The Life of an MK

These three boys represent three families who have recently made decisions about ministry and location changes. This week a few of our MK2MK college volunteers spent the afternoon with them talking about the upcoming changes.

    The boys were matter of fact about it—Adam’s family is leaving East Asia where he has lived his whole life to move to Indiana.  Joshua is going to stay here in Orlando for a couple more years, making what was a temporary transition from his lifelong home in Singapore become a lot more permanent. After spending a year here, Joel is going back to Moscow where his family serves. None of these family decisions were made lightly. In fact it is often an agonizing process.
   
    Donna, our director of MK2MK wrote, “Middle school boys can be silly but this afternoon as the rained poured down outside they talked about feeling sad, experiencing loss and saying difficult goodbyes. Sometimes missionary life is really hard!”

    Lending support and encouragement to parents through the workshops we have the privilege to facilitate, as well as giving their teens a place to share how they are doing in the midst of monumental change, helps the whole family to move through the process in healthy ways.

    Thank you for being a part of helping our staff families thrive in the midst of the challenges.  It is an honor to serve alongside you.


With love and thanks,

Family News

Cara and Perry’s wedding plans are coming along.  It will be a small wedding at a retreat center.  August 4 is coming quickly!  Last night they were at our house working with Aubrey on the music for the reception.  It should be interesting!  I just posted this video from her time in London last summer.  She will be a beautiful bride!

Catelin lost her job, then got a new one in just over 3 weeks.  She is now working at the Coalition for the Homeless here in town.  She is the administrative assistant for the Fund Development team.  So far, she really enjoys the work and the people.

Aubrey is home from college, working at the music library, taking voice lessons, and doing an independent study course.  She finished her sophomore year at Rollins College and played a short piano duet with her roommate this spring.  It's only a couple of minutes long...I like it!

Luke’s baseball season finished with a 2-1 loss at the Regional Finals with a 7th inning (controversial) call at the plate.  Now he’s taking summer school classes and playing some Babe Ruth baseball.  Here is is making a pre-game warm up play.

Macy has enjoyed using the neighbor’s pool while they are on a month long cruise (with their permission).  Macy and I also just enjoyed our second Cinderella Ball with her Girl Scout troop.  As you can see, she was beautiful (while I wore a crooked bowtie!)  Afterwards, we stopped by Lake Eola in downtown Orlando to play on the playground.  Check out this cool ride below!

The Impact of Your Gifts

     Recently  Jonathan, a new ministry partner asked me, “So how will my support be used?”  I loved this question and thought I’d share my answer with you too.

    The numerical answer is that 7% of every dollar goes cover Campus Crusade’s administrative costs.   This money pays for the costs of a headquarters, including paying about 300 hourly and salaried staff who do jobs from maintenance to accounting.   Another 5% goes overseas to launch ministries in countries where there is little Christian presence.  The remaining 88% goes to our personal ministry account, where it is used to pay our salary, benefits, taxes, and ministry expenses.

    Jonathan's question was really asking about the impact that he will have through his gifts.  To get an idea of the broader impact Campus Crusade for Christ has had this last year, please visit this link to see some information my friend and fellow staff member Pete Kelly put together.  Dayna and I lead a team of about 60 staff, and part of what they accomplish includes:

• Involving over more than 70 men and women in over 10,000 volunteer hours projects from computer programming to packaging evangelistic tools to landscaping work, saving the ministry over $200,000 annually.

• Sending and resources over 40 one year international missionaries each year.

• Equipping 1,000 staff serving at the World Headquarters in ministry skills, theological education, work skills, and leadership development.

• Resourcing over 1,000 American staff serving overseas and assisting them with transitions, debriefs, and crisis situations.

• Providing connection, encouragement and resources for over 617 children of our staff living overseas through our MK2MK team.  Almost 100 of these staff kids are involved in our international missions project each summer.

•  Over the last year we’ve helped manage crisis situations in Japan, Ivory Coast, North Africa and the Middle East.

    Your gifts are having an impact around the world.  Thank you for your investment in our family and ministry.