US Government pays for mission work in Ethiopia!

Last Friday night's Movies in the Park (see www.MoviesInTheParkHarrisburg.com) was incredible. We simply created a perfect night for families in Harrisburg (1500-2000 people) to enjoy some great time together. Family after family thanked me for putting on an incredible event. The most impressive part to everyone by far was simply the friendliness of the volunteers. I also spoke with a couple of families on Sunday morning who came to UCF for the first time because they were at the movie on Friday. People simply want to be a part of a place that loves like you guys love. You all are awesome and I love being a part of leading such a loving group of people. The next movie is May 30th so make you plans.

I know many of you are receiving your "tax rebates" soon. Last week I proposed a plan for all of us who call UCF "my church" to give a portion of those rebates to Mike and Amy Rodgers support. My proposal was for each family to give $210, the amount that the Rodgers family needs for one day in Ethiopia. If we do this it will be the US governments way of sharing the love of God with kids in Ethiopia, kind of a cool way to think about it... but you are the key link. This plan grew even more urgent with an email I received this week from Amy Rodgers. Here is the email...

We are so grateful to be able to serve the Lord here in Ethiopia with Sports Friends and SIM and appreciate the sacrifices that so many of our friends have made to make this ministry possible. This has been a truly amazing year. In the next few weeks we will graduate from Amharic language school, pack up our family, and move to Camp Langano. We will be there ready to run six weeks of camping sessions that will be held between July 7 and August 15. In order to ease the transition for us when we arrived in Addis Ababa, SIM provided a furnished home to us during language school. Now that we are going out to do the ministry God called us to we are responsible for raising funds for some one-time ministry expenses to help get us established at Camp Langano. We will need to purchase the following items:
-Electric refrigerator $ 800
-Butane Freezer $ 500
-Butane Stove $ 800
-Generator, inverter and batteries $4,200
-Ceramic Water Filters $ 900
-Furniture $3,000

TOTAL $10,200
Mike and Amy Rodgers

If just 50 families at UCF decided to give $210 of their tax rebate we could meet this entire need. In praying through this, God may lead some of you to pay for some of these item entirely. I look forward to seeing how God uses us to make sure His work continues 365 days a year in Ethiopia. Let's make it happen. Write a check and put "Rodgers Tax Rebate" in the memo line so we know what it is for. Mike and Amy also need some more long term financial partners who will support them annually by paying for one or more days a year. At this point I believe that we need to cover about 15 more days to meet our support goal.

I will see you Sunday and out at the Lowe's Motor Speedway Workshop next week!


Love Loud... Risk Often,
David