World Mission Offering

September and October are World Missions Offering months for International Ministries.  This is the time to show your commitment and support for the missionaries and ministries of International Ministries. I am one of the missionaries depending on your support! 

My new ministry throughout the world!

I've been a missionary with International Ministries and the American Baptist Churches for more than 13 years, serving in both the Dominican Republic and Haiti.  When my role changed in December of 2012, I began working with ministries all over the world to promote health care and begin new health partnerships with countries and conventions already working with International Ministries.  My desire is to build on those relationships and understand the health care needs by finding resources and serving in areas that are the most desperate.  In the last few months, I've traveled to Bolivia, Mexico, Nicaragua and tomorrow I head off to Haiti.  Please read the stories below to see what I've been doing and where I'm being led to serve. 

Haiti and earthquake recovery

On September 8, I will leave for a two week trip to Haiti, visiting the epicenter of the 2010 earthquake as well as a hospital that was the result of American Baptist Churches support of the earthquake relief.  I will be working with fellow missionaries, Steve and Nancy James, to help an 8 year old boy with a hole in his heart, to find care through other organizations providing this higher level of care.  While in the north, I'll also work with fellow missionaries Nzunga and Khiomi Mabudiga, visit the eye clinic in Cap Haitian that is expanding to include an Ear, Nose and Throat clinic and find ways to support the ongoing opthalmologic ministries.  There is much to see during my two week visit throughout the country, trying  to understand the ongoing needs that still exist following the earthquake in 2010. Please keep my travels and visits in your prayers.

Cochabamba, Bolivia

For the last several months, I've been working with another fellow missionary, Mario Morales, and the House of Hope in Cochabamba, Bolivia to find ways to meet their health care needs.  On October 31, I will lead a medical team from all over the US to serve the poor of Cochabamba alongside the medical volunteers ministering with the House of Hope.  The team will include 2 physical therapists that will specifically work with a handicapped children's ministry, an ER physician and his wife, a surgical nurse, a laboratory technologist, a family practice nurse practitioner and a professional photographer who will document our trip.  It is a wonderful opportunity to truly work in partnership alongside local medical staff as they serve the Kechua and Iyamar indigent populations.

Myanmar, Thailand and Cambodia

In January, following the December celebrations in Myanmar (Burma) for our 200 year partnership, I will travel to Myanmar to visit the Karen Baptist Churches and their ministry training community health workers.  Following that visit, I go on to be a guest of the Karen Baptist Convention in Thailand, visiting villages, hospitals and refugee camps to understand the health care needs and find ways to partner in meeting those needs.  After a month in Thailand, I will then travel to Cambodia for a week to assess the rural health care needs around Phnom Penh.

India and Nepal

In the spring of 2014, I will travel to India and Nepal with missionary colleagues to learn more about the possibilities of health care partnerships in India and Nepal. The trip will be focused on understanding what the unmet needs are in these countries, what current health care ministries are taking place and what ways International Ministries can help to meet the discovered needs.  I will be relying on established partnerships to guide this trip and help in the discovery of future projects.

The Dominican Republic and South Africa

I've got some outstanding invitations to visit South Africa and Cuba with established ministries in those areas to, again, see what health care partnerships can be expanded or supported.  I've also been invited to lead a new medical mission team from the Atlanta area to the Dominican Republic. The possibilities are endless and the invitations continue to pour in, wanting to build relationships around health care ministries and utilizing my many years in mobile medical clinics, disaster relief and community health work in developing and third world countries.  It is an opportunity to grow the health ministries of International Ministries, support colleagues and local partnerships as well as learn more about the many needs in our world

 

How you can support me and this exciting ministry?!

Donations

My ministry depends on your faithful gifts to keep me on the field and continuing to meet the health care needs around the world. You can make donations online by clicking the following link:  DONATE NOW

Donations may also be sent by mail to:

International Ministries

PO Box 851

Valley Forge, PA

19482-0851

Write : Kristy Engel on the memo line of your check.  Thank you!

World Mission Offering

American Baptist Churches have the unique opportunity to show their commitment and support to missionaries and ministries by supporting the World Missions Offering.  Encourage your church to be challenged in their giving this year by increasing their gift by at least 10%.  Maybe your Sunday School class or Bible Study group will be challenged to make a donation to a specific ministry or missionary,  that you believe in and want to continue bringing hope in this world.  Donations can be made HERE.

Volunteer

Throughout the year, I will need help in specific ministries.  Even now, Thailand is looking for medical volunteers to help at the Kwai River Christian Hospital.  If you are interested in this opportunity, please click the following link:

Thailand Volunteer. There are many other volunteer opportunities and I'll continue to update you on those opportunities as I find them in my work. If you are interested in volunteering now and finding out what needs have already been identified, please click this link:  Volunteer.

Pray

I would like to challenge you, your family, your church, your Sunday School class or your study group to begin praying for a specific missionary or ministry. Missionaries face many challenges from fund raising goals to travel difficulties to even health concerns, outside of their ministry focus area.  I encourage you to learn about these challenges and take them on with committed prayer and support.  Find out specific things you can pray about with your selected missionary or ministry and devote your time to keeping them surrounded in prayer.

Thank You!

Your prayers and committed support are truly a blessing in my life.  Through new challenges of traveling around the world, getting used to a home base in Atlanta and keeping track of all of the requests for help, I continue to need your prayers.  As you will see on my webpage on the International Ministries website, my ongoing support has dropped significantly since leaving the Dominican Republic.  I would encourage you to pray about possible support and begin giving to this amazing ministry that we can partner in together!

 

Many blessings,

 

Kristy Engel

International Ministries