B-MC should also prove beneficial in preparing me for the work in Sydney.   Please feel free to share this information with any young professionals you may know in the Birmingham area! Missionary House Update It's been two months since I moved into my new old house in Jackson, MS. It certainly has kept me productive! Here's an overview of what has been accomplished in the basement apartment: Gutted the bathroom & kitchen areas. Removed ceiling from the combined living-dining-kitchen area. Built a laundry room. Built wall cabinetry for the bedroom. Hired a plumber and electrician for their expertise. Built a bed platform, with nightstands and headboard. That doesn't look like a very long list to me! But it, and many other details, have kept me very busy. With my temporary move to Birmingham in January, the need to finish the basement and to secure a renter is amplified. My desire is to give priority to missionaries, so spread the word if you can! Follow FB Group Forward to a Friend Prayer Points   Praise God for providing such an appropriate ministry opportunity for me while waiting for God to open world borders! Pray for the preparation work of the B-MC. Pray for twelve teachable young professionals to apply for the program. Pray for an appropriate international ministry for me to join while in Birmingham. Pray that the B-MC will help prepare at least three participants for long-term missionary service. Pray that the B-MC will help prepare me for long-term ministry in Australia. Pray that I will be able to get my basement apartment fully renovated by the end of the year, and then get renters for both the basement and main floor before I leave for Birmingham in January. Pray for appropriate temporary housing in Birmingham. Pray for missionaries around the world, including my own teammates in Sydney, who are stranded (some in their home countries, and others unable to return to their home countries), and are struggling to be faithful missionaries of the gospel during such difficult circumstances. Praise God that my household effects arrived in Jackson from Osaka yesterday! It's wonderful to have furniture, books, and kitchen supplies again!   Thank you for your faithful prayers and/or financial partnership in the work of the gospel during such unusual and difficult times.

The Gift of Time; an Investment in Future Ministry

Missionary House Project I am in my new (old) house! Closing on the house took more than a month (bad news) because interest rates are so low right now (good news) so the mortgage companies are all slammed with new loans or refinancing of loans. But the important thing is that God has provided a home! A little background for those who are wondering what happened. I am still planning to serve with MTW in Australia, but it will likely be another year before they open their borders. For several years, I've been thinking about buying a home for investment purposes, a place to live while on furlough, and a source of additional income by renting it to other missionaries or AirBNB guests. Through COVID-19, God has given me the gift of time, and through this house I have the gift of purposeful work, as I do most of the renovations myself. The house is in the historic Belhaven neighborhood of Jackson, MS, just one block from the university where I worked for nine years before moving to Japan. The main floor has three bedrooms and two baths, plus there is a one-bedroom apartment in the walk-out basement. The apartment is not currently habitable, so I am living on the main floor and will be remodeling the basement first. When that is finished, I will start renting it out to help pay for the work needed on the main floor. As I plan to do the vast majority of the work myself, it will likely be a long process. But God has provided plenty of time! I am feeling very blessed with this house. It is in a popular neighborhood (very much in demand in the AirBNB market), and is only a few blocks from First Presbyterian Church, so an attractive location to missionaries as well. With the income from the two units, I should have more than enough to cover my monthly mortgage and utility bills. Of course I will need to hire someone to manage the house in my absence. But I look forward to getting a little experience doing that myself before my departure. I appreciate your prayers as I work to make this house into a home that will be a blessing to many missionary families, as well as an investment that can pay my bills and provide for my future needs. If you want to follow my renovation adventures, I'm sure I'll be posting many pictures on Facebook! A Man's Best Friend Now that I'm living in a house of my own, I adopted a senior dog just yesterday. Maggie (Magnolia) is a ten-year old pit bull who has lived almost all of her life in a shelter, meaning that she is institutionalized, much like a prisoner. She's very timid, and would probably love nothing more than to return to the kennel she knows all too well. I'm told it may take a couple of months for her to adjust to "life on the outside," but that she will then be my best friend. As I'll be working from home for the next year, it will be good to have a companion! Follow FB Group Forward to a Friend Prayer Points   Praise God for providing an appropriate house, a great interest rate, and purposeful work during COVID that will be a blessing to many other people. Pray that God will bless my efforts in renovating and furnishing this home, that he will keep me safe, and provide the resources -- financial and people -- to accomplish this task.  Pray for my MTW team in Sydney as they strive to continue ministry in a nation where there are strict social distancing laws. City Sanctum is now only an online ministry. Harbour City Church is now meeting in groups of about 20 at various homes for online worship. The church leadership is also looking for a new place to worship once they are able to meet again. The place where they previously rented is no longer an option. Pray for our world. Pandemic, injustice, persecution, racial tensions.... Facebook Group   I try to send out these email updates about once per month. I don't want to fill your inboxes with too much mail! If you are on Facebook and are interested in more frequent, shorter updates and photos, click the link below to join my Facebook group.   THANK YOU! I want to thank all of my financial ministry partners for your faithful and sacrificial giving. It's difficult to express what that means to me -- to have your partnership in the gospel. Especially right now, as I am not able to be in Australia doing the work that was planned, I appreciate your faithful partnership which makes it possible for me to have the time to renovate a home for future ministry in this neighborhood and to many missionary families who will live in this home.

A Pandemic Opportunity

House-Hunter Mississippi It's been 3-½ months since I returned to the States from Japan (a planned three-week stopover on my way to Australia). Perhaps like many of you, I thought this COVID situation would clear up within a few months. It obviously isn't doing that. I was working with an immigration lawyer in Sydney to apply for my Australian visa; he speculates that the border likely won't open before 2021. I have not had much to do during this pandemic: I'm on an MTW committee to revamp our training of new missionaries; I take care of my mom's yard and get groceries so she can stay isolated; I painted two large cityscapes (Osaka & Sydney) that I plan to hang in my Sydney apartment once this is all over. But that leaves a lot of extra time. God created mankind to work. What can I do to be productive for an unknown period of time? For several years I have thought about buying a house for my own use as well as other missionaries while on furloughs. Finding appropriate housing is difficult for missionaries as we need something that is fully furnished so that we don't need to purchase all these things for just 6-12 months! In addition to being an affordable blessing to many missionaries, my house could be rented as an AirBNB when not needed by missionaries, generating a little additional income for me as well. Ideally, I would like a house with a separate mother-in-law suite -- two separate units. I could live in one and rent out the other, or rent out both when I'm overseas. I am still committed to serving with MTW in Sydney. I've talked about this house idea with my Sydney team leader, as well as others from MTW and my own church, and have been encouraged to pursue it as I wait for Australia to re-open. This period of waiting for the world to change may be just the opportunity I need to find a house, make any necessary renovations, set it up, etc. I've got the time! And so I've been looking online for an appropriate house and talking with a former student of mine who is now a realtor in Jackson, MS. I will be driving to Mississippi on Monday and Tuesday of next week (July 13-14), and have an appointment to see two houses the next day. I appreciate your prayers for this huge endeavor (see specific prayer requests under "Prayer Points"). Support Update God has provided for 96% of my support, meaning that I still need an additional $325 in monthly pledges. If you would like join my ministry team, you can do so in one of several ways: Online giving (one-time or recurring) Email me with your pledge amount Email Savannah at MTW with your pledge amount Thank you for your prayerful consideration! Follow FB Group Forward to a Friend Calendar July 13-14 Traveling from Iowa to Mississippi Prayer Points   Pray for the COVID-19 situation to be resolved. Just as so many people are out of work, so many missionaries are stranded in their home countries and unable to get back to the work to which God has called us. Pray for the City Sanctum ministry in Sydney which I'll be leading upon my arrival. They have not had a leader dedicated to leading this ministry since their inception several years ago. The pandemic has brought even more strain, although they have been meeting on Zoom. Please pray for the MTW staff who are giving all they can to City Sanctum, and for the member leaders as well, that they will all persevere until I can hopefully bring the needed leadership. Pray that God will lead me in either finding an appropriate house, or in showing that it is not his will at this time. If a house is in God's will: Pray that I'll find a house that is a good deal, well-built, and would be safe and comfortable for missionary families and attractive to AirBNB guests. I'll need a house loan. Hiring a contractor, perhaps an architect. Hiring someone to manage the house in my absence. So many things I may not have even yet considered. Video Presentation   For more information about the work to which God has called me in Sydney, click on the link below to view a video presentation from last Fall.

Finding Hope in Turmoil Life is hard. Years ago, "2020" sounded like a magical time; it certainly hasn't lived up to our expectations. In the USA alone, there has been 2,138,883 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 117,464 deaths. Racial violence has again reared its ugly head. Political vitriol has intensified (it's hard to know whether it is the chicken or the egg). Social media is just depressing; I want to disengage from it and from all news media -- to isolate in my own little bubble. My friends of color don't have the luxury of tuning out the evil; why should I? We need to be socially aware and take responsibility in our actions and our voting. How do we find balance in all of this? It can be overwhelming. As I write this, I am listening to my newest iTunes song, "The Blessing," on repeat.  The lyrics are well-known to Christians, as we often hear the words at the conclusion of worship services ("the Lord bless you and keep you"). Familiar as the lyrics are, I really love the arrangement, and find comfort in the message. This world is hard. We shouldn't be surprised by injustice, hatred, sickness, death. God's word tells us to expect these things. It also tells us to weep with those who hurt, and to seek justice for the oppressed. We are called to pray, "to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with [our] God" (Micah 6:8). In John 16:33, Jesus says "In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." The trials of this world are hard, but they are not forever. And evil does not win; God has already secured the victory! There is great comfort in the gospel, and our calling to share that comfort remains. Our world is desperate for the hope that only Jesus Christ can give. And while protests and legislation might change men's behavior, or at least bring earthly justice, only our God can change the hearts of men and bring real change, and lasting peace. If you're in need of some of that comfort, check out "The Blessing." I pray it will bring some healing to your soul. Video Resources SYDNEY MINISTRY: Want to learn more about the work to which God has called me in Sydney, Australia?  Click the video link here! The first part is especially for kids, but is educational for everyone as well! VBS MISSIONARY VIDEOS: The MTW West Coast Hub office invited missionaries to submit videos for a Virtual VBS series. There are five videos from missionaries, including my own, and five from church leaders, all about missions, and all geared toward kids. (As I've not yet lived or served in Australia, my video is about Japan.) Click here to see all ten! THANK YOU for your continued prayers and partnership in the gospel. Please let me know how I can lift you up in prayer as well! Follow FB Group Forward to a Friend My Status   There is no word on when the Australian borders will open, or when they will start issuing visas. A Google search shows they have had 7,320 confirmed cases of COVID-19. 6,838 people have recovered, and 102 have died. That means there are currently 380 current cases. Because Australia is such a huge country with such a small population, and the cities are so far from each other, the spread of disease is hindered. MTW missionaries in Perth, in far Western Australia, have told me there are very few cases there. But that does not mean they are eager to open their borders, as that could bring in more cases. Financially, I am at 96% of my required support, needing an additional $345 in monthly pledges. However, because I am not using much of my budget (I'm in the States, living with my mother, etc.), the funds I am not using are accumulating and will be divided by 48 months (a four year term), meaning that my need will go down. When MTW is able to give me a potential departure date, based on the Australian borders, I will need to raise any additional needed funds, and should be able to depart quite quickly. If God has prompted you to join my team, you can make a pledge (or one-time contribution) ONLINE, or you can email your pledge to Brent Kooi or Brooke Boerner at MTW.   Prayer Points   Pray for God's grace to be shown in our country and our world in the midst of the pandemic and racial tensions. Pray for missionaries around the world who are dealing with travel restrictions, some unable to leave for the field, and others unable to return to their home countries. Pray for the continuing ministry of their ministries, including new challenges such as lack of income and food in many places. Pray for my nephew-in-law, Cody, who was diagnosed a few days ago with COVID-19. He has a wife, Naomi, and three young children. Praise God for bringing my mom through a recent bout of shingles. She experiences occasional pain, but it is much better than two weeks ago.