Dear Friends and Family,
Greetings from Arizona from all the Hastings! Today marks 3 weeks that we have been here and to answer a question that so many have asked - yes, we are settling in well. In case you were unaware, we drove here from New Hampshire during the second half of June. It was a great time of seeing new places as well as visiting friends and supporters.
First, our family:
We (Bob, Robin, Bethany and Melody) are living in a rented furnished condominium here in Scottsdale. This worked out best for us to start our new lives here and so far has been great. The condo is small (900 sq.ft.) but has everything we need. Robin and the girls have been getting us settled and finding their way around Scottsdale. Our boxes of personal items (and Mel's piano) arrived from Guatemala so they will be going through those in the coming week. We're still waiting for a few things from New Hampshire to complete our move but they will be along shortly. The girls have babysat some already and have made a few friends as well. Bethany is enrolled at Pinnacle High School and she and Robin have visited there with some new friends. She'll start the 3rd week of August. Melody will return to Moody Bible Institute in Chicago as a sophomore just a few days later.
The weather is interesting...very hot. Every day has been over 100 degrees so far. Someone told me that it was 116 yesterday, and it only got down to the high 90's last night. There is, however, very low humidity and this makes the high temps much easier to bear. The seasonal rains/monsoons are supposed to start soon, we're looking forward to that.
Family prayer requests:
- praise the Lord that we are here!...and that most of our things are here...and that He has provided for us in so many ways
- please pray for Bethany as she prepares to attend a public high school. This will be a very different experience for her, please pray that she will be a light for Christ
- please pray for Mel as she prepares to head back to Moody Bible Institute to continue her studies in Music and Bible
- please pray for all of us as we settle into a new life in a new place
Ministry/Mission ONE:
As most of you know, Bob is serving as VP of Operations for Mission ONE. In his new role, he is responsible for overseeing all administrative areas for Mission ONE here in the US and also will be involved with relationships with Mission ONE's overseas partners. What a privilege it is to help and serve in this organization. Along with getting to know the staff here, Bob has had the opportunity to talk with a few partners already, specifically in Pakistan and Lebanon. We thought it would be a good idea to share about one partner organization each time we write to help you have a better idea of who Mission ONE works with.
Profile #1 - RPCP Pakistan (Reformed Presbyterian Church of Pakistan) Team Leader - Inayat Masih Bhatti.
This organization, led by Brother Bhatti, exists in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. (there are less than 1% Christians in Pakistan). Brother Bhatti is the leader and teacher of a group of about 45 pastors throughout Pakistan who serve in evangelism and church-planting ministries. Most of these men and their families live in poverty and under oppression due to Muslim attitudes toward Christians. In 2002, Brother Bhatti's wife, Martha, was killed in their home by Muslim extremists. Through this and many other hardships and trials, Brother Bhatti and this team persevere in God's work. He is a remarkeable man of 80 years who continues to live and serve in and by God's grace. Through supporters like you, Mission ONE provides continuous prayer and financial support to RPCP and 16 other partners like them. You can read more about RPCP and Mission ONE's partner relationships by visiting our website and clicking on the "partnership with nationals" tab. Please pray for Pakistan.
Ministry prayer requests:
- please pray for RPCP of Pakistan, Brother Bhatti (pronounced bah-tee), and the team of pastors that serve in Pakistan through this ministry. Please pray for their provision, their protection and for God to use them for His glory.
- please pray for Bob Schindler and Werner Mischke as they continue to lead Mission ONE, that God would give them wisdom and vision for the ministry
- please pray for God to use Mission ONE's newest training resource, The Beauty of Partnership, a Study Guide for those who want to learn more about building healthy, God-honoring cross cultural partnerships. Click here if you are interested in learning more.
- please pray for Bob as he serves at Mission ONE, that he would learn quickly and become an effective part of the Mission ONE team.
Thank you all for your interest in our family and the ministry that God has placed us in. We are blessed to have all of you in our lives.
For God's glory,
The Hastings Family
Driving to Arizona
Hi Friends,
Last weekend we left New Hampshire (Bob, Robin, Melody & Bethany). We had decided to drive to Arizona and so far it has been a great trip. Our friends the Camillieri's followed us to Washington DC and we spent a few days there with all our kids seeing the sights. We spent two days in DC itself and got a good glimpse of the museums, memorials, government buildings, etc. So much to see and learn.
Now we are in Tennessee. We spent yesterday saying goodbye to our friends and former co-workers at AMG's central office in Chattanooga. We spent the afternoon and evening with the Ragan family and enjoyed catching up and visiting. Today we will move just a short distance south to Georgia and will spend the day tomorrow worshiping and sharing at Poplar Springs Baptist Church.
States so far? New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, DC, Tennessee...and Georgia later today.
We appreciate your prayers for our travels. Monday we leave for Arkansas where we'll spend a few days with our friends and former co-workers in Guatemala, the Hodges family. We haven't seen them in a year so we're looking forward to this time.
Please pray for a team from Mission ONE. Bob and Linda Schindler, Todd Robertson and Charley Green arrived in Africa yesterday and will be traveling to see various Mission ONE partners over the next 10 days. They are in Kenya today, the first African country that Bob Schindler ever visited. God initially used Bob's first trip to Kenya to burden him to provide help to national pastors...this is how Mission ONE was birthed. Bob S will be preaching in Kenya tomorrow, please pray for him and the team as they share and encourage national leaders and workers.
Enjoy your weekend!
Beauty of Partnership Study Guide
Dear Friends,
Do you want to learn more about missions? Do you want to learn more about how you can become involved in missions? Do you want to learn more about how to develop healthy, God-honoring relationships? Read on.............
Mission ONE mobilizes the church for partnership with national missionaries, focusing on unreached people groups, and serving the poor and oppressed.
You just read the Mission Statement of Mission ONE. Don't miss the first part, the part that says "Mission ONE mobilizes the Church". Mission ONE takes this responsibility very seriously and has provided training and resources to the North American church body for this purpose for more than a decade. And just this past week, Mission ONE has released it's newest publication - "The Beauty of Partnership" Study Guide. Click Here to visit a dedicated website where you can learn more about this great resource. This Study Guide can be used by individuals, small groups, churches, any size group of people who want to learn more about how they/their church can be more effective in cross-cultural relationships and partnerships. This Study Guide is perfect for missions committees, short-term missions team participants, missionaries, pastors, church staff...anyone with a desire to help out in missions. Check out the website!
April Update
Dear Friends,
First, some recent pictures of the family:
Left: Bethany - just about finished her freshman year of high school. Ready to start next year in Arizona in a new school.
Right: Melody and her cousin Heather at a family party. Mel is just about done her first semester at Moody Bible Institute. Middle below: Mel with some of the girls from her floor during a recent "road trip".
Left: Adam during our day trip to Portsmouth, NH. The next one on the right is of all the friends we went with.
Below: Robin with her friends Andrea (left) and Joanne (right) at a "ladies tea" hosted by our home church.
It is time that we write and update all of you on what has been taking place in our lives these past few months. We have had the privilege of seeing many of you lately…a blessing for us!
Our kids are all busy with school, work and various things. They keep us thinking and heading in different directions constantly. It was easier to keep track of them when they were all little!
Robin and I have been traveling quite a bit these past few months. We have visited supporters and churches in Maine, New Hampshire, New York and Ohio and have had many opportunities to share about our last five years working with AMG and what is ahead working with Mission ONE. We also just recently took another trip to Arizona so we could look at housing options, spend time with the Mission ONE staff, and attend board meetings there. Throughout our travels, we have experienced your loving hospitality and care. Thank you for encouraging us!
Over the next several weeks, we will complete our transition to working with Mission ONE. Robin, Bethany and I will be spending two weeks in Guatemala in May to say our goodbyes to friends and co-workers, clean out our home, and pack and ship some of our things to Arizona. We are planning to move to Arizona in June. During our recent trip there, Robin and I rented an apartment so we now have a place to temporarily call “home” when we arrive. We are seriously considering driving to Arizona from New Hampshire the second half of June.
Several people have asked about what my specific role will be at Mission ONE. Here is a brief explanation:
It was decided these past few days that my title will be Vice President of Operations. My position will be administrative in nature and I will have the responsibility to oversee all administrative areas including finance, human resources, day to day operations, supervision of Mission ONE staff associates, planning, donor relations, partner communication, and my personal favorite "miscellaneous duties as assigned".
The need for this position has developed over several years. For the past several years, Mike Floyd has worked for Mission ONE in some of these areas but God has called he and his family to serve overseas in Thailand with one of Mission ONE's partners. Mike leaves with the support and blessing of Mission ONE's leadership and we continue to have a growing relationship with he and his family.
To be honest, the organization is simply too large not to have someone in this position. The current leaders are stretched (and stressed at times) beyond limitations and are in need of administrative support. Having spent the past 25 years doing work of this nature, coupled with local church leadership and experience as well as foreign field experience these past 5 years, we all feel that the Lord is directing my family and I to partner with Mission ONE in this capacity. We see Him providing leaders and staff members with gifts and abilities that are very complimentary and as we spend time together (such as these past 8 days during a visit to Arizona) we see confirmation of this over and over again.
Our upcoming calendar:
April 29th through May 3rd – Saratoga Chapel, New York
May 10th through 24th – Guatemala
June – Move to Arizona
Prayer Requests:
§ Melody will finish her first semester at Moody Bible Institute on May 14th. Please pray for her as she completes her work and takes finals.
§ Bethany is finishing her freshman year as a homeschooler and will transition into a public high school in Arizona. Please pray for a smooth transition and for her adjustment to a new school system.
§ Adam continues working at Sears and is contemplating some changes. Please pray for wisdom and guidance for him.
§ Please continue to pray that our condominium in Guatemala will sell soon and for our time in Guatemala in May. We will have a lot to accomplish in just a few weeks.
§ Please pray for our upcoming move to Arizona. We are leaning toward driving the second half of June. Please pray for our time of planning, packing and safe travel.
§ Please continue to pray for the ministry of AMG in Guatemala. Our home church is sending a team there the last week of May. Please pray for a fruitful time of ministry for them and for God’s protection as they travel and work at AMG Guatemala.
§ Please pray for Mission ONE’s ministry and for the Lord’s provision for Mission ONE’s 17 overseas partners. Many of them live in difficult and harsh conditions and experience persecution and oppression.
§ Please pray in particular for the Katin believers, a group of Christians in Laos who have been cast out of their village for believing in Christ. They have no homes or resources and are living in termporary shelters as they have not been allowed to return to their village. Please pray that God would provide for their needs.
Thank you for your prayers, your support, and for your friendship.
May God bless you and keep you,
Love from all the Hastings
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