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WEC USA Headquarters

Editor’s Thoughts

The WEC USA Sending Base serves, not only as a missionary Sending Base where workers are trained for cross-cultural work overseas, but it also serves as the home and offices of the home-missionary staff who serve these same cross-cultural workers in a myriad of critical ways. This involves everything from distributing the vitally needed funds to those on the field, which can be, and almost always is, a complex process; serving as a mailing and transport hub for those at home and abroad; periodically honing its staff and programs to always be the sharpest tool they can be for God’s purposes and will, both for those on the frontlines and those on the home-front; to also serve as a place of refuge for the furloughing workers, who are often tired and spent from ministering in difficult places—thus providing whatever is needed to meet their physical, emotional and spiritual needs; and lastly, serving as bastion of prayer for all those who look to, and count on, their leadership and guidance.

They are, without doubt, missionaries to missionaries serving tirelessly their brethren and God’s Kingdom. 

Finance Office:

Howard and Virginia McConnell (USA) recently retired after twenty-six years of untiring and generous service to USA WECers. Howard served in the critical role as Director of Finance. “We are all grateful for Howard's and Virginia's service. Every one of us from field workers to home staff has been blessed by the many ways Howard has been willing to serve in financial matters during his years on staff. We rejoice that they will continue to serve even in retirement by working in the finance office of the New Zealand Sending Base as of December.

“The McConnell’s retirement, however, leaves the Finance Department in critical need! The department is now reduced to just two people—Dan Durben (USA) Howard’s (full-time) assistance, and Se Hyun Seo (part-time now moving to full-time). “Neither Dan nor Se Hyun has the professional accounting expertise that Howard brought to the position. Thus the two of them alone cannot carry the heavy load that our financial office demands. This puts our finance department in a serious situation which affects every USA WECer. We consider this an emergency need!”

Please pray for:

• “Qualified personnel for the Finance Office. We are praying for someone with an accounting background as well as another full-time person (who doesn't need accounting skills but does need an affinity for numbers or details!) to help carry the load of the office. Please pray with us so that we can rejoice together in God's provision. He knows the need and He knows how quickly this need must be filled.
• “Dan Durben as he learns the ropes of Finance Director and keeps the office going at a critical time. He feels the weight of the load and we want to uphold him in prayer.”
• Se Hyun Seo as he moves to fulltime status in assisting Dan and our WEC USA field workers.

*The quotes above are from Louis and Susan Sutton {USA}, Directors of WEC USA

Mailing Operations:

Bob Gerdsen, Mailing Operations and Transportation Director and sole team member, recently wrote of an urgent need in his department: “My greatest need continues to be for an assistant in the Mail Room. I have been in charge of both these departments for over thirty years. I have to adjust my schedule regularly to [accomplish the work] in both departments, and it is very difficult to schedule even a short vacation time. In addition, I have just turned 64 and I don’t have the energy or strength to continue doing these things alone.

Please pray for:

• “An assistant.
• “Continued safety on the highways.
• “A deeper commitment to God’s Word.
• “Continued faithfulness in ministry.”

Discovery Teams:

In the last couple of years, WEC USA has been involved with restructuring itself in order to maximize its missionary efforts for God’s kingdom. One of these efforts is the formation of Discovery Teams. David Hall, Director of WEC Link and Mobilization, writes: “This new ministry’s focus is to help us better respond to the challenges of empowering today’s youth to missionary service. [This involves] offering two to three week short-term trips to introduce young people to ministry on our fields. Four countries have responded positively thus far: Thailand, Spain, Mexico, and Southeast Asia. Each of these countries will host a team of six to twelve people for two to three weeks and will be led by a WEC missionary from the US—I (David) will lead the Spain team.

“In reorganizing WEC USA, Holly McCleery (USA) was given responsibility to oversee Mobilization (my area) as well as Training and Media (she’s my immediate boss). Holly has strong administrative skills as well as an amazing ability to see the big picture.  We also have Loretta Jackson (USA) who worked for the Social Security Administration for over 30 years who is also very talented in administration. Holly and Loretta have proven to be an enormous blessing to this ministry initiative.

Please pray for:

• “The [timely completion] of the publicity material. out in a few weeks. I (David) am now scheduled to lead on the teams to Spain next summer.
• “All the remaining work to be done in organizing many aspects of the administration of the program – forms, finances, orientation, etc.”
• God’s wisdom and insight to envelop Holly, Loretta and David as they provide leadership and oversight for this wonderful program. It’s never too early to begin praying (and more to come on the particulars).

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