An Update from James

This week has flown by. As I try to wrap my head around it and write something interesting I feel humbled like I have many other times during this week.

There were several occasions where I just held my head between my hands and tried to comprehend the goodness of Father. Who am I that he has chosen me to bear the message of his son. Not only that, but he gives the Spirit to work in me? O what wonder is this!?

Even as I write I feel the quiet call of my lover drawing me deeper. O He is Good. His Mercy is from everlasting to everlasting.

Prior to this week, I had been feeling a little worn. I was tired of sharing a life changing message and seeing incongruity in the response of those who heard. Should not a life changing message produce life change? Is not Father worthy of total surrender? He is faithful. Always faithful.
This week I went to a more rural area than I've been to. As I looked at the hunts and felt a sense of hesitancy rise up within me, I also heard Father say, "Isn't this what you asked for." I tried to quiet my anxieties and asked Father for peace.

I was slightly discouraged because I first came to a believer. If you are thinking that I was wrong to be discouraged, you are right. I was quickly made aware of my wrong and the Spirit corrected me. I trained that man to grow and share. Then his daughter came home and my interpreter for the day told me that I would share with her.

As I unfolded the message before her, she showed little sign of response. I asked that Father would not allow my heart to grow dull from giving the news so many times. He responded powerfully. I felt the power of God overtake me and I found myself completely broken for this woman and for all who have no idea of His goodness.

I began to cry as I told her that I bear a heavy burden on my back for those who don't know him. I hear their cries ringing in my ears. I told her that I wanted so desperately to experience the life and heart change that I had. She told me that was what she wanted as well.

We prayed and cried out to God in desperation. As I finished I looked at her. She was wiping tears from her eyes. We saw God in one another as I thanked her for listening and she thanked me. She was dunked the next day and inexpressible joy was manifested on her face. O sing Praise to Father! He is Faithful indeed!

What else is there? What else could I live for? To quote Peter, "where else would we go, you have the words of life!"

NOTHING TOO PRECIOUS FOR THE SON!

How to pray for the Kingdom Builders Team

Pray for us as we finish out our time here and that we would use it to glorify God.

Pray for our national partners as they minister in their communities.

Pray for the people who have already accepted Christ and that they would grow in their faith!

Pray for the UPG's that our national partners are ministering too.

Thanks for your prayers!

An Update from Hannah

He who hath led will lead, All through the wilderness.

He who hath fed will surely feed. He who hath heard thy cry will never close his ear.

He who hath marked thy faintest sigh, Will not forget thy tear.

He loveth always, faileth never, So rest on him today-forever.

-by Amy Carmichael

Whenever I get the chance I love to read missionary biographies. The real life accounts of how our God has used men and women who are surrendered to him are convicting and inspiring. Currently I am reading A Chance to Die, which is a biography of Amy Carmichael written by Elliot.

The stories of her boldness, passion, and honesty about struggles are very encouraging to me. This poem she wrote stood out to me because it shows how dependent we must be on our LORD. I have learned the importance of daily crying out to God, asking him to give me strength to follow him wherever he leads. Through whispers He reminds me that He has never left my side. In the wilderness of my struggles I choose Christ as my guide.


I had the opportunity to participate in a CMI monthly training. As a small group of normal people gathered I witnessed the most beautiful picture of what it looks like to not only hear the call of Christ but to surrender all and obey it. One afternoon they began sharing stories of death threats, imprisonments, and hardships that they had encountered because of their love for the Savior.

Never did I hear any of any regrets or complaints. Their heart for the lost people around them was evident. They have a grasp on what Amy Carmichael was feeling when she wrote about resting on Christ only. The men and women I was privileged to meet were living out the Great Commission, they picked up their cross and surrendered their lives. I pray that God would continue to break me so that I will be a usable vessel. Like Amy Carmichael I must learn to rely on my Father and rest in his love and provision for each day.

An Update from Levi

God is good. That is one of the things that God has just been bringing up in my mind over and over again this summer. The other day we were up early enough to see the sunrise and it was breath taking. It made me think of God's faithfulness to us as believers.

He is even more faithful to us than the sun rising everyday. Then this just brought Isaiah 55:11 to mind " so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.".

Our part in the growing process is sowing seeds. If we dont sow the seeds the whole process breaks down. We must be faithful to sow the seeds and wait for our faithful God to grow them. Mark 4:27 "... the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how." We have no idea how God works so we just have to be faithful in sowing the seeds. God has just allowed us to see so much fruit this summer we have seen over 30 people baptized and many more have heard the Gospel. One of the ladies I shared with shared with her daughter and led her to Christ! God is moving in a few people and I know He will use them long after we are gone.

These things have not come from us as God's children but only from God. Without Christ we are nothing and totally lost. We must completely rely on God as we share the Gospel and minister. I have just been striving to cling to the cross daily and trying to rely on Christ's strength rather than mine. God is good and I know that His plan for us as His children is good, we must simply trust in Him!

An Update from Ashley

I didn't know exactly what to expect this summer but God has exceeded all things even imagined. He has been faithful through the little and big things and I'm thankful to be called His servant.

For I am not worthy to share the gospel, but it is through God smothering me with grace that it is even possible. It is through His grace that he has showed me many things this summer. One important thing He has showed me is to keep my heart open.

When I came here, I had an idea what I wanted to do with my life but God wanted to change it. He desires "loyalty not sacrifice" (Hos. 6:6) and when I sacrificed my summer God really wanted my whole life. Through this He has changed my small worldview focus to a bigger worldview focus. God is a multicultural multi lingunstic God and every nation will be before Him someday.

There is harvest waiting for the Truth and it is our job to go. It got real for me this summer when a lady said she was thankful that someone came and explained the gospel to her and her family. After seeing God work this summer as he transformed many lives it only makes sense to surrender my whole life fully to Him.

The harvest is here, yes the Kingdom is near

So many times this week I have thought about this song and Psalm 2:8 because IT IS SO TRUE!! God has opened my eyes to hungry people wanting to hear about Him and His word. Last week 3 people came to Christ and this week 12 more people have accepted Christ and have been baptized. We take them down to the nearest river and baptize them there. When talking to a family that was baptized, they were thankful that someone has come to explain who God is so they can learn more about Him and they said this with smiles on their faces. Another lady started crying because she was thankful to hear the Truth!

 We have been working hard on the farm. Our task was to plant around 200 tree poles, 200 black pepper plants, and then replace any dead pepper plants. We found many American toads in the field. American toads are these huge toads that are about 2 to 3 times larger than the ones back in Missouri. With all this work, I have never sweat so much in my life. It truly is hard work but the best thing is we have snacks half way through. Sometimes we will go into the bushes and cut down coconut so we will have something to drink. The coconut water tastes better and energizes better than any Gatorade drink. Another favorite has been rice cakes and they are delicious!! They take “going green” literally here because many times we have eaten off of banana leaves.

Thank you again for all the support and prayers. It has been making a difference. This week if you could pray for persons of peace that we will be able to reach them and find then. Pray for the new Christians that they will be able to stay strong against persecutions and they will keep growing in their faith. Also, that God will send out more missionaries into the harvest. The harvest is here and God tells us to ask Him for this. 

Rachel