Al & Diane Mellinger's Missionary Adventure

Year End Information:

December 12, 2018 – Another year is about to end. Where does the time go?

I am writing to share with you how you can help Team Balkans. I do not talk a great deal about our support and that of our team in our communication – I do share projects from time to time that you can participate in if you are able. But this week I want to share with you a few pressing needs we have within the team.

David and Jill Sweet’s support funding is very low. They are doing an amazing job and they are a very important part of the expanding work in the Balkans.  They are new and not as well known to the churches so they are often not thought of but let me testify they are very important to the work in the Balkans click on this link to give

https://give.fmcusa.org/donation/df-vibgsweet

Our CPD fund Church Planting and Development) – (used to be called the CSA (county support Account) is also very low. These are fund used to help run things in the country beyond what we as the missionaries do – it helps with administrative costs, conferences for training pastors, travel for nationals and much more.  These funds are sent quarterly but only if there is money in the account – we have not received our full funding in this account this year as it has not had funds there.  We have gotten by but are looking at some creative projects for next year and want to get the fund built up so we can proceed with the dream. Click on this link to Give

https://give.fmcusa.org/sslpage.aspx?pid=620

Finally, Chance and Dee Galloway are moving from VISA (short-term missionary) to Career (Long Term) missionary and are also needing to increase their personal support. So they could also use some year-end giving. Click here to give https://give.fmcusa.org/sslpage.aspx?pid=486

Additionally, you can make a pledge for 2019 to support these needs which will be a great help as well (email me with your amounts and I will get them processed).

Thanks for your support and help with all that God is doing with Team Balkans!

Please pray for:

The financial needs of Team Balkans

The distribution of the Virtual Christmas Gift Boxes – pray for the impact on families  through our local churches!

The ongoing economic ministries – the Jackson Store and the stores in Bulgaria

Bonus Material:

If you have not read this on FaceBook – here is a link to an article written by the local media about the store.  https://www.mlive.com/news/jackson/2018/12/fair-trade-store-opens-at-jackson-crossing.html

 

Around the World Shop Update:

December 6, 2018 – The first 3 weeks of operation of the store have been very promising.  Interest is high, the traffic flow is good and the sales have done very well so far.  Many people have been asking if we were going to be around beyond the holidays. I would respond that depends on how well the community supports the store and what the mall will do with our overhead cost.

Another great aspect of the store is the conversation we have had with folks coming in – some of the volunteers have been able to witness and even pray for folks in need. it is much more than just a store it is a community that makes a difference.

The results of the meeting with the new Mall management this week were very positive.  They want us to stay and are willing to work with us to keep the same arrangement in place that we have now – SO with that information, we have decided that we are going to keep Marketplace Manna’s Around the World Shop OPEN beyond the Holidays to see how it goes. 

We still want to involve volunteers each week with helping at the store – but we will have to hire a few part-time employees to manage the opening and closing of the store and the handling of the money (as Diane and I will be returning to Bulgaria and the rest of our work over there).

Please continue to pray for the store and the ministry it will and is having. Pray that sales are good so that more product is needed which means more folks will be working.

 

Praise God that 95% of the Virtual Christmas Gift Boxes (Bags) are done and ready for delivery to the kids and families.

Store Update and Prayer Request

December 3, 2018 – Marketplace Manna’s Around the World Shop is doing well ( at least from what I can tell).  We are a pop-up shop for the mall so we only have a lease until the end of February.  Because of the reaction to we are now looking at what it might take to have the store here all the time (and if not in the mall maybe somewhere else in Jackson, MI). 

We found out on Black Friday that the mall was sold to new owners the day before we opened the store. I briefly met the new General Manager for the Mall today and we have a meeting scheduled for Wednesday to discuss the future of the store in the Mall.  That is my prayer request – pray that we will find favor and able to keep a physical presence in the mall all year long.  God says to pray about everything and so I am asking our prayer partners to say a prayer asking God to do something amazing – either open a door that will provide a blessing to us and many others or close the door that will lead us to find an even better location.

Thanks again!

Store Update and Prayer Request

December 3, 2018 – Marketplace Manna’s Around the World Shop is doing well ( at least from what I can tell).  We are a pop-up shop for the mall so we only have a lease until the end of February.  Because of the reaction to we are now looking at what it might take to have the store here all the time (and if not in the mall maybe somewhere else in Jackson, MI). 

We found out on Black Friday that the mall was sold to new owners the day before we opened the store. I briefly met the new General Manager for the Mall today and we have a meeting scheduled for Wednesday to discuss the future of the store in the Mall.  That is my prayer request – pray that we will find favor and able to keep a physical presence in the mall all year long.  God says to pray about everything and so I am asking our prayer partners to say a prayer asking God to do something amazing – either open a door that will provide a blessing to us and many others or close the door that will lead us to find an even better location.

Thanks again!

November Blessings and Concerns

November 29, 2019 – As we close out November – a month where we focus on what we are thankful for – we have much to reflect on and rejoice over.  God is good and has blessed us in so many ways.

• We are celebrating at the birth of our Granddaughter “Faith Diane Mellinger” – arriving November 21, 2019 – She is our first Granddaughter and so precious to us.
• Our project – “The Around the World Shop” is going well we think (although we do not have anything to compare it to). The goal was multifold – a) to show folks what people we are serving are making b) sell them the items that they like and/or need c) bring awareness to folks that how they spend their money can have and make a difference in people’s lives. Not asking them to spend more but rather to be more selective at where and how they spend the money they do have.
• The year we have had in the Balkans. The growth of the churches, the training of leaders, the groups hosted the ministries in the local setting that took place – the livelihood groups started and projects tried, they are all a part of our holistic approach to ministry that changes lives.

We could list so much more but if you follow this blog post you have heard and read about what God is doing.  For it is truly Him and His leading.  We listen and obey (do). 

We are also so THANKFUL for our partners' support - through prayers, giving and for some coming and serving.  We are extensions of your faithfulness to God – YOU are a part of this work because you partner with us. Words cannot express how humbled and grateful we are for your partnership.

This week pray for…

… the success of the store project – Pray that God would increase the sales and help us also minister to the people that come into the stores (the volunteers are already connecting and serving so many folks.

…more volunteers to sign up to serve in the store – we are having a good number but more will make the load a bit lighter for all.

…the Virtual Christmas Gift Box Ministry as it wraps up in the coming week in Bulgaria – pray for the team that will be sorting and delivering the gift to the churches for distribution around Christmas. (Additionally, any additional Gift are still being taken for this project)

Bonus Information:

Year-End Giving and 2019 Commitments:  As the year draws to a close we find that there are needs that need to be met and there are goals to be set.

Our personal support – is on target for this year but we have been told that some supporter (for a number of good reasons) are not going to be able to support us at the same level for 2019 so we will be looking for additional support for next year. Please pray and give and commit what you can.

The Country Support (Church planting and Development) – we are behind for 2018 which just means we did not do all that we planned to do.  But we need to pray and work on this account for 2019 – any funds given this year to the Bulgaria CSA or CPD are rolled over to next year – so any year-end giving to this would help us start the year off right

The last area to be funded is the special projects (although they are more exciting to promote than the other 2 – would include our special Church planting project and the girls home.  If you want more on these, email me and I will give you information.

Please be in special prayer for the finances as what we do does depend on funding – without funding, we cannot move forward – it is that simple.  If the funds are there we can serve and meet needs – if it is not there we do our best but will fall short.  We believe and are trusting God to help us with the needs we have to impact the Balkan world and beyond for Christ.

Thanks again for your prayer and for your partnership with us.