Shoulder to Shoulder Ministries, Inc.

Motorcycle Taxis – Bangkok

We once again found Thailand to be wild, warm, wet and wonderful.  I had to laugh our first day in Bangkok.  Patty and I needed to go somewhere and it was rush hour traffic in a crazy city of 10 million plus people.  So we decided to take motor cycle taxis!  As we sat on the back of the motor cycles, swishing and swerving through unbelievable traffic, at times going the wrong direction on one way streets, I could not help but wonder “what would our mothers think?”

Deeper Still Ministries International

Deeper Still Ministries International:  We had the privilege of spending some time with a Chiangrai mission called Deeper Still Ministries International.  I had the privilege of teaching the Thai staff on finding our identity in the Lord.  It was a joy to watch the Lord impart the very necessary truth of who we are to Him.  To discover who we really are to Him, how He values us, sees us, defines us and loves us changes everything: “No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends…(John 15:15)

Timely: If there is one word that describes our time in Thailand it is most certainly the word “Timely”.  Whether it was helping a young missionary family to get some healing and direction with their marriage “at just the right time”, or helping a young pastor find balance, as he carries the weight of a heavy ministry and a young family.  Or, seemingly a chance encounter with a missionary to China, clearly on verge burnout and helping her to make good and wise decisions that will not only sustain her ministry, but her love and zeal for the Lord. We were at the right place at the right time over and over again.  Our work connected us with missions ministries involved in trafficking rescue, children who have been abused, evangelism and discipleship.  The Lord is faithful to sustain His friends.

Thank you – We want to thank you our friends and family for being an integral part of Shoulder To Shoulder Ministries.  New doors continue to open, both overseas and domestically (we’ll share more about that next month).  It is your prayers, encouragement and support that enable our work to continue and to grow.  You are indeed impacting the lives of many.  Thank you for making a difference.

Operation Mobilization Italy - Missionary Staff

Missionaries to Italy?  Really?  Italy, like much of Europe has around 1% Evangelical Christian.  Italy is home to the second largest satanic church in Europe.  Over 32,000 Italian communities have no evangelical Christian witness inviting people into a personal relationship with Christ.  Yes, missionaries in Italy!

Ray Teaching OM Staff

Patty Teaching OM ARTS Students

Beautiful and Ancient Bobbio Pellece, Home to OM Italy

We recently returned from five weeks in Italy.  We were working with the nearly 30 staff of OM Italy.  The staff was an incredibly diverse international group coming from Italy, USA, Australia, Scotland, South Africa, Canada, Germany and more.  Our month with OM was focused on pastoral care, training and staff development.  This committed group of missionaries is working in a hard in a spiritually challenging  environment. In our work in over 20 countries, we have found no rival to the oppressive spiritual atmosphere in which we found ourselves, giving us insight on how to pray for our OM friends.  The OM team is doing a very good work, but by their own description we found some feeling spiritually/emotionally depleted, running on empty and needy in a number of ways.  We thank the Lord for the open door to come along side and minister to this hard working group.  Through group teaching, small group activity and individual counseling we believe we left the team different than when we arrived. The Italian director, Eliseo Guadagno shared with us and our co-workers Luke and Dawn Mann that “the timing and the positive impact of our visit was clearly God ordained”.  We thank the Lord for His faithfulness!

John and Rita Pappa

One of the greatest joys of working in Guatemala was reconnecting with our dear friends John and Rita Pappa of Teams Commissioned For Christ International. We first met John and Rita over 30 years ago when we were brand new Christians, trying to rebuild a life together. With generous hearts they welcomed, loved, nurtured and discipled us. The Lord used this wonderful couple to lay the foundation that He has built upon all these years. As you can tell, we love the Pappa’s. They have been serving in Guatemala for the last 18 years with amazing zeal and passion. To actually work together all these years later was a blessing that words cannot capture.

Pastors and Leaders at Joyobaj

Guatemala is a beautiful yet rugged country. The crime rate causes the need for continual vigilance. John and Rita do have some stories to tell! But our work with them was far out of the City and up in the mountains. We were at elevations of around 8000 feet. The Pappa’s work with the indigenous mountain people of Mayan descent. We were invited to teach village pastors on the topic: The Father Heart of God. Due to the culture, training and a number of factors the idea of a personal, intimate and loving relationship with our Father is a very foreign thought to the pastors and village churches. The result causes a gospel that is pretty dry, heavy on legalism and with little depth or maturity. Our goal was that the pastors would not only learn something new – but experience something new! And for the pastors to take their new insights and experiences to their village churches. We believe that indeed the Lord opened a number of hearts to know and experience the Lord in a new way. The first stop was in the village of Joyobaj. We spent two days teaching 18 pastors and church leaders. The nights were spent sleeping on the church floor, there were no showers and one “toilet” for all of us. But the joy of spending time with these wonderful and humble servants far outweighed any discomfort. It was a privilege to learn from one another.

Tuk Tuk Taxi

We also ministered in Nabaj, situated in the mountains 8,200 feet above sea level. There were many similarities between these beautiful mountain people and the Hill Tribe people of Thailand. In many ways it felt familiar. As in Thailand they even use the three wheel motor cycle taxi known as Tuk Tuk’s. Also, the indigenous women wear tribal clothing and men and women sit on opposite sides of the church.

Nabaj Pastors

Pastors, representing 16 different churches attended the conference, traveling by motorcycles and buses, sometimes for hours. In the final photo you see Edgar, our amazing 14 year old translator. Edgar was a great sport and in the photo he is tied to me in a demonstration of the heart embittering effect of carrying “unforgiveness”.

The Lord genuinely blessed our time with the pastors. We believe that the Holy Spirit opened their eyes to see the Heart of the Father like never before. We also believe, because of the feedback we received, that many pastors were able to forgive those who had wounded their souls. We believe that a number were set free from bitterness that was poisoning their hearts and casting a shadow over their lives and ministry. Our hearts were deeply moved when the Presbyter, responsible for the pastors who were attending, said “what you have heard is truth, it is good, take this message to your churches!”

Breaking Free From Unforgiveness

Only the Lord knows what actually occurs in the heart of a person. We believe He was faithful to reveal Himself to the heart of His servants.

Rita and Patty with Indigenous Woman

The Italian Job Update

Ah Italy!  The very name awakens ideas of travel, wonderful food and beautiful people.  And I totally agree that Italy is a place of beauty, rich history, amazing foods and interesting people.  BUT, it is also wrapped in spiritual darkness and is a very tough mission field.

Belgium Family, Missionaries to Italy along with Luke and Dawn of ACCI

Italy is steeped in both; an often-empty traditional religion as well as the occult. Only about 0.4% to 1.2% of the population consider themselves as ‘born again’ Christians.  In addition to that, one Italian mission’s leader, with sad humor, told us “the Christian church in Italy is small and well divided!”  We are told that most missionaries do not return after their first term.  Italy has been dubbed “the missionary graveyard”.

Why so tough? First, as mentioned above, most hold to religious traditions versus a life changing personal relationship with the Lord.The need for a genuine, intimate relationship with God, that we are all born with, has been replaced by a mediocre attachment to empty rituals and traditions.

Operations Mobilization Unfinished Outreach Center

Italy is also a hot-bed for the occult and dark spiritual practices. This occurs primarily in the northern regions where we were. Added to that; the Christian church is small and divided.  Pride, jealousy and divisive factions keep the church inward, weak, ineffective and a poor representation of heart of the Savior.  This is not all churches of course, there are some wonderful churches doing a great job, but the local missionaries tell me they are few.

Patty worshiping in a cave where early Christians were martyred

I also can’t help but wonder, if another factor might be, that the missionaries in Italy and other European nations are less supported.  I heard no complaints from the missionaries by the way, but the truth is prayer support, financial support and encouraging words are often the result of hearts being touched by visual needs. Photographs of needy children and rustic villages awaken our compassion, while thoughts of European nations are less apt to do so.   Yet the heart of the Father longs to make Himself known to the hearts and souls of those who live in spiritual and relational poverty.  Something to think about, eh?

Over the mountains lies France

Those on the front line. We had the privilege of connecting with a number of missionaries and the leaders of a healthy local church.  Operations Mobilization (OM) and Adventive Cross Cultural Initiatives (ACCI) are two mission’s organizations that we connected with.  Both are doing a wonderful work in Italy.  We were able to teach, brainstorm with leaders, provide some counseling and pastoral care and get a good taste of the heart and direction of the ministry.  Both groups based in Italy are relatively small in numbers but big in heart and vision.  We are talking with both organizations about the possibility of S2S connecting with them in the area of staff training and development, pastoral care and more.  This would require more travel and ongoing periods of time in Italy.  We shall see how the Lord leads.

The French Connection

Right: Missionaries to France. Center is Pierrette, our kind host and prayer warrior

Our time in France was quick and full.  It involved ministry to the hurting, encouraging some missionaries as well as meeting some wonderful stout-hearted believers.  France is truly secular and hardened to the Gospel.  Those who share the truth there need our prayers!

A Thought about America? I could not help but wonder, as Iexperienced post-Christian Europe, if I was seeing the future of America?

A special blessing was meeting with Patty Wolf, our good friend and a fellow missionary to Thailand.

The trends and pressures of our culture seem to be driving our country in the same direction: Secular, morally bankrupt and spiritually dark and empty. I am aware of no greater time for the believers in America to lovingly let their Light shine and their Salt bring flavor.