September 2007
"Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases." Psalm 103: 1 - 3.
2007 Golf Outing - Great News! - Click Here for Details!
GREAT NEWS!! The golf outing will be held Sept 29th at Glen Erin Golf Club, 1417 W Airport Rd, Janesville, WI. There will be a shotgun start and lunch will be served. Call Chris Goodrich at 608-359-8180 for registration and more information. Early registration is due by Sept 15th and is $85.00 after that date it will be $90.00. Get your team ready and come and play. If you do not have a team, come and we will place you with a team. We always have a great time. We have great prizes on every hole and a chance to win a NEW 2007 Ford Mustang on a hole in one. Yes, Ron and Bernadette will be there for the golf outing are looking forward to seeing you all there.
Click Here for more details and regestration form!
Philippines
The ministry, Refuge, New Life celebrated its Anniversary with a gathering of all the churches and ministries in Cotabato City. They held a parade around the city with a group of about 1000 members of various churches and their pastors and leaders. The Vice Mayor of the city gave the welcoming address and all the delegates and visitors had a great time of celebration and praise.
The following is a testimony of one woman who came to Christ in one of our missions outreach works in the mountains. Pastor Edwin leads these outreaches to the mountains in addition to Pastoring his church and planting others. Please pray for these works to continue to reach the lost and raise up strong disciples for the Lord.
"I was born without knowing there was a God. I don't know how to read or write. My parents never went to school and they could not afford to send me either. Here in this community no one cares for us. No one ever came to tell us there is a God. From time to time I have met other tribes and they asked me, "What is your religion". I said "what is religion and who is God?" People look at me as if they are saying, what kind of people are these. Three months ago, Refuge New Life, Pastor Edwin and some workers showed up in our village and shared about God. How God sent His Son Jesus to save sinners. I said in my mind, "this is it; this is the religion the other tribes I met are talking about."
At that time I received Jesus Christ into my heart with my whole family. Thank you for bringing us the good news of Jesus. Thank you. Thank you."
This is just the experience of one of our newly saved brethren serving the Lord at Saniag Ampatuan, Maguindanao. It will be very rewarding when they learn to read and write and have a Bible to read of their own. We are currently holding classes for the tribe to learn literacy. Thank you for the support that allows us to reach these poor mountain tribes. Please continue to pray for them and for the needed support for this work.
Pastor Edwin has been traveling to the mountains to take the Gospel to poor tribes in addition to pastoring a church in a poor village. He must walk and take buses when they are running. In the rainy season they are not reliable. This all because he does not have his own transportation. He has been faithful for a long time and does not complain or ask for things. We would like to be able to surprise him with his own transportation. A small motorcycle (you would call it a moped) sells for $2,000.00. This would allow Pastor Edwin to more easily travel to minister to the members of his congregation as well as to continue to take the Gospel to the Mountain Tribes. Anyone who would like to help with this project please mark your checks Pastor Edwin’s transportation.
In order to reach these mountain tribes the team must travel through the mountains on dirt roads that during the rainy season that are very slick, muddy and often impassible. The Pastors use the small motorcycles to navigate these roads so they can take the Gospel to these unreached people.
Years ago there were Western Missionaries in these areas but they have all been driven away by the violence of the Muslim rebels. Our Pastors and workers are willing to take the risks and put their lives in danger to see the Gospel of Jesus taken to these lost people.
Mexico
The children are back into school and of course we have had to buy lots of school supplies, uniforms, shoes etc. We can always use more school supplies to take us through the rest of the semester.
Our children are happy to be back in school. They loved their summer on the farm but now they are back in the city. We brought them back because the facilities are better, especially for school. When we finish the building at the farm the children will be able to stay there year round. They are looking forward to that time.
Two of our girls graduated from elementary and are starting Middle School which is in the city. They are excited about going to a new school.
Please pray for all of these needs and for the children.
Thank you for your prayers and support. Ron & Bernadette Gartner
25th Anniversary Year
Ron and Bernadette Gartner
Your Evangelists to the world.
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About Refuge Ministries and the Gartners
Current Newsletter Past Newsletters
Africa - Philippines - Mexico
Click Here for Ron & Bernadette's 2005 report from their trip to Africa.