March 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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That Rings a Bell Children's Mission Conference Life is Never Certain. Be ready. Amish Awareness Conference Reflection |
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| God at Work, By Joe Keim |
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We are still rejoicing for all that God did through our Amish Awareness Conference. We had families arriving from Nicaragua, the Netherlands, California, Colorado, Montana, Missouri, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Delaware. During our conference, we experienced some of the most amazing teaching we’ve ever had. Many attendees said it was, without a doubt, the best conference we have hosted yet. During the four days of our conference, we heard from former Amish in the mission field; we had over twenty teaching sessions; we prayed over each other; we displayed books and former-Amish authored work, and more. We would like to extend a special thanks to all the people from Bethel Baptist Church who volunteered during our conference. More than seventy-five Bethel volunteers gave their time to serve attendees at the registration table, in food lines, with child care, and more. We are grateful for all of the hours and days put into making our conference a success! — Joe and Esther Keim |
| That Rings a Bell, By Samuel Girod |
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Greetings to you from the Girod family and our Savior above. I want to personally thank you for your support and prayers for the ministry since our last update. Without you, we couldn’t do it. In February, we participated in a weekend Amish Awareness conference in Burton, OH. It was a great time of fellowship and healing for many, including me and Polly. We were so moved from that conference that it is still affecting me daily.
We got a lot done recently with the guest house (apartment) we’re building in the church house we purchased. God has really been blessing us with this project. After we had purchased the church house, I noticed a rope through the ceiling in the foyer. After about two months I decided to see what was up in the steeple, and I found a bronze bell that had been manufactured in Troy, NY, in 1895. We want to get it appraised and hopefully get enough to finish the guest house, so we are excited to receive a blessing like that. I’d like to ask you to keep praying for us so that we can continue to do the work of God. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain (Philippians 2:14-16). — Samuel and Polly Girod |
There were approximately twenty-five former Amish whom we asked to come forward and share what and who spoke to them before or after they came to Christ, and many were prayed over. We prayed for freedom from the bondage of fear and many other struggles that we former Amish deal with on a daily basis. We also heard some really great testimonies. We stayed until Sunday afternoon and we were asked to share our testimonies. Polly never had the courage to stand before the people and share her heart before, but God prompted her heart to be able to share, and it was a great milestone in our lives and for the ministry, so all glory to God.| Life is Never Certain. Be Ready., By Jonas Yoder |
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Thank you all for your support and prayers. I know there are many of you (and I have heard from some of you!) who intercede on our behalf daily. Without that, there is no way we could do what we are doing. God’s mercies are great! Here in western Kentucky we are glad to see warmer weather again after an unusually hard winter. This was our first winter in the new addition to our house. It definitely took a lot more firewood to keep it warm, but we are thankful for an abundance of wood. The first Amish Awareness Conference of the year took place in Burton, Ohio, (the recent one was held in Savannah, Ohio). A big thanks to Maple View Church and other participating churches who sponsored it for us. It was a great blessing for me to be there and to be a part of God moving in the hearts of people with a greater zeal to reach their local communities for Christ. I was encouraged by the number of former Amish who attended the conference who have a desire to be better equipped in sharing the gospel with those who have rejected them. Also, a special thank you to Christ Covenant Church for inviting me to come preach and share my testimony on the Sunday following the conference. You all were a great blessing to me. We recently attended the funeral of one of Mary’s nieces, Deanna, who passed away very suddenly from a seizure at the tender young age of fifteen. Her parents are members of a New Order Amish church here in Kentucky. We were very blessed by how well we were received by the family, despite the religious barriers that come with excommunication. We were also pleasantly surprised to hear the gospel preached by the New Order Amish preachers during the funeral. While the Amish never refer to someone as being saved, it was a blessing to hear the preacher’s testimony of how Deanna loved the Lord and was anxiously looking forward to being able to attend the monthly youth Bible study. In a scrapbook sheet that she had been preparing for a friend only the week before, she stated that her favorite Bible passage was Isaiah 40:31 and her favorite song was, “Jesus Saved Me.” What a blessing to know she had grasped and accepted the truth of Jesus. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint (Isaiah 40:31). Thanks for your continued support. May God bless you and you serve Him. — Jonas and Mary Yoder |
| Living Trust and Estate Planning |
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Trained estate and tax planners can assist you in this area. Thank you for considering how you will be a good steward of God’s blessings. For details, call or email us: (419) 962-1515 or Map@MapMinistry.org. |
There are various ways you can leave something to continue the Lord’s work when you graduate to heaven:| Open for Business, By Joe Keim |
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Hallelujah! All glory, honor, and praise to the living King of Kings. After many months of hard work, tears, Scripture reading, and prayer, Beyond Measure Market opened its doors to the public on March 8, 2018. We are now operating in full swing with the staff that God has brought together to help operate our market. Folks from around the community are excited. They are coming in daily for groceries, produce, deli meats and cheeses, ice cream cones, and more. We would like to extend a thank you to Sam Kline, who has led the bulk-food store project. Also, we are very appreciative to the twenty investors from around the country who have stood with us and believed in us as we pursued this new venture. We were handed the occupancy certificate on Wednesday, March 8. Sam Kline, project manager and chairman of the committee, surprised many of us when he presented the certificate on the first night of the Amish Awareness Conference. Since then, the community has been raving about the store. We are offering breakfast and lunch sandwiches, ice cream cones, deli meats and cheeses, produce, dairy products, bulk foods, frozen items, gifts, and a great variety of other things. We are planning to dedicate both Beyond Measure Market and New Beginnings on Sunday, April 15 at 3 p.m. You are welcome to join us, if you are able to. Normally, we would not be open on Sunday, but for dedication day, we will make an exception. — Joe and Esther Keim |
| Children's Mission Conference, By Rachel Arnold |
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The 2018 Amish Awareness Conference is in the books! These conferences always seem to bring blessings both to those who attend and those who help. This year in particular was a great blessing to me personally. I have always enjoyed working with children. It was an honor to meet and speak with many of you and your children this year about missionaries and the work being done here at the MAP office. This year, there were twenty-six children who participated in the Children’s Missions Conference during the Amish Awareness Conference. This included children from the area and across the nation! The theme for this year was Be a Missionary Every Day. Throughout the four days we discussed how to be a missionary as a child. With the help of my wonderful co-teachers, Mary Eichinger, Stephanie Kish, Katie Gingerich, and Elizabeth Troyer, we were able to speak to the kids about sharing the gospel with those they meet, as well as how to be a missionary in their own homes and communities. We learned about missionaries such as, Gladys Aylward, Amy Carmichael, Eric Liddell, and George Mueller. All of these amazing missionaries served God without question. They relied on His promises to provide for their needs and ministries. It was wonderful to see the children recognize some of these missionaries, and also to see them really grasp what it means to be a missionary. We pray that these children will love and follow God always. Along with our daily lessons, the children completed several projects. We made passports to travel the world as we learned about the missionaries and the countries they served in. We painted blessing rocks to be placed around the children’s communities to spread joy and hope to those who need it. Then, the children were sent home with blessing cards to share with people they meet. The conference made for a long week, but the reward was amazing. I am thankful to have had the opportunity to be a part of these children’s lives. Talk with your children and share with them some ways they can spread the love of Jesus in their communities. - Rachel Arnold |
| Amish Awareness Conference Reflection, By Pastor John Bouquet |
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Someone said that this year’s Amish Awareness Conference was like finding a well of spring water after a long walk through a desert. The participants came with a genuine thirst on their palate, and the presenters had fresh water to quench that thirst.
We began on Wednesday evening with MAP’s executive director, Joe Keim, giving a passionate message on carrying on the legacy. There were past generations who gave all so we could be where we are today. We were challenged to continue that legacy. Joe went back to the Scriptures to the Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11 to remind us of our responsibility to properly pass on the baton of faith to the next generation. To drop the baton is to falter in the race. This year’s conference focused more on the practical side of ministry. The “how” and “why” of life was a centerpiece of many presentations. How do we incorporate our Christian faith while living in a Plain-clothes community? Is there a means to impact these various people groups without offending them in the process? Yes, yes, and yes. Being careful about our living and faithful to give the message was the challenge. Kim Ralich, the conference director, and her team of volunteers did an excellent ministry of preparation and execution of the four-day event. Jim Bauckman and his meal committee was top notch, with beverages and snacks, meals, and morning donuts. People served with a smile and a skip in their step. It was an honor to host this conference. James Delay led us nearer to God as he led us in singing. Rachel Arnold led our children’s ministry with expertise and enjoyment. The kids had a blast and the parents trusted her capable leadership. 
Saturday’s meetings were especially deep. Bruce and Ruthie Lengeman met a particularly difficult subject matter – the wounded heart. It is no secret that many Plain and English people have wounds from their childhood and adult lives that scar them. Bruce and Ruthie were master craftspeople in serving to bring healing to those wounds. People left with a full cup of motivation and a renewed vision for how and where the gospel could impact their communities. We are all much more aware of the Amish and their culture. - John Bouquet, Pastor of Bethel Baptist Church |
People were represented from around the world and included Plain people, former Amish and Mennonite and a host of “English.” The diversity of our audience made the experience rich. Our presenting team was well prepared for the sessions. Each presenter mixed in humor and a wealth of information for our learning.
