Brant and Mary Lane Newsletter (Spring 2024)

News from the Circuit Riders
Circuit Riders is a ministry of Teen Missions that operates in 13 countries around the world where Teen Missions is involved. Teen Missions has 135 Circuit Riders running 467 Sunday schools reaching 14,000 every week. They know the local language and the culture and bring age-appropriate activities, games, phonics (English) lessons, and weekly Bible lessons (called Sunday Schools). God is using the Circuit Riders to see hundreds of precious sons and daughters reconciled with their heavenly Father. Here is a testimony shared from one of the many circuits:

“Many children in this community have been helped through phonics and literacy. One of our Sunday school kids, by the name of Mary who lives with her mother, is only 14-years-old. One day she shared the Word of God with someone in the community. The whole community was amazed at how young she was. They all wanted to know where she had been learning this from. One day the mother decided to come with her and witness where she gets that wisdom and knowledge from. Just that day the mother was very happy and pleased with what she saw and heard. She was willing to receive Christ right there and then. Through her daughter, the whole community now is bringing their children for Sunday school by just seeing what God has done in the life of this kid.”

Family Ministry Update
There is a lot going on right now at Teen Missions as we’re preparing for the summer. Over the past couple of months, Brant has been doing mechanical repairs on the Teen Missions buses to have them ready for airport runs that will start in June when our team members, leaders and volunteers begin arriving. He has also been involved in tearing an old bus apart so the front half can be used in the Display Room at Teen Missions. It was quite a project, and with the help of a couple Sojourner students and a volunteer who painted it, the bus front was finished then moved into the Display Room. Brant recently finished teaching the second-year students and current intern motorcycle lessons which will help prepare them for serving their internship overseas.

At the end of March, I finished teaching a class with the Sojourner students at Teen Missions (Biblical Places, People and Customs). I continue working with onboarding staff as they build their support team to serve full-time at TMI. We have several single adults and a couple of families that are coming on staff, and we praise the Lord for that! I am also involved in editing reports that come from our bases overseas. We want to thank everyone for their prayers and support as I went on a trip with Refuge 139 (a ministry of Jaars) from March 29 to April 7. I, along with four others, spent the week ministering to missionary kids (ages 1-18) in West Asia while their parents were in conference meetings. These MKs were from several different countries as well as the U.S.

While I was in West Asia, a large group from the Southern Methodist denomination came to volunteer at Teen Missions to help prepare for the upcoming summer ministries. It was such a blessing to have them give of their time, and I know that the staff at TMI were grateful for their hard work and the opportunity to meet and fellowship with them. It blesses our hearts that our home denomination takes such a supportive role in this ministry, and it is an incredible encouragement not only to our family but the entire staff.

Annabelle just completed her Junior year at Charleston Southern University. We are thankful to have spent several days with her before she began her summer internship at a church near family in South Carolina. Allison, Jonathan and Jesse are almost finished with their school year which should be finished towards the end of May.

Mud Run
On May 4, the annual Teen Missions Tough Gator 5K Mud Run took place. Over 600 participants trekked through the mud and obstacles that wound through the Teen Missions property in Florida. All the proceeds from the Mud Run will help fund the needs of TMI’s overseas bases. Most everyone on staff helped with the event in different capacities to make it a success.

Summer Plans
It’s hard to believe that Boot Camp will begin next month! The days seem to go by faster each year! Teen Missions will have 12 teen teams and one preteen team going out this summer to serve and share the Gospel. There are currently 220 teens, 20 preteens and over 60 leaders taking part, as well as many volunteers who will come to help run our Boot Camp.

Allison is on the Leadership Development Team going to Malawi. She starts Boot Camp with her team on June 11. After a week, the remaining teams arrive to begin regular Boot Camp on June 18. Jonathan is a part of the Philippines team. We will be leading a teen team to Brazil, and Jesse will be going along as a ‘leaders’ kid’. Annabelle will be working at a church in Manning, SC, to complete her internship that is required for her major, where she is helping with the music and children’s program. She is also planning to serve on a Refuge 139 team from July 14-27 in Germany.

With trips comes the need to raise funds. Allison, Jonathan and Annabelle still have funds to raise to pay for their trips. Would you prayerfully consider ways you can help? No amount is too small, and your prayers and giving are appreciated greatly! If you would like to give towards Allison and Jonathan’s summer expenses, go to https://teenmissions.org/involvement and put their name in the search box to be directed toward their giving page. If you would like to give towards Annabelle’s trip, go to https://jaars.org/refuge139/get-involved/give/, and follow the instructions to give online or by mail. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us anytime!

You Are Invited!
We want to invite all who can come to Turbeville Southern Methodist Church in Turbeville, SC, on Saturday, August 17, at 5:30 pm, where we will be serving an appreciation supper to our prayer/financial partners. We will share during that time, giving a ministry update about everything that has been going on. Please let us know if you can be there!

Thank you for your faithful partnership as we continue to serve at Teen Missions. We are blessed to have each of you on this journey with us. We couldn’t do it without you. Please continue praying, especially as the summer ministry begins. We love serving here and pouring into the youth and young adults. Our prayer is that we lead them in a closer relationship with Christ!

We love you and pray for you,

Brant & Mary Lane