Random thoughts...

I've been hearing a lot lately about faith. Sermons, songs, conversations. Maggie and Brittani Howell wrote a song for Amanda Smith based on Jeremiah 29:11, her life verse. Amanda is in the States renewing her visa and support. It is so exciting to hear of how God is using her, but a little bittersweet thinking, what if...We do have faith that God is in control of our lives.

Jacob will be leaving for Russia March 17th, the day after his 15th birthday. He will return March 25th. Things are a bit unstable there with the economy as it is. He may actually go into the sewers to minister to the street children who go there to keep warm. We have faith that God will keep him safe on this trip.

Emily and Ben are having a girl! We believe already that God has a plan for her life.

Curt is hoping that the foot he hurt while moshing at a youth concert will heal quickly so he can continue playing basketball. We are hearing, unexpectedly from others that he has patience and that he has the "heart of a missionary." We have faith that soon, Curt will realize this.

Treyton is growing by leaps and bounds. He really is "a big boy." We have faith that God has plans for his life. He has done such miracles for him already.

Maggie, Jacob, my mom and I will be in Brazil from July 2 through the 13th. We will be traveling with Nill and Amanda. We have faith that God will use us to meet needs.

Jacob's update

Dear friends and family,

I want to give you an update on the two mission trips I hope to go on this year.

In March I am planning on going to Russia with some men from my church. It looks like we might leave on my birthday, March 16th. We plan on flying into Moscow and then taking a train to Perm. I will need heavy winter clothes for this trip! We will minister in orphanages and take health care packages.

Also in July my family and I are planning on going to Brazil. Missionary Amanda Smith is back in the country working on renewing her visa and raising support. We are talking with her about ways to lower the coast of this trip. This trip will require summer clothes! We will minister on the river.

So far I have raised about $300 of the $3,000 (estimate) that I need. Please pray for me as I raise support. I am willing to do odd jobs (pet care, snow removal, minor repairs, lawn care as the weather improves, etc) to earn the money.

If you have information on work, fund raisers, or would like to contribute, please contact me at fields.jody@gmail.com, or 765-242-2684.


Serving Him,
Jacob Fields

update and thanks

This is to update and thank everyone!!
The concert/coffee house to raise money for the summer missions trip went off very well. Over $500 was raised. This will be split among the 5 team members who worked. Many thanks to Rock Cry, Sense of Reverence, the McMains, Tim Thomas, Don Fields and anyone else who helped. Maggie stepped up to handle the details since I wasn't able to help.

I wasn't able to help because I really didn't have a good week! On Sunday I went to the emergency room, and on Monday I had surgery to repair and incisional hernia. My intestines were looped through the hernia. On Wednesday I came home for a few hours, had some complications and then went back to the hospital. I finally came home on Friday. Praise God things are feeling much better now. I get my staples out Thursday. Thanks to everyone who has prayed,called, sent cards, brought food, etc. We've been well taken care off!!!

Concert/coffee house

Happy New Year!
Sense of Reverence will be doing a concert Friday, Jan. 9th at 8PM in the youth house at Faith Family Ministries. Rock Cry will be opening for them. Tickets are $5. A coffee shop will also be open. All proceeds go the the July 2009 South America mission trip. Hope to see you there!!

Fundraiser

Dear Friend of LOVEM Ministries CASA1631:

I am writing to let you know about a very important and exciting funding partnership opportunity for LOVEM Ministries CASA1631 . We have joined Preferred Toner Solutions, LLC in a long-term funding program.

For every PrecisePrint™ laser cartridge purchased by our referral network, Preferred Toner Solutions will make a donation of $10 to LOVEM Ministries CASA1631. And not just for this year, but for the life of the account!

Plus, you or your company will save 30%-50% off name-brand retail prices when you make the switch to PrecisePrint. Shipping is FREE.

Currently, PrecisePrint laser compatibles are being used by clients like University of Michigan Hospital, Ohio State University, Michigan State University, SoftPro (Raleigh, NC), Dodge City Public Schools (KS), plus hundreds of law firms, school districts, hospitals, colleges, banks, automobile dealerships, and corporate offices across the country.

Please visit www.TonerFundraisers.org or call 734-751-4180 to find product information, company credentials, and discounted pricing.

Thank you for considering this business opportunity. You or your company can save money, and LOVEM Ministries CASA1631 will receive $10 per cartridge that you purchase.

Sincerely,

Don and Jody Fields



PLANNING TO GO, WILLING TO STAY!

Forgot to post before Christmas...

Merry Christmas to you all! Jesus is the reason for the season.

We just want to thank you all, and give some updates. You are such an encouragement to us. Prayers, donations, emails...thank you. Never has anyone questioned whether we have made a mistake in our plans to go to Brazil. "In God's timing." There's always a reason." "Maybe you were just to be obedient no matter what." These are the things we hear. One day we'll know, right!!! I think of Jan and Scotty who tried for quite a while before they were able to go to Brazil permanently,and then they went as retirees. We also just heard from someone whose work visas were just authorized after 3 years! As my signature says, we are "planning to go, willing to stay."

In the meantime your support has made it possible for us to minister, literally to the ends of the earth. We would like to share what you have (whether you know it or not!) been involved in. In 2008 we personally have been to Brazil and Mexico on short term trips. That is possible because tourist visas are different than the volunteer visas we need to live in Brazil. We have helped with a mission camp-both with our time and by making it possible financially for others to attend. We have provided new believers with Bibles. Money was sent to help missionaries in Brazil. We helped send missionaries to Europe, and the Middle East. We helped a small church put on a VBS. We have given English lessons to Hispanics. All of these things were possible because of your prayers, encouragement and financial support. Praise God.

Our family has had quite a year. We have experienced many things for the first time. Some have been wonderful. Some, I hope we never experience again. Through it all, God has been faithful. He has been us through it all. More training for the ministry? Don has a job he enjoys. Jody is still translating. Maggie (20) is almost done with her associates degree and is considering working in a children's home. Emily (19) has a new husband, Ben Houser, and they will be having our first grandchild in June. Jacob (14) is interested in cars, a Mustang in particular. Curt (13) is still sports crazy. Treyton (4) is attending the developmental preschool 3 mornings a week and can't wait for Santa to bring him a big, red fire truck. We just had to say goodbye to Renan, our exchange student who was with us for 6 1/2 months. While I look out the window at the snow, he is in Brazil, in the 90 degree heat!

We're looking forward to what God has in store for us in 2009. We would like you to pray about a trip we are planning to Brazil in July. We hope to take a group ( 4 youth and 4 adults) on a river trip, working with missionaries Amanda Smith and Jan and Paul Scott. Prices for everything have gone up so much. We are praying and know that if God wants us to go on this trip, he will provide all we need. If he doesn't, we, as a group, are open to ministering in another area.

Have a blessed Christmas!

Emily and Ben's Wedding

Wedding arrangements...

Dear Friends and Family,
I plan on starting calls tomorrow, but I hope this will help keep everyone informed. Ben and Emily's wedding will now take place in the fellowship hall of Faith Family Ministries, 508 W. Green Street, Frankfort. They decided the weather wouldn't make it very enjoyable! That's 6 PM Thursday the 13th.

Last call...

for the Brazil trip applications. If you have plans to go, I need the application by Wednesday.

Invitation

Our daughter, Emily, is getting married November 13. All friends and family are welcome. You can find out the details, and RSVPif you would like to attend at http://cs02.ewedding.com/v30/main.php?a=emiben08.

Romans 8:28

Wow! Pastor Russ's message today was just for us. Oh, I know it wasn't really, but it could have been. The message was "Everything Will Work Out"...the way God wants it to , ultimately, for my good.

I have to believe that God's Word is for me personally, if I am a believer. I may not always like how things are working out, but I have to receive God's working for me. Behind every promise of God there is the providence of God. things are all sifted through His fingers,for our good. And in the end, I will achieve God's will for my life...because it's for His purpose. God is more interested in my character than in changing my circumstances.

Pastor Russ says sometimes it seems like the wheels are falling off, the engines not running, etc. We might have a bad day, a bad month, or even a bad year. But in the end, it is for our good. I have to say that if I look at things through fleshly eyes, we've had a bad year. We are not (obviously) in Brazil, and don't know why. We've moved several times, Don has changed jobs 3, or is it 4 times? We've seen our children struggle. But through spiritual eyes, I see that God has met all of our needs, given us many opportunities to minister in spite of what we've gone through, and I've seen growth in our family that will only benefit us later.

We still hope to go to Brazil when God releases us. Until then, we will trust that He is making us into His image, and believe that He will meet our needs.

We are still planning a short term trip July 2009. I can email applications if you are interested, but I need to know in a week or 2.



New house

Ministry Opportunity

Matthew 10:27 says, "What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the housetops." If you are interested in ministering in Brazil this summer, you're invited to a meeting October 12, either at 12:15 in the left balcony room of Faith Family Ministries, or at 4:15 at 1355 Burlington Ave. Email fields.jody@gmail.com or call 242-2684, for more information.

August Newsletter

I apologize if the pictures and captions are a little off center. I had trouble placing them.

“A man’s heart plans his ways, but the Lord directs his steps.” Proverbs 16:9

How true we are finding these words to be. We’ve shared before from Elisabeth Elliot’s writings on a quiet heart. She spoke of how Jesus was peaceful in the boat, crossing the water in a storm because he knew they were going to make it to the other side. The disciples panicked because they forgot that Jesus had told them that they were going to the other side. He didn’t say they were going to the middle to drown. Wow!! We thought we understood that when we began this journey, but our understanding now is so different.

We got to speak to a pastor friend today who reminded us that we go through things so that when we are teaching we won’t be doing it in theory. We will really be able to say we’ve learned to be content in any situation, that we know what it is to wait upon the Lord. Our hearts want to be in Brazil now. We still believe that desire to be from God. But His plans aren’t for us to be there yet.

Our message at church today was about running the race with perseverance. We were chosen to run this race. It is a contest and a conflict (internal). It is our unique race, and there are no timeouts. It is full of obstacles, and to run it to win requires great endurance. Thanks for the reminder, Lord!

We want to serve Him however he wants us to, and walk through doors, as he opens them. We don’t want to get ahead, and try to force things.

As for day to day life, Don is doing maintenance at Turtle Creek Apartments, Jody is interpreting for the hospital, and they both do youth, and serve on the mission team at Faith. Maggie is finishing her associates’ degree at Taylor, doing a paper route, and serving the youth and kids at Faith. Emily is working at NHK and starting classes at Ivy Tech. Jacob is a freshman through Penn Foster, while Curt has started 7th grade at Clinton Central. Treyton will attend developmental preschool at Southside.



Renan at mission camp

This has been a summer of opportunities. We have been blessed to be able to be the hands and feet of Jesus in many different ways.
We began in late May by picking up our exchange student, Renan Carneiro. He will be with us until December, and plays soccer for Frankfort. He fits right in with our family-poor guy!!

Maggie and Jacob were able to get tourist visas to Brazil. They went with Truth Project on a two week trip to the Amazon region. They were able to help minister in Santarem, Obidos and villages along the river. They got to work with our good friends Scotty and Amanda. A pastor in Obidos told Maggie that he’d had a dream,and in it we were in Brazil with them.



Jacob, Maggie and Brazilian friends

Immediately following this trip, Jody, Maggie, Renan, Jacob, and Curt spent a week participating in a mission camp. We stayed at Crown of Thorns Christian Camp. We traveled to Indy every day to do VBS type program at the Edna Martin Christian Center. Youth were also pulled out to go serve meals at the Wheeler Mission, paint and repair an elderly lady’s house, and paint cabinets at the Center. Every evening we would return to camp to find out what country would be featured. We ate food typical of the country, and heard from missionaries who served there. We also had wonderful special music!


Curt at the Edna Martin Christian Center


Jody with a Mexican cutie

We left this camp one day early so that Jody, Maggie and Jacob could fly out to Mexico with a group from our church and Volunteers of Hope. This was a very different experience for us, as we served in a border town, Miguel Aleman, which was full of drug lords. We, in one week, built two houses, worked on the church and dorm, did 2 days VBS, visited the prison, distributed food and hygiene kits, just to name a few things!

It doesn’t stop yet. We arrived home on a Saturday, and one week later we helped a local church put on a VBS. They had contacted us early in the spring and said they’d like to do a VBS, but didn’t have the resources or the manpower. We joined with them to plan, and rounded up volunteers from Faith and then went to work.


Don and Renan at VBS


VBS fun

We praise God for providing us with the opportunities, resources and strength for this ministry marathon! A taste of what fulltime ministry is like?


Future Opportunities
We’d like to share with you several ways you can get involved. First and foremost, you can pray. We know you have been praying. We can see the results. Some current requests are:
• Opportunities to minister locally
• Guidance and strength for our family. Planning, preparing, and then waiting (three years total now) is stressful for adults, but especially for teens and children. God is seeing us through it, but it is not easy.
Second, you can contribute financially. Third, you can join us in traveling to Brazil, or in ministering locally. Right now we are planning a trip to Brazil, hopefully in July of 2009. We will have an organizational meeting in late September.

Please contact us if you feel led to go, or if you know of any local needs we can help meet.

This could be you on a boat on the Amazon! If only it were all this easy!







Emily and Treyton enjoy the summer


On the Move Again
While we love the house we are renting, it is for sale. If it should sell, it would be difficult to locate another rental for a family of our size, on short notice. For this reason, when we were made aware of a suitable house that will soon be available to rent, we decided to move.

If you would like to help, we will be cleaning and painting the new house beginning September 3rd. We hope to move things on the 6th and then will need to clean the house we are in now.

We are also looking to purchase some used items:
• 2 dressers
• 4 desks
• Washer and dryer
• Refrigerator
• 2 BMX bikes (the boys’ were stolen)
Our new contact info, as of September 3rd, will be 1355 Burlington Avenue, Frankfort, IN 46041. Jody’s cell phone number is 765-242-2684, and Don’s is 765-242-3729. Our email is still fields.jody@gmail.com, and the blog is www.casa1631.blogspot.com.

Here we go again...

Wow, are we busy! Praise the Lord! Brazil went well, with people accepting the Lord, Maggie being locked in a bathroom for 2 hours ...We spent the last week at mission camp with some wild and crazy youth, most of whom had never been to church camp, let alone do mission work. We traveled to the Edna Martin Christina Center for a little inner city ministry, with side trips to the Wheeler mission, and to paint and repair an elderly lady's house. With Christ's strength, everyone rose to the occasion! We leave in the morning for Mexico! When we return, the fair begins, and then we have the VBS with Harmony Baptist.

As soon as that is over, we will try to get out a newsletter with details and pictures! Have a wonderful 4th!

Truth Project update

If you haven't checked out the truth project blog, you should. Here's how the latest entry starts out:
6/19
Second day in Obidos John and Junior crossed the Amazon in a Kayak this morning. We continue to see dolphins everywhere we go. We visited 4 churches and put on another Vacation Bible School. It started out looking like rain and 6 kids arrived God broke the clouds and we sent the six out to bring their friends and ended up with 35. Also had a soccer clinic in a well to do school.
http://truthprojectmissions.blogspot.com/

Jacob Fields mistaken for Harry Potter?

I just got an email from Maggie. The team is in Santarem, staying in a hotel, and she says she misses the boat. She said in Obidos, when 1 of the pastors and his wife realized who she was, they came back with and interpreter, hugging her and crying. She said the pastor said to tell us he had a dream, and in it we were there in Brazil with them. :) I found out they have a blog they have been updating: www.truthprojectmissions.blogspot.com. You can look for yourself, but I will tell you on the 17th it says that Jacob Fields was mistaken for Harry Potter. I've never seen the movies, or read the books, but I have to admit that's pretty funny!

Hope you've had a great Lord's day!

Amazon trip update

I haven't heard too much. I got a text, Jacob said they were having fun. Maggie said all was going well, Obidos (where we hope to go) was amazing and the pastors sent their love. Nill (from Brazil) emailed and said that he had talked to Scotty(missionary there) and they were going to Belterra today. That is a day trip from Santarem, where Amanda and Jan and Scotty live. That means they are off the river, and ministering in the city.

Brazil trip up dates

One of the men on the trip with Maggie and Jacob has a way to text messages to an email for parents. I will post them as I get them.

Its 1300 on sunday, we just had lunch, and we're cruising up the tapajos river....

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." Isaiah 30:21

Where do I begin? Today has been busy. Among other things, Maggie and Jacob left for Brazil. As I write, they are in the air, between Miami, and Manaus. I must say, I have mixed emotions. I am so happy that they are going. What an opportunity for them both. They will be ministering in different villages on the Amazon River, and then in Santarem, where Amanda and Jan and Scotty are. They will spend 2 days in Obidos, our "home." How exciting and wonderful. I also feel a loss. I wish it were our family making our move. I wish I could be with Maggie as she returns after 4 years. I wish I could be with Jacob on his first flight, boat trip, visit to a foreign country, mission trip, etc. I wish I could hug our friends in Obidos.

Emily drove them to the airport this morning. Don was here with Treyton, Renan and Curt. I had to be at the church early to go for our training for our Mexico trip. I sat in a really big chair. : ) (1st picture) We unloaded cinder blocks, mixed mortar (2nd picture)and practiced building a wall (3rd picture). When we go (Jacob, Maggie and I, July 5-12) we will build 2 houses, roof a church, do 3 days of VBS, door to door evangelism, and take medical supplies to a clinic. I'm so excited to go. I will get to interpret also. If you would like to "buy a block" (help with construction supplies) please contact me.

June 29 through July 5 we will be helping with a mission camp. Several local churches have planned it. Youth will be staying a Crown of Thorns camp and traveling to Indy every day to do VBS at one shelter, and serve meals at another. When we return in the evening, we will get to hear missionaries from all over the world speak, and there will be bands playing later. The cost is only $25! If you have a middle school/high school student who would like to attend, or would like to help in some way, contact me soon.

On July 19th we will be helping Harmony Baptist do a 1 day VBS sports camp. It will be from 10am-3pm, with lunch served. If you have a student, 1st-5th grade who would like to attend, or are interested in helping, again contact me.

We are going to be working with Truth Project, and Faith Family Ministries mission team in July and August on some more events. We will keep you informed!!!

It's exciting the doors God is opening for us. He isn't done with us just because we aren't in Brazil. That is good to know!!

You can email me at fields.jody@gmail.com, or call 765-242-2684.

Happy Fathers Day to you dads!!!

Prayers and praises, needs, silly and serious!

Dear family and friends,
Just wanted to update you on a few things.
I called the consulate as instructed, and got the voice mail again. I've left 2 messages and no one has called me back. Maggie did get her tourist visa, and will be able to go for 2 weeks in June.

We will be having a Brazilian exchange student stay with us this summer. His name is Renan. He's 17, and plays soccer. We pick him up from the airport on the 27th.

We do have a VBS we will be doing for Harmony Baptist Church in July.

Jacob is showing a llama named Poppins in 4-H. He needs to be tamed. Treyton's newest favorite is a View Master he got for his 4th birthday. Maggie and Emily will be sharing a room again when Renan moves in. It will be interesting since they have opposite schedules. (Emily works 2nd shift) Curt had a cool thing happen the other night. Long story short, the guy in charge of the umpires for Frankfort Little League had Curt ump with him 2 games. One on the field, and one behind the plate. He was teaching him the whole time. Then the umpire really praised him, said he was a natural, and that he could train him to be a National ump. He got our number so Curt could work with him this summer. Paid him too. This could develop into a career for him that he will really enjoy.

The house we are living in is for sale again. We'd love to stay here for as long as we are in the States, but don't want to buy. If it sales, we will be given a notice and look for somewhere else. If anyone knows of a rental that is suitable for a family of 7, with a limited budget, please let us know.

We have tried so hard not to buy furniture, in case we leave. We've gradually acquired a few things. We really need to get a few more, especially with Renan coming. If you have any of the following you could spare, we'd prefer to buy used. Here's the list:
3 dressers
2 desks
youth bed
2 bookshelves
toybox
mower
bicycle for a 17 year old
dining room table and chairs

Praise God for the rain and warmer weather!!!