Stephanie Baughman on Furlough!

Dear Friend,

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

I am in the learning and re-tooling aspect of furlough at the moment. I’m enjoying being among CEF brothers and sisters from around America and the world here at Children’s Ministries Institute in Warrenton, MO. During this two-week module, CMI is offering three options for courses. I am taking the Instructor of Teachers Level 2 course learning to train teachers in Tasmania to disciple children in their Good News Clubs. We are delving into the Word of God to develop applications to teach Christian children.

One of the things we are doing in class is that each of us is assigned a Bible lesson to develop and demonstrate as we would demonstrate it for teachers on the field. In God’s Sovereignty, I was assigned the passage from 1 Samuel 16 where Samuel anoints young David as the future King of Israel. Before I left Tasmania, I left my Good News Club teachers with lessons on David. Out of all the stories in the Bible, they will be teaching that lesson this week as I am teaching it for a grade in my course!

I heard from the lead teacher of one of the clubs in Tasmania. She said that club went well getting started again last week for the school year and had a carer of one of the children to help with games as one of our teachers is still stuck in China with travel restrictions. I have not heard from the other club that started last week yet, but I pray they are going well. Another will start back this week.

Since I last wrote to you, three more opportunities have arisen for you to be able to hear about the work in Tasmania. On March 29 I will be speaking at Homeward Bound Ministries in Norway, SC at 10:00 am. On April 1, I will be sharing at Faith Baptist Church in Swansea, SC at 7:00 pm and on May 3, I will be at the Barnyard Flea Market in West Columbia for the worship service there at 9:00 am.

Also, I would love to individually meet with people too. If you are a partner in this ministry and have a friend you would like to have hear what God is doing in the lives of boys and girls in Tasmania let me know. I have stories to tell.

Another thing I am enjoying doing during furlough is sharing with children’s groups about missions. So far I have been able to teach a Sunday School class and a Wednesday night Children in Action group. I have also tried to get kids involved when I speak at churches.

Did you know that 90% of missionaries today were called before the age of 13? We have learned in class this week that 20% of them felt God’s call after listening to a missionary speaker. So even what we do during this time we take in America can be an important part of world evangelization into the future. It also reminds me of being the kid growing up in church hearing missionaries.

PRAISE

·         Praise God for an opportunity to spend time with Jesus and others who are doing the same thing I’m doing these weeks at Children’s Ministries Institute.

·         Praise God for opportunities to share what He is doing in Tasmania.

PRAYER REQUESTS

·         Pray that I would effectively communicate with church groups and individuals.

·         Pray for God to raise up new partners to carry on what those who have gone ahead to be with Jesus started and to grow the ministry in Tasmania. My goal for the time I’m in the States is $1000 in new monthly commitments.

·         Pray for Jingyi and her little daughter Jing Jing who are stuck in China with the Covid 19 issue that they would be able to get back to their Australian home.

·         Pray for God to guide a Good News Club child, Chelsea, in Tasmania as she deals with some faith issues.

·         Pray for me to glorify God in my assignments during my course through this coming week.

Love,

Stephanie Baughman