Hi E TN District Friends,
I’ve been amazed at the number of you who have checked to see if I’m okay since you’ve not had an NMI newsletter in two weeks! Thank you…that makes me aware that you read the weekly NMI newsletter!
On January 1, sent a New Year’s greeting on a forward to everyone on my newsletter address list, in response to an inquiry from one of our pastors, but I’m learning that few received it. Then, this past Wednesday, January 8, I failed to get a newsletter out because I went with Jim to Nashville for his cataract surgery (a trip that should have taken 2 hours, but took all day, due to navigating around several wrecks on the interstate).
Please take time during your “snow days” to read about our NEW Links missionaries, Ben & Hannah Ponder, serving in Serbia, pictured below, with their two sons.
Please note: as per the new Links guidelines, Links district assignments change each January. So, Rusty & Diane Robbins, as well as Ana Crocker, have been assigned to other districts. However, because E TN is such an awesome district, I know you’ll continue to show your love to Ana Crocker and to Rusty & Diane Robbins. The Robbins will be with us in E TN March 30 -April 13.
Joshua & Katie Haun, Global missionaries will always be our own missionaries, sent from E TN.
Information about the Ponders will be posted at
http://etnmi.org/links/
, and contact information for our other missionaries will remain there for the remainder of this
assembly year.
Ben and Hannah Ponder
As missionaries assigned to Serbia, Ben & Hannah will be living in the city of Belgrade, primarily to serve the refugees there. Ben graduated from Trevecca Nazarene University with a Bachelor’s degree in Religion and has served as a volunteer missionary in Croatia for 2 years. Hannah graduated from Southern Nazarene University and has several years of professional experience teaching pre-school children and working with children with special needs. Ben is a former youth pastor, worship pastor, and College-aged ministries pastor. Ben & Hannah got married in 2018 and were sensitive to God’s call on their life to be missionaries as they progressed from dating into marriage.
Some of the different ways that God will be using Ben & Hannah in Serbia include teaching English to refugees, working with children at refugee camps and Roma villages, and teaching youth how to play musical instruments like the guitar. Ben & Hannah are passionate about educating and meeting the needs of people who find themselves in difficult situations in which local culture seems to harm rather than help them. Ben & Hannah are striving to make relationships with these people and bring them into a relationship with Christ by showing them God’s love and care.
As Ben & Hannah go to meet the needs of refugees in Serbia they will also be learning and adapting to Serbian culture and language to better serve the local people. Please pray for the refugees, Roma, and the Serbian people as Ben & Hannah walk alongside them as they also walk with God.
Anniversary – June 23, 2018
Birthdays:
Ben- December 21
Hannah- December 26
Benson- June 30, 2021 (turning 4)
Beau- March 18, 2023 (turning 2)
Address
Prvomajska 101 Apt. 9
Belgrade, Serbia 11080
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New Crisis Care Kits in time to send for Fire Victims in California
-from Debra Voelker, USA Canada Region Coordinator
See new CCK instructions on attachment.
As always, it is essential to follow the instructions strictly, including guidelines for mailing. Anyone wishing to send CCKs will need to be mail them, according to attached guidelines. E TN District NMI will not be able to collect kits to transport to warehouse.
