Is No News Good News?

So, is no news good news?  Hummm.  Well, that may the question on many of your minds, since you have not had an update from me in, well, months.  Well, let’s see.  Last year I started off the year excited about a new opportunity to assist with a healthcare education program abroad.  It had presented itself while on a medical/dental mission trip to the people of the Peruvian Andes.  I had been asked by the soon to be local Peruvian organizational leader of Medical Ministry International if I would consider returning for a year.  During last year, I began to prepare my home for renters or buyers, looked at renting, selling, and/or refinancing my home, looked at different options to begin studying Spanish (purchased a book and a program), found myself to be undisciplined with studies, met with a gal knowledgeable regarding healthcare education in foreign environments (got some exciting ideas), began advertising my home for rent and asking for financial and prayer support.  I’m sure I left some things out, but you get the idea.  The big clincher has been the house.  Ugh.  In some ways, it seems like that dirty thing you just can’t wash off your hands.  Then again, I knew that I had been the controlling force in most of my overseas travels and I have not wanted that this time.  I knew that if God would rent out my home or sell it then He also would be giving me permission to go.  I want that badly.  Not a step out of His plans.  As the end of the year approached and January came upon me, I asked God to give me a sign.  Yes or no.  I asked Him to rent out the house in January or give me some movement with regard to renting the place.  Well, I got more interest than I had in the months before, but no one filled out the application or gave the $30 for the background check.  The people were interesting though.  One guy thought that maybe if he paid the years worth of rent in advance then I could skip the background check.  Hah!  No.  So, here we are in February.  I am trying to exhausted all advertising options locally at least  (Craigslist, sign in yard, RentAmerica, ForRent.com, Renters.com, work place ad, NickleAd, called Nike & Intel).  I am praying for wisdom as to when to stop advertising if the house does not rent in the next while and what to do next.  My question is, does it have to be totally hopeless before God says, ‘Now you can go.’?  Well, either way, I am asking God for wisdom and a vision for serving Him.  If you would come by my side and join me in this prayer, I would greatly appreciate it.  God is good!  All the time!

What is MMI?

I would like to take a moment to share about the organization I will be working with in Peru. It is called Medical Ministry International or MMI. Below is there purpose statement.

Medical Ministry International is an opportunity to serve Jesus Christ by providing spiritual and physical health care in this world of need.

Our vision is to care annually for 100 million of the world's needy by the year 2050.

MMI is committed to meet the need for medical care among the world's poor with lasting solutions through excellence in medicine, patient care, and health education. We do this by:

- Mobilizing volunteers on one and two week medical projects.
- Establishing and equipping permanent medical centers.

We work alongside national doctors and health care professionals from the countries we go to, joining the efforts of the local church where possible. This healing ministry strengthens village churches and offers opportunities for North American churches to strengthen their outreach programs.

MMI is an interdenominational medical ministry. Our statement of faith is the Apostle's Creed. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with international staff and offices in Texas and Ontario.

"I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you." (John 13:15)

If you would like to know more about this organization, they can be located at http://www.mmint.org/. If you would like to sponsor me, you can through MMI, which is tax deductible. The mailing address is: MMI c/o Bethany Olsen, PO Box 1339, Allen, Texas 75013. Please e-mail me if you would like me to mail you pre-addressed envelops or to know how to pay on-line, a remembrance photo card/photo magnet, or anything else that would be helpful.

A view of the past ... 2009

GOD CALLS EACH OF US TO USE ALL

HE HAS GIVEN US FOR HIS GLORY...

“Again, it (the kingdom of heaven) will be like a man

going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted

his property to them.” ... Matthew 25:14

As many of you know, I have had an interest in

missions for years. This last fall, God opened the

door for me to go on a mission trip with a friend. I

had about 6 weeks to prepare for an extreme

mission to the Peruvian Andes. Taking part in that

trip challenged me in ways I had not bargained for,

but I found each lesson full of deep meaning and

opening doors of growth for me. As we were

finishing the last of our 6 clinical sites, I was given

a final challenge to take home with me. Our

fearless leader, Tania, asked me to consider coming

back to serve in Peru for a year. She said they

needed help with their health education. I knew

this well from assisting Vicente with health

education. Vicente is truly an amazing educator,

but we lacked good materials for him to work from.

Health issues that locals struggle with are

problems, like understanding basic nutrition,

diabetes, and congenital heart problems. All these

things we had seen on our trip, but struggled to

address adequately. Education is key in a person

seeing a need to respond or change the way they

do things. The hardest example of this was Paul.

He was about 7-8 years old and had a known

congenital heart defect. His parents had been told

that Paul had a “hole” in his heart, but since he

functioned normally they never sought treatment.

Our visit began to awake in them the realization

that his case was serious. Through much counsel,

Paul’s mom agreed to take him to be evaluated by a

visiting cardiac (heart) team in Arequipa. Paul was

evaluated, but surgery was unable to be done.

Too much damage had been done. He would

need to be in a top cardiac hospital to survive the

recovery phase. Paul’s situation is not unique in

the sense that simple education can prevent health

complications. Health education is vital to the health

and well-being of any community.

So, by Christmas time I had applied to the

organization I went on the mission trip with (Medical

Ministries International) for a health educator position

in Peru with hopes of leaving this summer to serve for

a year (plus 3 months of language study). My

application has been accepted and I am in the

process of prayerfully pursuing this mission

opportunity. I have been looking at different ways I

could learn Spanish. I have been discussing how

best to do health education in another

culture with Susan Spann, who has spent years

working in community health. She is a wealth of

knowledge and a great encouragement to me. I have

been evaluating how to rent out my townhouse while

I’m gone. I am working on a budget and at this point

hope to raise around $15,000 to cover air flights,

housing, food, mission trip expenses, and whatever

other expenses may be incurred. Any excess money

donated will be given to MMI in order to continue to

serve the people of Peru.

Finally, I am writing this newsletter in hope

of not just making you aware of how God is working

in my life right now and bringing Himself glory though it,

but to ask for you to come along side me as prayer

and/or financial supporters. Through the working of

God’s mighty hand anything is possible. This is the first

time that I have had to depend on God to move in a

great way to free me mostly financially to do what I

believe He has called me to do. I am realizing

as Alger Marsh said that “I do not want to do something

that I can accomplish on my own if God doesn’t show up.”

It is always good to lean in full dependence on the Lord

and this kind of dependence is something I’ve desired since

my youth. I invite everyone to pray, and watch to see what

God does as I prepare to serve Him in Peru. I love watching

God in action and don’t want anyone to miss seeing

Him move.

NEEDS OVERVIEW:

"If a man’s gift is serving, let him serve."

Ro. 12: 6-8

Financial support:

~40 people committing to support

me with a $35 monthly

sponsorship, will cover my

expenses for 15 months allowing me

to serve those in Peru.

Prayer support:

~Finances

~Renters

~Language studies

~Knowledge & insight regarding

health education

~Good relationships with host

family

~Provision of a few close friends

~God’s care and provision over

unseen details of this trip

Renters:

I have a town house in Hillsboro

that I need to rent out. It has 3

bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths,

fireplace, small kitchen and dining

area, private yard, good neighbors

and in nice neighborhood. I will need to have

the renters pay the house

payments while I am gone for at

least 15 months.

Contact information:

email:bethann0676@aol.com