Al & Diane Mellinger's Missionary Adventure

Fall Check-Up Time

October 4, 2018 – People are encouraged to get regular check-ups to make sure they are healthy and on target with their lifestyle.  Ministries are no different they too need to have regular check-ups to see how they are doing.

Last week I shared what God has done over the past decade.  This week I want to share the financial health of the work we have here in the Balkans.

There are 3 financial areas I want to look at:

• The Missionary Support – There are 3 missionary families here as part of the team. Each family has to raise their own support and all 3 families could use some extra contributions right now.  We do not talk a great deal about our own support because of the projects and special needs but there is still a need here.  Without the missionaries, there would not be anyone to oversee the other areas.
• Our Church Planting & Development – (formerly Country Support) these are the in-country cost needed to do the work that we do – It does help some with church planting but most of it goes into developing leaders and launch new programs as well as our support staff
• Extra Mile projects – these are the special things we do like the Girls Home, Christmas Gifts and other things we share about from time to time.

As you look at your year-end giving – please consider giving to help keep the ministries here strong. Starting with the staff, then the Country and finally the projects. 

Staff Support Links

Galloways - https://give.fmcusa.org/galloway

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

Mellinger - https://give.fmcusa.org/mellinger

Church Planting & Development - https://give.fmcusa.org/sslpage.aspx?pid=620

Emp’s  - http://almellinger.typepad.com/giving/

Thanks again for your partnership with Team Balkans – Thanks for taking part in our check-UP

This week pray for…

Our finances that God would provide for them as He sees fit

Our first Livelihood Group Workshop – a one day project to help raise some short-term funds. (We hope to do different projects each month rather than the same thing all the time.)

Our US store opening –working on all the details from Bulgaria with the help of my son until we arrive.

I am in Awe! We serve a great God!

September 27, 2018 - Today I have been thinking about the last 12 or so years and the changes that have taken place in our ministry.  When we arrived, we were it! Nothing had been started. No churches had been planted. No pastors had been trained. We were really explorers scoping out the land and meeting the local people to see what if anything could develop.  Most of our days were focused on meeting people and figuring out ways to connect.

Fast forward to now.  Most of my time is spent with organization, paperwork, forms, paying bills, finding the funds needed to pay the bills and a whole host of necessary but non-glamorous or as fulfilling a role to do.   Although this role is now needed! 

Why you might ask? Here is what is now going on and what we are involved with (I do not do all of this but they fall under the organizations that I am responsible for or a part of):

• 19 church plants – keeping them legal with documents and forms
• Regular (often monthly) Pastor’s Training Programs
• 6 Elders and 8 Ministerial Candidates – tracking and encouraging
• 50+ Employees through the Livelihood groups, translators and store employees
• 7 livelihood groups we work with monthly producing goods that are sold
• 2 retail shops in BG – helping the livelihood groups and other artisans
• A Bible School with 3 distribution Points
• A Safe House for girls (about finished and ready for launching).
• Multiple groups coming to serve that need to be cared for.
• Property and agricultural land that need tracking and maintained.
• Humanitarian Aid – Christmas gift, feeding programs, and many misc things.
• English training from time to time has been done or is being done
• Annual Camps/Conferences for Families, Youth, Kids, and Pastors

There are now 3 full-time Missionary Families and a team of Nationals that are doing all this and I try and make sure that we are all on the same page. We are always thinking of more ways to serve so the list keeps growing.

When I write this all down I am amazed at all that is happening and has happened over the last dozen years.  When we were starting out we prayed that God would use us and the work that we were to start would become a flourishing program for the kingdom – like a small acorn has the potential to be a huge oak tree.  We are seeing that tree grow and flourish here in the Balkans.  That is because of your support and prayers and God’s faithfulness.  Thanks for your participation in what God is up to – continue to help us reach the lost in the Balkans.

This week pray for:

The Sweets as they are working through MOUNTAINS of paperwork for their adoption.

The Galloways as they are completing a 29-day partnership trip in the US that has taken them from Colorado to New York to Michigan to Washington (State) to Illinois and Georgia. (Team Balkans likes to get around)

The Mellingers as we are working toward our US mission project (November – January) to help the Livelihood groups expand their market and help us expand the people we can serve here in the Balkans.

Christmas on My Mind!

September 20, 2018 – People like to complain about Christmas starting too early and I do not want to upset anyone mentioning it now in September.  (Although I think about Christmas all year round) We have on ministry program that needs advance planning.  If you wait until closer to Christmas to do it – it does not give us the time we need to make it happen. 

It is our Virtual Christmas Gift Box Program: The video below explains it and how to get involved.

This year we are anticipating about 800 kids (working with our 19 churches).  It runs about $12 a kid so you can see we need some fund to make this happen.  We need those funds by early November at the latest so we have time to shop here in the Balkans, organize, wrap and get these to the Pastors in early December for their Christmas outreach and ministries.

You can give online by clicking here.  Additionally, more information and downloadable materials can be found at Virtualchristmasgiftbox.com

If your church, small group or class is participating in this please give us a heads up so we know to watch for your contribution and plan accordingly.

Thanks for your interest and Help!

This week pray for:

• Our local church registration process – some are getting declined for no reason and some are being made to jump through lots of red tape. (which means I am jumping through the red tape to get documents that they really do not need)
• Our stateside plans and the Around the World Shop we will be operating in Michigan. Many details go into making this happen over the ocean.

Praise God for an amazing summer here in the Balkans – for now, contacts, new dreams, and new plans. Including a new Microloan that we will talk about in a future blog post.

Sliced Bread or Book covers?

September 13, 2018 - This is Diane writing. 

September fifteenth is when school starts here in Bulgaria. Today as I was helping my friend Maria who owns a bookstore in town with plastic covers for notebooks (students cover notebooks and schoolbooks because they come in paperback), I asked her the difference in Bulgarian between the word "to cover books" and the word "to slice bread".  These two words sound very similar to me and I get them confused.  I use the word to slice bread in the bread store because the bread comes whole and slicing is done in the back if the customer asks.  They know me now so I understand when the clerk asks if I want it sliced and answer, Yes!, but don’t have to say it.

(Our Bakery where we get our bread sliced)

This weekend as I help Maria, I will need to use the word for ‘to cover’ often so was clarifying it with her while we were alone together. This will keep me from using the wrong word. 

Please pray for our students as the start of school is upon them and for me, as I come in contact with many people I see only this time of year when I help out at the Bookstore.  Pray also for our church as we get back to fall schedules and routines.

Bonus Material:

Please don't forget about the Virtual Christmas Gift Box Ministry - www.virtualchristmasgiftbox.com for all the details - any and all help would be appreciated

Also Volunteers for the Fairtrade shop in Jackson, Michigan for all the Michiganders who could help - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqwADXxN-po

A small World getting smaller all the time!

September 6, 2018 – I grew up 3 miles from the Wisconsin state line and about 9 miles from Lake Michigan in northern Illinois.  Why am I starting with this fact?  Over the past couple of weeks, a family has been back to Bulgaria and Petrich where they are from.  They now live in Kenosha, Wisconsin less than a half hour from where I grew up.

When we move to Petrich their daughter and son-in-law were one of the first couples we met.  She soon, after we arrived, got very sick and has gone on to be with Jesus. During her sickness, her mom came back to Bulgaria to help take care of her. In fact, during that time Diane drove the mom and an aunt to another relatives funeral since they did not have a car.

That family has not been back to Bulgaria for 7 years but have been here for the last few weeks and they have come to church.  They have really enjoyed it and since they have been in the USA for 20 years they speak pretty good English, so we have had some wonderful conversations with them.

One of the conversations led to finding out that they have been to Wesley Church (Waukegan, IL) one of our supporting churches because someone who attended there invited them to a special event – but they knew it was a church that supported us because the folks who invited them told them about us being in Bulgaria.  And they had met us and were aware of our work. (Hence the small world)

The time they have been here they have attended both Sunday and midweek and even had us over for dinner.

All that to say – you never know the little things you do – how they will impact future events and activities.  People you meet and folks you talk to in what seems like a passing event may return to bless and encourage you.  So, keep being God’s witness where ever you are and where ever you go – God can and will use it!

This week pray for…

The Bonov’s (Peggy & Stefan) who are away on vacation – pray that they have a relaxing time – also pray for the Galloways who are stateside for their son’s wedding and some Set Free Presentation during September.

Pray for all the details for the Around the World Shop as we get merchandise from all over the world shipped in and pray especially for the great number of volunteer workers we are needing to operate the store – Here is a video explaining it. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqwADXxN-po&t=18s)

Pray too for all the churches here as they return to a fall schedule after a summer of different activities.

Looking for Help This Holiday Season!

August 30, 2018 – If you know me at all you know that we have developed some economic ministries that help those who are unemployed or underemployed supplement the income for their families.  We have 2 retail stores in Bulgaria and 2 online places to order as well.

This fall during the holiday season Diane and I will be trying something a bit different and that is a temporary retail store in Jackson, Michigan (at the Jackson Crossing Mall).  We will be having all the products our folks make and additional products from places around the world. And it is called "Marketplace Manna - Around the World Shop" 

We know we cannot do this alone and want to give folks the chance to help.  It is like doing a mission’s trip without leaving the USA.  We are looking for individuals or small groups who would like to come and help us at the shop sometime from November 10^th until the end of December.  We are looking for folks who can give us 4 hours at a time one or more times during the Holiday season.

There is no pay involved as we are wanting to generate as much as we can to help People around the world care for their families.

We will show you everything you need to know and how to answer questions. We will be offering training times before we open so you will have an idea of what you will be doing.  Basically, greeting the customer, sharing stories of why this shop is making a difference and helping people find what they are looking for.

(NEW product coming out this fall - My first Doll - hand Knitted)

We will have our Knitwear, Toys, Fabric items, as well as products from other missions around the world.

If you would like to help with this please contact us (Almellinger@yahoo.com) and let us know we will add you to our list and let you know when we have training and when we need helpers.  And remember that if you are not near jackson Michigan you can order most things online at marketplacemanna.biz.

This week pray for the Economic Ministries:

1) For all the details of the store to fall into place -

2) For our application to become a nonprofit business for tax purposes - pray our application goes through without too many (if any) problems.

3) For a stateside accountant to help us with the stateside paperwork and form filings.

 

Team Balkan Overview and Update!

August 23, 2018 - Team Balkan is a size that a great deal is always happening. I want to give a report and heads up for all our supporters as summer comes to an end and as fall starts up.

Our 2018 Family Camp was an amazing success. Thanks to all who gave, prayed and for the teams that came.  We will not fully know the impact of the event this side of eternity.

The Safe House is inching closer to being finished – this week the foundation was poured for the rebuilt classroom building.  Several have indicated they are going to help with a housewarming party after last week’s blog.

The Livelihood Groups are back up and working to fill the orders that we received recently.  Now is the time stores are ordering their Holiday inventory.

The Galloways are getting ready to be stateside in September for the wedding of their son and to visit 3 churches for Set Free as the safe house is supported by the Set Free Movement.

The Sweets are adjusting well to the culture and people and their new roles with group arrangements – Pray for them during this time and for the process as a whole.

Diane and I are working on a number of projects many of them are economically related.  Getting some new designs into production for this year’s Holiday Season.  Also, we have begun the process of getting things ready for the Virtual Christmas Gift Box Ministry. 

Team Balkans has a few trips scheduled this fall as well. October will see several of us in the UK for Pastor’s retreat and church presentations. November has all of Team Balkans joining the rest of the FM Missionaries in Europe for meetings and planning.

Finally, Diane and I will be returning stateside for a 2 month Sabbatical (mid November through Mid January)  This time will involve us exploring how to get more of the Livelihood produced products in places where people will see them and purchase them – the more we can get distributed the better it is for our workers as they can work more.

Thanks for your regular prayers and financial giving to the work in the Balkans!  Pray for anything above that God lays on your heart!

A Guy Named Krum

During Family Camp 2018 the teams from the US stayed at a nearby Hotel from where the camp was held (as we needed more rooms). One of the guys who worked at this second Hotel was named Krum – he spoke English and help the team with questions.

(Krum with Pastor Randy)

Krum had many conversations with the group and because of how they behaved and lived also had many questions. Several of the group got to testify and witness to him during the week.

One night I was down near the internet trying to get connected when Krum and I had a long conversation – in this talk I learned that Krum declared himself an atheist. And that He did not believe in God, but was intrigued but how he saw the group functioning.  

This week say a prayer for Krum and that God may bring our paths together again soon so we can continue the conversation we started. And pray that he would open his heart to the Lord!

Also, pray for Team Balkans as we will have a couple of weeks break before fall programming starts. (we need to breathe)

Bonus Idea!

For the next few weeks – I will be adding some ideas that you, your small group or church might want to try.  Read if you want – they are ideas we offer and want you to know about.

Product Sales and Fundraiser 

With our company, we produce knitwear and fabric items – We sell these online and to other stores but we also are looking for churches who might want to have a sale in their church or maybe at a local Craft fair. We will send you a supply – you sell what you can and then send us the funds and any unsold inventory back. We keep our workers working and you and your friends get nice things to use or give as gifts this Holiday Season.

Fundraiser Option:

We ship your group a selection of the handmade items for sale - You sell what you can and keep 20% for your team’s mission trip. Send the unsold product back to us (We will pay the shipping).  

Example - your group sells one large hat - it sells for $16.00 - you keep $3.20 on that sale.  Sell 10 and you have made $32.00 - sell 100 and you keep $320.00.

This is a win, win, win arrangement. You earn funds for your group. We keep local Bulgarians working and your customers get a great product to wear for years to come.

We will provide you with everything you need for the group. If interested email us at marketplace.manna@yahoo.com for more information.

https://www.marketplacemanna.biz/fundraisers/

Try one or both of these ideas!

August 9, 2018 – From time to time we will suggest ideas or ways you can do something to help us by way of special projects.  This week I want to get you thinking about how you and your small group or church could be involved with tow this fall.

House Warming Parties:

This is a way to help us outfit the Safe House – we are just about ready to get it ready for the girls but we need help.

This is a virtual gift party  - in that no one actually buys and brings a gift - but instead will place a check (made out to the local Church/Group) or cash in a box(envelope) with a picture from a local advertisement of something that every home needs.  Wrap the box and bring it to the party.  There the gifts will be exchanged and everyone will be able to open one and share with the group what they will be giving to the Safe House for the set up of the rooms.

This is a fun way to learn about what the needs are with our anti-trafficking programs in the Balkans.   (Click Here to see a flyer) We will be happy to work with you as to how to make this happen - let us know and we will get you the most current information.

Virtual Christmas Gift Box Ministry –

I know it is only August but for us to be able to manage and care for the 800 kids and families we anticipate serving this year we need to start now – as we need the funds by Mid October (Early November at the latest).  Here is a link to the Video that explains how it works.

If you have questions or need more information on how to help with either of these two Special Projects, et us know.

This we pray for the team from Northern Ireland who is coming to work in several of our churches. Pray that they would prepare and communicate the right things needed to the churches they work with. 

Also, pray for our livelihood groups as they are ramping up after a short summer break.  Pray that they might learn the new products and patterns quickly.

Finally, pray for the two ministries mentioned above - pray that God would use them to help us raise the funds to serve the folks in the Balkans.

First Balkan Family Camp 2018 has...

August 3, 2018 – It has been an amazing week watching God move and work in people’s lives.  Watching Team Balkans come together each doing what they had been asked to do all come together without any problems.  I am so proud of each of the folks – it was like a big puzzle coming together – each one did their part and the pieces fit together wonderfully

The teams from New York, Alabama, and Washington all were well prepared and ready to serve.  The nationals that helped also did an amazing job.  God is truly developing awesome national leadership to take the church to the next level and it is done through relationships and mentoring.

The campers who came seemed to really enjoy the camp and want us to do it again. (which we are thinking of doing in 2 years).

Thanks to all who prayed and gave to help us bring the Bulgarians to Camp.

This week pray for those who attended would remember what they heard and apply it to their lives.

Pray for the teams traveling back to the US!

Pray for the start-up of the livelihood groups for another season.