Chris and Beverly Crowder, March 2005 e-Newsletter

Three Huge Blessings!

1.  Finances

Our one-time financial needs have been 100% met!  That means that our startup costs such as plane tickets, visas, and first month's salary have been received by SIM.  Thank you so much to our friends and supporters who have given to the Lord (2 Cor 4:5) and who share in our mission.  We are so thankful.  Will you please pray that the remaining monthly portion will come in soon?  We stand at about 38% of our monthly need.

2.  Assignment:  Sudan

Second, our ministry partner Samaritan's Purse has confirmed our assignment to work in Kurmuk!  At the base in southeastern Sudan, Chris will teach English and discipleship and Beverly will be working in the hospital.  We will be joining an existing SP team there which includes an SIM teammate as well as another American couple.  It was a huge treat to receive a phone call on March 15th from the Samaritan's Purse director.  The reality of our heading to Sudan is beginning to settle over us, especially the reality of living in a hut (called a "tukul").

3.  Housing:  A Roof Over Our Heads

Third, we are settled in housing where we will live prior to departure.  It is a 3BR house near Vanderbilt offered to us by a supporter.  Then some other friends offered to pay for utilities!  It is a huge blessing to be able to unpack and stay somewhere for a while.  We were on the road for several months which was quite draining.  Also, we are enjoying living downtown for a while.

Web-Kudos

Thank you to our friend Yun Wang for his hard work on our website http://www.crowdersinafrica.com/ ! It averages 40 unique hits per day and is bringing us together with folks who have an interest in Sudan.  For example, a doctor in New York who had worked at the base in Kurmuk called after linking from SIM's site.  He was able to tell us about the churches, the surroundings, and the history of SIM's ministry.  Thanks Lord for our website.

Prayer Requests

  • Please pray that we would adjust to this new life.  It is a big change for both of us.  Please pray that the Lord will continue to strengthen us by helping us to put on His armor daily (Eph 6:10) and attaching ourselves as branches to our vine, Jesus. (John 15:4)
  • Similarly, please pray for us as we begin to say goodbye.  We want to strengthen our family relationships so that they will last while we are away. 
  • Please send us your prayer requests.  We are learning to be prayer warriors and would be thrilled to pray for things small or great.  We're serious!

How To Contact Us

Street address: 107 Sugar Creek Lane, Smyrna, TN 37167
Cell phone: (615) 289-7946
Email: chris.crowder@sim.org, beverly.crowder@sim.org

Join Our Support Team

Interested in being our senders? Here are three options:

  • Prayer - interceding and asking that we will be strengthened for the journey
  • Encouraging - emails and calls
  • Giving - supporting us financially on a monthly basis

How to give:
You may make checks out to: SIM USA
Please mail checks to: P.O. Box 7900, Charlotte, NC 28241.
In the memo line please write "Crowders #22469, Support"