Cornerstone Community Church Almonte

Jesus Loves Malawi Update March, 2014

Dear Friends,

Spring is almost here, and we trust you are enjoying God's goodness as we prepare to celebrate the most life changing event of all history. He is risen! We hope you can echo strongly “He is risen indeed!” This is the basis of our hope. It is by His resurrection power that we can overcome sin, and by which we ourselves will be raised if our trust is in Him. And it is this very hope which gives us a message worth sharing, and which brings real transformation to those who embrace it.Our biggest news this quarter is about the grand entrance of the newest member of our family. Elianna Isabelle Grace Babcock was born on March 6, weighing 7 lbs., 3 oz. She is a precious bundle of concentrated cuteness, and brings much amusement, amazement, and joy to our whole family. The older children love to hold her, and have all been very helpful. Many people ask, “Is she a good baby?” Yes, she is a very good baby, as long as she is being fed frequently, changed regularly, and held most of the time. :) She does have an awful lot of hiccups, which are very cute, and don't seem to bother her very much.Thank you to everyone who prayed for a safe pregnancy and for the health of both Steffi and Elianna. God has blessed us in answer to your prayers, and we very grateful, both to God, and to all our friends who lifted us up in prayer. Elianna means “my God has answered,” and Isabelle (her grandmother's name) means “devoted to God.”“Perspectives on the World Christian Movement” is a required course that we've been enjoying very much.

 

We're making good progress, and are more than half way through. It is a missions course which focusses on the basis for mission, motivation for mission, effective strategies, and the remaining task (unreached peoples). We highly recommend the course, even if you aren't becoming a missionary. (It's available online). You'll find yourself both blessed and challenged, and have a whole new understanding. We've also been busily working on raising support to reach full funding, and are now starting to travel again to speak at churches.We want to send a huge thank you, publicly, to our friends at New Hope Free Methodist Church in Bracebridge, who have helped us so much by being our Canadian sending church, and administering our Canadian fund. We've been with them since mid 2009, and appreciate so much the hard work and sacrifice, especially of Jeanne Tucker, who served as treasurer of the Jesus Loves Malawi Fund set up by her church.Our friends in Bracebridge have let us know, with regret, that because it is increasingly difficult to find volunteers to serve the church's needs, they would like us to identify another organization willing to undertake being our senders and overseeing the fund. So we would very much appreciate your prayers for wisdom, and God's provision, as we move forward to identify the right church or missions organization to fill that need. Bracebridge will continue administering the fund until the transition is complete, so there is no change in giving instructions for Canadian gifts until further notice. And The Mission Society is still our sending organization in the U.S., so there is no change there.We appreciate each of you who gives or prays so very much. Thank you for your part in carrying out Jesus' Great Commission which He has so graciously given to all of us that we might be part of His work and His plan.

May God bless you!

With Love, Dean and Stephanie Babcock