Abegg Love Letter - Christmas Greetings & International Ministry Needs

The Abegg 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 Grateful for the Past... Excited for the Future "O Come Emanuel" has always been my favorite Christmas hymn... It communicates a deep longing anticipation of Christ's return while reflecting on His birth as the defining point of History.    This Christmas our family is looking back at what God has done and forward to unprecedented opportunities. During the past three years with the LoF Center, we have assisted in the development and implementation of community programs, as well as in-depth training to combat sex trafficking and prevent further victims in Miami and around the country. At the same time, we've developed partnerships with ministries doing amazing work that are poised to take some big steps on behalf of victims.   Now, as we look forward to 2018, opportunities are stretching beyond the Miami horizon back to Latin America. United World Mission has asked Claudia and I to be Regional Leaders for Central America and the Caribbean. We are tasked with caring for missionaries, working with amazing partner ministries and developing a strategic plan that includes equipping the region in the battle against sex trafficking! During a recent visit to 15 partner ministries in Costa Rica, I found a terrifying but not surprising lack of information on the prevalence and damage human trafficking is inflicting on the region. As has been the case in Miami, basic training on human trafficking can mean the difference between life and death for countless child victims that currently go unnoticed. That will be our starting point this coming year. As a family, we'll spend 3 months living in Central America working with and alongside other missionaries to build and unify partner ministries under the banner of Christ.     Visits with some of our Costa Rica Ministries & Missionaries From top left: 1. FEDEMEC (Costa Rican Missionary training & sending agency UWM Partner), with Luis Diego Herrera (UWM Partner Ministry Coordinator); 2. Gathering of some of the UWM missionaries in Costa Rica; 3. Fundación Rahab (Costa Rican Anti-Trafficking ministry (run by a Chilean) that inspired Claudia & I to look into the human trafficking issue years ago); 4. Glorioso DiaHome for troubled youth. Prayer and Family Needs Thank you to all who are supporting our work financially and with your prayers! Please Pray as we deepen connections with missionaries and partner ministries throughout Central America & the Caribbean, and continue working with anti-trafficking partners in Miami. Pray as we develop a plan of action for the region of Central America & the Caribbean...including our old friend…Cuba, though I'm still blacklisted. Pray for our family as we spend May - July in Costa Rica where we will build with & care for UWM missionaries as we develop plans with ministry partners serving in nearly every capacity imaginable. Pray for the financial provision we need to go from a US/Miami focus to an international focus.   We need to strengthen our support base to make this international step possible.     Please prayerfully consider a tax deductible year end gift, or joining our team using the info below. From the Abegg Family to yours, we express our gratitude  And we wish you A Very Blessed Christmas! Thank you to all of those who continue to make our ministry possible through your prayer and giving! How to Join Our Team: Our work is 100% supported through prayer and tax deductible donations.   Prayer Team  Send us a note and let us know you want in!   Give Online visit our UWM-Missionary Support Page (http://uwm.org/missionaries/27521/) Give via US Mail  Mail a check with an accompanying note stating "For the Abegg Family" to: 205 Regency Executive Park Dr Suite 430, Charlotte, NC 28217   Give Via Phone Simply phone United World Mission at 800-825-5896  and talk to the very helpful people there! Kevin's Facebook Claudia's Facebook UWM's Facebook Abegg Family Blog Kevin's Email UWM's Website Equipping Servants for Ministry and Building up the Body of Christ to See Captives Set Free! Share What We're Doing With Others! Share Tweet Forward Share

Our dear friends Marcos & Becky Gonzalez have chosen to "Run for Freedom" this year as they dedicate an upcoming marathon to assist with the Abegg Family's mission of combating sex trafficking. Please consider sponsoring them and sharing their efforts with others!

Anti-Sex Trafficking & Family Life

The Abegg's 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 LoF Center University Partnerships: This winter I had the pleasure of working with Florida International Universitie's School of Nursing for International MD's. Twelve students took part in our Sharing 1 Love community outreach program which includes mapping their community for areas that contribute to trafficking (illicit massage parlors, porn shops, strip clubs, complacent hotels etc…) as well as potential resources for survivors such as women's ministries, counselors and LoF Center partner businesses. At the end of their class, the participants conducted an LoF Center "Awareness Presentation" to other med students, each a potential first responder as medical professionals that can now identify a trafficking victim and know how to respond.  Spring Break in Miami: Every year droves of spring breakers flock to South Florida and other famous party locations, often contributing towards the problem of sex trafficking. Once again this spring we had the privilege of receiving six different college & university "Alternative Break" teams from around the country for a week of training. They also assisted in street, phone & internet outreaches offering hope to those being sold online. Every one of these students returned home impacted and inspired to educate their own communities, and many are connecting with the LoF network as partners throughout the country.    The Abeggs: Stormy Weather & Thankfulness! Apart from work with the Life of Freedom Center, our family was hit hard in January by the California storms. Yes, we're still in FL, but the home we rent in CA to help cover mom's memory care was flooded for the first time since '72. (Needless to say we didn't have flood insurance.) Now, after managing by phone & email  a complete re-roofing, updated drainage, multiple wall replacements, full re-flooring and having to fire the first abatement and general contractors for what we'll call "unethical practices", I should finally be wrapping this whole mess up next week. In all, we're thanking God that we have a home to care for, and that in the end helps us care for mom.  We're also thankful that we as a family have been heathy, with Claudia and the boys looking forward to some study breaks this summer, though the Abegg Academy of home schooling is never really "out of class".  Jeremy has excelled this year taking 3rd place in his first speech competition with the topic of "Proof for the Resurrection", while Nico is advancing in reading, math and especially scientific creativity as he continues inventing, burning and at times exploding anything from hairspray cannons to his online world creations. We're attempting to keep him on an Edison track as opposed to "mad scientist". As for myself, the 48 birthday marker afforded some time to reflect on midlife crisis and eternity, even as Claudia and I plan a getaway this summer for our 20th anniversary... That's 20 years of blessing and counting! Apart from passing Kevin 48 last month, we're looking forward to our 20th anniversary (October!) We are thrilled and blessed that the Lord gave us to one another. Thank you for your prayers for our family & our work, please keep it up! Be part of a Life of Freedom wherever you are! You can learn to combat Sex Trafficking through the LoF Center's "Sharing 1 Love" online training, and even start programs in your own community or church. We have an "online office" for teams around the country, so if you're interested in learning more about joining the team, visit us at: LoF Center Advocates.  How to Join our Team: Our Work is 100% suported through prayer and tax deductible donations.  Prayer Team: Send us a note and let us know you want in! Give Online: visit our UWM-Missionary Support Page.  Give via U.S. Mail:  Mail a check with an accompanying note stating "For the Abegg Family" to 205 Regency Executive Park Dr Suite 430, Charlotte, NC 28217.  Give via Phone: Simply phone United World Mission at 800-825-5896 and talk to the very helpful people there! Kevin's Facebook Abegg Family Blog LoF Center's Facebook LoF Center's Webpage Thank you for your prayerful support. Share What We're Doing with others! -Kevin, Claudia, Jeremy & Nicholas Share Tweet Forward Share +1

Today I turn 48. 

I’ve been told by many that it’s time to schedule my “MIDLIFE CRISIS". Statistics tell me that there are fewer years ahead on this earth than behind me….fewer years to accomplish what I want to and less time to enjoy what I like before my body runs down and I return to dust. I can see why some at my age buy that over the top car, jump out of a plane or get themselves stretched, stuffed, lifted or tucked. I understand the desire to extend youthful years in hopes of squeezing more out of less years ahead. I enjoyed my youth, and I’m in no way done yet!

However, I will NOT have a mid-life crisis because I KNOW that I’m going to beat those life expectancy statistics before my end. My “mid-life” is still a long, long, LONG way off! Curious yet? Want to know what vitamins I’m taking or exercise regiment I’m on? Here’s the thing, I’M NOT GOING TO DIE…not really.

I’m not "living like there’s no tomorrow”. I choose to live the way I do because THERE IS NO MID-LIFE TO ETERNITY. Some of you have this same certainty. A conviction that what we do today, has eternal value and worth. A knowledge that I don’t have to do everything I want before my body wears out, because we’re promised a NEW BODY in a NEW HEAVEN and NEW EARTH that will not be subject to moth, rust, wear and tear! So, why not just end it now and “get on with the good stuff”? Along with this understanding is a conviction that what we do now, who we care for and share the temporal comforts we’ve been given along with the eternal hope we have, these actions do have a direct effect on what our eternity will look like. We’ve been given this life and the investments we make now in order to reap eternal dividends that are guaranteed! What freedom there is in that! As one of my heroes, Jim Elliot stated: “He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep in order to gain what he cannot lose!” 

In many ways we glorify God by enjoying what He’s blessed us with. But when it comes to the concept of a “mid life crisis” there’s something amiss. If you ever want to talk about this, if your curious to know more about my conviction, please don't hesitate to send me a note, it would be my absolute pleasure (and the best birthday gift ever!).

So, here’s to waiting for “mid-life”.

God bless and thank you all for the birthday wishes!