God provides!

There is something really special happening at Friends Network.

In the last month, so many things have changed, and I want to tell you about them.  I picture each of you knocking on my front door and me inviting you to come in and enjoy a cup of coffee as I give you an update.  Make yourself comfortable.

The staff at Friends Network is small but mighty.  Suzy and I are the two full-time staff members, and Jill joins us part-time in the US while Stephen joins us part time from Thailand.  This staff loves Jesus, loves our missionaries, and loves this ministry.  Every single staff member has made adjustments, taken on additional responsibilities, and worked with an attitude of excellence and humility.  Together, they have made this transition remarkably seamless, and our missionaries have continued to receive the support needed to fully focus on their ministries.  God provided the right people to navigate this transition.

We moved out of our physical office location at St Croix Lutheran Academy in St Paul.  That office space has been a blessing to us, but the current staff all work remotely and don’t live close to it.  At the same time we were considering the decision to move, we learned that a congregation currently worshipping at St Croix was looking for office space.  God provided the answer in a way that allowed our ministry to move out so another ministry could move in.

It is difficult to count the number of friends, ministry partners, and partner organizations that have reached out to offer whatever help they can.  We have benefited from so many people being generous with their time and talents as we strengthen the foundation for the next phase of ministry.  God provided relationships built over years that have given Friends Network a beautiful community of support.

We asked you, our faithful supporters, to provide financially by contributing to our General Mission Support fund.  We had incredibly generous partners offer $70,000 as a matching challenge, and then another gift increased the goal to $95,000.  This marks the largest challenge campaign in our organization’s history, and you rose to the occasion.

We are incredibly grateful and humbled to report that your contributions exceeded the $95,000 goal.

Not only have you given your financial resources, but you hold Friends Network up in prayer, you answer our calls, you invite us into relationship with you - you are true partners in this work.  God provided the community of Christians who are passionate about cross-cultural evangelism to support in ways that make it all possible.

And in the midst of all these changes, new missionaries are heading to the field!  Michael, Sarah, and Ezra Schoenfeld joined the team in Seoul, South Korea.  Matt and Jody Roberts joined a team in Southeast Asia.  Kyle and Marisa Heise and their new baby will join the team in Cebu, Philippines in a few months.  Our teams are growing, our roots in each field are growing deeper, and what is being planted is bearing fruit.  We can’t wait to share stories with you frequently over the coming year so you can celebrate joys and know how best to pray for challenges.  God provided the workers to faithfully serve him in the mission field.

God has provided, and God is providing.  

Each day is a new opportunity to watch him move in this ministry, and we are so grateful to get to do it with each of you.  Thank you for being here.

To God be the glory!

Gwen Schroeder

Interim Executive Director