Finally back....

Dear Friends,
It has been way too long....about 18 months since our last post. No excuses! Just not focused enough. We promise to do better in the months and years to come.

Since our last posting we have had lots "great things" happen within our REAPSouth Team. Here is an update:

October,2006....Journeyman, Brad Borggren comes on board. Brad served as a summer missionary SMT05 and SMT06 and then came back for good. He is doing a great job on the Enhancement Team. This group of three Journeymen serve "on-site" for up to two months in areas where there is an "extreme need". The extreme could be to the positive or to the negative end. If one of our REAPartners has had a very GOOD response among their people group or population segment...the EnTeam goes in and provides follow-up, discipleship and leadership training. If, on the other end of the results spectrum, one of our partners has not had a very good response this team goes in to provide a consistent and longer-term ministry to see the Word sown, small groups started and leaders identified. Pray for Brad and his team as they serve!

December, 2006....Career family, Arnold, Susie, Alisha, Benjamin and Patrick Austin arrived to join the REAPSouth family. The Austins have jumped in with all fours providing leadership to our logistics team as well as serving in the English Fellowship & Translators' Ministry. Following completion of their apprenticeship and first term/stateside assignment they will make Arequipa their permanent base of operations as they lead out in overseeing the supervision of the REAPartner teams that serve in the southernmost part of Peru as well as northern Chile.

January, 2007....Ryan and Amanda Bush returned to the U.S. after two great years on our team. They returned with a very special member of their family. Sophia was born the previous summer. The Bushes are living in Little Rock where they are serving as house parents for a home for un-wed mothers. Ryan is taking seminary classes as well while Amanda ministers at home with Sophia. We miss them and are praying them back to Peru!! Pray with us for the Lord's will for them!

April, 2007....Lane Brown, Brookhaven, MS, transferred to our team from the Ashenica Team in the jungle. She has been a wonderful addition to our family and has served on the Enhancement Team. Pray for Lane's health! She has been bothered by a consistent problem and were are believing the Lord for a solution so she can continue to serve without hindrance.

June and July, 2007....Summer Missions Teams 2007 was 60+ participants' strong. The largest ever and a great group to boot. 14 on-site teams in Peru, a creative ministry team, a research team, 2 Barnabas Teams, 2 ESL teams and 2 on-site teams in Bolivia. 2008 promises to be even bigger and better! Pray His will and way!!!

July, 2007....Sandi Bridges, Gainesville, FL, joined our team. She oversees the English Fellowship and Translators' Ministry. Sandi graduated from the University of Florida so she and Mike have helped keep the Gator spirit going around Lima during the sports seasons. Pray for her as she continues to give leadership to our translator ministry.

August, 2007....Kristen Seay, Birmingham, AL, joined our team. Even though Kristen came to us as an independent she is serving as if she were a Journeyman (2 yrs.) and is on the Enhancement Team as well. Pray for her as she serves!

The "good news" gets even better as we have the joy to report that come January, 2008 Alan & Sandy Stone from Birmingham will join our team after many many years of serving on short term trips and as our stateside mobilizers. They will oversee and give direction to the vision trip and advocacy ministry.

2008 continues to be a great year of "additions" as Steve, Miriam and Mark Christy join us as apprentices. Following language school in Costa Rica they will arrive in Peru sometime in the Fall of 2008. Miriam served previously in
Costa Rica and speaks Spanish. Pray for her as she is a "stay at home" mom with their young son who was born in the Spring and Steve as he reaches language proficiency.

The Weavers continue to serve as team leaders of the REAPSouth Team with Momma Kathy serving more and more as a provider of hospitality and gracious dining opportunities. Their sons, Josh and Shane, both live in the Atlanta area with Josh and Madison (soon to be 7) call Newnan home and Shane lives in Duluth. Shane works as operations manager for a professional hospitality management company (Sage House Group). Josh continues to serve with TSA/Transportation Security Administration/Homeland Security and Madison is in the 1st grade.

2008 in the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention will find its missions' emphaisis focusing on South America. The volunteer intensive church planting strategy fostered by the inception of the REAP concept will garner a great deal of attention. This will take place as summits, conferencs and special events spotlight throughout the year how the local church can become a strategy coordinating or engaging entity with their own mission field/an un-reached indigenous people group or population segment to oversee and minister among. This takes place without the on-site presence and supervision of IMB personnel. Please pray for Mike and Kathy as we continue to give leadership to our growing team and lend assistance to the ever-growing interest region-wide as well as world-wide to the strategy coordinator church concept.