Al & Diane Mellinger's Missionary Adventure

It is the Most Wonderful Time of the Year - Again!

September 15, 2021 -  We are again doing the Virtual Christmas Gift Box Program!  Here is a video that explains what we do and how it works.

You can also go to virtualChristmasgiftbox.com - to get more information!  We need any donations by the end of November to be able to get it to the Pastors to get the presents purchased.

To give online click here - or send a check to Marketplace Manna 151 E Michigan, Jackson, MI 49201

Help us help our churches serve their neighborhoods! 

Got Questions - call me at 517-3953054 :)

Prayer Requests:

Need a great deal of prayer to find and hire the right staff for our newest store in Ann Arbor, Mi - everyone is hiring and we have had no one wanting the jobs (2 Part-time slots open) Please pray that God would send us the right folks to work at this store!

Pray for many to participate in the Virtual Christmas Giff Box Program - many needs this year in our villages.

Pray for  Diane and me as we are traveling most weekend sharing the vision and the stories of all that God is doing

 

 

August Update

August 25, 2021 - Here is what we have been up to (click on the link):

View this photo

Pray for the following:

Our travels - we are going to be traveling a great deal this fall

Our funding - both for personal support and our development fund

Our new store opening and our existing store sales.

 

Watching God create new things and…

August 7, 2021 – I know our posts have been a bit hit and miss as we adjust to a new reality for our ministry.  This week I want to share some snippets of thoughts and conversations with folks.

Recently we share the need for some part-time workers as we most staff and expand the number of retail locations.

GOD PROVIDEd THE CORRECT PERSON FOR EACH LOCATION AND FOR THAT WE PRAISE HIM!

Back in January when we were prepping to open the new downtown Jackson location – we met a number of people from the Senior Apartments that are above our store.  As we have been around more this summer we have gotten to know more of them.  We are praying about and working on starting at least a Bible Study with these folks later once COVID settles down.

PRAY THAT GOD WOULD OPEN THE DOORS FOR THIS AND RAISE UP SOME HELPERS TO KEEP IT GOING WHEN WE ARE ON THE ROAD.

We started the makeover of the store space in Ann Arbor.  We have been given a great many fixtures from a church we recently went to and we were able to get some Slat walls from a store in Okemos that were throwing them out.  So, the cost to the redo of the store will be under $400.  That is amazing!

PRAISE GOD FOR THIS!  ALSO, PRAY AS WE ARE NOW LOOKING PART-TIME HELP IN ANN ARBOR.

Over the last two weeks, we have had meetings (some planned and some spontaneous) with folks who not only have ideas but also connections and contacts that can help us as we dream some new dreams for the kingdom.

PRAY THAT WE WOULD CONNECT WITH THE RIGHT FOLKS TO MOVE WHAT WE ARE DOING ALONG AND DEVELOP NEW PARTNERSHIPS.

We are consistently amazed at what God is doing and as trust Him for all the details He continues to give us new dreams, bring along others to help with the dreams, and provide the encouragement that we need.

Time with Faith (Our Granddaughter)

July 27, 2021 – Diane and I were scheduled to be at the Family Together Conference in Poconos Manor, PA. It was held at the Kalahari Resort (Waterpark) so we decided to take Faith our granddaughter who just so happens to love swimming and being in the water! 

It has been an amazing and yet tiring time. This 2-year-old is nonstop movement from when she wakes up until she falls to sleep. Which has given Diane a great deal of exercise! (I have been in the meetings and running our display)

We also en route to the conference visited a supporting church, some former missionary friends, and one of our Church Express locations. 

I do also want to report that your prayers for support, finances, and employees are being heard. I spoke and shared with many new people and through that received a nice contribution for the development fund.  We also this week received a grant for the work we are doing that we forgot about and have had applications returned and interviews made for our store positions.

We ask you (and we) pray and God provides.  Thanks for partnering with us – YOU are a huge part of what we do and are able to do for Christ and the Kingdom.

This next week we get the keys for our 3^rd location and will begin refitting the space to make it our store. Pray that it all goes well and is under budget.

We are also going to be having a booth at the Jackson (MI) county fair this year (AUG 8-14). Pray for good contacts and exposure of what we are trying to do with the folks in our town. And for some volunteers to help us man the 12 hours a day schedule.

Praise God for the many prayers that have been answered during this past month of transition.

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To give to our Personal Support Click here

To give to the Development Fund Click here

Walking by Faith

July 20, 2021 –  I am reminded of the story of Peter walking on the water these days. He followed Jesus and then saw the rough sea and when he did he began to sink and then Jesus caught him when he returned his focus to Jesus.

I am reminded of this as we can relate to it a bit right now. With our changing roles, we know it is God’s call for us but we look around and see that some supporters have not followed us and we see the need to raise additional funds. There are details and regulations for the stores and new livelihood groups.

Additionally, we have employees, vendors, and livelihood folks who depend on us for their income.  We do not have a large reserve (if any some days) to make sure these folks get paid and what they are owed and that weighs on us every couple of weeks.

We have plans for adding folks and new products but that takes development funds to get it started. We are trying to figure out who to ask and how to make the presentation.

Add to that the rules, guidelines, and compliance expectations for the federal, state and local governments to operate all that we do.

And then there are customer concerns, additional employees to find and lots of forms at times.

All that said to share what “wind and rough seas” that seem to be around us.

And yet in so many ways, God has provided and we are able to meet our obligations when we get down to it. We just have to keep our focus on Jesus!

Sometimes we write like it is all going gangbusters and that there are not needs but it is truly a ministry that walks by faith and is totally dependent on God and His people to keep this going week to week.

I write this to you so that you are more fully aware and can pray for the financial needs of the work and the relational needs too.  We are doing all that we can and are trusting God (getting out of the boat) and doing our best to stay focused on Him and not all the details that we have to take care of, but sometimes we get distracted and need to refocus on Jesus.

This week please pray that we will know who to speak with about support, how to expand as we begin to try and develop domestic livelihood groups in poor areas, and for Diane and me as we think and work on all the details this brings.

To give to our Personal Support Click here

To give to the Development Fund Click here