Al & Diane Mellinger's Missionary Adventure

Trip to Light & Life Park in Lakeland, FL

March 8, 2023 – Last weekend was the Missions Conference at Light and Life FMC at the Park in Lakeland.  Diane and I were invited to be guest missionaries with several others.  We flew down and were able to share what God is doing in and through our work.

What was a true blessing was the number of people that either live there year-round or are down during the cold months up north.  It seemed like every time we turned around, we were running to someone with a connection to either Diane or me in our past.  They are all great people who have served God well in their own lives.  We felt it might just be a little of what heaven will be like.

Side note – during our time in Florida our Ann Arbor location had a shop lifting incident.  Casey was able to catch them and report it to police.  They took over $750 of merchandise which we did get back.  This does bring up a concern about the cost and realities of doing business these days. It is getting harder and harder.  With inflation still high people aren't buying as much and our sales year over year are way down.  The needs we address and serve by selling fairtrade items as still very much there.  So please be in prayer about the retail realities we face.  Pray for our staff, pray for protection, pray for sales and donations.

We know God is in control but sometimes need some reminders.

Thanks for your prayers and support.

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To learn more about our New REED Workshop program click here

To help with our personal support click here

Marketplacemanna.com – online store

To help with our development fund click her

Expansion In Process

February 23, 2023 – The REED Workshop space is slowly coming together (what we can with what we currently have). 

Here are two links to an interview I did for a local Cable TV station and an article that was also written.

https://jtv.tv/market-manna-expands-plans-workshop-for-downtown-business/

Also on Monday, February 27^th, we are doing a dedication of the REED Workshop space.

Over the years we have appreciated and depended on your support for the work God has called us to do!  That began in the Balkans and has now returned to Michigan with many partners and countries around the world.  To celebrate this and to hear the new vision of what God is calling us to do, Diane and I would like to invite you to a special Open House/Dedication of the expanded retail space and the New REED Workshop Center.

This will be Monday, February 27 from 5-6:30 with a formal presentation made at 5:30. 

We will share how the new space will advance the kingdom ask for prayer and your wisdom on how to accomplish the vision we have.

There will be some light refreshments and all in attendance will receive a free gift and a discount on any purchase made that evening.

Please RSVP almellinger@yahoo.com your participation or regrets.

Guests you want to bring are welcome!

This week pray for:

The continued transition of the store and workshop space – including funds to finish the project and launch the workshop.

Sale – the weather has kept people from shopping which means no sales – we need some sales to pay the bills.

To learn more about our New REED Workshop program click here

To help with our personal support click here

Marketplacemanna.com – online store

To help with our development fund click here

 

Moving Out - Moving In (Part 2)

February 16, 2023 – We have been back stateside for about a week and are finally back this time zone with our Body Clocks!

The time in Bulgaria was very good as we begin the process of transitioning more fully to stateside ministries.  We have a team in place that will keep the company going for a while yet – so we are not giving up on Livelihood groups and partnering with groups around the world at all.

(part of the New building space)

Since returning stateside the Jackson Retail location has expanded adding the unit next door to our Retail location while also designating half of the old space to a Workshop, training space.  We are so looking forward to that becoming a reality and seeing the lives that can be impacted.

(Part of the new look in the old space)

We have also been fighting off a major cold since returning so pray about that for us too.

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To learn more about our New REED Workshop program click here

To help with our personal support click here

Marketplacemanna.com – online store

To help with our development fund click here

Family Reunion Sort of!?

February 3, 2023 – This week while in Bulgaria we went over to our first landlord's place for a visit.  That apartment is where Diane and I lived longer than any other place.  A great deal of ministry happened there, and we had many memories of great times.

A few years back we moved to a smaller place due to costs and just not needing the room anymore.

Going back to our old home was amazing – the Landlords have moved into that space and remodeled it and their apartment is now for their youngest daughter.  What was interesting as we talked about our 13 years there, they had very fond memories of our time with them – in fact during our time there we went to most family events and took lots of photos of the family.   On the wall hung many pictures that I had taken that they have framed.

They are Orthodox but I believe they know Christ and that made our time with them all the more fun.  Here are some photos of what our apartment looked like and what it looks like now.

This week pray for our travels back to the US

And for the changes, we will be heading into at the JACKSON Store as well as moving our Jackson home to a different house.  – Still, lots of changes coming.

Also, continue to remember the stores – pray for sales of the merchandise January and February are low retail months and we need some sales to pay the bills.

Moving Out & Moving in (Part 1)

January 26, 2023 – We are glad to report that almost every big thing in our  Bulgarian apartment is spoken for or sold. Lots of little things we are sorting. The inventory for New Start (our BG company) is more than I remember and is identified and slated for shipment or production over the next 6 months. The balance we are working on selling to local folks.  We are working to keep things moving along so that we can be wrapped up for the most part when we return stateside in about 10 days.

Speaking of stateside – Here is a photo of the new location being painted (Thanks Mike Ewert), carpets getting cleaned this weekend, and fixtures being moved and installed on Monday (1/30/23).  The Marketplace Manna Team stateside is doing a great job helping us get things ready for our Grand Re-Opening sometime in the next few weeks (after we return).

THE STORE IN JACKSON IS STILL OPEN DURING OUR TRANSFORMATION SO STOP BY AND ENJOY OUR KNITWEAR SALE THIS WEEK!

Thanks for your prayers our time in Bulgaria has been amazing.  Things are healthy with the churches and work here.  We are able to redefine and focus the company to continue to help many in need for a little while longer.  We were not sure what to expect but we are very happy will what we found – Keep praying for our time here and for our time when we return to not only continue the expansion but also we will be moving to a new home in Jackson too. 

And finally – January is a slow month retail-wise – pray for some good sales to finish the month and to start February.

It seems our theme for January and February is “Moving, both in and out”

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To help with our personal support click here

Marketplacemanna.com – online store

To help with our development fund click here