Fund raising - from God's wallet

We've been busy this summer with fund raising projects for the team, a rummage sale in June which the Lord blessed greatly with both donors and buyers and Thrivent matching funds, with a little help from Craig's list. July brought the making of 130 pizzas. It took us an hour or more to get the system down, but it definitely helped built teamwork among us, as well as fund raising. This group of 8 people already are friends, now we are learning to be a team. And when you're on the mission field, you need each other's support.

This week we had a share night at the A&W, with the business giving us 10% of the income from anyone that mentioned our team. Some of us were car hops, others ran games, others ran flyers to every person that went through the drive-in. Many people learned about our trip.

But where do these funds actually come from? All our resources come from the Lord. God has an unlimited supply of funds, he just puts them into people's pockets, so that others learn about what it means to help and support the body, the church. This isn't just our team going on this trip, this is the whole Christian community that is supporting us. And for these funds we are grateful, both to the givers and to the Lord Jesus who is our strength.

Plans and dreams

October seems so far away right now, it's almost like a dream. But what we do right now, our plans, are am important part of this mission. The time we spend in Hong Kong is only a brief portion of this trip. Only 8 of us are going, but it takes a whole community, a large support group, to make it possible. We are the body of Christ reaching out, in this case to the other side of the world.
Bill and I have decided that we will be staying in Hong Kong and being part of another team from St. Louis that is coming 4 days later. They did not have enough team members and were in danger of cancelling their trip. We are thinking that while we are on that side of the ocean, and have the time flexibility, let's do it.

"Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." I have felt a desire to go to Hong Kong for years. Even though this trip was planned when I was still undergoing chemotherapy, I was ready to sign up in an instant. I'm ready to do whatever the Lord sets before me. He'll have to provide me the health necessary to accomplish it, if it is truly his will. Including the ability to tolerate a 16 hour plane flight! I am the oldest one on this team!

"I can do all things through Christ, who gives me strength."

God's Mission in Hong Kong

Redeemer Lutheran Church is blessed to be able to serve alongside the Lutheran Church Hong Kong Synod at a local Lutheran school. 80% of the Hong Kong Synod schools’ student population and 40% of the staff do not have a relationship with Christ. Our team has a great opportunity through English classes to share our hope and faith in Christ with the students and their families.

Our mission team will teach classes, lead assemblies, visit students’ homes and help with after school activities. While serving in these capacities, we are encouraged to share about our faith and teach from the Bible. During family visits and after school activities we ask that you pray with us that the Holy Spirit may provide us the opportunity to share our faith one on one.

Our team would like to invite you to serve alongside us. God has blessed us in many ways and has called us all to respond to God’s mission. We need your support to make this happen. Most importantly we need your prayers. Other needs include volunteering as we prepare and return from the trip, financial support, and/or joining future mission teams.

Please contact Pastor Eric Kolonich at: pastorkolonich@redeemermanty.com if you would like to help our mission in any way.

Hong Kong Mission Team 2010

(Left to right) Front: Dawn Horswill, Beth Groddy, Nicole Densow 

Back: Roberta and Bill Hilgendorf, Basil Buchko, Jennifer and Pastor Eric Kolonich