October 15, 2009

Greetings,

 

First of all, we thank you for all of your prayers for Duane in his current illness.  Just as it was when Marcia was sick, it is healing to know that so many of you are bringing us before the Lord and putting us in His care.  There is no place we would rather be.

 

Yesterday, Duane visited a new doctor at the Cleveland Clinic and had an endoscopic procedure to try once again to open the bile duct and to explore for other problems.  A stent was inserted and early signs are that the duct is open.  But the doctor had no immediate diagnosis or long term solution.  We are to check back next week to see what light the lab results will shed on the matter and go from there. 

 

We also wanted to write to you today to encourage your support of the World Mission Offering.  This is the offering that supports the overall program of International Ministries of the American Baptist Churches (IM).  We often marvel at how God has worked among the people of Burma over the past 200 years.  They really taught the early missionaries how to do mission and mission is what drew us as Baptists to come together in the US.  Now as already 35,000 – 40,000 Karen, Chin and others from Burma have come to the US with many seeking out our Baptist Churches, we marvel at their faith and endurance.  They witness to us here and are energizing our churches around the country.  God is truly at work.

 

It has been the World Mission Offering and its predecessors that have allowed American Baptists to have unbroken work with the Baptists of Burma since Adoniram Judson started it all in 1813.  In a way we never would have foreseen, we are now reaping the fruit of that investment.  But we also need to continue to give.  While working in Chiang Mai, it was our sad duty to inform the Karen in Thailand that their support was being cut each year just as support for many groups around the world was also being reduced.  This trend continues today.  With the new focus on supporting missionaries directly we are particularly concerned for groups that have no missionaries to advocate for them.

 

We know there are many financial demands on you, especially in these times of economic struggle.  But we also know that God is great.  Please pray and give as you are led and we’re sure God will use your gifts to the fullest.

 

For those attending American Baptist Churches, you should be able to contribute to the World Mission Offering through your church.  Also, anyone from any church can give online at http://www.internationalministries.org/give.  After arriving at that page, look for the “World Mission Offering Heading”.

 

Thank you for all your blessings, prayers and support!

 

In Christ,

 

Duane & Marcia Binkley