Patrick's Paragraphs - Eight Years Blessed

This January we quietly celebrated the eighth birthday of IOI. As a Board we agreed that this year we desire a renewed focus on our primary ministry of supporting indigenous ministers through prayer, financial, educational and technical support.
Eight years ago the list of ministers supported contained eight names. It was a new beginning and everything was new. We developed a simple system of support that has enabled the missionaries to receive their full support each month on time (which is still apparently a novelty in Ethiopia). Over time we added ministers, began supporting ORE (the ministry to orphans in Mekele, Ethiopia), began working with the Breitenmosers in Germany, started building community development projects, sent American volunteers to assist the work in Ethiopia and expanded to Brazil as the Teixeira family moved from Ethiopia to Brazil. Certainly most of these changes proved to be positive as the ministry grew and continued to mature.
This year I hope to see an increase in the level of giving to human needs in Ethiopia, while at the same time being very intentional in our effort to make disciples through theological instruction, mercy ministry and incarnational living. It is my hope that giving will increase both to Missionary Support and the General Fund to enable us to minister more generously. We hope to see the establishment of the new Sanctuary Village as a model for discipleship ministry. I also hope that we can begin supporting indigenous ministers who are working with the Teixeiras in Northern Brazil.
Many events are planned over the next 12 months that I hope will be a benefit to all who participate. Robin Mark will once again be joining us from Belfast, Northern Ireland to present a benefit concert for IOI in Tennessee on Thursday, August 16. An awareness banquet is being planned for the Tupelo, Mississippi area on Friday, September 7. Through these events and a series of Coffee and Conversation meetings we hope to raise enough funds over 2007 to host the largest IOI Bible conference ever on January 22-25, 2008 with VBS for the children, preaching and a variety if seminars to benefit the indigenous ministers we work with.
For all of this to happen we will need more donors and volunteers. It is my prayer that God will give us everything we need to accomplish these plans.v