Double Your Impact—Matching Gift 2020 #2

Merry Christmas Friend of Christians in Action,

Christmas, a season of joy and giving, should be a blessed time. Even as I write these words, I know blessings may not be the way you might describe this holiday season. Despite the difficulties, you may have faced throughout the year, be encouraged. God sees your pain. As the Psalmist says, “Though the Lord is exalted, He looks kindly on the lowly” (Psalm 138:6a). Share your prayer needs with my staff and know that we will hold you up before the Lord during our daily staff devotions and prayer.

 

This year, even in the midst of COVID-19 and other life interruptions, God blessed our mission by sending seven new missionaries. Generous donors have committed $41,500 in matching grant challenges, in order to prepare these and future missionaries to make disciples of all nations through: Encountering Christ, Equipping disciples, and Empowering national leadership. Your gift of any amount for Worldwide Missions Mobilization will be doubled, up to $41,500, if given by December 31, 2020. I urge you to take advantage of this remarkable opportunity. Your end of year gifts will support our worldwide mission to mobilize (recruit, train, and send) additional disciple-makers to the nations.

 

Just as our fielded missionaries, these new disciple-makers will surely face challenges when they seek to declare the love of Christ to the nations. For example, when our Philippine Field Director, Edwin Duenas, and his wife, Jo, opened a school for at-risk children this year, they faced great obstacles. Their goal is to give an educational boost to these precious ones, empowering them to step up academically, thus giving them a better chance of battling the endemic cycle of poverty — a vicious cycle that brings little other than hurt, hunger, and heartache.

By providing this educational opportunity, Edwin and Jo are striking poverty a decisive blow. At no cost to struggling families, these at-risk children now have a neighborhood school, designed just for them, to call their own.

 

But not everyone welcomes Christ-centered solutions. We have an enemy that seeks to wreak havoc and hopelessness. Recently, in the middle of the night, a fiendish assailant rained rocks on the roof of the school. Thankfully, the guilty miscreant didn’t carry out his dastardly deed during the day when the children would be present. Join us in prayer, along with the local Filipino Christians in Action team, that the attacker will be exposed. While attacks such as this are frightening, Edwin and Jo’s resilience and dedication are unyielding. Because they are sure of their calling, they flinch not in the face of opposition.

 

While we hope that neither our children nor missionaries would live under threats of violence, Jesus encourages us, that when trouble does occur, we can trust Him, “…in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33b).

 

Although our missionaries face obstacles on the field, the work of encountering Christ, equipping disciples, and empowering national leadership, is normally welcomed in the communities wherein we serve. However, to keep this vital work going and growing, we need you! Just as an army needs steadfast resources from home, so do we need your steadfast prayers and financial support. Would you consider increasing your support this coming year, or joining our monthly donor support team ranks? As Christians in Action Missions International mans the front lines, we depend on YOU—our critical lifeline.

During this season, as you celebrate the incarnation of Christ, may you remember that the babe, born in a manger, was destined—for the joy set before Him—to die on the cross, not only for you and me, but also for every tribe, tongue and nation.

May this same joy so fill your heart and soul with such an abundance of His passion and presence that you would overflow with generosity. Thank you for giving to CinAMI for missionary mobilization, to recruit, train and send disciple-makers to the nations.

 

In it ‘til the harvest is complete,

David P. Ingerson
International President/CEO

 

P.S. Text ‘pray4harvest’ to 22828 to join 15,000 daily praying, “Lord thrust laborers into Your harvest.”

P.P.S. DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT and effectively DOUBLE YOUR GIFT to Worldwide Missions Mobilization, online cinami.org/ or via return enclosed envelope postmarked by December 31, 2020.