Missionary Monday

I never thought I would be writing a Missionary Monday post about myself, but here I am. I have the opportunity for the next 6 months to help at a mission board in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Below is the letter I wrote explaining this ministry! Thank you for taking the time to read it and for praying for me.

Dear Family and Friends,

“The LORD has done great things for us; whereof we are glad.” Psalm 126:3

The Lord has been doing great things in my own life over the past few weeks, and I am excited to share with you the opportunities He has given me. Over the past few months I have been ministering in Canada along with my family at Calvary Baptist Church. During that time I was trying to gain permission to teach piano, a ministry that I felt the Lord was calling me to do. Despite hours of research and phone calls, I was unable to gain the necessary permission because of my current status as a temporary resident.

A few weeks ago it became clear to me that the Lord had something else in mind for me at this time. I was presented with the opportunity to spend six months helping at a mission board, Gospel Mission of South America, in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. The Lord has answered many, many specific prayers and has shown the way clearly to this ministry and opportunity. I consider it a short-term missions trip, with the incredible opportunity to be a help to many missionary families.

During my time at the mission office, I will be helping in the office in the absence of the director and his wife. They, in turn, will be going to the field to fill in for a missionary on furlough. I will be involved in normal secretarial work there, and working along side another couple to accomplish the tasks of running a mission office.

GMSA is a mission board focused on reaching South America with the gospel. Their purpose is to glorify God by serving the sending churches as we help their missionaries establish reproducing churches in Latin America through evangelism, discipleship, and leadership development. My every effort in ministry with GMSA is intended to further the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ in South America. I have been to Argentina and Chile on a three week missions trip with this mission before. It has been my privilege to get to know many of the missionaries and their families, which makes this opportunity all the more exciting to me.

I would ask that you might remember me in your prayers during this time. This opportunity is different than anything I have done before, and I believe that the prayers of the Lord’s people are vital to His work being accomplished. Please pray that the Lord gives me the strength to recognize and do what he wants me to accomplish during my time there. I will be leaving in just two short weeks, and will be in Florida until November.

This opportunity is not a paid position. As I will be relying on the Lord for strength, so I must rely on Him for my finances during this time. The mission has been gracious to provide housing and a car for my use while there, both of which are blessings and answers to prayer. I will be trusting the Lord for finances in travel expense, day to day living expenses, health insurance that is required, and for gas money to be involved in a local church there. If the Lord lays it on your heart to be a help in this area, you can consider helping me with a one time gift or on a monthly basis. All donations may be sent to one of the following addresses:

Gospel Mission of South America

1401 SW 21 Avenue

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312

Canadian donations may be sent to:

Gospel Mission of South America of Ontario

P.O. Box 150

St Charles, ON P0M 2W0

CANADA

GMSA has asked that supporters include a note with your donations stating that it is to help with my short term ministry. 100% of all donations with go directly to meet my expenses. Each supporter will receive a receipt for tax purposes.

Your support during this time, whether through prayer or through finances, is a great encouragement to me as I seek to do the Lord’s work. If you would like to receive periodical updates of my ministry there, send me an email at the address below. My prayer is that at the end of this trip, I will be able to say, “I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.” (John 17:4)

Because He Lives,

Nicole Risinger