We were honored to join Hungarian Baptist Aid for their 25th Anniversary Jubilee in Budapest on December 2nd, and Larry and I were especially honored to be recipients of their presidential service award!
HBA President Béla Szilágyi and Hungarian Baptist Union President János Papp presented us with the awards—we are the first internationals to be given these awards since they started giving them 10 years ago!
Larry’s is the Cserepka János Award, in memory of a Hungarian Baptist missionary to Bolivia in the last century. Mine is the Presidential Recognition Award. We both received the beautiful glass award, and one will come home with us at Christmas to be placed in my aunt Aldine’s curio cabinet that now lives at Pate Chapel Church. Wouldn’t she be proud? And Larry’s grandma Ruth who supported missionaries her whole life? What an honor to get to do these things!
Our dear partners in ministry celebrated with a beautiful event at one of the large arenas, and it was three concerts, a mission report, and a renewal service all in one! Staff and students from their 50 schools came together to celebrate. Every school was given a banner to hold up during shout-out roll call.
The teachers from our school in Téglás are on the left (somehow Elizabeth scored front row seats!) and on the right you can see my colleagues from the high school in Debrecen where I teach once a week.
With our awards we were given beautiful coffee table books commemorating HBA’s 25 years of service. Truly mission-minded, HBA has sent relief and teams around the world in addition to the educational and healthcare services they provide in Hungary. A beautiful part of the evening was the touching tribute to former president Sándor Szenczy who passed away this year. He and Elizabeth and I all share the same birthday, and he was the catalyst of her decision to have HBA take over the management of the Téglás school AND to pursue her Master of Diviniy.
We are grateful for his life’s work, and for the opportunity to be part of the work that continues. Thank you for your prayer and financial support that keeps us here!
FBC has been involved supporting the Baptist Campus Ministry at Northern Illinois University financially for many years. Many students make critical life decisions during their college years, so this is an essential ministry. Zachery Dyrda, the part-time chaplain there, leads Bible Studies, holds dinner church (while eating with the students, Zach has worship), and also spends time with students who drop by the Baptist House which is located next to the campus. He is in his ninth year serving as the chaplain there.
Support for this vital ministry has declined over the years because of the decline in church membership and the Covid Pandemic. Recently, an organization called “Network of Nations,” a Christian ministry working with international students, saw the benefit of working with them to meet expenses and to share in the ministry. There are now leaders in the building every day doing ministry with international and American students.
When asked about a situation when he felt God working in his life as a chaplain at NIU, Zach replied, “To be honest I feel that all the time. I feel God working all the time. Whether I’m making changes to my sermon at the last minute, or a new student walks into BCM for the first time and somehow I say exactly what he needed, or when we start a game night but spend two hours in deep discussion about Jesus, and everyone leaves praising God. Even how the new relationship with Network of Nations has come about is all God at work.”
When FBC women took the donations from FBC to NIU a few weeks ago, Zach expressed his deep appreciation to our church for such a wonderful variety of food and supplies for the students. Thank you to the entire church for sharing your love in the work at the NIU Baptist Campus Ministry.
I am humbled when I read that so many of you have been praying for our family. Thank you. I am absolutely convinced that it has made all the difference. We seek to be Christ’s ambassadors and may sometimes play a small part in some amazing events and developments that only God could have brought about. Let me tell you about one:
Ten years ago last month, I had a revelation. [ One Pentecostal national missionary friend of mine was astounded. Probably, not by the revelation as much as that God gave it to a Baptist. Well, the Lord must have wanted to shake things up a bit if He gave a Baptist a word of revelation. ] I was doing my devotions early one morning and came across the phrase, “And they will know that the Lord is in that city” The reading was about Jerusalem, but it really struck me as relevant for the present. I felt prompted to ask God, what city are you talking about, Lord? I heard an almost audible “Chiang Rai” . This city. The nation of Thailand will know, maybe, even the world will know that the Lord is in this place. I was so excited and wanted to tell the world of my great revelation. But when I asked God what to do next, I felt the very strong reply: “just pray and ready yourself”. I was a little disappointed. I wanted to organize something; a big prayer meeting, make an announcement, tell the world. But immediately afterward, I got dengue, and by the time I had recovered from that our family had a crisis that took the wind out of our sails. But as I reflected and prayed, I realised, that God was serious. “ Just pray and get ready” So for 10 years, I have been serving God in the ways I think God has called me. And I have been praying. We have continued to enable, mentor, and encourage local national ministries, particularly with a focus on Eastern Shan State(Burma), as that was another very clear calling in 2013. So that has been where we have focused our encouragement and energy until Covid and the military coup has kept us away from Burma, though we are still working there – from a distance, from here in Chiang Rai.
The First Church, established in 1914 is downtown. Tan and I were married here in 1991.
Chiang Rai, our home base, has had a small but established core of Christians for a century. The early missionaries did leave some landmarks in the city: a school, a church, and a hospital, to name three. Slowly and steadily, the Christian Faith has taken root and grown, particularly among the ethnic minority people, who have had a growing presence here.
One week ago, this Pentecostal friend I mentioned above, called me. He has been gripped with a desire to organize a massive worship service of as many believers as the local soccer stadium
Prize tablePassports and Brochures provided for visitorsGabhart’s displayWayside Cross MinsitryFBC Woman’s Ministry White Cross MinsitryLarry and Becky Stanton serving in HungaryDoorway to Hope and Administer JusticeFox Valley Christian ActionScott and Tan Coats and Mylinda Bates with International MinistriesConquerorsTLC Pregnancy Support Services Step It Up
September 2022 Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish, for His mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness! I say: The Lord is my portion, therefore I will put my hope in Him. Lamentations 3:22-24 HCSB
It is awesome to serve a God who answers prayers. I have now been serving in the role of “Missionary Support” for three months. As an introvert, answering questions by phone and email is not the task that I would gravitate towards on my own. However, I am learning much about the way that Missionary Flights operates and what things look like in country once the people and cargo leave the airplane. God has been daily answering the prayer that I would have the energy, grace, understanding, and knowledge that I need to work with those calling in with questions and requests. I am very grateful that most of the people that I work with are generally appreciative and pleasant as opposed to a typical “Customer Service” job where most of the calls are angry people. I’ve also been able to apply some of the knowledge that God allowed me to gain at previous jobs to make reference materials and form emails so that it is easier to transfer knowledge and procedures to others working at MFI. I am grateful that in mid-June another pilot started at MFI and he and I are beginning to share the responsibilities of Missionary Support. This will allow me to resume my training loading airplanes and paperwork that goes with it.
Haiti has been in our prayers much lately. In the areas around Port-au-Prince, Haitians are kidnapped daily. Fuel is still scarce and people are trying to figure out ways to survive. Unrest has been on the increase with riots, demonstrations, and strikes becoming more frequent. At Missionary Flights, we have been trying to coordinate cargo service to a new city, Jacmel, where we periodically fly passengers. Each flight has had logistical problems – customs, airport construction, riots – and we’re praying in the coming months that things will begin to operate more smoothly. Other parts of the country have been comparatively peaceful and the missionaries in these areas are able to continue their work unhindered. We’ve seen an increase in passengers lately – both short-term teams and long-term missionaries – traveling to these areas of the country. We thank you for joining us in praying for God to change the situation in Haiti for the better and for His glory.
Thank you for your love, prayers, and support as we serve at MFI.
Family News It’s constantly amazing how fast the time flies when you have children. The end of August was another one of those moments where we take pause, and remind ourselves that we blinked too hard. Abby is now 10 years old. Our last baby is double digits. She was able to spend most of her birthday hanging out with one of her best friends from church. A few short days after that, Growing Minds Academy resumed school for the 2022-2023 school year. As homeschoolers, we really enjoy having a little bit more flexibility with our schedule and when we are beginning to dive into our curriculum. This next year, we have some changes coming to our curriculum. While our core subjects are staying the same, we are adding in some new things. One of them is the kids will be learning how to play the piano and learn music theory along side of it. For those unfamiliar with Sam’s background, she went to school to be a music teacher, so this new subject has an extra level of excitement for her.
For the last several weeks and now continuing forward, each week the kids are taking turns coming into the hangar with us for the day. When we began at Missionary Flights, it was always part of our plan to work into the kid’s schooling to have a day where they could help in the warehouse. Originally, we were thinking about having all three along, but it works out much nicer to have a rotating schedule with them. A fun incentive for them with it is getting to go swim at the hospitality park after working all day in the hangar. It’s so great for the kids to have the opportunity to serve along side us. Teaching that they are able to help stand in the gap for missions, being missionary kids, is a valuable life experience we can’t get elsewhere.Prayer RequestsPraise for the new staff at MFI. Prayer for MFI to grow during this transition of new people and that we will serve wellPrayer for our children as they begin school again; to have a productive and educational yearPrayer for Haiti and the missionaries serving there to have wisdom and safety as they do what God has called them to doPrayer for Sam and I as we seek to be good examples to our children in our walk with JesusPrayer for God to bless our ministry partners in their consistency to support the work He is doingMinistry UpdateWe are so thankful to all who are following God’s leading in supporting us. We are currently receiving $5,700 (93%) monthly. We need an additional $400 monthly to be fully supported.
The word we have been reflecting on recently is “transition.”
The first area, which is minor in comparison to the others, is in getting used to the weather here. As someone used to experiencing four very distinct seasons, this is very different. Our winter and spring temperatures of 70-80 degree highs have transitioned to the summer temperatures of 80-90 degree highs. The distinguishing feature of summer here is the frequent afternoon thunderstorms and the humidity. Most days start sunny in the morning, shift to overcast in the afternoon, and then move into rain and thunder in the late afternoon and evening. This makes the flights that Missionary Flights does interesting for our pilots as they navigate home. This also means that the best time for outdoor activities is in the morning.
Before
After I wore my “mechanic hat” and installed a new rail for cargo straps on the aircraft floor The second area of transition is at Missionary Flights itself. In the last several months, we have had a number of staff transition into other roles. Two of our pilots felt God leading them into the airlines and have left MFI. Our reservationist left to pursue being a doula. Our bookkeeper left to spend more time helping with her family’s company. The gentleman who handled our missionaries’ questions has retired. Our volunteer coordinator has shifted roles within MFI to do more community relations. This has resulted in new people coming on board. We have a new reservationist, new bookkeeper, and new volunteer coordinator. We also had a new pilot start in June. I’ve been asked to help answer the missionaries’ questions and am trying to take that on in addition to learning the Load Master position. The intention is to have a team able to answer questions. As others are trained, I won’t be trying to do two full-time jobs. Transitions like this are opportunities for growth as well as fumbling. Please pray that this transition is handled well, that MFI grows through this transition, and that our stumbles are kept minimal.
Repackaging 9,000 Covid Tests into fewer boxes to send to Haiti Repackaging 9,000 Covid Tests into fewer boxes to send to Haiti
The third area of transition is in our communication. Recently we’ve been having several devotional thoughts and sermons on the power of prayer. We’ve realized that we’re not communicating prayer needs as often as we could be. To that end, we are going to start sending a monthly prayer calendar. Each day will have an item to pray for: some will be generic, some will be specific to MFI, and some will be specific to our family. We plan to start in July as an opt-in type publication – meaning we would like you to request this via mail (742 Forster Ave, Sebastian, FL 32958) or email (gabhartsflyingbyfaith@gmail.com) – rather than assuming all of our newsletter recipients would be interested in this.
Thank you for your love, prayers, and support as we serve at MFI.
James and Sam Gabhart
Family News Summer is most definitely upon us. The weather is warm, humid, and a great opportunity to go to the beach when possible. Our favorite place to go is fondly referred to as “The Bathtub Side” of the Sebastian Inlet, one of many Florida State Parks. Sam and the kids go almost weekly and all three kids are becoming stronger swimmers.
Sam and the kids are developing a new routine of running. Back in May, we had the opportunity as a family to participate in a Mud Run at the Teen Missions headquarters on Merritt Island. It was shortly after that when Sam began running on her own, and now the kids have joined her. Now they each are taking turns having a run time with mom. Going forward, these times will be rolled into our official homeschool curriculum. Post-run Photo Defense! Church Basketball League “Hustle Back!” Church Basketball League Post Game Church Basketball League
As the school year drew to an end, the kids were excited for a break from the usual amount of work each week. Being homeschool kids, they don’t take too much of a break during the summer. This summer, we are reading “Artemis Fowl”, working on solidifying some math facts, creating Bible stories out of Lego, reading independently each day, and helping out with chores around the house. We have fun going up to church to practice basketball for the church league on Saturdays and going to the Sebastian Inlet. The kids thrive on having some sort of expectations to meet before they can play games, and as their parents, we are thrilled to help them.
I have been blessed to serve both as a global servant and now on the home office staff with International Ministries, an organization that has been an important part of my family’s life for over twenty years. In 2001, my wife, Terry, and I accepted a call to serve with International Ministries in Bulgaria where we served for seventeen years. During that time we partnered with the Bulgarian Baptist Union in various ministries—economic and community development, education, abolishing trafficking in persons and global slavery, and for a short time working with immigrants and refugees. We also had the opportunity to host several short-term mission teams. Through all the years we were blessed by the support of our partner in Bulgaria and by the staff at International Ministries. In 2018, we felt that our time in Bulgaria was coming to a close. At the same time there was a position on the home office staff which I felt called to apply for, so in 2019 I transitioned to my current role as Director of Global Personnel Services. When asked what this position involves, I often describe it as human resources for our global servants, and much of what I do falls into that category—compensation, benefits, health insurance, grants and allowances for specific location needs, etc. But to me it is so much more. It is helping provide member care for the global servants and families. It is being prepared to react to crises if they arise and assist in whatever way is necessary. It is about helping with transitions—from the beginning, through US/Puerto Rico assignments, and in retirement. But most importantly, it is walking alongside IM’s global servants so they can effectively live out God’s calling. What is the best part of my job? The best part of my job is getting to hear amazing stories of what God is doing through IM’s global servants and partners around the world, and the stories of how God is calling the next generation to go and serve.
Greeting from Samford University Campus in Birmingham, Alabama where we are both attending the Baptist World Alliance. The June work of the eye clinic continues to be very encouraging. The team of the eye clinic want out 3 times to treat patients in the comfort of their own homes. Please find here some statistics:
662 patients were consulted
402 lab tests done in our own laboratory
23 operations realized on patients.
Please be praying for the ministry of the eye clinic as its nurses risk their life trying to serve of the poor in the remote zones.
“As we were talking, you can see and feel her joy and peacefulness on her face!”
In addition to the clinic days, our medical team does home visits for those who have challenges getting to and from our clinic. Our nurse Cheradee was reporting to me on a home visit they had made earlier in the week.
She shared with me the testimony of a patient we had been caring for since August of 2021. This 54 year old woman had been through some very challenging times. Both she and her husband struggled with diabetes, a disease that is often overwhelming in this resource limited setting. The cost of proper care is insurmountable for many families. In January of last year her husband died from complications of his diabetes. By July, her diabetes was so poorly controlled she needed an amputation of her left foot.
She had become a Christian 10 years earlier but was in deep despair. While lying in the hospital she cried out to God. She wondered how she could possibly afford the necessary medicine, testing and doctor visits she so badly needed. After discharge from her surgery she was no longer able to work. Things looked bleak. Her former employer heard about our clinic and suggested she try getting care with us.
Now, 10 months later, her perspective is completely different! Our clinic provides her with medicine and regular check-ups for free. We were also able to provide her with a wheelchair and she is thrilled to be able to attend church now because of it. Her life and witness have become a testimony in her community to God’s faithfulness.
Her story reminds me of Psalm 30:10-12 which says “Hear me, O LORD, and have mercy; O LORD, be my helper. You turned my mourning into dancing; You peeled off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing Your praises and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks forever.” Berean Study Bible
Thanks for your faithful role in helping us express God’s faithfulness!
September 2022
Prayer RequestsPraise for the new staff at MFI. Prayer for MFI to grow during this transition of new people and that we will serve wellPrayer for our children as they begin school again; to have a productive and educational yearPrayer for Haiti and the missionaries serving there to have wisdom and safety as they do what God has called them to doPrayer for Sam and I as we seek to be good examples to our children in our walk with JesusPrayer for God to bless our ministry partners in their consistency to support the work He is doingMinistry UpdateWe are so thankful to all who are following God’s leading in supporting us. We are currently receiving $5,700 (93%) monthly. We need an additional $400 monthly to be fully supported.
