March Missions Madness
March 12, 2014
Hi <<First Name>>,
As someone who stands at six feet four inches, I (Shay) get asked often if I played "ball" when I was younger. Sometimes I reply, "Yes...I played soccer." But you and I both know that's not the kind of "ball" they are asking about. What they really want to know is if I played basketball. The answer is no, I didn't, however I do get excited when March Madness rolls around. Every March college basketball sweeps the nation, and not without reason. Buzzer beaters! The unlikely hero! Unbelievable upsets! You can't even turn on the news without watching some incredible play or shot that saved the game. For some fans it truly is madness, watching their brackets fall apart like a Jenga puzzle, and still for the others it's magic as they watch their favorite team make history in a sudden death playoff.
Our family has also witnessed some amazing feats the past few months. As God writes the history of our lives, we can look back on the beginning of 2014 as the time when the game changed in our lives. Here's a few game day stories from the highlights reel.
Pregame Warmups: Training in Richmond
 Thank you for praying for me as I flew to Richmond, Virginia, for training with the Josiah Venture Creative Communications team (Cteam). This was the very first time the entire team was together and partnered with another organization called Kumveka. Since Cteam is a brand new team, Kumveka is helping provide the tools we need to be as effective, clear, and unified as a team, and help JV and it's missionaries communicate as clearly and creatively as possible. What was planned to be a short, two-day trip turned out to be a couple days longer because of a major snowstorm that hit the East. Despite the delayed and cancelled flights, our team enjoyed the extra time together and the good people at Kumveka did a wonderful job hosting us. I can't wait to get over to Czech and be a part of this very important aspect of the ministry of JV.
Buzzer Beater: The 100 Club Goes Big Late in the Game
 On January 20th, we sent out a little Facebook update saying that if 100 more people gave $35 a month towards our ministry in Czech, we could depart for the field. We had no idea then what God would do, and just how amazing the response would be.
55 spots on The 100 Club were filled and in a little more than a month, our monthly support deficit was cut in half! As of today, if only 45 more people support our ministry at $35/mo we can move to Czech! Have you joined the club? Would you prayerfully consider how God would use you to partner with our family in taking the Gospel to the unreached of Central and Eastern Europe? You can join The 100 Club and our support team by clicking here (all donations are tax-deductible in the U.S.A.). Thank you for joining with us!
Substitution: Date Change
In our previous letter we asked you to pray about us arriving in Czech by the end of April. After considering the tight timeline, we have decided it is best to depart for the field in late June or early July. This will allow us to transition well from our current ministry commitments, pack our things, and say goodbye well to our church, friends, and especially our family.
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