Every time people come at us with the intention of killing us, I close my eyes and wait for death. Even though I am still alive, I feel like each time I accept death, part of me dies. Very soon I will completely die and all that will be left is my empty body walking with you. It will be quieter than I am.(From the book, A Long Way Gone (memoirs of a boy soldier) by Ishmael Beah

How do you respond to such a quote? Ishmael Beah was a boy soldier in Sierra Leone. I (Mick) am just back from my travels to South Africa & Angola. The above pictures are from the town of Kuito in Angola where we visit AIM personnel. Angola has been wracked with 40+ years of war which ended in 2002. The pictures above show you some of the devastation wreaked on the town of Kuito. What you dont see are the war orphans, the people missing limbs due to land minds, the 7000+ graves for those killed in Kuito alone.

How do you respond to Ishmael? The people of Kuito? EASTER! Easter is the only hope that the future can be different. That people can change. That hate can be replaced by love. That forgiveness can be granted without exacting revenge. EASTER!

Churches in Angola are seeking to unite and take the message of Easter to the people of Angola. There is much forgiveness needed as the two sides in the conflict caused great pain to civilians. If EASTER doesnt come to the people of Angola it is hard to say what the future of the country might be.

We continue to seek to bring EASTER to the people we have relationships with. Namibia too has a history that desperately needs EASTER otherwise . . .

At our AIM leadership retreat we were reminded that we are about REACHING, MENTORING & UNLEASHING. That is our goal here in Namibia. Our team continues to expand and we expect a good number of new folks in the next several months.

Pray for our new folks as they prepare that EASTER will be alive in their hearts with a passion to REACH, MENTOR & UNLEASH.

Stephen continues to make progress towards his June trip. Thanks again to all of you who are participating with him in that. We still dont have a clear way ahead with Christy so please keep praying regarding that.

Wishing you the rest of your year filled with EASTER.
Mick, Suzanne & Kids.

To Live by Faith, be Known by Love & be a Voice of Hope

Our Mission
Exodus 17:11-13
As long as Moses held up the staff in his hand, the Israelites had the advantage. But whenever he dropped his hand, the Amalekites gained the advantage. Moses' arms soon became so tired he could no longer hold them up. So Aaron and Hur found a stone for him to sit on. Then they stood on each side of Moses, holding up his hands. So his hands held steady until sunset. As a result, Joshua overwhelmed the army of Amalek in battle.

Living in Faith's Woman at the Well project blesses a woman who has just accepted Christ. The new water purification systems promote better health for all and create wonderful evangelistic opportunities. Our mission is to identify needs and leverage resources to assist both Christians and non-Christians so that the people of Cuba and Haiti may draw closer to Christ and each other. The pastors in Cuba and Haiti have told us that we are Aaron and Hur, holding up their hands. God is moving within the people of Cuba and Haiti in a powerful way. As a witness to this, Living in Faith is also moved by God to further His work.

Living in Faith provides you the opportunity to get involved. You can have an impact. You can change someone's life forever. You can share the Love of Christ with others.
What makes Living in Faith different? We use unique tools to go after the root causes of problems. Treat the sick, but also purify the water. Teach, but also improve vision so people can read. Care for those in need, but also improve nutrition for the next generation. Share the word of God, and also demonstrate the Love of Christ.

Humanitarian assistance sets the foundation for a spiritual experience. Living in Faith provides that assistance. But that assistance is provided through Christian channels to demonstrate and spread the Love of Christ.

Learn more about our mission trips and see how God may be calling you to serve. - Russ Montgomery

Two million people work on the world’s waterways. How can we share Christ with them? They come from all races and religions. They reluctantly leave home and family three to ten months at a time. They face loneliness, boredom, fears and temptation. Christian seafarers seldom enjoy fellowship and encouragement from other believers. Every few days they come into port. Sometimes they aren't even allowed off the ship. No one cares except the bar tenders, drug pushers and prostitutes.

Why shouldn’t they meet a Christian? Tragically, most evangelical outreach ministries to seafarers are in major developed countries. Hundreds of seaports in the developing world have no evangelical outreach to seafarers. Port of Hope is out to change that by placing "The Hope of Christ in Every Port."

Phil grew up in central Minnesota and Debbie was raised in St. Louis, Missouri. They met while Phil was at the University of Minnesota and Debbie was at St. Paul Bible College, now Crown College. They were married in 1970. Phil and Debbie have served in missions since 1976 in Indonesia, northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan, British Columbia and Florida. Phil has been a missionary pilot and they have been missionaries to First Nations people. From 1991 to 2006, Phil and Debbie worked with Campus Crusade for Christ’s JESUS Film Project.

Phil has managed the recording of the JESUS Film in nearly 50 languages around the world. They continue to work on projects on Latin America as Affiliate Staff members of the JESUS Film Project. They started Port of Hope Ministries in 2002. In addition to planting seafarer's ministries in Haiti, Guyana, Surinam and Toledo, Ohio they also serve at the Fraser-Surrey Docks in British Columbia. Phil is also the current president of Port Ministries International. Phil is an ordained Southern Baptist minister and they both are commissioned Workplace Chaplains with the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptists. They have three adult sons: Jesse, Pete and Steve.

All three in commercial construction in the Vancouver, British Columbia area. Jesse is married has two children. Phil and Debbie live a couple blocks south of the Canadian border in Sumas, Washington.

To Live by Faith, be Known by Love & be a Voice of Hope

Gib Gerlach serves as a Church Mobilization Consultant with the International Mission Board. Gib works with the Senior Pastors and Mission Pastors in Southern Baptist Churches  in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. He assists them in mobilizing the church to be on Mission with God.

Gib and his family have served as Missionaries in China and before joining the IMB in his current role, he served as the Executive Pastor of a 3500 member church in Florida. Chris is a first grade school teacher at Yulee Primary School in Yulee, Florida.

Wycliffe Bible Translators
Today about 200 million people do not have the Bible in their own language. Wycliffe’s vision is to see the Bible accessible to all people in the language they understand best. To make this vision a reality, Wycliffe also focuses on literacy development, community development and church partnerships. Please visit wycliffe.org for more information.

Rick and Gayle Heiden joined Wycliffe Bible Translators in 1991. At that time, Rick had been working in addictions treatment with a private psychiatric hospital in Atlanta, Georgia for 12 years. Much of his work at the hospital included training and team building activities. Gayle had been working in another private psychiatric hospital teaching children. When their first child was born, Gayle left her work at the hospital to focus attention on their children. In 1994, the Heidens moved to Dallas, Texas, to begin training for their work in Wycliffe which included manager development and intercultural communications. In 1996, the Heidens began their first assignments with Wycliffe at the International Linguistics Center in Dallas. Rick worked in International Personnel Training and he also worked as a Partnership Development Consultant for two years. Gayle worked as a receptionist and secretary at the clinic which serves Wycliffe missionaries. In 1999, the Heidens moved to Orlando, Florida to help Wycliffe with the opening of their new USA headquarters. Rick worked as the Director of Human Resources until January of 2008 when he was named the new Director of Orientation and Training for Wycliffe USA. Gayle continues working as a receptionist and secretary in the human resources department. The Heidens have two sons. Richard is 21 years old and studying Civil Engineering at the United States Air Force Academy. He also plans to be a pilot. Jordan is 18 years old and studying Criminology at the University of Florida.