Latest Nigerian Mission Trip Support Letter

Serve by the strength that God supplies in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To Him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 4:11


Grace to you in Christ's name. I am writing to you about a mission trip which I've felt called to go on. For the past six months I've been feeling passionate about going to a third world country to serve, and I have been preparing my heart by seeking God through prayer and reading Scripture. The Lord recently opened a door for me to go to Owerri, Nigeria (Southeastern Nigeria) which is in West Africa.

A team of 15 people are going, people from The Chapel and Moody Church. Last year our church ran a large book drive and 11,000 books were donated, so one of the main projects we will be working on is building shelves for a seminary library to hold these books. We also intend to serve the local orphanage with fixing, teaching, and games. And lastly we hope to serve a need through medicine: vitamins, aspirin, etc..



If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
Isaiah 58:10-11



I expect this trip will have a significant impact on my life. For one, my American lifestyle of privileges, freedoms and comforts will be suspended; but ultimately, I can not wait to see God revealing himself in powerful ways, which will transform my life, and others, eternally! The area where I am going to has vast needs: some people will not eat the entire day; others are extremely malnourished and wear tattered clothes; and even others, mostly children and women, suffer from AIDS. I look forward to meeting new Christians and worship the Almighty God together, united in Christ. How I can not wait to meet brothers and sisters from Africa, and sing praises in the churches there, and talk about how powerful God is!


And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.
2 Corinithians 9:8


If you feel called to partner with us here are a few ways:

Prayer will be the greatest, most important way. There will be some risks, an obvious one being that there are military road blocks, whom do searches and are known to ask for bribes. Also, about 200 miles north of Owerri, freedom of religion diminishes to nothing. Our prayer requests are for safety, of course, but also for courage in times of fear, diligence in our work, godliness to be examples of Christ, blessings for Nigerians and our team. Another important prayer request is for the 11,000 books to be released from custody at the port due to regime changes in government.

If you feel led to partner with us by making a financial contribution to this cause you can simply write a check payable to Global Christian Ministries, and in the memo put “Nigeria Missions – Don Tjader”, mail to: PO Box 6733, Libertyville, IL 60048. I'm paying for my own travel costs, so any and all proceeds will go directly to other costs and resources to help us serve the needs of Owerri people.

Thank you for your time reading this letter and partnering with us. Your prayers are extremely important and precious to me and my team--I truly appreciate them deeply. I believe with all my heart God will bless you abundantly. Grace be with you always.

Sincerely,

Don Tjader


Prayer Requests:


 My African Visa will be processed in time.
 That our team will stay healthy. (Yellow Fever, Malaria, Typhoid)
 The books are released from custody in time.
 That my school grades don't slip due to being gone for 15 days.
 The Chapel's kids group fund raised for kids in Nigeria, so pray that we find God's perfect will to use that money.
 That our leadership decides on library software.
 That we see God's hand, clearly and powerfully!

Math is Withdrawn

Bye-bye Math 108, intermediate alegebra, I just now officially dropped out. I love math and I seemingly have a knack for it since I didn't do any homework and am still passing. It's just so wrong, to realize my calling from God, and to just float through this class. That's how I got myself through highschool 14 years ago. That was my old nature, my new nature is to make my calling and election sure. One of the ways is by actually doing my homework, practicing it and mastering it the best I can, as an act of worship for God.


I took much on myself this semester, and this past week my relationship with God has suffered. I had several external confirmations from family and friends that dropping the class would not be so bad. So I finally got through my knucklehead self, and accepted dropping this class, and a huge weight has been off my shoulders now. I've been praising God and have more time to spend in worship and renew myself.


My teacher will be surprised to find out, but I will write her a letter tonight explaining myself to her. I may go to the school on Monday night and hand it to her. We deleloped a really good relationship, Sonia is such an awesome teacher and Christian. I look forward to retaking the class again with her, and the other classes she teaches (Advanced Alegebra, Statistics and Finite Math).


I look forward to taking Geometry this summer, that should be really hard since it is accelerated. So I'm definatelly only taking one class for sure for summer. The fall semester I may only retake Math 108, just seems like there is not enough time in the day anymore to be able to take two classes at one time. I pray to God for streamlining my time more.


My Public speech class is very helpful. This class was a step of faith for me, and I am seeing the fruit for taking this class. Communication is such a key quality to have and know and understand. The great commision is to take the gospel into the world, clearly and powerfully, and not chicken pecking or scatter-brained. And what is the gospel except for the greatest news of all time. If I don't know how to communicate to people, who will listen or care? I want to be persuasive and exciting in my testimony and to make God look good to the non-God knowers. May God bless the knowledge and practice I get from this Public Speech coarse and use it for His kingdom advancement. To Him be honor and glory forever. Amen.