Al & Diane Mellinger's Missionary Adventure

Serious Request

June 28, 2022 – We have had and are scheduled to have a very busy rest of the summer. We have been sharing with many folks in many states about the needs of the poor, disenfranchise, persecuted, disabled and unemployed around the world.  It is an awesome message we get to share but a tough one as well.

This email is also tough for us to write, as much as we try, we have found that our personal support is not at the level that it needs to be.  We will be having another pay period without a salary.  We know God will provide but we also have to think that it may be time for us to rethink things.  We don’t feel released from the work we are doing but at the same time, we need to look at the reality of what we need to live vs what we are taking in.

When we switched agencies, we lost about 35% of our monthly giving.  We were hoping to add new givers and churches.  That has not happened yet.  We are told that people love what we stand for and what we are doing but because of the sales generated some feel that that should cover our salary, but that goes back the vendors we have purchased from to pay for what we have and the operating needs to have the stores.

With inflation and costs going up funds are tight for everyone, we get that.  Over the past 6 weeks store sales have dropped off but rent, payroll (for staff), insurance and other expenses have not declined.  I am committed to covering these costs and so far this year, we have covered them and our monthly expenses have been paid for the stores.

We cover all the travel-related costs when we visit churches and Annual Conferences from our salaries.  We do get some speaking fees but they really are only covering fuel, tolls, and travel-related expenses.  We have also reduced our living expenses to the lowest possible cost we can.  I share that to let you know we are doing all we can at this point.

So, we are writing this to ask you to join us in prayer about what we are to do? Do we shut down things and find other employment?  Do we ask for a miracle?  We have been praying God would send the funds we need and some have come in but we need to know without a doubt that we need to either keep going or wrap it up.

God has led us every step and we are trusting Him to continue to lead.  We are now asking y’all to join us in this concern. We also realize we are part of the body of Christ we do not do this alone.  The body needs to know what we need and that is sometimes hard for us to do for ourselves.

If you feel led to give to our support click here. 

Thanks for being a supporter over the years as we have seen God do some amazing things and know He will continue to do so.

Blessings,

Pressing On!

June 8, 2022 – It has been a few weeks since I wrote. We have been busy and are doing much of the same things speaking, meeting, selling, and developing new products.  Since May we have spoken in the following churches:

May 1, 2022 – Pulaski, Mi, FMC

May 8, 2022 – Toddville, Iowa, FMC

May 15, 2022 – Reclamation Church -  Albion, MI

May 22, 2022 – Central Community Church – Urbandale, Iowa.

May 29, 2022 – Chillicothe, Mi, FMC

Met with and are working with more partner groups helping the poor. We are still meeting monthly with the seniors above our store.  We did also get to spend a few days with my oldest son’s family in Branson and then did a pop-in visit to see my folks and brother in  McPherson.

From now through the end of July we are on the road – Here is our schedule of conferences and churches we are currently scheduled to be at.

June 10-11 – Annual Conference (AC) in Harvest Conference (West Virginia)

June 12, 2022 – Clearfield, PA Church

June 12-13 – AC in Keystone Conference – Pleasantville, PA

June 17-18, 2022 – NCC Annual Conference – (Janesville, WI)

June 24-25, 2022 – Tri Con – AC (East, North and Southern MI Conferences) Spring Arbor, MI

June 26, 2022 - OPEN

July 8-15 SBC Family Camp evenings - Mi

July 15-20, 2022 – Missionary Speakers - Cattaraugus Christian Family Camp (New York)

July 22-23, 2022 – Great Plains AC – McPherson, KS

July 24-25, 2022 – Mid America AC – Oklahoma City

July 31, 2022 – Chelsea, MI FMC

Our plan is to be back in Bulgaria for the Month of August.

Please pray for us as we travel and share – pray for safety in travels and pray for the cost, as gas is … well you know too high but we have made our schedule before we knew all this would happen.

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To help with our personal support click here

Marketplacemanna.com – online store

To help with our development fund click here

Why Up-Cycle Stuff to make New Products?

May 18, 2022 – We collect all kinds of stuff that seem random at times.  They are items that someone doesn’t use, want, or need.  To many, it looks more like junk or trash and we are often asked, why do you do that?

There are several reasons:

• It helps the planet, keeping things out of landfills (at least for now).
• We work with people who take the stuff we collect and through it learn a skill and a bit of income as they make something useful to another.
• The items become the EXCUSE to get connected with the poor and needy around us. By helping them meet their felt needs we earn the right to share Jesus with them.

By caring about the planet and people’s economic needs we find more doors open for us to get involved and then share the Gospel with people.

We are currently working with several organizations that have no spiritual aspect to their service to the poor, they are only trying to address the immediate needs of their clients. By helping to address the needs, with the groups, we then earn the opportunity to give them what they really need (Jesus).

Things are growing as we are weekly having conversations with groups about possible partnerships. That is exciting as means word is getting out and folks are looking for partners to engage.  It also means that we need more upcycled items to keep folks engaged.

Right now, we need more unwanted T-shirts – especially white (as we tie-dye them) but are still building our collection of everything else too.

Additionally, we want to create a workshop/training space -  to bring some of the local folk we work with for production purposes.  When we tie-dye shirts they need a place to make them and then dry.  Other times things are painted or sealed and need a space to dry.  We have been dreaming about a place for a couple of years and have followed up on 2-3 places that have not worked out.  Would you join us in praying about such a space?

And when we get a space we are going to need folks to help by teaching and working with our folks.  We would love to start a list of folks we can call upon when the workspace is acquired if you have any skills.

This week pray about:

a workshop space

partner conversations that we would create good sinergy

travels as we are entering a busy few months

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To help with our personal support click here

Marketplacemanna.com – online store

To help with our development fund click here

Simply Stuff!

May 10, 2022 – Recently Diane and I were on a trip and were talking. Diane was reflecting on the fact that we are working to take simple things to make new stuff.  That got me thinking and remembering how Jesus used “simple stuff” to draw folks in and teach on His kingdom.

• The woman at the Well – A Drink
• Feeding of the 5000 – 5 Loaves of Bread and 2 fish
• Wedding Feast in Cana – Jars of Water
• Zacchaeus – Lunch
• Healing the Blind – Spit, dirt, and mud

And if it wasn’t stuff, it was simple instructions

• Leprosy – go wash in the river
• Lame man – get up and walk

For too long we in the church have tried to make it more complicated than it needs to be, more spiritual than it has to be, and more ritualistic than it should be!  It is all about relationships – meeting folks where they are and helping them move to where God wants them to be.  In reality, it always starts with something small and moves to something much bigger.

We have been collecting stuff folks no longer want and making it into things people can use.  We will take t-shirts and tennis balls and make chew toys for pets, we take ties and make cases, headbands, and bracelets for people. We take fabric and cherry pits and make warming and cooling pads.  Simple things that when you first see them are not impressive but when you transform them they become something useful and beneficial.

The same is true for people.  Too often we look at them and they don’t look like much but once transformed by God (as only He can), they become useful and beneficial to those around them.

God wants to use…

…what we have to reach people!

…what we know to teach people!

…who we are to love on people!

So, what do you have?

            What do you know?

                        Who are to love on?

When you answer these questions, you will begin to find out what needs to be done to make an impact in your part of the world!

This week pray about...

... new groups we should start and connect with

... new locations for points of sale

... ongoing support needs for our support and the development fund.

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To help with our personal support click here

Marketplacemanna.com – online store

To help with our development fund click here

 

Points of Sale Expanding

April 30, 2022 – A few weeks back we wrote about the more we sell the more we help people.  That can be done by selling more in our current locations or it can be done by increasing our “Points of Sale”.

When we travel and are speaking we have a point of sale for the time we are there. Sometimes, groups, have us send them products for a display for a special event, that is another point of sale. (If you would like us to come or for a display let me know)

But another option is to have some of our products in consignment-type shops where we join with other vendors to create a store or point of sale. This is the area that we are looking into and investigating the options. It really started when a man approached me, while I was filling in at the Ann Arbor location, about an idea for a development he was working on in Coldwater, Michigan. We followed up and are working on that location currently. 

But that got us to think that maybe there are more enterprises that we might be able to partner with to share the merchandise made to help the poor and needy around the world. We are now in conversations with locations in Portage, MI, Mason, Michigan, and Marshall, Mi.

In fact, we are looking at having Marketplace Manna’s Up-cycled Shop – where we only sell things that are made from recycling items. This will benefit the local groups we work with as all the items made by local groups use upcycled materials in them

Think of all the folks that could be impacted as we figure out more and different ways to help the needy. Maybe you know a place near you that might be interested in having some of what we produce and get from others in a shop near you!

Please join us in praying about this. Pray God would open the right locations with the right shop to have a huge impact.

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To help with our personal support click here

Marketplacemanna.com – online store

To help with our development fund click here