Eight Week Challenge

Eight weeks, Matthew and I have eight more weeks to raise our support so that we can be on the mission field in September. Some of you may be thinking, “September isn’t in 8 weeks, so why do you only have eight more weeks?” Good question. We need to be fully supported for three consecutive months before we will be released to the mission field. We are hoping, praying, and asking for our monthly support to be in by May 31^st so that we are able to count June, July and August as our three consecutive months—seems easy, right?

Now, you may be wondering how in the world we plan on raising the rest of our support in 8 weeks?! Another great question! Matthew and I have created an eight week challenge! This challenge was created to motivate us and those around us. We are going to work and pray diligently for a new person/family to join our support team every day for the next eight weeks.  We have and will continue making phone calls, sending emails, sharing our hearts and meeting with people for dinner, coffee, etc. Our challenge technically didn't start until this past Saturday, but we got a little head start because we were excited! So far, we have had seven individuals/families pledge their support! Whoot whoo!! We are now bringing in 40% of our monthly goal, which is $7,055 and have $13,500 (out of 19,800) of our start up fund!!

What can you do? 1. Pray/consider becoming a monthly supporter. 2. Pray for our boldness as we ask others. Pray God will continue to send new supporters our way! 3. Let us know of anyone who you think may be interested in supporting us.

Ephesians 3:20 “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.”

A Word of Encouragement

Dave and Bonnie Lambert

"Her words frustrated me.  It seemed as if she really did not understand what she was saying.  I wanted to scream, to pout, (OK to be honest I probably did pout a bit), to demand that my wishes come true.  The year was 1995 and I was in the Base Exchange on Yokosuka Navy base in Japan, the store where you find everything from electronics to clothes to jewelry.  My wife had sent me out with very clear directions, find our first grade son new jeans.  Seemed simple enough, as the only store on base they had to have 6 year old boy’s pants.  But try as I might I could not find a single pair.  Not jeans, not slacks, not anything.  I finally got a salesperson to help and that is when they informed me that they were all out of stock on any pants that would fit a 6 year old boy.  Their solution, drive the 2 hours and pay the $40.00 in tolls to make the trip to the next nearest base and see if they had any pants in stock.  I could not believe it.  I asked to see the manager who as politely as possible affirmed her sales clerk position.  There were no pants to be found and they were not sure when any new stock would arrive.  Her rational response to my frustration is still is a vivid memory to this day.  'Sir, the school year is just starting and you know there are many 6 year old boys on this base.'  I did know that.  My boy was one of them.  The elementary school was just down the road from my office.  The assistant principal was a friend.  It was then that the realization of the need for ministry to this demographic hit home.  On our one small base that was way too overcrowded there were over 1800 elementary students. Those numbers did not include the satellite bases close by or the other bases in the Tokyo area or spread throughout Asia.  There were 1800 kids whose parents were active duty Navy all down the street from me.  All were growing up with parents who would deploy up to 9 months of each and every year and there was no ministry focused on them.  

Friends, that is why we are so excited to have Matthew and Sarah Annanie join the Cadence family.  They have huge hearts for not just kids but military kids.  The need is incredible, they have been called to go, now they need people who are willing to catch their vision and send them, to stand shoulder to shoulder with them to reach the thousands of children growing up with parents in our military.  Would you consider partnering with them as they minister to these kids?  As far as the jean expedition went, as I was walking out of the store another sales clerk ran up and informed me that she had found a single pair of 6 year old boy jeans in the storage area.  Mission success!"
                                                                                      With expectation,

                                                                                               Dave Lambert
                                                                                               Director of Mobilization and Training

Military Bases on Okinawa

The need for children's ministry is tremendous! The DoDDs (Department of Defense Dependent Schools) serve over 24,000 students in 45 schools across Japan, South Korea, Okinawa, and Guam! That includes all Kindergarten through 12th graders! Okinawa alone, currently has 4,288 K-5th graders! That is just Kindergarten through 5th grade, which is roughly 18% of all the U.S. military students currently living in the Pacific region. We want need, to be there now to reach these kids for Christ!! Will you help us reach those kids for Christ? Are YOU with us??
-Matthew

Now What?

Leading K-3rd Grade Worship

After January came to a close and we weren't fully funded, I was pretty discouraged. Matthew and I spent the previous months sharing with people our goal to be supported 100% by January and we missed the mark. I was embarrassed and neither of us had the answer to the daunting, “When will you leave, now?” For the next couple of weeks, we spent time praying and seeking for an answer. What did we come up with? One simple verse: “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” (Proverbs 16:9 NLT) After reading that verse and then reading it another 50 times, peace filled my anxious spirit. I was reminded that it is the Lord who decides when we will leave and when we will stay; He is the one who has and will always guide our steps. What an encouragement for us— we will continue planning and raising our support, but it is the Lord who officially decides when we will leave.

Matthew leading Large Group

What’s next? We will still work as hard, if not harder, to raise our necessary funds. We have set a new goal; we would love to see our full support come in by June of this year. In order for that to happen, we are going to pray like crazy, invite as many people as we can to join our team and get the word out there!! We currently have 22 pledged supporters giving close to $2,400 a month. We need to almost triple those numbers in order for us to be released to the field! Please pray for our support to increase and consider joining us financially. 

In between raising our funds and working part time jobs, we will continue serving the children in our church through Kid's Quest and AWANA. As I have mentioned before, we love our church. We love serving and we love the people we serve alongside. Matthew and I have been given an amazing opportunity to learn from them, for that we are truly grateful.