Volume 1, Issue #4                        anthis@mindspring.com                                  June 2003

SUPPORT  PLEDGED or RECEIVED
	4/03	6/03
MONTHLY EXPENSE NEEDS	65%	90%
MEDICAL NEEDS ($  & EQUIP)	<10%	<30%
ONE-TIME NON-MEDICAL OUTGOING EXPENSES	90%	100%

Greetings from Texas! We will not be saying that for too much longer.  The Anthis family will be “going mobile” beginning July 1^st.  Joel has finished his last day in private practice, our house has been sold (although we are still living in it thanks to God’s provision for a lease back arrangement) and the kids are done with swim team.  We are heading to the SIM headquarters in Charlotte, NC for three weeds of training and are planning to see some of you along the way (see Timeline below for details).  We are in the home stretch of our preparations to move to Jos, Nigeria.  God’s hand of faithfulness on every aspect of our lives is evident as we look back over the last few months.  And as we look forward to our ministry in Jos, we are assured that He will continue to sustain us.  We are confident that God has prepared in advance of our arrival in Jos good works for us to do (Ephesians 2:10).  Our departure is planned for the end of August or the beginning of September and is still uncertain because we have yet to be granted a visa by the Nigerian government.

 

 

 

 

 

Dogs and Cats …..

 

Cindy and I were blessed to take the Perspectives course on the World Christian movement this past spring as part of our preparation for mission service.  We learned that there is such a thing as “Dog and Cat Theology.”  A dog says “You pet me, you feed me, you shelter me, you love me…You must be God.”  A cat says “You pet me, you feed me, you shelter me, you love me…I must be God.”  Rarely would anyone openly say “I must be God.”  But more frequently one might subtly live as if “it’s all about me.”  “Cat Theology” is more focused on receiving a blessing than on seeing God glorified.  “Dog Theology” focuses on God’s glory more than on the blessings.  Although we like to think of ourselves as “pedigreed dogs”, the Lord has been revealing a lot of “cat” in us as well.  But by God’s grace we are blessed so that we might be a blessing to the nations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prayer Request and Praise Report……

 

1.    Praise for the sale of our house and a lease-back until August 23^rd!

2.    Praise for God’s continuing awesome provision for our prayer and financial support

3.    Pray for our continued endurance in the preparation process, and for our spiritual vitality

4.    Pray that God would supply the medical equipment we need through donated equipment and funds

5.    Pray for our kids (Austin, Allison, and Abigail) during this time of transition

6.    Pray that our Nigerian visas would be granted and we would be able to go in God’s perfect timing

 

 

 

 

The Anthis Time Line…..

 

1.    June 27^th – Joel’s last day in private practice

2.    July 1^st  - Travel to Baton Rouge, LA, and then on to Norfolk, VA

3.    July 3^rd-July 6^th Norfolk, VA (Commissioning at Tab Church July 6^th)

4.    July 7^th –25^th – Charlotte, NC for SIM Candidate Orientation school

5.    July 31^st-August 1^st – Memphis, TN

6.    August 2^nd-August 3^rd – EPC of Marshall’s missions conference

7.    August 4^th – return to Houston

8.    August  – Pack and say many “Good-Byes”

9.    End of August (Lord willing)- Departure date for Jos, Nigeria

 

 

And Last But Not Least…..

 

In this final stretch we are focused on acquiring all the medical supplies that Joel will need to function as an effective ENT surgeon in Jos.  We have asked a manufacturer  for a huge amount of surgical equipment to be donated.  Please pray that we would find favor with the right people and that God would get the glory.  Even if we receive this miraculous donation, we anticipate needing $20,000 to ship all the equipment to Nigeria.  Additionally, we will need a minimum of $10,000 to purchase other critical medical supplies.

 

 

 

All the ENT related medical equipment at Jos

 University Teaching Hospital in Jos, Nigeria

 

Thankfully, the Lord is sovereign over all this and all of history.  Isn’t it wonderful to know how it all ends?  Hausa people from northern Nigeria will be worshiping the Lord in ”… a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb” (Revelation 7:9)!

 

In Christ,

 

Joel and Cindy

Austin, Allison, and Abigail