🌎 Hurricanes, Strip Clubs, Leaders & the Gospel!

View this email in your browser Love Letters from the Abeggs:  "…to those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you." (Jude 1:1) What's Behind: Costa Rica: Though it's been a few weeks since our visit with ministries and missionaries in Costa Rica, we remain excited about developing projects including new Church plants, missionaries from Latin America to the world and partnerships with some aggressive anti-trafficking organizations. Please pray for God's guidance and the physical needs of those planting churches, rescuing the abused and sending Latin missionaries to areas of the world where US citizens can't gain entry.  UWM Global Conference for Regional Leaders: We returned last week from an intense but encouraging gathering with our global counterparts from Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America who care for and oversee UWM's 300+ missionaries and projects globally. It was an uplifting time of reflecting on events and projects of the past year, prayerfully planning for the year to come and working through challenges faced in advancing the Gospel around the world. Claudia and I came away hopeful and envisioned in several ways. We have the privilege to care for fellow missionaries throughout Central America and the Caribbean, and often feel stretched between this, our desire to see more advances in anti-human trafficking work in the region, pared with the necessary communication and inherent administrative needs in both of these areas. We're so thankful to see UWM's US-based staff working to relieve Regional Leaders of administrative burdens as much as possible, and free us all the more to focus on the field and ministry before us. Pray for greater freedom in ministry and discernment on where to place our energies, as well as where to not place them. Pray for UWM as a whole and the leaders, missionaries, churches and ministries we work with around the world. Pray for Claudia and I in Central America and all the missionaries, churches and organizations we have the privilege to work with and assist.  Hurricane Ian first took aim at Honduras, where we still have numerous ministries, churches, and missionaries recovering from last year's onslaught of storms. Thankfully, in God's mercy it turned North, but then headed toward our home in South Florida while we were away at the Global conference! We're thankful that friends and church members didn't need to include us in an emergency board-up marathon once again, yet we grieve and intercede for those two hours to our West who will be recovering for years to come. Join us in praying for God's mercy on those who are suffering, and for His church in these areas to be shining lights of immediate and eternal hope in the face of so much loss.  Scarlet Hope work days and planning meetings: Claudia and I are partnering with and assisting a relatively new, and desperately needed ministry to South Florida that reaches women being trafficked as well as those on the brink who fill the strip clubs throughout Miami. Please be in prayer for this fantastic ministry, for Liz Pino the SH-Miami director, and for the women being reached. We're in the final phases of setting up the Scarlet Hope Ministry Center, and you can help no matter where you are thanks to various wish lists to help fulfill the needs. Take a look and consider helping us get one step closer to opening! Amazon Wishlist Ikea Wishlist Etsy Wishlist What's Ahead: Medellin Colombia: Tomorrow Claudia and I fly to Medellin Colombia where we'll gather with regional leaders from South America and Mexico as well as partner ministry coordinators from Latin America as we move ahead with a project we're calling "Regional Training Hubs". The developing concept is to seek out and network experts throughout Latin America in order to help develop and train Gospel leadership in the Church and Para-Church of Latin America. For a century Latin America Mission (now United World Mission) has worked to assist national ministries in "taking the next step". We're rejoicing in this opportunity to continue with these values and priorities as we work alongside our Latin brothers and sisters in some new and challenging ways. Pray for wisdom, sensitivity to the Holy Spirit's direction, and for guidance as we work together on this exciting project.  Dominican Republic Church Planting Teams: In early November we'll be visiting and working with UWM missionary families in the Dominican Republic who are planting and working with various rural churches to develop pastors, leaders and multiply the body of Christ in the island.  Pray for these families and that our time together can be encouraging, envisioning, full of the Holy Spirit's equipping and empowering for the ongoing and challenging ministry of church planting.  Dominican Republic Team in 2019 A Humble Appeal for the Needed Support to Continue the Work: Over the past two years, for various reasons, some supporters have had to pause their financial giving though they continue to intercede for our work. We're extremely grateful for their prayer support along with the multitude of intercessors holding our arms up each day and directly contributing to the strengthening of the Church throughout Central America and the Caribbean.  This loss in income for us has come at a challenging time with projects throughout Latin America, upcoming conferences we'll be running, and the simple needs of a family as we launch Jeremy and Nico to college.  Would you please join us in prayer for God's provision in all these areas, and then consider if you might join our financial support team, helping to close the gap in our needs? (info and links below.)  Though this is a challenging time, we've been here before and seen God's faithful mercy provide and even use these challenges to direct our steps. We trust Him and are grateful for each of you.  Once we're back from Colombia I'll be able to share more, and would love to meet with those near us in person, or those far online to share about church planting, pastoral development, anti-trafficking and more. Send me a note and let's connect. Thank you for your encouragement, care, and support in so many ways, and as always, let us know how to be praying for you by responding to this email. God bless! Additional Prayers: Pray for Claudia and my health (we've been struggling with some physical challenges as of late). Pray for endurance and that we'd be an encouragement to each missionary and ministry we work with over these next few months. Pray that in all circumstances, be they joyful or working through difficulties, we would always point to and exemplify Christ in all circumstances, trusting Him to multiply each of our efforts for His glory and the good of His people. Remember, we love hearing from YOU, our teammates, and we're thrilled to know how to be praying for you. Send us a note whenever you can! Partner With Us in the Great Comission: Our work with and through believers in Central America is only possible with the prayer and financial support we receive from you, our partners:  Prayer Team: Send us note to let us know you're praying for us, and let us know how we can be praying for you.  Financial Support Team:  To join or learn more, visit: Abegg Missionary Support Page Give via US Mail: Send a check with accompanying note stating: "For the Abegg Family" to: 205 Regency Executive Park Dr. Suite 430, Charlotte, NC 28217 Give Via Phone: Dial 800-825-5896 and talk to a very helpful person. For past issues of our newsletters and other posts visit our Blog.