November 25th, 2009 by Kim

For the last 6 months we have faced a growing deficit in our financial support. Primarily this is due to the financial crisis in America, which has forced some of our major supporters to decrease their giving. Over these months this deficit has grown to now $5000. Josiah Venture graciously continues to pay our normal salary each month in spite of this growing debt, but the debt still accumulates on our account.

We have tried to be proactive in reducing our monthly salary by $500 per month, and this has certainly helped. But we still have to find additional supporters to replace our losses. So, we are asking God to provide us with 10 new supporters at $50 per month (or 20 at $25). This would bring us back up to sufficient support. However, we also have to repay the $5000 debt we have accumulated over these past months. (And just in case you are wondering, this debt has accumulated from our normal, fixed, monthly salary expenditures. We have not been overspending or buying anything new. It’s simply a matter of a financial support shortfall.)

If God would lead you to begin partnering with us monthly or to help in our situation any any way we would be very grateful. All gifts are tax deductible when given through Josiah Venture, which offers the following options for how to give.

* Mail your monthly check (our name attached on a note) to Josiah Venture at:
P.O. Box 4317
Wheaton, IL 60189-4317

* Create a monthly electronic bank transfer by clicking here and following the instructions.

* Use your credit card to give, by clicking the same link above.

We are grateful for you who faithfully stand behind us here in Slovakia and who have a global view of the kingdom of God.

If you have any questions, please e-mail us (zshepperson@josiahventure.com) or simply pick up the phone and call us at our US number –  864-335-9388.

November 19th, 2009 by Kim

you email someone you don’t know and ask them to bring over items for you when they come to serve in Slovakia on a short-term trip! Christmas gifts, school books, dvds, food items, clothing items,  electronic equipment (even an electric piano once); you name it and I’ve probably asked for it! Part of me feels really guilty when I do this, then the other part is so incredibly thankful they said “yes”, I soon forget about the other ( i know there are many of you who can relate to this).

This has been me so many times, I honestly can not tell you how often we have been the recipient of these generous “bringers of imports”- countless.  However, I am reminded of them (and thus never to forget them) on a daily basis. Whether it is while I am doing school with Emili (school books), or cooking with brown sugar, eating pancakes with syrup, or peanut butter, listening to Emili practice her piano or eating the last hot tamale, I am reminded and I am thankful. I understand that I would be without all these wonderful things if they had said “no”,  because shipping is way too expensive.  It’s funny the kinds of things (big and small) that bless you when you are away from them for so long, huh?

So this is for all of you who have sacrificed (and only packed 1 set of clothes for yourselves) to allow more room in your bags for things for our family. The Lord brings you to my mind almost daily, and I am overwhelmed with thankfulness. Bless you!