| | | | Dear Friends, Greetings again from Liberia! Unbelievably, this month we celebrate our 40th year with Baptist Mid-Missions and therefore have put the above picture showing us (with Nathan, Melodie and John-Mark) at the end of our first term in Tappita. It is hard to even remember those “kids” who felt God directing them towards Liberia those many years ago. We praise God for His wonderful protection, guidance, and sustaining grace over the years. We have very exciting news! After more than two years of work, Nancy, her sister Karen, and I have finished the on-line edition of the English 70-Story Reading Comprehension and Grammar Course! Click here to see a course description, and here to sign up either as a visitor or a student. It’s FREE, and all you need is an internet connection and an email address. We recommend it to anyone who is interested in learning about the Bible or the English language. This course is a great home schooling, evangelism and/or discipleship tool for 7th grade students and above. (The English grammar portion of the lessons can be used either as an introduction or a review.) Please share these links with others! | | | |
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| | | | At the end of June, our grandson Caleb (son of Melodie and Kevin Kejr in Kenya) began vomiting and was not able to keep any food down. In God’s providence, they were in Nairobi at the time, so they took him to a nearby hospital where he was given a complete exam. They found an inflamed appendix. The next morning a pediatric surgeon examined him and verified that he needed an appendectomy. The surgery was successful and he was discharged a few days later. We thank God for His providence and protection. | | | |
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| | | | I was finally able to fulfill our Tappita mission administrator’s request of a lawnmower to help keep up with the grass. This has become especially important with the opening of the expanded airfield on the mission property. A big thanks to my cousin Kevin and his son Jason. They found a used 44” Toro professional mower in the Minneapolis area and arranged to have it shipped in a shared container to Liberia. I received it, sent it by truck to Tappita and flew up there on June 23 with MAF to reassemble it, get it going and train some men how to use it. We were able to mow the entire airfield and some of the other mission land in only three days.
We continue our various ministries. I have had many good opportunities to preach in various churches during these last months. On June 17th we ended our Basics of Science class at the Jake Memorial Baptist College and we’re enjoying a bit of a break right now. This class showed that science must be based on a biblical rather than evolutionary worldview since science supports the biblical account of creation and the flood. As a basis for the class, we used the video Evolution’s Achilles’ Heels, a very helpful tool. We begin classes again on August 9th. | | | |
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| | | | One of the blessings of being an older, experienced couple on the mission field is being able to help young missionaries who need advice, counsel and encouragement. Some years ago we met Christian Kopjar, a German single missionary working here with a discipleship ministry. He became a good friend of our family. A little over two years ago, through some amazing circumstances, he was put in contact with Ina Hrisca who was working with a mission agency in Romania. They began corresponding, one thing led to another, and they were engaged last year during her visit to Liberia. Christian and Ina asked us to do their premarital counseling (via Zoom), which was a great blessing to us. They were married on April 30th. We pray God’s blessings on their marriage and now-combined ministry. | | | |
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| | | | Please pray for the following requests. - Complete recovery of our grandson Caleb.
- God’s blessing on the online edition of the English 70-Story Reading Comprehension and Grammar Course, and the completion of the paper edition.
- Continued wisdom as we work with the Jake Memorial Baptist College—revising the curriculum, creating classes and teaching.
- The Jake Memorial Baptist College students: with the worldwide economic downturn it is getting more and more difficult for them to pay their school fees and even pay for transportation to the school.
- Jonah’s (age 14) continued emotional, physical, and spiritual growth as he prepares to enter eighth grade in September.
Thank you again for your love, prayers and interest in our ministry. In Christ’s service, Mark, Nancy and Jonah Sheppard Serving with:
Baptist Mid-Missions
Box 308011
Cleveland, OH 44130-8011
http://www.bmm.org To give online, click here and type “Sheppard” in the search box. Click on “Sheppard, Mark and Nancy.” Enter the amount you wish to give. Push “Give Online” and then “Update & Check Out.” Fill in your contact info and choose whether you want to use your Credit or Debit Card or eCheck and then enter the appropriate information. After entering your payment information, push “Give Now." You may also mail gifts to the above address. Mark the gift “for the ministry of Mark Sheppard.” (For more information on monthly giving, etc., go to https://www.bmm.org/give and click on “Giving Methods.") | | | |
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5920 Golden Valley Rd
Minneapolis, MN 55422 | | | |
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