TandE Petersen Newsletter (Fall 2025)

Greetings to all our faithful prayer warriors and supporters,  

These last three months have been nothing short of amazing and fruitful. We write this update to you with so much gratitude to the Lord for what He has done. It is such a joy to present to you the things you were a part of. You may not be here physically and it’s quite possible that you have never been to Teen Missions, but that your impact is significant. Be assured that God has used you to impact eternity through your prayers, finances, and encouragement. We serve a very big God who has sustained us through the mountain top experiences and the more rigorous parts in the valley. We desire that you read this and are encouraged by how our Heavenly Father provides. We pray this report produces joy and appreciation for the Lord’s gracious love. 

A Madagascar Summer 

On June 17th, Ellie and I (Timothy) began our Madagascar Journey with a team of 20 team members and five leaders. To start the trip, the team assembled at the Lord's Boot Camp at Teen Missions headquarters in Merritt Island, Florida. We had young people from all across the U.S.–and the world–as we had two from Canada, two from England, and one from Korea. Right from the jump, the team was ecstatic and overjoyed. The team members consisted of 12 guys and eight girls. It was such a fun balance. We were so proud of how the team approached the training with both focus and enthusiasm. They were a very athletic team and excelled in the daily running of the OC (Obstacle Course). On the OC, they were very selfless–always seeking to assist the teammate next to them. In addition to the OC, their training included classes like advanced evangelism, blocklaying, carpentry, puppets, concrete, and much more. Through these classes, they grew spiritually and practically. After 10 days of training, we traveled almost 60 hours to Madagascar.

Once we arrived, we were blessed with the opportunity to assist the staff and students of Teen Missions Madagascar. We helped evangelize the local villages where Teen Missions had already established connections. The team got to present the gospel message and play lots of games with the young people in that area. For our construction project, the team began digging the footer and leveling the ground for the foundation of new staff housing. The Lord was so good to us that we could complete the footer and even start laying blocks for the structure. All this hard work would not have been possible without such a great kitchen! Ellie and our amazing lady leaders did such a good job making sure that we were well-fed all summer. The team members definitely had their favorites and I definitely bragged to them that I get the head lady leader’s cooking when I get home…hehehe. It is not a small task to cook for 25 hungry, hard-working young people. The entire team impressed us with how much they could eat. There is not enough space on this page to express how good God was to us. Thank you so much for praying for us and lifting this team up. We felt your prayers every step of the way.  

Next up for the Petersens: Rejoice, Reset, and Prepare for 2026

The end of the summer season has been a great time for rest and reflection. We knew that it was a good summer because once we got home and did not have our team around, we wondered if this is what empty nesting feels like. There is beauty in the silence, though, and God speaks there. Ellie and I have enjoyed debriefing the summer and looking forward to what’s next this year. We are already preparing for the 2026 summer teams and are getting fully submerged into our work in our departments. Ellie is enjoying reviewing all of the volunteers’ feedback and seeing how the ministry can improve for next year. Ellie has also recently acquired some work in our amazing Legacy Lakes Retreat Center as she works with logistics and communications with the different groups that come in. 

I’m super excited for the new year, as we’ve already been placing leaders and working on our 2026 teams in my department. It’s been enjoyable to get back in the rhythm of work and see all of our TMI family again. Getting to work alongside heroes of the faith every day is something Ellie and I do not want to take for granted. 

How can you partner with us?

The Lord has blessed us with around 85% of our monthly budget goal of $3500 through our generous monthly supporters. That’s a five percent increase since our last newsletter in May! We give God all the praise for bringing in the prayers and finances so that we may be in this work. Please join us in prayer as we watch God work and bring in the remaining partners!! If you feel God is calling you to partner with us,  you can do so by reading the instructions in this newsletter below. If you have any questions about partnering with us, we’d love to answer them. You can email us at [email protected].

Thank you for being a part of our ministry by offering encouragement, financial support, and, most importantly, prayers for God’s ministry. Because of your partnership, we are able to give all our attention to the ministry and be completely present there. 

The Petersens pray this ministry update finds you well and that you are blessed. May God hold you and keep you as you continue to serve Him where you are today. 

Blessings 

1 Samuel 16:7

Timothy and Ellie Petersen