May Newsletter 09 P

Africa to Asia

May 2009

An insight into the ministry of LCMS Long-term missionary Megan Birney serving Christ on the international mission field

Home Sweet Home For Now... I’m back in the USA! After over 30 hours of traveling, I made it home on May 16th. May has been an exciting month, especially since I spent the first half preparing to come home and the second half adjusting to actually being here. My last week in West Africa as we finished up school we also made one last trip to Ghana. Angela Bell, another MK teacher, adopted my cats so it was happy trip and I was glad to find them a home! It was hard to say goodbye to so many people I have grown close to but especially the Fluegge family. My travel home went very smoothly and I am so thankful for your prayers as I traveled! My homecoming has been bittersweet. I am overjoyed to be near family and familiar friends but knowing I might not see my home in Togo ever again makes my heart ache. I thought that having airconditioning, television, grocery stores and all these other American amenities would make adjusting easier but in most ways it makes it harder. While they make life easier, I realize now that I lived happily for ten months without them. God is so good and I praise Him for His strength and joy during my time in West Africa. Along with readjusting to life in America, I am also switching gears to prepare for my ministry in Hong Kong. I am very encouraged to serve in a different capacity and in a new ministry beginning in August. Similar relationship building English as a Foreign Lan-

guage (EFL) programs have been started by LCMS World Mission in Jiangmen and Macau. Along with myself, Andrea Bolognini will also be working in Hong Kong with the EFL program. Read more about Andrea online at : www.lcms.org?14884. We will be working through the Lutheran Church — Hong Kong Synod (LCHKS) at different synodical schools and English centers. Since the program will have it’s start when we arrive in August, I’ll have more information as the program begins to come together these next few months and more so when I get to Hong Kong. Thank you for your prayers as I adjust and prepare these next three months. Missionary orientation begins this Sunday, May 31st however since I attended the first week last year I am only traveling to Chicago for the EFL portion of the training beginning June 6th. I am excited to learn new techniques for teaching English and also to meet my new teammates that are headed to Asia!

“But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive in Christ even when we were dead in our transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved.” Ephesians 2:4,5

May 2009

LCMS World Mission 800-433-3954 www.lcmsworldmission.com [email protected] Learn more about the work of LCMS World Mission in Asia by visiting:

Partner with me in my new ministry! I want to thank all you for supporting me this last year in Togo. My ministry in West Africa would not have been possible without your commitments to heed the Lord’s call to pray for me and support me financially. As I make preparations for Hong Kong, I am once again called to raise funds for my service. The cost for my year of service in Hong Kong is approximately $21,417; almost double the cost for my ten months in Togo. I am asking you to begin praying about supporting me financially and in prayer this upcoming year. With only 18 individuals or families making a commitment to give $100 a month would put me over the mark. Thanks for your prayers!

www.lcmsworldmission.org/asia

To support my work financially, you may send a taxdeductible gift to: LCMS World Mission 1333 South Kirkwood Road, St. Louis, Missouri 63122-7295. Please make checks payable to LCMS World Mission. Mark checks on the memo line “Support of Megan Birney” Gifts can also be given securely online at my webpage:

www.lcms.org?13343

Prayer Requests •

Contact Info

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Megan Birney

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[email protected] Check out my blog: acrossanoceansizedlove.blogspot.com

Visit my project page: www.lcms.org?13343 Download my prayer card: www.lcmsworldmission.org/ prayercards Access my photo albums: picasaweb.google.com/ megaroonski

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Pray that God would begin to open eyes and ears and pave the way for the new EFL ministry beginning in Hong Kong this fall. Pray for me as I adjust back to living in the States and begin raising support for my upcoming service in Hong Kong. Pray that the Lord would continue to be prevalent in the lives of the Fluegge family and for a smooth transition from the ministry of the CLET in Togo to the USA and then to South Africa as Glenn begins serving at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Pretoria this November. The students at the CLET; that God would steady their hearts to pursue their calls to leadership training in serving the Lutheran Church in West Africa. The CLET professors that guide the students journeys; give them strength and affirmation in their calls to teaching and strength to lead the CLET.

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The ministries of all FES families especially as they are finishing the last term in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; ministries include translation, church planting, medical, and leadership/theological training.

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Pray for LCMS WM missionary orientation 5/31—6/5 and EFL orientation 6/6—6/11 at Concordia University Chicago.

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Praise for my home congregation, Shepherd of the Coast LCMS celebrating it’s 20th anniversary this summer!

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My fellow LCMS long-term missionaries serving this year, for the opportunity & strength to live out Christ’s love on the mission field.

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For the hearts of those needing to know the grace of our great God

If you would like to receive this newsletter electronically, please e-mail me at [email protected]!