Stoesz Ministry Update Stopping to hear from God or hearing God along the way by Darwin Stoesz

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1 Crosspoint Secretary From: Darwin & Karen Stoesz on behalf of Darwin & Karen Stoesz Sent: Thursday, February 08, :16 PM To: Crosspoint Secretary Subject: Stoesz Update An update from Darwin & Karen Stoesz (Pronounced Stace like Face ) Missionaries in Tokyo, Japan with SEND International Thursday, February 8, 2018 View this in your browser Stoesz Ministry Update Stopping to hear from God or hearing God along the way by Darwin Stoesz I went to Oklahoma to visit friends and family that have supported our ministry in Japan for many years. I left Owasso, Oklahoma around 8 a.m. and I wanted to get some coffee so I turned right on Hwy 75 towards Bartlesville Oklahoma. I thought I would find a restaurant somewhere before Bartlesville, but I didn t find anything till I found the Bartlesville Chick Fil A which was recently opened at 602 SE Washington Boulevard. I stopped and got my small black coffee, chick-n-minis, and hash browns as this was the waitresses recommendation. I was disappointed with the quantity of the food, but not the quality of the food. After breakfast I realized that my wife wasn t expecting me home right away and that if I wanted to stop I had time to stop and see things along the way. I was reminded of my friend, Jon Winter, in Japan who often reminded me that it was important that I take time to take care of myself. I took his advice and I took the scenic route home instead 1

2 of the fastest way home. I said to myself if I feel compelled to stop anywhere I would just do it. I drove through some amazing small towns, saw a lot of cattle, saw mostly dry grass. There are towns called Niotaze, Peru, Sedan, Howard, and Leon. I was amazed by the beauty of the Flint Hills, which is basically wide-open space. I told God please guide me to where you want me to go. I was driving through Sedan, Kansas and I saw a sign that said, Visit the Hollow Park with an arrow. I took that as a sign that I should visit the Hollow Park. It was a small quaint park with an elaborate wooden walkway to a small pond with a lot of trash in the water. I said to myself, Someone a long time ago spent a lot of time and money on this park. I didn t find anything especially meaningful for me personally, so I decided to keep going down the road. After I went through Sedan and I was back out in the country I saw a sign for the Flint Hills Christian Camp which was next to the Sedan City Old Lake. Flint Hills Christian Camp was abandoned this time of year. There was a small lake, an empty swimming pool, boarded up buildings, and a nice shelter house overlooking the lake. I thought of all the memories for campers that this place must provide. I didn t find anything especially meaningful for me personally, so I decided to keep going down the road. I then saw a sign for the Ames Chapel cemetery and the sign said that the church had been torn down years ago. I was curious, I drove down a road called Angus road and quickly found the cemetery. I got out of my car and I said to God, I wonder why you had me stop here. I looked around at some old graves of people who lived over 100 years ago and wondered what happened to these people? I didn t find anything especially meaningful for me personally, so I decided to keep going down the road. I then found an Oklahoma Gospel Station Network radio station at on the FM dial and a song came on called Four Days Late. I had never heard this song 2

3 before. The song says, When He is four days late and all hope is gone. Lord we don t understand why you waited so long. But His way is God s ways, not yours or mine, and isn t it great when He s four days late and he s still on time. A sample of the song can be found here: I was thinking of all the support we needed to raise to return to Japan and I was reminded that God is always faithful, and He is never late. We have seen God provide in the past and we have never arrived in Japan late on God s timetable. I had found something meaningful for me not stopping somewhere but going. God was going to speak to me not in a Hollow Park, not at the Flint Hills Christian Camp, not at the Ames Chapel cemetery but rather as I went to my destination. I needed to keep going down the road for God to speak to me. Sometimes the stops along the way are where God speaks, but on this trip, God was going to speak to me while I was in motion through a song on the radio to speak to me. God sometimes speaks in a whisper, sometimes in lightning, sometimes in a song but He will never do or say anything that is in conflict from the inerrant Word of God. I then kept driving and soon I was on Hwy 400 getting closer to Wichita and I scanned the radio station as stations kept fading away and I then heard an old Chicago song from the 80 s and I realized how great this song used to be, but how it was no longer that meaningful to me. I didn t find anything especially meaning for me personally, so I changed channels. I then called my wife and made plans to meet my wife for lunch in Wichita and I realized how getting back to my wife of 19 years was a great thing and I looked forward to spending time with her as I drove through towns like Augusta and Andover. I then heard from my wife about her time with the girls and I was happy to be home again. I heard her say, We missed you and she may have said other words, but I only remember those three words the most. I was home. 3

4 Financial Update We currently have 92.64% of our monthly required support. We are thankful for 123 individuals and 9 churches that support us through SEND International so faithfully. An average individual supporter by faith is giving about $65 a month, while our average church is giving about $270 a month. 1% of our monthly required support is about $110 a month. Who will fill this gap? We know that God will fill this void as we know that God is trustworthy. One of our responsibilities during home service is to get 100% of our monthly financial support. It is only through these monthly gifts that we can stay in Japan. It is completely based on faith. We rely 100% on God to provide. We have seen God work in wonderful ways in the past and we rely on that faith for the future. For the past six months we have been in touch with our supporters and we still have more to visit. If you still desire to meet us and we haven t scheduled a visit, please let us know by ing us at dkstoesz@send.org. We are still in need of financial partners in our ministry. If you feel God is leading you to partner with SEND International in proclaiming the Gospel in Japan please find below the form that makes it easy to do so. If you have been partnering with us for many years and you can increase your financial gift even a little this helps us to return to Japan with 100% support. Prayer / Travel Schedule Our tentative schedule so far is as follows. Of course, all dates are subject to change. February February February 25 Meade, KS Emmanuel Mennonite Church Lincoln, NE Heartland Bible Church Brandon, SD Brandon Valley Bible Church 4

5 Feb. 25 Mar 3 Wolsey and Freeman, South Dakota and Mountain Lake Minnesota visits March 4 Mountain Lake, MN Cornerstone Bible Church March 5 Darwin begins class called Team Leader as Supervisor through SEND U March 11 Seven-year anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake March 14 Whitewater Kansas Whitewater Community Church AWANA Presentation March Omaha, NE Crosspoint Church April 7-8 Hugoton, Kansas Trinity Baptist Church April Mahoney State Park, NE Presentation May 17 Trinity Academy Last day of school June 3 Whitewater Kansas Whitewater Community Church Commissioning / Sending service June Departure for Japan Pray that we would have safety and energy for these important visits and others. Please pray: Praise for continued good health and energy as we adjust to life here in USA. Pray that Anna (9th Grade) and Clara (4th Grade) would find joy in their current school, Trinity Academy. Pray that we would be able to meet all the requirements needed for our return to Japan by June 2018 Pray that the needed financial partners to get to 100% support. Pray that our family would find the needed time together among a busy travelling schedule. Pray that Tsuneizumi-san and Yuko-san to put their faith in Christ. Thank you for your continued partnership in our ministry. Sincerely, 5

6 Darwin & Karen & Anna (14) & Clara (10) Stoesz Our contact information is: Darwin & Karen Stoesz 934 S Romney Ter Wichita, KS dkstoesz@send.org 6

7 Darwin in the Flint Hills in Kansas 7

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9 A cemetery in the Flint Hills in Kansas RESPONSE TO THE MINISTRY OF DARWIN & KAREN STOESZ Yes, I d like to partner with Darwin & Karen Stoesz. I feel God is leading me to support the SEND ministry of Darwin & Karen Stoesz in Japan as marked below: Prayer Partner ongoing prayer support Financial Partner I d like to partner with you by giving: New or Increase to amount below $150 $75 $35 $ Monthly Quarterly Annually to begin on, 20. By e-check send.org/stoesz By credit card send.org/stoesz By check payable to SEND International.* By Bill-Pay through my bank.* *Indicate on separate note: this is for Enclosed is a special one-time contribution of $ for expenses/project acct. Name Address City, State, Zip Phone Number 9

10 address Missionary Number: Facebook Website Copyright 2018 SEND International, All rights reserved. We are wanting to send out periodic updates on our ministry here in Japan with SEND International. We want to keep this list as current and accurate as possible. We also do not want to overburden you with s that you do not want to read. Contributions are solicited with the understanding that the donee organization has complete discretion and control over the use of all donated funds. SEND International Mission Statement: To mobilize God s people and engage the unreached in order to establish reproducing churches. Our mailing address is: SEND International 934 S Romney Ter Wichita, KS Add us to your address book Please send donations to: SEND International PO Box 513 Farmington, MI Acct. # unsubscribe from this list update subscription preferences 10