Al & Diane Mellinger's Missionary Adventure

Living by Schedules & To Do Lists

January 25, 2007 – We are 34 days away from moving out of our house (not sure where we will move to yet).

Diane has 6 lessons between her classes until her course work is done!
I have 2 lessons and a project due in the one class I am taking to be finished.
We have had our tests, completed our shots, redone our wills, move furniture, had garage sales and drove about 4,000 miles to churches.

After that it is now all about our Start–Up Costs (Still need $30,000) and Annual Support (still need about ($23,000). We have been to 22 churches and done over 30 official presentations for groups at these churches. We have sent out over 400 letters asking for support of some kind. And I can’t count the phone calls and other visits and conversations with people all over Michigan and beyond.

All of you reading this were touched by one or more of those presentations (that is the only way you ended up on the e-mail list) and we want to say a BIG THANK YOU! We have come so far in what I am told is a short period of time! It is because of your gifts and support that this has happened. The last little bit of need is in God’s hands for I am not sure what else we can do.

I am crazy about numbers and so I did a bit of crunching them – If each Prayer Partner were to give or collect from others $40 in a one-time contribution over the next 2-3 weeks and send it in we would have our Start-up in place. (Maybe you could get your small group or Sunday School class to take an offering to reach this – maybe take back all the cans in the garage to the store for the deposit and send it in. It sounds like a great deal but if everyone does a little it can happen)

As for our Annual Support - that is a bigger commitment. I was hoping that the churches we have been to would be able to meet this but with all of our Annual Support needing to be new funds and with the tight economy in Michigan that just didn’t happen so all I can suggest is to PRAY and join me in asking God in the next 2-3 weeks to work a miracle so that when I report how it happens all the Pray Partners will be rejoicing at How GOD DID IT!

So your only PRAY REQUEST is to ask God to do a MIRACLE with our needed funds! WE serve a great God and He will provide.

I look forward to the writing like Paul when in Philippians (4:18-20) he wrote:
I have enough of everything—and more than enough. My wants are fully satisfied now that I have received from the hands of Epaphroditus the generous gifts which you sent me—they are a fragrant odor, an acceptable sacrifice, truly pleasing to God. But my God—so great is His wealth of glory in Christ Jesus—will fully supply every need of yours. And to our God and Father be the glory throughout the Ages of the Ages! Amen.

Youth Groups & Missions

January 18, 2007 – During our deputation we have had the pleasure of not only presenting our need and what missions is to adults but have also done specific youth group meetings. (having been a youth pastor for 23 years – I am still very much drawn to the youth of today)

We have done a Sunday School class at Dearborn, a youth group meeting at Milan and 2 meetings at Westland. It has been fun to share about what missions is and how you start. I hope we might see some from each of these churches on a VIAS (Volunteers In Service Abroad) in the next couple of years.

Taking students overseas is a great way to help them see and understand how to share their faith and how to function and think in a different way. If people are never exposed to life in a different culture – they assume everyone thinks like they do. Well they don’t and as my dad use to say there is more than one way to skin a cat (Why you would want to I don’t know) – which means there are many ways to live and function in like we have ours and other cultures have theirs – A saying I share with all groups I train to go overseas is “It’s not better, it’s not worse it is just different”

This week I want you to pray for:
1) Michael & Maria Long and girls (Our missionaries to Greece and immediate supervisor) they are on a 2 month home assignment. Prayer for safety in travel, good presentations at churches and that the girls will keep up with their Internet schooling.
2) Peggy and Steffon and the grouping meeting in their house in Petrich. They both work full time to make ends meet and although very committed find it hard to keep up with the demands of work, family and the church!
3) Final Details to come together for us. We done all that we can and know to do, we now watch and see what God does! It’s all about Him and how He wants to finish out deputation time.

Status What we Still Need!

January 11, 2007 – Today we are reporting on our Status. We need $24,000 in additional Annual Commitments (That is 40 - $50 a month givers to the Annual Fund) and $30,000 in one time Start-up Costs. So how do we get to these numbers so we can go?

My only suggestion at this point is PRAYER – pray that God would move in people’s hearts and minds (and pocket books) to give. Pray that Individuals will see the value of what we are wanting to do and will get behind this project. God often waits for His people to commit before He completes His work! Pray that though this all God would do what only He can, a miracle, and as we see it happen can all rejoice and praise Him together.

We know God has called us and we know that it is a partnership between us and God and us and you the senders. As we all look to God and seek His plan and His timing we know we will be part of seeing His world come to know Him! That is the reason we go to help reach a world that is lost without Him.

If you can help and want to be a part of this miracle please e-mail ( almellinger@yahoo.com ) me your intentions as soon as possible and I will let you know how to proceed. (At this stage documentation of everything is vital to confirm numbers to get our clearance).

Thanks for your prayers and your support! (To see our latest Newsletteron line go to this link http://www.fmwm.org/cms_media/files/MellingerJanuary2007.pdf)

Happy New Year!

January 6, 2007 –  Happy New Year – Well the holidays are over for another year and the doldumbs of winter are coming (although we haven’t had much winter yet).  For Diane and I it is coming down to the home stretch.  We are now working very hard to get all of our work done so that once all the things outside out control are in place we will be able to go.

Diane is working very hard to finish her classed and I have one to complete as well.  I have been working on other things  but now it is time to finish.

With all our major finances taken care of it is now time to sort and get rid of lots of little things that have been set aside.  Now we have to figure out what if anything we are to do with some stuff.  (Most of it we won’t keep but it is just getting over the sentimental value we seem to place on it).

Right now the biggest thing on my mind is the Support Funds.  I know God will provide and it is in His hands but I also what to make sure I have done everything I can as well.  I was once told a long time ago – That there are times when you need to pray like it all depends on God and work like it all depends on you.”  So we are praying and we are working to contact and connect with as many people and churches as possible to get our support in place.

We have even add a new way to give right on our Blog through a widget called ChipIn go to www.almellinger.com and click on the box if you would like to help us with a start-up gift!

This week pray:

1)      For our oldest son Brad who is driving by himself from Kansas to LA.  He is big boy but it is his first time driving that far alone.

2)      For Diane as she continues to work on her classes!

3)   For our Support both Annual and Start-Up costs to come in quickly so we can move on to the next part of the adventure.