January 2018 MAP Update
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| P.O. Box 128 | 575 US Highway 250 | Savannah OH 44874 | Office: (419) 962-1515 |
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Amish Awareness Conference A Simple and Sincere Thanks |
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| Amish Awareness Conference, By Joe Keim |
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2018 Conference Highlights * Six breakout sessions on: Anabaptist Movement, Amish Culture, Beliefs and Practices, Legalism, Do's and Don'ts, Three Ways to Connect. * What is community? Is it conformity? Is it attending three church services a week? Join us for a panel discussion and let’s look at scripture, history, and various cultures. * Are the sports channels, internet, video games, and social media taking over your family? Have we forgotten how to raise a family? Would it help to get together and reflect on the Amish culture and testimonies from others? If so, please join us for a panel discussion on this very important topic. * Meet new friends, establish relationships, deepen your relationship with God, and learn more about the Amish. * Bring your entire family. We have classes for all ages, and we also have child care. * You will love the meals we have planned for you. * Role play, authors, display tables, and resources for you to take home with you. * Tour MAP Ministry, Beyond Measure Market, and New Beginnings. * Hear and visit with former Amish who are now missionaries to Iraqi refuges, to the Miskito Indians in Nicaragua, and even with a ministry to hurting women right here in the USA. If Amanda has her baby in time, Ephraim Stoltzfus will join us again and share how he and his family are spreading the gospel among the Muslims in NYC. Be sure to check out the schedule we have planned for you on day 4. Author and conference speakers Bruce and Ruthie Lengemen are scheduled to discuss: Session 1: Getting Free from the Wounded Heart Getting Set Free from A Wounded Heart and getting free from a life out of alignment with the covenant and power of God. We will expose the devices of the enemy that many, if not most, believers are unaware of, and then show how to destroy the chains of Satan’s legal place in your life. Session 2: I Know Who I Am I Know Who I Am. You cannot go higher in your learning and living for Christ than what you believe about who you are. Knowing our identity in Christ is one of the core foundations for all victory. By far, a majority of believers have not been taught how to access the value God has placed on us, so they feel as if they are on the outside looking in to God. This session could contain life-changing truths for you, your ministry, and your understanding of God’s love. Session 3: Taking Authority over Tormenting Emotional Destroyers In this session, we will deal with how to overcome rejection, shame, envy, fear, sexual dependency, addiction, and much more. Session 4: Getting Free from Legalism, Condemnation, Self-Focus The enemy is the father of lies, and he tries to counterfeit the voice of God through thoughts and voices that demean and cause a person to act as a slave instead of a son or daughter of God. In this session, we will expose the enemy’s tactics and replace them with the heart of God. If you have attended one of our conferences before, you will still love the new and exciting things planned, such as three special sessions with a panel of Amish, former Amish, and English, discussing such topics as: * Excommunication and Shunning * War, Self-defense, and more. We can learn much from the Amish way of life and their close communities and care for each other, which is often lacking in the English world, even among Christians. Join us as we look at some of the strengths and weaknesses in the Amish and English way of life, and how we can learn from each other. Join us Wednesday evening, March 07, through Saturday afternoon, March 10. See you at the Amish Awareness Conference in March! Family and church groups welcome. Starting March 1, 2018, the registration cost increases 20% Age 16 through Adult Wednesday-Saturday.............$95 (discount price) Wednesday-Friday..................$70 (discount price) Saturday only..........................$35 (discount price) Age 13 through 15 Wednesday-Saturday.............$40 (discount price) Wednesday-Friday..................$30 (discount price) Saturday only..........................$20 (discount price) Age 6 through 12 Registration..............................free Meal...........................................$5 per child (paid at time of arrival) * Must register each child before the conference. * Ages 6 through 12 will have their own missions conference downstairs, while parents attend the conference upstairs. Conference Registration: Register online at http://AmishAwareness.com or send check to MAP, PO Box 128, Savannah, OH 44874 For questions or more information, visit http://AmishAwareness.com or call us at (419) 962-1515 |
| Thank You, By Samuel Girod |
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We finally closed on the property right beside where we live. It has an old church house on it, part of which we plan to convert into an apartment for those who leave the Amish and need a place to stay. In 2017, we presented the ministry to fourteen churches and community organizations. Due to sicknesses in the family, we were not able to do as many as would have liked. The Hutterites with whom we have been in contact called and said they were finally able to leave. They are in a safe place in Iowa, so we praise God for that! Our family was able to take a two-week trip to Texas for a wedding. We also toured many other areas in the West. While on our western trip, we presented MAP at a church in Arkansas and at another in Denver, CO. While we were in Texas, I was able to minister to a young former Amish guy who is struggling with many of the same things I did before I was married. He wants to be married and have a family, so I’d like for you to pray for him. We were able to fulfill some of our personal and ministry goals for 2017, although we didn’t fulfill all of them. Goals for 2018
Thank you for your continued prayers and support. Please contact us if you would like a MAP Ministry presentation in your church. — Samuel and Polly Girod |
I want to personally thank you for your support and prayers for the ministry since our last update.| Bible Lessons |
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In 2017, you helped us mail over 98,000 Bible lessons to Amish homes. Because of your generous giving and tens of thousands of volunteer hours, 292 students surrendered their lives to Jesus Christ! Over 48,000 copies of the Amish Voice were mailed out to Amish families. Joe and Esther Keim shared and updated the ministry at 24 churches in the US. Because of you, MAP continues the Bible Club, Plowman’s Academy, GED classes, Bible studies, and Amish Voice mailings. Because of you, MAP reached out to Rosie, who needed a job, a place to live, and emotional and spiritual support—she had left the Amish once before and fell into drugs and alcohol. We were able to help Barbara, Christian, Johnnie, Sally, Nelson, Lizzie, and about 75 others in 2017. Some struggled with alcohol, incest, marriage problems, and mental illnesses; others got out of prison and had nowhere to go. Together, with God’s help and your faithful support, we met every single need. Not one was turned away. All heard about Jesus and His great salvation. Thank you, my dear friend! You are making a huge difference every day. Let’s do it again in 2018! |
| A Simple and Sincere Thanks, By MAP Board and Staff |
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Since MAP’s beginning, we have trusted God to provide. It is not always easy to be a small Christian ministry trusting in God and relying upon the donations of others. As in most things, there have been good times and bad. A few times during 2017, the ministry’s finances ran in the red. Other times, you provided more than we needed, and you did so more quickly than we could have imagined. We have asked you many times over the years to give toward different projects we have had. Every time, the faithfulness of God and the generosity of our incredible supporters has been wonderful. Whether you have offered five dollars, a thousand dollars, your time and knowledge, or your prayers, God has used you to meet our needs and has allowed us to continue working for His glory and to help the Amish and former Amish. We have seen thousands come to Jesus because of your support of our Bible club. We have been able to help hundreds of former Amish find peace and get a new start in life because of you. As you know, we recently have begun our biggest project yet – the New Beginnings Homestead. While we still have more to go, you have generously responded, and we have 85 percent of the needed funds to complete the building. As long as this earth remains, there will always be needs to be met, but it is wonderful being able to trust in God and to know that He has given us such wonderful and generous supporters who pray for us and who mean so much to us. We just wanted to write this note to thank you for all of your prayers, volunteer hours, donations, and continued generosity throughout the years. We thank God for each one of you, and you are part of us here at MAP. Without you, we would not be here doing what God has allowed us to do. If you are ever in the area, stop by and visit us. May we continue to work together to reach the Amish and former Amish for God’s glory. — Joe Keim and the MAP Board and Staff |
| Changed Lives in 2017: Annie, Rosie, and Sarah, By Sharon Kline and Joe Keim |
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It was there that my mom became friends with a lady named America. Mom told her about MAP Ministry and how Annie had been her caretaker at home. America told Mom that she wanted one of those girls to help her when she returned to her home. Mom passed away, and America was lost without her. She told me to keep talking to Joe Keim. She wanted one of those girls to help her. When America returned to her home, there wasn’t anyone available to help, so her daughters filled in the gaps. One day, Joe got a call from a girl in Kentucky named Rosie (not her real name). She planned to leave Kentucky that night and would be able to help America. We worked together to get everything ready for her arrival. Rosie arrived to a warm meal and greetings from America and her family. They had even bought a small cake with the inscription, “Welcome, Rosie.” For the next several days, America’s family took Rosie to buy new clothes, shoes, a coat, and other things necessary for Ohio weather. Rosie had been adopted by an Amish family, so she already had a Social Security card. America’s family helped Rosie open a checking account and talked about her getting her GED and learning how to drive. They showed her all that could be made available to her. Unlike many Amish, Rosie was very talkative and eager to answer questions. She’d had a cellphone since she was fifteen, which she had hid from her parents. She was very much into the modern world and knew about many movies, actors, etc. She had talked to numerous men online, which was pretty scary to me. We talked about this and warned her that all of this was not good. I took her to church. She attended the former Amish Sunday school class and was welcomed by everyone. She was even given a new Bible. I then met her for the main church service. She watched, listened, and sang the songs. On the way home, Rosie said that she had really enjoyed it. One day, she asked if she could have a boy come to the house. Ervin and three other friends had traveled to Ohio so they could meet girls with whom they were corresponding. Ervin had been corresponding with Rosie, so he decided to meet her. Ervin arrived. He was very tall, former Amish, and was a clean-cut young man wearing a cowboy hat and boots. He introduced himself, chatted for a while, and then they went into another room. That night, Ervin’s friends failed to pick him up—they had fallen asleep in their truck. Sometime after midnight, Joe Keim received a call from Rosie asking if he could swing by and pick Ervin up. That night, Ervin stayed with the Keims while the three friends slept in freezing-temperature weather. The following night, at about 2:30 a.m., Rosie secretly packed her belongings and disappeared. She took all of the new clothes that the family had given her, and she left a note on the bathroom mirror written in lipstick, thanking America’s family and apologizing that she had to leave. America’s family was visibly upset and not sure if she’d left with the young man or not. Later, they found out that her family had come to retrieve her. I told America’s family that she had been to church and had heard the gospel, and a seed had been planted in her heart. Rosie had taken God’s Word with her, too. Now we need to pray that she reads it. God certainly allowed Rosie to be here for a reason. After Rosie left, another former Amish girl was able to stay with America. The family loves her, and she has told them she’s never been treated so well. Keep sowing seeds for eternity. —Sharon Kline Sarah’s Story Sometime in 2016, Sarah left her family in the middle of the night and landed at a temporary place to live. From there, she moved from place to place, trying to find a safe and secure home and someone who would help her obtain a Social Security number, driver’s license, and place of employment. After moving to ten different places, Sarah ended up in a women’s shelter. During her process of moving and trying to find help, an individual took advantage of Sarah and left her with a sexual and painful condition. In time, someone connected Sarah with our ministry. Friends of MAP took Sarah in, gave her a place to stay, and connected her with a doctor who would help her get rid of her health condition. The ministry helped Sarah get a job and provided counseling. Last year, 2017, was a very difficult time for Sarah. She mostly rejected God and anyone who stood for Christian values. On a few occasions, life seemed so bleak and empty to her, she attempted suicide. But little by little and with lots of patience and love, Sarah is moving out of her painful past. She recently shared a public message that read: I feel the need to share my thoughts n feelings on fb; a sleepless night racing thoughts and stuff like that situations you cannot control. Lately, I got to thinking how my year in 2017 just seemed to get wasted away. I came to Ohio in Feb. and felt completely lost and insecure. I had no idea where I was going or what I was doing. The only thing I could do was survive. I have no family out here, nor relatives, except for one cousin whom I don't get to see or talk to much! I get to thinking how I always felt so unsure of everything, and when I look back it seems I have been such a slacker. Come next yr. my gait will not be turtle slow. I'm gonna get some adventures hopping. God bless the family who put up with me so long!! I know I been a pain to people's patience a lot. I have a broken past and felt destroyed. I now feel better in control of my own life!! After an awful health condition claimed me, healing has come my way! I don't feel as powerless anymore! —Sarah As we enter a new year, we are fully convinced that God will send MAP more teenage girls. Let me tell you, it feels great knowing we have you on the team. Together we will extend a hand, and together we will continue to sow seeds for eternity. — Joe Keim |
My mother, Fannie Blake, volunteered with MAP Ministry for a long time. When she reached the age of 94, we felt she needed someone to stay with her, so we hired Annie, a former Amish girl. We adopted her into our very large family. She was Mom’s caregiver for two years, until her health declined and she was taken to a senior care and retirement center to live.
