February 2020 MAP Update

In This Issue

Joe Keim Update                                                         Plowman's Academy Update

Bible Club Update                                                       Samuel Girod Update

There are many different types of Amish people. Some communities are ultra conservative and live under a long list of man-made rules. These communities are very religious, ridged and harsh.  Alcohol and other addictions, sexual abuse and depression run rampant.  Adult education is at a 5th grade level. But then there are those communities who are more open to the gospel, and in some instances, preach that salvation is a gift from God and cannot be earned.

At the end of 2019, an Amish preacher from an ultra conservative community surrendered his life to Christ.  A short while later, he came home to find his wife and 9 children missing.  His wife, fearing her husband's direction in life, chose to go into hiding. The youngest child was 2-1/2 weeks old. 

Three weeks went by with no sign of his family.  The community declined to share details.  Perry went from wanting to get the law involved, to patiently waiting on God, to thoughts of suicide. 

While many of us came around Perry and held him up in prayer and support, he traveled the backroads, looking for signs of his family.  One day, at the end of January, he spotted a small familiar piece of clothing hanging on a clothesline—he had found his wife and children.

We urge you to pray for Perry and his family.  He desires for his wife and children to understand salvation and be saved.  At the time of this writing, Perry has fully surrendered his life to the leadership of his community and his wife.  The community is pressuring the couple to get Amish-style counseling, which is not much counseling at all.

In the meantime, Samuel Girod is working on setting up an Amish Awareness Conference right in the middle of this 1,500 family community; a community where sexual abuse, alcohol and addictions are rampant. We ask that you pray fervently.  

— Joe Keim

Top of Page 

One of God’s Many Blessings...

Over the years that I have been working at MAP, I have seen God bless the ministry in many ways. Blessings have poured in through prayer, finances, volunteers for the Bible Club, and the list goes on! But today, God blessed in a mighty and unexpected way.

The MAP Ministry and the Bible Club Ministry have been sharing a printer/copier for years.  With so many of us needing to print or copy at the same time, we often have had to wait for our turn. Today God blessed the Bible Club with a gift of $1,100 dollars to get its very own copier/printer. I have wanted this for a very long time for the Bible Club and now it is happening! Thank you God, and Thank you A. Non Ymous! You are a blessing  — more than you will ever know.

In 2019, God blessed the Bible Club with another busy year. We were short on computer operators, but God always provided. The 2019 cost for our Bible Club Program was $93,000. By the grace of God, the money was available for postage, the volunteers showed up, and the mailings went out on time! We sent out 102,000 Bible lessons and were able to record 257 salvations. Whew!!! That’s a lot of lessons! Praise God for the souls that were recorded in Heaven!

Along with Bible lessons that needed to be graded, we also had many certificates to be sent out, SLC Newsletters, the Awards Program, the Promotion Program, Delinquent Students to keep up with, and so much more. There is never a dull moment — or a second to spare! Without a doubt, God’s hand is upon the Bible Club Ministry. We are just willing vessels that He graciously uses to do His work. If you are skilled in Microsoft, we could use your help!

— Tina Duffield, Office Manager

Top of Page 

2019 has proven to be an exciting year at the Plowman’s Academy!  We continue to offer several correspondence Bible courses for teens and adults that are a deeper dive into the Word of God. These include our most popular course – The ABC’s of Christian Growth, as well as Book of Books, Bible Basics, Foundational Study, Verse-by-Verse, Life Struggles, Church History and Topical Studies.  To find out more about the contents of each of these courses, visit MapMinistry.org/ways-we-serve/bible-correspondence-studies or contact us at: (419) 962-1515.

The Plowman’s Academy reaches into 30 states, and also sends some lessons into prisons.  We are overjoyed when one of our current students refers friends or family members, but our hearts are especially blessed when one of our incarcerated students sends us the name of another prisoner!

2020 is already proving to be a year of changes. As you may know, Ducia Hamm took over the Plowman’s Academy reins from seven-year veteran, Paul Miller. “I am really excited to have this opportunity to serve the Lord by serving the students in the Plowman’s Academy, knowing there are big shoes for me to fill!” 

We are looking for effective ways to increase our student load to include every Amish family in North America as well as exploring some needed updates. God is working through the Plowman’s Academy in so many ways! 

— Ducia Hamm

Top of Page 

Thank you for your continued prayers and support. It’s been almost a month since Joanna went to be with Jesus.

Our daughters, Joanna and Loretta, were born with a disease called Mucolipidosis Type II (I-cell disease). Any type of respiratory sickness will weaken their immune system. Our family got sick around Christmas for two days with an upper respiratory infection and fevers. Joanna just couldn’t pull out of it, even with medication.

If it wasn’t for God’s grace, we couldn't do it on our own. We rejoice that Joanna is in much better care than we could ever give her. On one hand, we look forward to seeing her again because of what our Savior did on the cross for you and I, and on the other hand, I miss her so much that I can still feel her skin when I would put my face in her neck and kiss her, and still feel her hair, and still feel how her skin felt on her hands and feet. I-cell children have a unique smell that I'll never forget. Almost every day, I would come home from work and pick her up. She expected that! Some days I would walk by her, and she would reach her arms up at me until I picked her up! Yes, I miss all that!

Not a day goes by that I wonder what she is doing right now with Jesus. We knew when Joanna was born that she would have a short life, but it still doesn't make it any better losing her. Instead of being mad at God, I know in my heart that He has a greater purpose, and I simply just trust and believe.

We, as a Family, are doing better than expected. The day after Joanna’s funeral, Loretta spent 2 days in the hospital. She was dehydrated and lethargic. She didn’t want to eat or drink, but after a couple of days she began eating more, and is now back to her normal playing and eating.

—Until next time, Samuel and family

Top of Page