A Merry Christmas Answer to Prayer

December 23, 1020

Dear Friends,

Cathy and I want to take a moment once again and wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas as you celebrate the birth of our Savior. May you know and experience the love and grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the coming year.

While I have shared the following information with some already, this week we received one of the most encouraging pieces of news in our 25+ years of ministry. God’s ways are mysterious, His timing perfect.

We asked you to pray about the fact that Cathy’s primary source of income was coming to an end December 31. Trusting the Lord, we pursued multiple avenues that came up short seemingly every time. I even explored the option of working part-time again in the Petroleum Industry. I approached a friend who owns a service company in this industry and we bounced some ideas around that we thought might work.

On Monday of this week, God answered your prayers. Our friend left a voice mail on my cell phone indicating that he and his wife had been praying about our situation. He had a better idea. They decided they wanted to pledge a monthly amount just in excess of the lost income we are about to experience when Cathy’s job comes to an end next week. I could not believe my ears as my eyes welled up with tears of gratitude. Cathy and I stopped immediately to pray and thank God.

Rejoice with us this Christmas as we celebrate His provision for our salvation and every other need!

With heartfelt thanks,
George for Cathy and the family

“20Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, 21to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21

Ministry Update

December 2010

Dear Ministry Partners,

God is at work in Europe!

Lives are being transformed!!

Your prayers and financial investment have made the difference.

As we come to the end of another year, I am struck by God’s faithfulness in building in His church.  The 800 million people in Europe who need the Gospel are hearing it for the first time because you have decided to pray and give.

“They put all the idols and some expensive ivory ornaments in the bags, got a hammer, and started smashing them in front of us.”

Writing from Lisbon, Portugal, Peter and Anna Crawford described this dramatic event in the lives of their friends.  Following Armando’s and Liliane’s recent conversions, they did this without prompting from anyone, except the Holy Spirit.  Armando took the pure gold idol to the kitchen and melted it in the oven.  He then gave the gold to his niece, who was instrumental in their conversions, telling her to sell it and give the proceeds to missions.

“She realized then that she was not ready to meetChrist when He came back. She gave her life to Christ . . .”

Doug Groth, in Rabka, Poland, wrote this about Gienia who resisted the Gospel long after her husband, Staszek, had trusted Christ and found deliverance from his alcoholism.  Doug’s wife, Lila, had invited her to Bible studies and eventually she started attending church.  A series of sermons in the book of Revelation opened her eyes for her need to trust Christ.  Today, Staszek and Gienia’s marriage has been transformed as they serve the Lord together.

You share in the blessing of transformed lives through the ministry of ECMI with your prayers and financial support. As you consider what the Lord might have you give this Christmas season, would you consider investing in the expansion of Christ’s Kingdom in Europe?

We are asking the Lord to provide $25,000 for the Ministry Opportunity Fund to help fund ministry projects for 2011 such as:

• Completion of “The Rock” church plant in Timisoara, Romania
• Investment in the Good Samaritan Rehabilitation Center vocational training program
• A strategic church planting initiative in Croatia, Bosnia and Serbia
• Mobilization of additional missionaries
• And more . . .

And do not forget our missionaries at this time of year.  They serve at great cost and sacrifice.

Thank you again for your involvement in reaching Europe with the Gospel.

Yours for advancing Christ’s Kingdom in Europe,

George Brown

Executive Director, ECMI-USA

P.S. If the Lord should lead you to give, please visit our website and donate online at www.ecmi-usa.org/donate-now. Just follow the instructions for one of three ways to give.

Can I ask a favor?

Donations can be mailed to: ECMI-USA P.O. Box 181 West Unity, OH 43570-0181  Or donate online at: www.ecmi-usa.org/donate-now Our mailing address: 8314 Ravenel Dr. Colorado Springs, CO 80920 Telephone: 719-598-3695 H 719-650-9598 C Email: george.brown@ecmi.org On the web: www.ecmi-usa.org Our blog: brownsbyline.wordpress.com

December 2, 2010  Dear Friends, Can I ask a favor? Would you mind taking a few minutes to watch a short video that gives an overview of the ministry that Cathy and I have with ECMI? There are two versions.  One is 14 minutes in length, and the other 7 minutes.  If you have the time, please look at the longer presentation as the shorter version consists of fewer components of the longer one.  Just click on the link of your choice and ask two questions: “Is there someone else I know that needs to hear about the Brown’s ministry?”  You can forward this email to them. And, “How does the Lord want me to be more involved?”  Cathy and I would be more than happy to talk to you about the various options. Click here: 14 minute version 7 minute version Please let me know if you have any questions. With grateful hearts, George for Cathy and the family P.S. You can now give online to our ministry with ECMI-USA Check it out:  www.ecmi-usa.org/donate-now

Ministry Prayer Requests:  Upcoming Candidate Orientation Planning More missionaries for Europe! Family Prayer Requests: Cathy’s job situation David and Christopher’s schooling