Team Dream / Dream Team

Meet Brett, Jay, Julianne, Wildy, Luciano, Claudine, Max, Johnny, Milton, Rodney, Anthonio, Keson, Rochenel, Junel, Renand and Mackenson. 

These guys are my DREAM TEAM!

Last year, when I was planning, praying, preparing, training, communicating, fundraising for Resounding Hope by raising funds doing my first half-marathon, this was my thinking: this year, I'm doing this alone; next year, I'm praying for a team. Thank the Lord for these guys!

First, it was me. Then Jay (from OMS HQ) and his wife Julianne, both runners, said "We want to be a part of this!" 

Then Brett (OMS Haiti field director, also a runner) said "I'll do it here in Haiti!" 

Then our co-workers at 4VEH - Wildy, Luciano, Claudine, Max, Johnny, Milton, and Rodney - said "We're not ready to run a half-marathon, but we'll form a relay team and run alongside with Director Brett."

Then members of a local youth choir, Flamme Spirituelle (with strong connections to 4VEH - they recorded their first album here, and our Operations director Witny Telfort is their choir director) said: "We want to help. Count us in, we're running too!"

Here's the deal: we're running to raise funds for Resounding Hope solar radios tuned to Radio 4VEH to bless families in Haiti every day. On May 7, 2016, Jay, Julianne & Kate will be running a half-marathon, the Indy500 Mini in Indianapolis; Brett will be running a half-marathon around the One Mission Society compound in Cap-Haitien, Haiti; and Wildy, Luciano, Claudine, Max, Johnny, Milton, Rodney, Anthonio, Keson, Rochenel, Junel, Renand and Mackenson will be running as a relay team alongside Brett. 

Why? Because we know these radios are making a huge difference in people's lives in Haiti - reaching people with the Gospel, helping believers grow in their faith, building up the church and serving the people of Haiti in Jesus' name. 

Our goal is to raise $12,000 to sponsor 200 solar radios - and bless 200 households in Haiti. That's $60 to sponsor one radio and reach a whole family with hope every day. 

Would you help us reach our goal by making a donation of $20, $60, $100, $600 or any amount you can manage. Every little helps! Your donation is tax-deductible in the US, and you will receive a receipt from One Mission Society. Give online here on our team fundraising page: Run for Resounding Hope - May 2016

If you prefer, make your donation by check, payable to One Mission Society with "407870-16RHRUN" in the memo line, and mail it to One Mission Society, PO Box 1648, Monument, CO 80132-1648. (And be sure to let me know so I can mark it against our goal on our fundraising page.)

For donations in Haiti in US $ or HTG can be given to Miss Colleen/OMS Haiti office, and designated 407870-16RHRUN.

For donations in the UK, give online through our fundraising page, or through One Mission Society UK if you prefer. Just include a note : Run for Resounding Hope 2016 - and be sure to let me know so we can add your gift to our total. Thank you! 

This Partnership-in-Missions Thing

A few weeks ago, we headed to northern Ohio to visit our dear friends, Dave & Marilyn Shaferly. It was, as always, a joy. And it gave us the opportunity to visit with our ministry partners at Findlay E-Free church.

At the end of the worship service, a woman came over to us, eager to thank us for the work we're doing. Her passion bubbling over, she said "We can't do what you do. Thank you so much for doing what you're doing in Haiti."

My response? A big hug, and an equally eager and passionate "No, thank you! We can't do what we're doing without you!"

It reminded me of another similar conversation recently. When unexpected, urgent and expensive repairs were needed on our house, some friends (who partner with us in ministry) helped us pay the bill, saying "We can't do what you do. But we can help you with this." That had me in tears, because we really needed the help, and our friends responded with such a solid understanding of what the Bible says about community, about the church.

These connections are critical for us. We can't do what we do without people gathering around us to prayerfully, financially and encouragingly support us.

Paul hit the nail on the head in Philippians, chapter 1, when he was writing to the young church at Philippi, to people he loved, and he said:

“I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1 v 3-5)

This partnership in missions thing...it's real, it's essential, it's beautiful.

It's encouraging to see our family featured on the Global Missions board at Findlay E-Free. If you have our photo on your wall, would you send us a picture and let us know that you're remembering us? 

If you have this kind of board in your church/youth group room/kitchen/office/wherever, with missionaries that you support - send them a note letting them know you're remembering them, you're with them, you're praying and giving and helping and encouraging and cheering them on....

We know we're not alone in loving the Shaferly family! Eating lunch here with Marilyn, Dave, Samuel and Michael.

P.S. We're at 87% funded in raising our support. We can’t take full salaries until we are at 100% of what OMS has calculated as our missionary support, covering salaries, travel costs, insurance etc. We still need some new support, with people committing to support us on a monthly basis - 30 people/families/churches/small groups giving $50/month or 15 people/families/churches/small groups giving $100/month would get us to 100%. 

If you'd like to start or increase your support for our ministry, you can do that securely on the OMS website Give to the Michels here in the USA, or in the UK, click the donate button here (and include a note in the donation details "for Storly & Kate Michel"). Thank you!