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MICHAEL AND MARIA LONG
OUR MISSIONARIES IN GREECE ARE MICHAEL AND MARIA LONG. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THEIR MINISTRY, CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW. fmcusa.org/fmmissions/michael-and-maria-long/ |
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Ministry sharing tour begins
by michael.long in Uncategorized
Maria took off today with our grandson, Jason, with Gina, our daughter to fly to Manchester and on Saturday she flies on to Birmingham, Alabama to begin a tour of sharing in the south about the ministry celebrations. She will be based in Birmingham without the grandson, of course, at our coworker’s home in Arabic ministry, Samia Emaish. This Sunday, Sept 30th,
she will share at Emmanuel FMC and at Samia’s church, Birmingham Arabic church. Then she flies to Florida to share at St. Pete, Holiday, Cape Coral, and Lakeland churches and returns on Wed. the 10th to Murphy, NC FMC. Email us for the current schedule at michael.long@fmc-europe.org. This is a brave new challenge for Maria. She is prepared to preach, make smile, cause a tear, challenge and inspire. Pray for her and her ministry in October. Mike will join her on November 1 for the second part mostly in Indiana.
This period of our lives will always be remembered by the precious new addition to our family of little Jason. Our family is so happy and joyful because of this little guy. I can’t explain it and we can’t get enough of holding, playing with, and enjoying him as much as possible. August was vacation with Jason and he just finished his first visit to Greece. What joy a little baby gives to a family!!! It is amazing and we can’t stop praising and thanking the Lord for what he done by giving to our family such a special gift.
Likewise what a joy a new life gives to the family of faith!!! Please rejoice with us for the many baptisms over the last several months. A true highlight of our ministry here was to honor and joy of 9 baptisms on one July Sunday of which was one whole family, one couple, and 3 others. This month 3 more were baptized that we are ministering in their lives. Yet even as joyful as baptisms can be, the real burden is discipleship. Training them to complete their progress in faith and knowledge of God from their baptism until the end of their lives. Those who come from what I would call anti-Christian backgrounds take much more effort to ground in the truths of faith and salvation. Please pray that everyone baptized becomes true and faithful believers for our Lord service and honor.
God is adding to our team from a variety of new partnerships. These past two months we have been helping settle a new family coming to serve with us in response to the Refugee Opportunity. She is from Switzerland and he is from South Sudan. They have three boys. Their organization is SIM and they are a wonderful addition. He speaks Arabic and has completed theological training in Sudan if I remember correctly. Her Swiss citizenship makes it possible to live in Greece and though she has her hands full with the children, she brings a strong Swiss spirit to our team. Thank the Lord with us for sending us his workers, Yien and Jasmin and believe with us for more fruit.
So many prayers and support are needed during this time of growth, stretching, and addition. Kali’s ministry is going strong and taking shape helping immigrants, refugees and vulnerable persons get valuable job and skills training for life in Greece. As Mike and Maria are away this fall, more depends on others like Kali to continue the growing work. So pray for them also please.
Thanks and we hope to see you as we travel around.
by michael.long in Uncategorized
Maria took off today with our grandson, Jason, with Gina, our daughter to fly to Manchester and on Saturday she flies on to Birmingham, Alabama to begin a tour of sharing in the south about the ministry celebrations. She will be based in Birmingham without the grandson, of course, at our coworker’s home in Arabic ministry, Samia Emaish. This Sunday, Sept 30th,
she will share at Emmanuel FMC and at Samia’s church, Birmingham Arabic church. Then she flies to Florida to share at St. Pete, Holiday, Cape Coral, and Lakeland churches and returns on Wed. the 10th to Murphy, NC FMC. Email us for the current schedule at michael.long@fmc-europe.org. This is a brave new challenge for Maria. She is prepared to preach, make smile, cause a tear, challenge and inspire. Pray for her and her ministry in October. Mike will join her on November 1 for the second part mostly in Indiana.
This period of our lives will always be remembered by the precious new addition to our family of little Jason. Our family is so happy and joyful because of this little guy. I can’t explain it and we can’t get enough of holding, playing with, and enjoying him as much as possible. August was vacation with Jason and he just finished his first visit to Greece. What joy a little baby gives to a family!!! It is amazing and we can’t stop praising and thanking the Lord for what he done by giving to our family such a special gift.
Likewise what a joy a new life gives to the family of faith!!! Please rejoice with us for the many baptisms over the last several months. A true highlight of our ministry here was to honor and joy of 9 baptisms on one July Sunday of which was one whole family, one couple, and 3 others. This month 3 more were baptized that we are ministering in their lives. Yet even as joyful as baptisms can be, the real burden is discipleship. Training them to complete their progress in faith and knowledge of God from their baptism until the end of their lives. Those who come from what I would call anti-Christian backgrounds take much more effort to ground in the truths of faith and salvation. Please pray that everyone baptized becomes true and faithful believers for our Lord service and honor.
God is adding to our team from a variety of new partnerships. These past two months we have been helping settle a new family coming to serve with us in response to the Refugee Opportunity. She is from Switzerland and he is from South Sudan. They have three boys. Their organization is SIM and they are a wonderful addition. He speaks Arabic and has completed theological training in Sudan if I remember correctly. Her Swiss citizenship makes it possible to live in Greece and though she has her hands full with the children, she brings a strong Swiss spirit to our team. Thank the Lord with us for sending us his workers, Yien and Jasmin and believe with us for more fruit.
So many prayers and support are needed during this time of growth, stretching, and addition. Kali’s ministry is going strong and taking shape helping immigrants, refugees and vulnerable persons get valuable job and skills training for life in Greece. As Mike and Maria are away this fall, more depends on others like Kali to continue the growing work. So pray for them also please.
Thanks and we hope to see you as we travel around.
