Dear Friends,

As the Binkley’s Missionary Partnership Team, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!  May your hearts be blessed by the Spirit of the Christ-Child this holiday season and in the coming year.

We are rejoicing in the miracle that God so graciously granted in Duane’s life recently.  In October, Duane was suspected of having pancreatic cancer.  The doctors seemed quite certain of the diagnosis. Prayers went out across the world on Duane's behalf.  Two days later, further testing was done and the doctors were baffled.  The cancer had been downgraded to an unknown growth.  That growth, along with a badly inflamed gall bladder, were surgically removed on Nov. 16th and Duane is now at home recovering.  Biopsy results of the growth on the pancreas were negative for cancer. Praise God for His loving care and that He hears and answers our prayers. Thank-you so very much for praying for Duane and the family.

It's time again to begin our fundraising efforts for the new budget year that began on Oct. 1st so that the Binkley’s work with the Karen and others from Burma can continue.  The ministry focus of Duane and Marcia will continue to include efforts to help the Karen and other refugees from Burma be introduced to existing churches in the communities where they are being located across the US.  We are praising God that the newly formed “Karen Baptist Churches in the USA” organization is off to a good start. A Karen-English New Testament is being produced for the first time and Karen hymnals have been printed especially for use in the US. More answers to prayer!   If you’d like more information about the ministry of Duane and Marcia Binkley, check out their website at:  www.karenkonnection.org.

Thank-you for your past interest and support of the Binkleys and for your compassion for the refugees from Burma living in the US and around the world.  We hope that you will prayerfully consider continuing that support in 2010 and beyond.   This time Duane and Marcia have a higher support goal to raise compared to last year.  So, we hope that you will ask your church to consider making a contribution to their “ongoing support” as a regular item in your annual mission budget.  Also, perhaps a Sunday School class, ABW circle or youth group might plan a special event such as a dinner, missions night, auction, concert etc. to help raise funds for their support. Special events are a nice way to create interest in missions and to get people involved in mission work. It would be especially helpful if you would encourage people or groups in your church to commit to a regular monthly contribution. Contributions of any amount, no matter how small, are needed and welcomed. 

If you would like to support Duane and Marcia, please be sure to mark your contributions “for the Ongoing Support of Duane and Marcia Binkley" before sending the gift to International Ministries-ABC/USA.

As always, more than anything, we need your prayers. Please pray for those still in Burma who are being persecuted.  Pray for the members of the Burma Army that they may have the courage to refuse orders to attack their own country-men.  Pray for those living in the refugee camps that their needs may be met and they can continue to reach others for Christ. And, pray for those living in America and other western nations that they may find acceptance among their new neighbors, will find jobs to support their families, that their children will get a good education and that they will be able to continue learning English. Join us in rejoicing about Duane's recovery. Celebrate God's grace and compassion in our lives because we are created and loved by a God who is bigger than any problems we may face.

We appreciate your past support and involvement in the Binkley’s ministry and we look forward to our continued partnership with you in the coming year(s)!

Yours in Christ,

The Missionary Partnership Team for Duane and Marcia Binkley