WHERE have you been???

Q: Where's Jim? A: Jim's been back in V for the month of September.  He's still equipping and encouraging V pastors and church leaders. He is coaching and mentoring individually, leading small learning groups, and planning for the future of their ministries and how to support them through training and partnership. In November he'll be taking two North American pastors with him for a ministry trip for a few of the groups Jim serves. These pastors are tailor making training about discipleship for the V church context. Q: How is it you ended up "commuting" to Vietnam? A: One day in 2011, I (Jim) was taking one of my regular days of prayer. We were living in Singapore, growing a mentoring ministry to Christian leaders there. Some of the Singaporean pastors had begun to travel with me, or on their own, to nearby countries to mentor other pastors. On that particular day of prayer, I had a strong urging from the Lord to go to Vietnam. That seemed strange, because I knew no one there! Soon after I took an exploratory trip and God miraculously gave me favor with influential leaders. In V there has there been a remarkable openness to the Gospel. Many are coming to Christ through the outreach of local churches. However, in the midst of evangelistic growth, there is a vacuum for leadership development. Pastors struggle to incorporate new believers into the church and help them mature. Over these years, I have been returning to meet with these leaders in V. First I traveled from where we were living in Singapore. During that time, I was also going to Guangzhou, China for the same purpose. Since returning to the US (for what we thought would be a year), I have focused on the opportunities in one country instead of both! Q: Hey Creasmans, you've been quiet for awhile. Where have you been? A: Uhmmm. Besides V______?  ALL OVER THE PLACE! Columbia, SC (Tyler). Omaha (Warren Buffet). Ireland (Bucket List). Austin (Cameron). Houston (Christians in Theatre Arts). Chattanooga & Atlanta (retreat & family). It's been a full year for travel! (Maybe we don't stay home because we're trying to avoid emptying mom's storage units in Fullerton!) In August, we joined 750 others for CRM's Worldwide Conference in Asheville, NC.  Join us when the conference happens again in 2022! You can get the nutshell version of education in our mission in a photo essay of highlights. If you like the bottom line and numbers, here's a link to CRM's "Boldly Go" Ministry Impact Report 2017.   For the numbers we added to that report: Jim works most closely with about 30 pastors and churches in Vietnam, and together they counted around 5,000 conversions last year, praise the Lord! If you need a laugh, one of our colleagues in South Africa created "Fauxmeceutical" ads for Rx meds we need as missionaries. "Autoreproachidol" is our favorite. Q: What's new we can pray for? A: August 10th, Kimberly's mom took a bad fall. Sue spent the rest of the month in the hospital with head trauma, and then skilled nursing after that. Dad has been making some tough decisions. Realizing that with Mom's advancing Alzheimer's and the effects of this fall, she needs care by professionals. For this last week she's been in Memory Care at Brookdale in Yorba Linda.  Lord, we ask you to comfort Sue who is confused, afraid and angry much of the time right now. By your spirit bring peace to her spirit as she cannot control her thoughts and emotions. Comfort Chuck as waits for her to adjust and is asked not to visit. And confidence as he entrusts his sweet wife to the care of others. While she adjusts to a new routine and caregivers we can't visit her. Kimberly & Chuck decided to participate in the WALK TO END ALZHEIMER'S.  Saturday, September 29th in Irvine, CA. If you're in OC and can come, join Sue's team. Or make a small donation and show my folks some love! [link] As always, we are grateful for you. Jim & Kimberly  Asia Supervisor Roger sporting a "MAKE AMERICA KIND AGAIN" T-shirt.  Lord, may it be so!