A year for the books...
Hello, ConnecTree Ministry Partners!
2020 was a year of pandemic, cancelled mission trips and plans, staying at home, adjusting expectations, looking to the Lord for guidance, and by the grace of God, new and different ministry opportunities! Despite all this, the Lord was at work and we had the blessing of coming alongside our missionaries to help with some life-changing work. Look at all the Lord did this year! Your generous giving made all this possible!
Moldova - Chip and Connie S. - Natl. Missionaries:
• You provided funding for Chip’s Easter and Christmas outreaches. He went door to door and met in small groups to give children presents and share the gospel with them, their families and teachers.
• Despite the pandemic, he held 2 Christian summer camps - for teens and elementary children. Many of them heard the gospel for the first time and some were saved!
Mexico - Fernando & Isabel, Feli, and Pastor Jaime - Natl. Missionaries:
• Your gifts funded a missions team that went to Chiapas in January. They held evangelistic outreaches, encouraged local persecuted believers, and supplied food and clothing to the needy.
• Fernando, Isabel, Feli and Pastor Jaime purchased loads of food packages to bring to the communities in Mexico City and Chiapas that were cut off from food and other supplies due to Covid.
• Together we provided the casket for Pastor Domingo’s funeral. We also provided funds to help his widow and children after his passing.
• We came alongside Tomasina, a persecuted believer who was imprisoned for not renouncing her faith in Jesus. Your gifts are still helping her have food and housing since she cannot go back to her village.
Southeast Asia - Sulawesi Night Virtual Missions Trip:
• CT partnered with Redeemer church to raise money for national missionaries serving in SE Asia. Covid has stopped tourism and that is what supports these missionaries. The church hosted a virtual missions trip to Sulawesi by watching 2 videos our missionaries made. We raised over $1000 to support those missionaries and the evangelistic work they are doing.
Giving Tuesday - Doug L. Medical Relief:
• Doug is a missionary and a double lung transplant survivor. As a result, he has massive medical debts that his support does not cover. Our Giving Tuesday campaign was dedicated to helping him wipe out that debt. His supporters and CT supporters came through and we not only wiped out 2020’s debt but will keep him out of debt in 2021! Now he can focus on ministry and taking care of his health.
Exciting News!!
• Cheryl Markowitz is now a full time, supported missionary with ConnecTree in the role of Executive Director!
• Dawn Hamrick will be retiring from her current job and will begin raising her support to pursue full time ministry with ConnecTree in July!
• CT now has 5 amazing Board Members who are hard at work to help guide and direct CT’s present and future: Cheryl, Dawn, Forrest Haskins, Nick Gaspar and Monique Koszty.
Other CT Missionaries and Ministry in 2020:
• Counseled and prayed with many missionaries on the field.
• Counseled those who are praying about getting involved in cross-cultural missions.
• Gave benevolent gifts to missionaries who had financial challenges due to support dropping off because of Covid.
• Facilitated visits from missionaries from France and SE Asia.
• Helped Redeemer Church begin implementation of CT’s Missionary Advocacy Program.
• Helped Cynthia Heflebower in Germany with medical needs and facilitated a purchase of an MS Surface. She also received a Care Package from home!
Our 2021 Plans
• Missionary care and support of their work and special projects and needs. We will help them connect with their supporting churches.
• We will be expanding our Missionary Advocacy Program by reaching out to other churches to see about implementing it with them.
• We are hoping to take short term mission trips to Mexico, Moldova & France. Much will depend on the impact of the pandemic situation on travel and logistics.
• Cheryl will continue to raise the rest of her support. She has about 40% more to go! We need you! Please pray about joining our monthly support team!
Please Pray...
• For the missionaries listed on this newsletter.
• That we would be able to take mission trips this year.
• That ConnecTree would be a support and encouragement to missionaries and churches alike.
• For Cheryl and Dawn to be able to raise their monthly support.
To Contact CT
12685 Pocono Rd.
Apple Valley, CA 92308
Cheryl - cherylm@connectree.org Dawn - dawnh@connectree.org