July 12, 2011
Dearest Family & Friends,
We praise God for each one of you! Thank you so much for your prayers and financial support! We are humbled by your care and concern for our family as we prepare to fulfill our call to the mission field.
This past Sunday, July 10, we had the honor and privilege of speaking at the church Jerad served as Youth Pastor/Worship Leader - Harmony Grove Community Church in Dover, PA. We spoke during the entire Sunday School hour and again for about 10 minutes during the worship service. It was refreshing to see familiar faces and catch up with old friends. We were touched by the out-pour of love and support from these dear saints.
Tomorrow, Wednesday, July 13 we have the joy of sharing our ministry presentation with young people at Greenview Bible Camp in Fivepointville, PA. The camp director, Steve Rohrbaugh, invited us to share with Middle School students to inform them of the spiritual need in Montreal, with the hopes of inspiring them to go on a short-term missions team there in the future! We couldn't be more excited about this opportunity! We'd appreciate your prayers as we talk to these youth - pray for open hearts for them and clarity of speech for us!
The need in Montreal, Quebec, Canada is great! We were reminded of that great spiritual need in March/April as we attended the mission conference at Grace Church of Lasalle. We brought our 15-year-old niece up with us for the first time and she was surprised at several things in this "European-like" culture. As soon as we approached the border into Canada, the first sight we saw was that of an advertisement of a nude woman - not uncommon for this part of Canada. While in downtown Montreal, we took my niece to the Notre-Dame Basilica (where Celine Dion was married) and she was struck by the admission cost just to go inside the church and then the cost to light candles! We praise God for a FREE salvation that COST Christ sooo much but cannot be attained by dollars!
Also surprising was the need to explain who Steven Curtis Chapman is to Jerad's brother's church - but the lack of Christian radio and Christian influences in Montreal is what is truly sad. Most of the people at Grace Church of Lasalle are first-generation Christians which is exciting, but their hearts of heavy to reach family members, neighbors, co-workers and friends. Please be in prayer for the church family at Grace Church of Lasalle...check out their church website. http://gracechurchoflasalle.com/
On the home-front, we're hoping to move to Montreal next summer, Lord willing. We are close to 45% of our financial support and at 75% of our prayer support. We only started actively raising support in December 2010 so these numbers are especially exciting for us! THANK YOU for your part in this!
We'd also like prayer for our 7-year-old daughter, Morgan, who broke her clavicle (collarbone) on Thursday evening after tripping down a hill. She will have an x-ray on Monday to determine if surgery will be necessary. Prayers for healing, patience and INactivity (not easy for my tomboy) would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks so much for partnering with us! I thank my God every time I remember you. Philippians 1:3
Lovingly,
Wanda Mellette
(Jerad, Gabriel & Morgan, too!)
