Steve & Gay Petersen Newsletter (Fall 2020)

Dear Friends and Family,

STAYING TRUE TO OUR CALLING...

In the midst of unprecedented adversity, God has been faithful to watch over our base and ministries around the world. Here’s a snapshot of our ‘adjusted’ summer…

FLORIDA

Teen Missions had over 100 teens register for #MissionHere. It was a seven week online discipleship course to provide encouragement, fellowship, tools and resources for engaging youth who still wanted to grow in the Lord and serve Him from home in the midst of COVID-19. It was our first time to do something like this and we were encouraged to see the enthusiastic response.

Two new couples joined our full-time staff
this summer. Welcome to the Metzler and Davis families! We also said farewell to our dear friends, Ryan & Erin Fast, who have moved back to the West Coast to serve with CRU (formerly Campus Crusade).

Teen Missions completed a major transfer of our database to WMTEK, a ‘cloud based’ platform that will improve reliability, efficiency, and integration with our website allowing members and donors to have their own ‘personal dashboard’ on our site. I (Steve) helped with building a new website, so check it out at teenmissions.org!

The Florida Free Bible, Missionary & Work (BMW) Training Center resumed operations in September with 10 students (including our own Timothy!).

Three new mobile home trailers arrived on Heavenly Street, improving housing for staff and volunteers. Our Maintenance Department did much of the final setup themselves.

OVERSEAS

Most of our Bible schools have reopened overseas. At the moment, Indonesia, with six BMW’s, is still on lock-down so prayer is requested there. In Zambia, the government has given all of the remote Sunday schools permission to resume their ministry reaching thousands of children with the Gospel on a weekly basis.
India, Honduras and Myanmar have been able to distribute food relief to needy families affected by the lock-down. In Honduras and the Philippines, the government actually gave special permission to allow our national workers to travel outside the bases for ministry! Praise the Lord!

WHAT’S NEXT?

Currently, over 175 team members and leaders are already registered for our 2021 summer teams! We are taking a step of faith, to trust the Lord for open doors to resume training at the Lord’s Boot Camp and through summer outreaches. We will also evaluate our procedures and plans to adjust to any new ‘realities’ that may be in place at that time. I currently have increased responsibilities for oversight of the Promotions Department. Gay continues to oversee and serve in the HR (Personnel Department) in addition to schooling Faith during the mornings.

TIMOTHY & FAITH UPDATE

Timothy
is now a Bible school student and has adjusted to a new dorm room, classes and classmates. I am enjoying the opportunity to have him as one of my students in Synthesis V (the Gospels) class. Timothy is currently assigned to the Maintenance Department in the afternoons and is learning a variety of skills.

Faith is now a sophomore in high school and is taking Biology at the local co-op so she can pick up the required lab training and has moved on to Geometry this year— keeping her mom on her toes. She’s getting better at driving and parking and continues to play the piano and guitar. She enjoys babysitting for one of the staff babies several afternoons a week.

PRAISE ITEMS

For so many truly amazing teens willing to participate in #MissionHere and for over 170 signed up for our summer 2021 so far...

Seeing Timothy launch into the next chapter of serving the Lord as a Bible school student

For the successful upgrades of our database to WMTEK and the new website now online.

PRAYER ITEMS

Pastor Lou Montecalvo, from Steve’s home church in Denver, went to be with Jesus in September. Please pray for his family and our dear church family in Denver.

Several of our overseas bases are experiencing some serious organizational needs and changes. We’d appreciate your prayers for wisdom as we work with our national staff and national board members in India, Ecuador, Cambodia and Uganda.

Please pray for peace and order in the USA during this election season. Pray also that we as God’s people will be faithful to intercede and be a light in the darkness.

THANK YOU!

The urgency of our task only intensifies as the coming of our Lord draws near. Let us be found faithful in these last days. Please accept our deep appreciation for your partnership, prayers and support.

Together in His Harvest,

Steve, Gay, Timothy & Faith Petersen

Is 6:8 / Heb. 11:1 / Phil 2:22 & 20 / Gal. 2:20

teenmissions.org/petersens