PREACH (Permanent Residence for Evangelism And Christian Hospitality)
In Matthew 19:29, Jesus said, “Everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life.”
Missionaries give up a lot to dedicate their lives to spreading the gospel. They leave family behind and rarely are able to accumulate many possessions or savings. Jonathan Hanegan is a good example of that. He only gets to visit his parents and his brother’s family every two years. And his possessions consist of a few pieces of furniture, a bicycle, and LOTS of books.
Missionaries also have to navigate cultures that are often very different from what we’re used to in America. When Jonathan lived in Caracas, Venezuela, he had to be careful when out in public and was almost mugged several times. When Steve Tandy and I visited him in 2008, he had us put our wallets in his backpack to keep them safe from pickpockets. And in Buenos Aires, Jonathan faces constant unfair treatment from his landlord. His rent goes up 25% every year and he is not supposed to have anyone live with him for any period of time.
The ever-increasing rent Jonathan must pay and the unfair demands landlords make of their renters are just two of the reasons he feels it would make sense for him to purchase a home rather than continuing to rent. He also thinks buying a home would show those he ministers to that he is committed to staying in Buenos Aires (which he is). Our elders support Jonathan’s dream, and they want to challenge YOU to help him achieve that dream by donating to the PREACH giving campaign. (More details about this effort will be coming soon.)
Our other missionaries, the Vicks and Floods, are excited about what we’re doing for Jonathan. Alex said, “We think this is a great chance to turn Jonathan’s home into a hub for missions in South America.” And Robin’s response was, “Awesome! Maybe we can help!”
Thank God for our selfless missionaries and for this opportunity to help Jonathan secure OUR future partnership in Latin America! Please pray that we will be successful in this endeavor.