26 August 2010
New Look!
If you haven't noticed, this blog just had a face lift... or a face transplant. I got a little bored and started playing around with the new templates on blogger, and I think I like it. Let me know what you think. I saved the old look, so I can always go back to that if necessary.
10 August 2010
Your Questions... Answered
As much as we try to cover everything about our ministry in our prayer letters (see previous post), we don't want to put you to sleep with pages and pages of text. But, we realize, people have questions. So after getting some facebook feedback and collecting some of the questions you've sent our way, we've compiled the following list of FAQs. Did we miss anything? Ask us. Anytime.
Q. What will you be doing?
A. We will work at LUSA Home-Based Care, a ministry started by a national Zambian woman named Mama Yoba to share the gospel, provide basic education and food to orphans, home visits and encouragement to people dying of AIDS, and life-skill training to members of the community. We will be developing additional programs for the kids, discipling the caregivers and helping those learning life skills to learn how to make a living from what they produce. (There is a fish farm, chicken coop, sewing machines and some basic agriculture.) We will also be facilitating/hosting teams coming through.
Q. What is included in your monthly financial support?
A. Your gifts go toward our monthly salary for our basic living expenses, housing, taxes, international health insurance, a retirement plan (403(b)), transport to and from the field, and administrative support from SIM.
Q. How much do you have to raise?
A. Our support requirement is approximately $5,050 per month. This covers the needs listed above for us plus one-to-three children. (So we aren’t short on funding if the Lord blesses us with a family during our ministry!) We also have a ministry account to cover expenses specific to our ministry (postage, gas, educational supplies, vehicle repair, outreach for AIDS sufferers, etc) that will be about $450 per month.
Q. Are my gifts tax deductible?
A. Yes! SIM will send you receipts for any donations, as well as a yearly receipt for recurring online gifts.
Q. When should we start giving if you’re not leaving for several months?
A. The earlier the better! Any funding that comes in prior to the month of our departure goes toward our relocation expenses. If possible, please sign up right away. (If you know you will be giving monthly gifts in the future, but are not able to start yet, will you tell us how much you plan to give? We have to have 100% of our monthly funding “pledged” in order to buy our plane tickets!)
Q. How long will you be there (and if I want to support you monthly, how long does that continue)?
A. Our commitment is long-term, so we plan to serve as long as that is what God is calling us to do. However, we will return for several months of home assignment after every 2-4 years in the field. Ideally, your commitment to support us will be for the duration of our ministry but pledges are as God guides you and provides for you to give.
Q. Is my support covering any past debt or loans?
A. No. God has graciously provided for all of our needs and we have absolutely no debt!
Q. I want to be part of your ministry to AIDS orphans in Zambia. How do I get started?
A. Sign up for automatic bank withdrawals at www.sim.org/giveusa. Be sure to include our name and the account: #23444. You can also mail a check made out to SIM USA (Memo: #23444 - Wessler) to: SIM USA P.O. Box 7900, Charlotte, NC 28241. Please do not hesitate to ask us for any clarification, forms, etc.
Q. How can I share what you're doing with my family/friends/church so that they can have the opportunity to support you guys?
A. You are welcome (and encouraged) to share our letters and website (http://www.wesslersinzambia.com/) with them or send them directly to us via phone (309-363-2722) or e-mail (luke.wessler@sim.org / tiffany.wessler@sim.org). Also, if you provide us with their contact information, we will contact them and set up a time to get together or talk on the phone. Please share – your referrals and networking are very much appreciated.
Anything else?
Q. What will you be doing?
A. We will work at LUSA Home-Based Care, a ministry started by a national Zambian woman named Mama Yoba to share the gospel, provide basic education and food to orphans, home visits and encouragement to people dying of AIDS, and life-skill training to members of the community. We will be developing additional programs for the kids, discipling the caregivers and helping those learning life skills to learn how to make a living from what they produce. (There is a fish farm, chicken coop, sewing machines and some basic agriculture.) We will also be facilitating/hosting teams coming through.
Q. What is included in your monthly financial support?
A. Your gifts go toward our monthly salary for our basic living expenses, housing, taxes, international health insurance, a retirement plan (403(b)), transport to and from the field, and administrative support from SIM.
Q. How much do you have to raise?
A. Our support requirement is approximately $5,050 per month. This covers the needs listed above for us plus one-to-three children. (So we aren’t short on funding if the Lord blesses us with a family during our ministry!) We also have a ministry account to cover expenses specific to our ministry (postage, gas, educational supplies, vehicle repair, outreach for AIDS sufferers, etc) that will be about $450 per month.
Q. Are my gifts tax deductible?
A. Yes! SIM will send you receipts for any donations, as well as a yearly receipt for recurring online gifts.
Q. When should we start giving if you’re not leaving for several months?
A. The earlier the better! Any funding that comes in prior to the month of our departure goes toward our relocation expenses. If possible, please sign up right away. (If you know you will be giving monthly gifts in the future, but are not able to start yet, will you tell us how much you plan to give? We have to have 100% of our monthly funding “pledged” in order to buy our plane tickets!)
Q. How long will you be there (and if I want to support you monthly, how long does that continue)?
A. Our commitment is long-term, so we plan to serve as long as that is what God is calling us to do. However, we will return for several months of home assignment after every 2-4 years in the field. Ideally, your commitment to support us will be for the duration of our ministry but pledges are as God guides you and provides for you to give.
Q. Is my support covering any past debt or loans?
A. No. God has graciously provided for all of our needs and we have absolutely no debt!
Q. I want to be part of your ministry to AIDS orphans in Zambia. How do I get started?
A. Sign up for automatic bank withdrawals at www.sim.org/giveusa. Be sure to include our name and the account: #23444. You can also mail a check made out to SIM USA (Memo: #23444 - Wessler) to: SIM USA P.O. Box 7900, Charlotte, NC 28241. Please do not hesitate to ask us for any clarification, forms, etc.
Q. How can I share what you're doing with my family/friends/church so that they can have the opportunity to support you guys?
A. You are welcome (and encouraged) to share our letters and website (http://www.wesslersinzambia.com/) with them or send them directly to us via phone (309-363-2722) or e-mail (luke.wessler@sim.org / tiffany.wessler@sim.org). Also, if you provide us with their contact information, we will contact them and set up a time to get together or talk on the phone. Please share – your referrals and networking are very much appreciated.
Anything else?
09 August 2010
August 2010 Prayer Letter!
Scrabble arguments, pies being thrown, and all-out mayhem! Read about it in this month's letter!
(okay, I realize it's not as dramatic as I made it sound, but still... are YOU involved?)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)