"Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."
Psalm 46:10
As most of you have heard, a 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti. My wife Mindy and I have family and friends there, so this news has truly left us in a state of shock. Currently, I (David) still have one cousin who has not been located. Please pray.
During our personal times of prayer we felt the Lord tugging our hearts to go to Haiti. Due to this tragedy, Mindy has postponed full-time nursing school. We immediately began to prepare ourselves for going either short-term or long-term to Haiti. However, as the days (which feel like months) have passed, God made clear that we are to go, but not now. Being patient has not been easy for us, but we know that the Lord's plans are better than ours, and his thoughts are higher than our thoughts (Isa. 55:9).
We strongly urge you to give to world relief efforts towards the crisis in Haiti. This is a time when the children of God need to stick together. Please, keep Haiti in your prayers.
As Mindy and I begin this New Year, we have considered how we've approached many things including our fundraising. God is growing me as a Neighborhood Youth Minister with The Boston Project Ministries and given me many opportunities to love his children. Everyday I'm working with urban young people helping them to reach their God-given potential. Our neighborhood, which is where I grew up, has some challenging realities.
As we enter 2010, we want to renew our invitation to you to join us in this mission work. In order for us to also go to Haiti short-term in the near future, we need your help.
This year, we have a monthly support goal of $600 per month. Last year, we averaged $175 a month so we really need your prayers and help to reach this new goal. Our hope is that we will have a consistent group of supporters to serve as our missionary care team.
Thank you in advance for your prayerful consideration of all we've written. Please let us know if you would like to meet in person to discuss our work with The Boston Project Ministries.
A Heart of Prayer
Greetings my Brothers and Sisters in the Lord, my heart is filled with joy as I begin to write and tell you of all the great things the Lord has done and is doing in our lives today. My wife and I stand in awe of Him. In the past couple of months I have seen youth who have had no interest in church begin to attend church regularly. I've seen youth who are quick to give an attitude and quit, be receptive to authority and endure work throughout the entire summer. I've even seen young men, ready to hurt each other, sit down with one another and express how they felt hurt and disrespected! Only the blood of Christ could do such a thing. Our God is awesome!
Working in the Dorchester neighborhood has really pushed me to be more of a prayer warrior. I am reminded daily that the issues our youth face today can only be answered through our prayers. Throughout this summer we have gained a deeper appreciation for prayer and remaining with a heart of prayer.
As Mindy and I continue to pour ourselves into the community, we ask that you join us with a heart of prayer so that we could see strongholds on people lives be broken and lives being healed by the saving power in Jesus' name ☺. After all, "...Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Eph. 6:12).
As a child I always thought it would be neat to give back to my community in a special way. Ideal for me was being able to work in my neighborhood, which was Dorchester at the time. Upon entering the 8th grade my parents decided to move to Brockton to purchase our first home and since then Brockton has been home. But I always had a desire to give back to the community in which it all started for me. And here I am! I understand now when they say there's no place like home. Now that I'm home in Dorchester I do not want to be anywhere else.
Two years ago, I was introduced to the Boston Project through an RD at Gordon College. Upon arrival, I jumped right into a summer filled with late nights, early mornings, work projects, prayer and laughter. By the end of the summer I could not grasp how someone could do this year round. It was during that time that I gained a deeper appreciation for the work of inner-city missionaries and the way their lives reflect the incarnational ministry of Jesus Christ.
I am now a Graduate of Gordon College and will be married to the love of my life, Mindy Fish, this coming May :D. Our goal is to pour our selves out into the community with a glad heart while rejoicing in the Lord. Yes, Mindy and I have been called to be inner-city missionaries :D.
