My 2006 Summer Missions Support Letter

Dear < >,

We are having an absolute exhilarating time helping out in a student/missions capacity at Grace Community Church in Columbia. As the coordinator of student missions in our ministry component called SPACE [Students Prepared to Act for Christ's Empire], this summer we are endeavoring to send out 5 different summer mission teams. In addition to some of the recruiting, training, and administrative work, I am personally leading a team to Cameroon, Africa. Hopefully, you are excited as I am, since your friendship has been a vital part of our ministry over many years.

The team that I will be leading represents some of our most mission-centric students - ones that have a keen interest in cross cultural ministry, church planting and making an impact as the global, mobile Church in a postmodern, post-Christian world. Three of these students continue on with me from last years Brasil team. I also will have four other leaders on the team, representing the next generation of emerging, student missions leadership, making a total team of 12 students and leaders. Let me tell you, it will be a blast leading this team.

My team of 12 will be traveling to Yaounde, Cameroon from July 26 - Aug 7. Our hosts in Yaounde, along with their in-country team, are focused on building Cameroonian youth ministries and training indigenous youth workers. Our primary ministry tasks will be a combination of running and helping a day camp focused on initial discipleship and building relationships within the context of sports, tutoring and English classes with Cameroonian students that have already been started by the team there. Since our hosts are a GCC supported family, our connection is significant. We are not only excited about the tangible ministry tasks, but also about encouraging and serving them however we can and about catalyzing relationships with high schoolers for them to continue on with after we have left.

The total cost per person is $2400 and your prayer and/or financial support would be greatly appreciated. Financial support can be returned via the response card and return envelope. Specifically we would love you to pray for:
- God would keep us relatively healthy.
- God's protection against evil.
- That our host team will have a greater impact and stronger relationships due to our time there.

For more real time updates on SPACE, check out the blog - tonytsheng.blogspot.com. Team updates during the trip (depending on connectivity) will probably be posted there as well.

Thank you again for your partnership and friendship with SPACE. God has knit our hearts with so many of you - all due to this adventurous mission He has called us to. It's an honor to serve Him with you!

Photos: some of the SPACE team on a Winter Expedition to Bridgeport, CT., Jan 2006; map of Cameroon; the Sheng girls at Easter 2006

Related: Historical Mission Support Letters [2007, 2006, 2005]