Thursday, November 20, 2014

Support Letter

This week I am sending my support letter in place of my regular blog.


First I would like to say thank you for all of the prayers, encouraging words and support that I have received from you all. Over the last two years, I have been able to work in Guatemala with Iglesia Galilea for approximately 8 months. We have hosted about 18 teams. With them we have worked on hydroponics projects, medical clinics, constructed 7 houses and approximately 16 stoves, worked on 2 schools, and helped get a church started. Along with these team projects, I also helped as needed on various projects around the Church in San Lucas.
                In the coming year, we will have about 10 more teams beginning in January and going into November. While I was not able to work with the two teams that came in the fall this year, it is my intention to be there and work with them this year. In order for that to happen, I will not be spending nearly as much time in Illinois this year as I have in previous years. I do plan on coming back for a few weeks in late summer and then also for the holidays but gone the rest of the year. The schedule that I currently envision would have me there between 9 and 10 months in 2015.
With the teams that come this year, we will continue on construction of the Church in Membrillal, finish a couple more classrooms on the school there and continue working on the school in Zapote. We will do many more stoves and a few houses in Zapote along with two medical clinics there. We will host a Christian music festival in Santiago along with BMX and skateboarding demonstrations. The Church will hold and evangelistic outreach in San Lucas. We will also continue to work on honing and perfecting the hydroponics projects until they can be easily duplicated and successful for the average person, with inexpensive supplies and nutrients that are available to them. All of these things are done with the goal of promoting the Gospel of Jesus and making Him known in Guatemala.
You may ask what I will be doing when teams are not there. This year, I feel a pressing need to improve my Spanish. While I can get by most of the time, I am far from fluent. I desire to be able to convey the Gospel in Spanish as readily as I do in English.  In order for that to happen, I need to study and be in an immersive environment. I am not sure where but I will wind up but have been looking at schools in a couple of places about 2 to 3 hours’ drive away from San Lucas. I plan on attending one of them whenever scheduling allows. We will also be working on the Church building and property in San Lucas as we move toward construction of a new sanctuary to make room for the growing congregation there.
Because of the length of this trip, my expenses will obviously be considerably more this year than in previous years. This letter is not to cause anyone to feel compelled but only to inform.  I wanted to give you a breakdown of my anticipated expenses and ask you to pray about what role God is calling you to play if any. The one thing that I would ask of everybody though, is that you pray for success in work and study. I want to thank you in advance for that.
               



2015 anticipated expenses
  $1080   Spanish School $135 per week for 8 weeks                   
$1500   Airfare for 2 round trips
$  960   Living expenses for 16 weeks with teams
$  800   Living Expenses for 8 weeks of Spanish School
$2400   Living Expenses for 16 weeks with no teams
$  500   Internet
$  520   Telephone
$  365   Travel and Emergency Insurance
$  750   Personal Medical Supplies
$  550   Replacement Laptop   
Total      $9425


                This list of expenses is for basic expenses. They do not cover any extras that may arise. I have tried to be realistic but I kept my list to a minimum. I am planning on having some dental work done and would like to have transportation available. I can use the bus system but it is not always safe and the Church vehicles are not available much of the time.
                If God is putting it on your heart, you can give anytime. I am hoping to have 50% of my expenses in before I leave and the rest over the next 8 months. Please do not put my name on the check. Write Guatemala in the memo line. Monetary donations can be mailed to:

Life Church, Morris
P.O. Box 679
Morris, IL 6045

Thank you sincerely for everything

George Kresse

No comments:

Post a Comment