Hello, Missions Partners:

Thank you for your prayer and financial support. We are especially thankful for the Lord’s leading.

2017 Highlights

• Evangelism Results: In response to sharing the gospel in Myanmar and Cambodia churches, a number of people prayed to receive Christ. Through street evangelism, 7 people prayed to repent and give their lives to Christ. Praise the Lord!
• Evangelism Where?: In person, the gospel was shared in 7 countries- U.S., Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore. Using online avenues, the gospel has been shared in many more.

The Philippines. Rey accepted Jesus. Praise the Lord!

• Evangelism in Person- How Many?: Goal is to share Christ with at least one individual each day on average. Recently keeping statistics, I am confident that the 365-person minimum has far been exceeded. Praise the Lord!
• Online Ministry- What Are You Doing?: Daily we have been posting Scripture with a photo (usually corresponds in some way to the text). When time permits, we have posted the same Scripture in up to 10 languages matching the people we have befriended through local evangelism and regional missions. Recently, as the Lord led, we began sending the same passage via private message to 20+. Partnering with other ministries and on our own site, we have posted brief teachings, ex-gay tips and testimonies (ex. video testimony in 5 languages). These have yielded opportunities. Folks from around the world have reached out for encouragement. As we share testimonies, blessings go both ways. Praise the Lord.
• Stop Beating Up the Broken Campaign: These are testimony-sharing church visits designed to build compassion for the broken through awareness of the struggle. Where there is opportunity, Rebekah and I also typically sing.

Myanmar

Cambodia

Thailand

Thailand

Examples of how the Lord works when least expected: Street evangelism and testimony sharing at churches can coordinated in tandem. Working within very hospitable cultures with less emphasis on advanced planning, we find that sometimes it is best to prayerfully show up on a Sunday morning. One weekend, we attended Rebekah’s friend’s wedding, researched local churches for where to go the next morning. After Sunday service, we were introduced to a young lady who struggles with same-sex attraction and gender identity and a church that loves her but did not know how to approach it.

Over Christmas, Aunt Bobbie was here. After setting up a tent in a campground, we left and came back to find that someone had pitched tents remarkably close to ours… making conversation inevitable. We made friends and shared testimony. Moments before departure the next morning, another young lady who struggled with gender identity joined their group. Quietly during goodbyes, there was an opportunity to share with her.

• Board Meeting: While home in July, we held our annual board meeting. Pastor Osterhout of First Baptist in Curwensville, Camerly Abajian and Joshua Maines were added to our board in 2017.

Christmas 2017

Bangkok, Thailand

Christmas Giving

Banjak Baptist Church

Christmas Album

• Christmas Choir: We were blessed to sing with Bangjak Baptist Christmas choir for the Christmas service and at two local malls as outreach.
• Christmas Album: We recorded a Christmas album. Thank you to all who purchased it.
• Christmas Giving: Focused on street ministry and refugees:

o 70+ individuals- primarily people we have met through street evangelism who struggle with same-sex attraction and/or gender identity.

o 3 Christian refugee families who have suffered persecution for their faith. These folks are an inspiration.

Lord Willing 2018 Plans:

• Establish a ministry center readily accessible from red light districts where we can have Bible studies.
• Lead the willing through the same steps through which the Lord led me in order to break old-life habits and establish new identity in Christ.
• Take bigger strides in the “Stop Beating Up the Broken” Campaign. Share testimony in more churches, focusing on areas known to have an LGBT community.
• Streamline online processes- daily Scripture posting, blog writing, discussion items within our support group.

The Lord is faithful. Praise God for all that He has done and for all that He continues to do as we trust Him.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

Please Pray for:

• Conviction for the global LGBT+ community.
• Awakening in Southeast Asia.
• The Lord’s grace and mercy for us.
• The Lord’s provision.

Questions for You:

• As we embark on a fresh start, we welcome your feedback. What do you suggest that we do differently in 2018?
• Do you know of a church that may consider supporting our mission? If so, please reply with contact info so that we can reach out while planning church visits.
• We are looking for volunteers to help with online ministry (ex. video editing, Scripture posts, providing feedback toward improving our facebook page and web site). If you are interested, please reply with availability.

Please click here to financially support Castaway Ministries.