Happy Thanksgiving to you all!
We are thanking God for so much this year, including each of our friends and supporters.
The Abegg's Electronic Love Letter
To those who have been called,
who are loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ;
Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance.
-Jude 1:1
Abegg Family Updates: Pruning and Plans for the Future
I like grapes. I also like what we get from grapes: juice, jam, raisins and good Californian or Chilean wine. (I don't hide my bias). Anyway, what does this have to do with a family update? No, we're not starting a vineyard (though Claudia dreams of doing just that), but the Lord used a recent sermon on John 15 to give me a better understanding of what He has been doing in "our" life over the past few years.
If you've been following the Abegg chronicles you know that up to a month ago we anticipated stepping away from LAM and parachurch missions (missions through a non-church organization). In short we were lead to seriously and is some ways painfully analyze our belief and theology of missions. (To better understand the reasoning behind this please see our "missionunderstandings" blog.) Anyway, I thought that based on our convictions, the best option was to step out of parachurch missions and continue in missions from our local church while supporting the family through a secular job. As the year wore on though, and I didn't sense direction from the Lord as to what occupation I should step into, I began to grow weary and feel more and more barren even as I continued with the ministry projects at hand. I was torn in not being able to see how my theology and my daily work in ministry matched up, and wondered why the Lord (and I do believe it was His hand) would apear to strip something away from me yet not provide something new to serve Him in.
Here's where the grapes come in. Living near wine country in CA didn't make my dad a vinedresser, yet his impressive pruning techniques, akin to current "slasher" horror movies, proved to be exactly what our one and only grapevine needed. Every fall, the yard plants would tremble in fear as my dad got out his preferred pruning instrument, an 18" gas powered chain saw, in order to "clean things up a bit". Nothing green was spared be that oak trees or berry bushes. Guava plants and even the hedge dared not resist his onslaught. Some plants actually survived, their limbs removed, hauled off and burned in our fireplace. But it was the grapevine that always amazed me. Every summer that vine would foolishly send 40 feet of twisting greenery along our fence. And every fall it would stand defiantly before my father only to be hacked back to a pitiful, miserable looking brown stick. Each year I thought, "well, that's the end of that", but each spring it would rise again, stretch its limbs far and amazingly produce clusters of grapes.
In the recent sermon, I learned that true vinedressers do actually prune back each years growth to what looks like a dead stick, although I doubt they use a chain saw. In his own special way, what my dad was doing actually provided the cared that the vine needed and prepared it for the next year's growth and fruit.
What the Lord was doing in Claudia and my hearts over the past "season" is very similar:
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful... 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing... 8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples… 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last." John 15:1-17
Less than a month ago, LAM president Steve Johnson asked me to assist in developing what may grow into a "Department of North American Church Missions". The idea is to help mission minded churches to strengthen relationships with their missionaries as well as the ministries they partner with throughout Latin America or the world. On of my concerns this past year was in seeing churches essentially "outsource" missions and let the parachurch (i.e. LAM) handle the care and feeding of their missionaries instead of assuming the role of pastoral care and being a full partner in fulfilling the Great Commission thus receiving the rich returns and benefits that accompany that involvement. Over the past year the Lord, in His mercy, has lead me through a course in missiology and church-missionary relationships even though I wasn't aware of the purpose.
I'll share more on what this new work will look like in the weeks and months to come, but needless to say we are VERY excited about the possibilities and ask for your prayers as we step into this new area of growth and by faith…fruit. Cuba will remain in our scope of ministry and we are excited about some new possibilities to help meet the incredible lack of literature and resources that Cuban pastors have to draw from.
Thank you so much for your partnership over the years. We look forward to what the Lord will be doing as our new branches grow and He produces fruit that will last in our lives, the churches we are involved with and in you, our partners in the Great Commission.
Specific praise, prayer and partnership opportunities:
Praise for the Lord's leading: We are so thankful for the Lord's leading and the work He is currently laying before us. Please pray for His continued guidance, wisdom and provision as we step forward in faith.
Praise for safety and van repair: If you've visited our blog lately you know that our van was involved in an accident right in front of our church that totaled three other cars. We praise the Lord that nobody was gravely injured, and also praise the Lord that we just received it back from the body shop in great condition.
Prayer for Monthly Support: We thank God that between Kevin's dedicating one day a week to home repair work and Claudia's jewelry sales, all the bills continue to be paid. Our hope and prayer is to be able to dedicate this time completely to the ministerial projects at hand. Please join us in prayer for this and for a good response to the end of year donation letters that will be going out shortly.
Prayer for Roof Repair: Over the past year we have been attempting to save enough to re-roof the living area of our home. This has included refinancing (an answered prayer) and setting aside as much as possible on a monthly basis. Still, we are currently about $3,500. and need to have the work done before the rainy season begins in April. Please pray for the Lord's provision.
Prayer for Chilean Wedding: Claudia's youngest sister Christy will be getting married in Chile on May 28th. We hope to combine this wonderful event with visiting family, friends and churches as well as some ministry opportunities. Please join us in praying for the airline and other expenses of this trip, currently tickets are about $800. each.
Prayer for LAM Fundraising Dinner: This Sunday President Steve Johnson and other LAM staff will be in Pheonix for a fund raising dinner in support of various projects as well as the overall budget. Please pray that this goes well and for the Lord's provision through those who attend.
Missionary Support and Special Gifts
Through the generosity and prayers of partners like you, we are able to continue ministering to the Churches in Cuba and elsewhere.
If you would like to make a tax deductible donation please take advantage of the links below or simply send checks to Latin America Mission with a note indicating "For the Abeggs" to:
Latin America Mission P.O. Box 52-7900 Miami FL, 33152-7900.
· Link to a Printable Donation Form. (click link for mail in donation form)
· Link to Online Donation page (click link for online credit/debit card donation)
How to Contact Us
E-mail: kabegg "at" lam "dot" org
Office Mail: P.O. Box 52-7900 Miami, FL 33152-7900
Office Phone: 305-884-8400 x25
I arrived in San Diego yesterday afternoon and I am thankful that my luggage made it before 1 AM today rather than not at all. I crossed the border with Greg Saracoff (LAM missionary with his wife Kathy and their two kids) this AM and had the privilege to visit various ministries associated with “Equipo Tijuana en Acción” also known as Team Tijuana in English, an associate ministry of Latin America Mission. Our first stop was “Esperanza” (Hope) an amazing drug rehab program where the participants learn practical skills such as welding, glass work, brick making, carpentry and auto 
repair which will allow them to not only earn an income but keeps them busy, a must for those trying to leave the drug lifestyle. To my pleasant surprise it is run by Javier, a Godly man whom I had the privilege of meeting during the “Instituto Forum Latinum” conference I attended with some Cuban Pastors in Colombia last year. I had forgotten that he was here in TJ and enjoyed catching up with him and seeing his fantastic ministry first hand.
One of the men I spoke to recently had his middle left toe amputated due to complications of diabetes. Now my dad had a toe amputated (he chose to have the doctor do this rather than chopping it off himself, but that’s another story) and he came home from the hospital with it nicely sewn and bandaged up. Not so here. I’m not a doctor, but what I was looking at seemed more like the chicken meet that Claudia chops up. There was a literal hole where his toe used to be with various parts hanging out that I think should have been inside. He thought the doctors had done a good job, so I just smiled and prayed for him as he dabbed the open wound with some gauze. Wow!
Next we had a meeting with some of the leaders of the ministries associated with Team Tijuana and I get to meet a few of the pastors and leaders I will be sharing more with over the next few days. Please pray for wisdom as I seek to encourage some of them in working together as a team and considering themselves as parts of the body of Christ instead of their own independent, unattached ministries. Pray for a sensitivity to the spirit and a sharpness of mind as I listen and respond to their own concerns, needs and desires for the ministries they are involved in. Also please continue praying for Claudia and the boys back at home continuing with their normal routine while I’m away. Thank you for your prayers and support. I’ll add more in a day or so. 
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