Support Letter

Dear Family and Friends,

If, at this time two years ago someone would have told us where we would be in 2012 and how God would reveal Himself to us, we would have scarcely believed it. Ours is a story of God recapturing our hearts with relentless and reckless love. It is far too long to recount here, and too wonderful to edit. We love telling it, so if you are interested in hearing it, ask us sometime. The short of it is this: we have fallen in love with Jesus, and He is changing our hearts. He made us uncomfortable in our comfort, discontent in our ease, and terribly aware of our lack of sacrifice. We realized that our lives did not reflect the gravity of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, and that this sacrifice ought to compel us to action – action driven not only by obedience, but by the abundant joy found in resting in God’s Will. To borrow Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s words, “Once a man has experienced the mercy of God in his life he will henceforth aspire only to serve”. We are utterly and irrevocably convinced that a life not devoted to Christ is not worth living; and it is our joyful burden to use our passions, our talents, and our lives to pursue this great God, and to bring as many along with us on this journey as we can.

For us, this desire to serve our Lord has specifically led us to pursue overseas missions. We are planning to move to Indonesia in partnership with Wycliffe Associates (WA), to serve at Hillcrest International School. This is a school for kids of missionaries. Hillcrest provides the educational needs of the many families who are serving in Indonesia as Bible translators, church planters, and aviation missionaries. Without this school, many of these families would not be able to continue their ministries. In fact, worldwide, one of the primary reasons missionaries leave the mission field is lack of sufficient education for their children. We have this opportunity to meet this need. By providing schooling and healthcare for these families, we can support the Gospel reaching the lost. If we go, I will be working in their health clinic providing medical care to students, faculty and families. Because of my medical background, they have also asked me to teach Health & Nutrition and Anatomy & Physiology in the high school. With the arrival of our daughter, Elsie, Michelle wants to focus her energy on being a wife and new mom, but also plans to fill in as needs arise in the clinic as well as the classroom. Teaching and discipling have been a growing passion of ours. This excitement leads to the second reason we want to go: building relationships with these students. Missionary kids are an often forgotten culture, stuck in between two worlds. Some of these kids are separated from their families for months at a time when they are at school as their parents are serving in distant jungles and far-flung islands. Again, there is opportunity here; opportunity to love and invest in these kids. Coming from a “ministry family” myself, I know there can be unfair expectations, whether real or perceived, that these kids feel obligated to live up to. Our hearts have grown soft for these kids; we desire to see them know Jesus for themselves and to serve Him out of their own desires. Working in the high school ministry at our church has solidified our love for this age group. We have come to love watching kids make their faith their own, as well as deepen their understanding of God.     

This job, however, is not a paid position. WA has determined our cost of living to be about $2966/month, with a one-time expense of $2700 plus travel. We would like to be down there by August 2012, for the new school year, but we will be unable to go until we have reached our support goal. We are asking you to be partners in ministry with us – committing your time, prayers and finances to join what God is doing in our world. Any involvement is valuable and appreciated. Prayer is the most important thing that we covet of you. These two years will be impossible and unfruitful for us if God’s sovereignty is not depended upon daily. Would you please consider committing to pray for us as we prepare to leave, and once we are over there? If you are feeling led to be involved in this ministry financially, we have a ministry account with WA and there is a form included with instructions on how to give. It will be our privilege to keep you informed and included in how God is at work in Indonesia and our own lives. We are excited to embark on the adventure God has set before us and witness the furtherance of His Kingdom.
 

- Ben and Michelle Ferderer

 “I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:20-21)