Costa Rica & Central America -The Abegg Love Letter

View this email in your browser To those who have been called, who are LOVED by God the Father and KEPT by Jesus Christ; MERCY, PEACEand LOVE  be yours in abundance.       -Jude 1:1 There and Back Again  A Missionary Tale by... The Abegg Family is back from three months in Central America working primarily with United World Mission missionaries and Partner Ministries in Costa Rica, thus beginning our journey as Regional Leaders. Rather than try to tell you all about it, we've decided to become what our boys call "Vloggers", or video bloggers. Please take a few minutes and join us on our journey and pray for us as we move ahead in the region! United World Mission - Central America/Caribbean Regional Leaders. A three month journey. Thank the Lord with us for the wonderful reception we've received from all the missionaries in the region, as well as the leaders of the many ministries UWM partners with.  Pray for our family as we continue to dig deep with everyone in the region, as we lay plans, improve connections, forward projects and seek to educate and further equip this part of the world in the battle against Human Trafficking. Pray that we can balance work and rest as the boys' school year begins, and for our co-worker and Partnership Facilitator for the region, Luis Diego Herrera who is such a blessing! Join Our Team Prayer Team  Send us a note and let us know you want in! Give Online UWM-Missionary Support Page   Give via US Mail  Mail 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!   Our Finacial Challenge As a family, we are SO THANKFUL for our faithful supporters, and we run a VERY tight budget, but with unanticipated home & auto repairs we've realized that it's too tight for healthy living, often putting at risk basic necessities such as the boys' school, family dental needs etc. This Fall will be a time of support raising, which in all honesty is not my favorite part of our work but does enable me to engage with many of those who are praying for us or are concerned for those we work with. Please pray for this time. Pray that the Lord would provide divine contacts and wisdom on our part in how to share what He's called us to do. If you feel so lead to join us beforehand, to help us with the burden, please let us know and use the information above. Thank You for all your prayers and support in this work! Kevin's Facebook Claudia's Facebook UWM Facebook Abegg Family Blog United World Mission Website

Summit: from Latin America to the World... Gospel Partnership

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 Reaching the Summit Ministry Gathering This Saturday! Please Pray We're completing month #2 in Costa Rica. Apart from a week of training and strategizing at the UWM home office, we've been visiting missionaries and working with partner ministries even as Nico and Jeremy focus on learning Spanish.  This Saturday we'll gather with 20+ "partner ministries" from all over Costa Rica for a very unique summit to discuss how these Latin ministries can not only work with United World Mission, but partner with one another in and from Costa Rica to bring Christ's love where it is needed most. Instead of a historical US missions perspective considering Latin America recipients of missions and missionaries, we will be discussing how to work together both within and from Costa Rica to bring the love and compassion of Christ where it is most needed.  These are small but extremely important steps of partnership with mature Latin ministries in order to reach the world together.  Some partners like Clinica Biblica, the largest & most complete private hospital in Costa Rica, were started nearly 100 years ago by Latin America Mission. Others like Fundacion Rahab have been combating human trafficking for decades, and FEDEMEC currently sends missionaries to the rest of Latin America and around the globe. With it's Latin America Mission (LAM) roots, United World Mission connects them all and so many more around the world!  The 60+ delegates at the summit will represent entire denominations, individual churches, children's homes, Christian camps, seminaries, elementary & high schools, technology organizations, women's and anti-human trafficking organizations and Latin missions sending agencies. Together there are unlimited possibilities of reaching the unreached (including where US passports cannot go) as well as strengthening similar ministries and accomplishing projects beyond the amazing work they are doing now.   ...small but extremely important steps of partnership with mature Latin ministries in order to reach the world together. On top of this networking, we'll be conducting some important "roundtable discussions" in smaller groups which will include strengths and weaknesses of the Costa Rican Church and para-church ministries and the challenges of gender laws that could impose significant future complications for these ministries.  Please Pray for all we will be covering during the summit, and for the immense amount of follow up to come after. I ask that you pray for our family as we balance work and rest during the next month and for our co-worker and Partnership Facilitator for the region, Luis Diego Herrera who is such a blessing! UWM Regional Leadership Retreat: a time to gather with other Regional Leaders from around the world for fellowship, encouragement, and planning.  UWM missionaries Bob and Nancy Sabean were on the field when I was born. What amazing stories of God's faithfulness they have!  UWM missionaries Jonathan & Maggie Hunter... I may have been on the missions field when they were born... Costa Rica in the World Cup! (Where's the US & Chile???) Join Our Team Prayer Team  Send us a note and let us know you want in! Give Online UWM-Missionary Support Page   Give via US Mail  Mail 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!   Our Finacial Challenge Many of you know that one week after leaving home for our 3-month Costa Rica assignment, our AC died leaving the house (and our housemate) at risk of mold in the extreme South Florida summers. Thanks to some of our amazing friends and supporters, nearly 2/3 of the $4K replacement cost was covered, enabling us to continue with our planned ministry visits and work. As a family, we are SO THANKFUL for our faithful supporters, and we run a VERY tight budget, but with this AC emergency we've realized that it's too tight for healthy living, often putting at risk basic necessities such as the boys' school, family dental needs auto repairs etc. Once we're home at the end of summer and able to focus, we'll begin a time of support raising, which in all honesty is not my favorite part of this ministry but enables me to engage with many of those who are praying for us or are concerned for those we work with. Please pray in advance of this time. Pray that the Lord would provide divine contacts and wisdom on our part in how to share what He's called us to do. If you feel so lead to join us beforehand to help us with the burden, please let us know and use the information above. Thank You for all your prayers and support in this work! Some of the Partners We're Working With in Costa Rica:  AIBC AMCA/Campamento la Cumbre Casa Mana CEDCAS Clinica Biblica Colegio Monterrey Edutechmission FEDEMEC Fundacion Rahab Glorioso Dia Iglesia Union Church & Liberty School Iglesia Vida Abundante INDEF Instituto de Lengua Española PROMETA Roble Alto Campamento Roble Alto Farm Roble Alto Children's Home Seminario ESEPA Universidad Evangelica de Las Americas

100 missionaries walk into a room...The Abegg Love Letter

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 Our Cup Overfloweth (so does our plate, our bowl and I think we've lost the napkin...) As part of the UWM Regional Leader's role for Central America and the Caribbean, Claudia and I have decided to take advantage of the boys reducedstudies this summer (there's no rest for the homeschooler!) and relocate the family to San Jose, Costa Rica for three months to engage with partner ministries and many of the missionaries we're overseeing.  In just a few weeks we'll land in San Jose and travel 4 hrs. directly to the regional missionary conference on the Pacific cost. We're looking forward to this time as I've been overseeing the conference planning team since January which is an amazing amount of work, but a blessing to connect with such a stellar team helping pull it together! Pray that as a team we'll finish well and that the nearly 100 participants can be encouraged and refreshed by the teaching, prayer, worship and connecting with missionaries from all over the region.  During these next few months (as Jeremy and Nico take Spanish classes) we'll be focused on how to better partner with ministries such as children's homes, human trafficking rescue, medical clinics, schools, Bible colleges, seminaries, camps, missionary sending organizations and more. We'll be meeting with missionaries who are working with all of these organizations as we simultaneously consider future plans, goals and directions for the region as a whole. Quite frankly, it's a lot, so please pray that we use our time wisely not only for ministry but also to find opportunities for the family to enjoy the unique place where we'll be working. As we begin this 3 month intensive WE NEED SOME HELP. We have amazingly faithful supporters that enable us to minister, assist partner ministries, provide training on Human Trafficking and care for fellow missionaries.  We run a very tight budget covering everything from housing to food to the boys' education, wanting to steward well what our supporters sacrificially give and ultimately God provides.  For the next 3 months we'll be ADDING AN EXTRA $800 / MONTH to our budget for rent & other expenses in Costa Rica. We're asking if there would be any existing supporters who would be willing to increase their support, or new supporters who have been following & praying for us that are willing to jump on for May, June & July? If so, please let us know and simply use the support information at the bottom of this letter. Thank You! And Thank you additionally for your Prayers! Combating Sex Trafficking in Miami, Central America & the Caribbean Though our focus is primarily the Caribbean and Central America, in January I took part in an Anti Sex Trafficking presentation and panel discussionaimed at educating the city government of Miami Lakes. It was a hopeful step as our church, Palm Vista, seeks to work with city and local businesses to take a stand for those being abused in this horrible way. Similarly, on 4/27, I'll conduct a training for another church that is sending a team to Jamaica for the purpose of equipping local governments, children's homes and other churches. It's an exciting opportunity in a nation struggling with the "disappearance" of children and a significant problem with sex tourism. Pray for our family as we spend May, June & July in Central America engaging churches and partner ministries in the region on Human Trafficking (many are still unaware that it exists right in their own backyard).  Miami Lakes Government Presentation   &   Our Father's Kingdom Training Projects with Partner Ministries Back in September Hurricane Irma affected much of Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas. One of the casualties was a shed used by partner ministry Glory House of Miami to store some of their clients (trafficking survivors) belongings. With funding from Walnut Creek Presbyterian Church (thank you!!!) and the help of numerous workers, we finally got a new and improved shed with 3x the storage and 100x the hurricane resistance.  Glory House has recently opened a drop in center for victims in what can be considered "trafficking central" for Miami between the business district, tourism, concert & sports stadiums and one of the most impoverished areas of the city.   Starting next year we'll be working closely with Glory House and UWM interns coming to South Florida for in-depth training and discipleship in anti-trafficking.  Pray as we work together with partner ministries like Glory House to reach this city and into Central America & the Caribbean with hope for survivors.  My thanks to these and multiple others who helped bring this project to completion! We enjoyed an International Easter celebration with our neighbors the Schmatjens and 6 international students from China. Most had never been in a North American home, or attended a church service, so it was a great day of new experiences as we celebrated Christ's Resurrection together! Leading up to Easter I had the opportunity to tag team teach a 6 week course on World Missions with one of our Pastors, Al Pino. "A Light to the Nations" coveres theory, history and many current trends or practices in missions. I encourage you to take a moment and listen to the series online. 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! Keep in Touch With Us:  Kevin's Facebook Claudia's Facebook UWM's Facebook Abegg Family Blog Kevin's Email UWM's Website Share What We're Doing With Others: Share Tweet Forward Share Equipping Saints for the Work of Ministry and Building up the Body of Christ to See Captives Set Free!