Serving Jesus Down Under
Merry Chirstmas to all! Cooler in Sydney than usual for this time of year, but not complaining.
Celebrate the love of our Saviour today.
“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Luke 2:10-12
Love to all of you this day,
The Matthews
Thanks for your prayers and the time we had with you in the US. We have made it home to Australia. Only one missing box, but I am sure it will show up soon. The flights went well and we are thankful to be back in Oz. We were able to make it to Glorious Hope Baptist on Sunday and we have a Annual General Meeting with ABWE on Monday. We are feeling the effects of jetlag, but all in all it is going well. We hope to get the house all put together & life back to normal in the coming days. We will send out a more extensive update soon. Thanks for everything.
Projects to work on & prayer requests:
-Direction for new church plant; we have the opportunity for new church plants in 2011
-Direction for ABWE with planning for 2011 & leadership
-Direction for housing & schooling for 2011
-Funds one desktop computer - Our computers need an upgrade to keep up with the demand of the city ministry (Approx. cost :$800 -1000)
-Funds for a new desktop for family needs – Ours are in need of replacing at home
-Funds for a small vehicle to assist in travel needs for future ministry. (ex. Toyota Corrolla) Approx. cost: $15,000
Thank you for your prayers and support.
Here is how you can support us monthly, increase your support or with a one time gift.
It is easy as 1-2-3
1. Go to www.abwe.org and click on the GIVE tab (It is in the upper right corner in an orange box)
2. Put in our name and the amount & follow the instructions
3. Our account number is 0132363
The adventure continues…
Russ, Cathy, Rebecca, Hope , Joshua & Caroline
We appreciate your patience, but we thought you would want to celebrate with us. We gave our last presentation for furlough today at Saylorville Baptist Church. What a great day & a great way to finish our furlough. We are thankful for our sending church.
Praise for God’s provision
-Spoke at a great youth event – over 100 kids there to hear a message about relationships and the Gospel
-Funds for 1 new laptop computers for city ministry
-Funds for 1 new laptop for family ministry needs
-Funding for church plant in Sydney
Projects to work on & prayer requests:
-Funds last new laptop computer - Our computers need an upgrade to keep up with the demand of the city ministry (Approx. cost :$800 -1000 per computer)
- Assistance with shipping of 2 donated, rebuilt desk top computers for city ministry ($350/computer – we have a portion of this raised) or if someone would like to purchase them as a donation towards new computer in city ministry.
-Funds for a new desktop for family needs – Ours are in need of replacing at home
-Funds for a small vehicle to assist in travel needs for future ministry. (ex. Toyota Corrolla) Approx. cost: $15,000
-Direction for new church plant; we have the opportunity for new church plants in 2011
-Flying out of Des Moines on Thursday & health of the family
Thank you for your prayers and support.
If you will not see us at the churches, here is how you can support us monthly, increase your support or with a one time gift.
It is easy as 1-2-3
1. Go to www.abwe.org and click on the GIVE tab (It is in the upper right corner in an orange box)
2. Put in our name and the amount & follow the instructions
3. Our account number is 0132363
The adventure continues…
Russ, Cathy, Rebecca, Hope , Joshua & Caroline
This will be our last furlough update, the next update will be from Australia. In less than a week and we will flying home. We have had a great time with our supporters, friends & family at the Australian BBQ on the 27th (good turn out, especially with all of the play-off games going on in Iowa) and at First Family Church on Sunday. In the mean time we will be assisting with other events and packing to go.
The last opportunity for us to see many of you will be at Saylorville Baptist Church on Sunday, 31 October during the am & pm services, for details go to www.saylorvillebaptist.com.
Thanks for all who have asked to get together with us. We would encourage any of you to come to Saylorville for some time with our family. If we are unable to see you during this time in the US, we will look forward to seeing you on our next furlough in four years.
Projects to work on & prayer requests:
- Speaking at a youth event (Mt. Pleasant @ Calvary Baptist – 30 October)
-Funds for 2 new laptop computers - Our computers need an upgrade to keep up with the demand of the city ministry (Approx. cost :$800 -1000 per computer)
- Assistance with shipping of 2 donated, rebuilt desk top computers for city ministry ($350/computer – we have a portion of this raised) We cannot ship them with our luggage on the plane with us due to the x-ray systems.
- Funds for 1 new laptop & 1 new desktop for family needs – Ours are in need of replacing at home
- Funds for a small vehicle to assist in travel needs for future ministry. (ex. Toyota Corrolla) Have you ever thought of donating your current vehicle for ministry needs?
-Direction and funding with church plant in Sydney; we have the opportunity for new church plants in 2011 – Our goal is to raise $5000 or more for this fund.
That is it for now. Thank you for your prayers and support. We hope to see you at the churches.
If you will not see us at the churches, here is how you can support us monthly, increase your support or with a one time gift.
It is easy as 1-2-3
1. Go to www.abwe.org and click on the GIVE tab (It is in the upper right corner in an orange box)
2. Put in our name and the amount & follow the instructions
3. Our account number is 0132363
Thanks for the questions and the support.
The adventure continues…
Russ, Cathy, Rebecca, Hope , Joshua & Caroline
We wanted to send you a quick update and thanks for the prayers:
1) Hope received her passport today. Looks like we get to take her with us to Australia. 
2) We had a generous church member from one of our supporting churches write a cheque for a new laptop for the city ministry. Just two more computers to go!
Thanks to all who are praying for us and we will keep you up to date on the next two weeks here in the US.
The adventure continues…
Russ Matthews
“Remember your word to your servant, in which you have made me hope.” -Psalm 119: 49
This will be one of our last furlough updates. Since in less than two weeks we will leave for Australia. We have had a great time with our churches, supporters, friends & family while we have been in the US. The time has gone by quickly and many have been asking us to get together in the last two weeks. Our schedule is pretty full. We will be in two more churches (First Family Church-24 Oct. am & Saylorville Baptist – 31 Oct. am & pm), speaking at a youth event (Mt. Pleasant @ Calvary Baptist – 30 October), have our Australian BBQ for supporters, friends & family (27 October – Saylorville), various other events and packing to go home. Thanks for all who have asked to get together with us. We would encourage any of you to come to one of the churches or events, our family would love to see you there. If we are unable to see you during this time in the US, our next furlough will be in four years.
We continually reminded how this journey is not about us, but about our Saviour Jesus, in whom we put all of our hope. Our faith continues to grow and we are thankful for all that has been provided for us through many generous people. Also, we continue to look forward to our eternal future with our Lord.
Through various commitments, we have seen the Lord provide for our monthly support. Our family continues to praise God for all who have given towards this goal. We still have some of our goals to be met before leaving for Australia. I have attached our furlough goals to this correspondence. If you have any questions about our financial goals or how you can help, please email us at matthewsdownunder@bigpond.com. Please consider helping out with meeting these goals.
“What I love about the true gospel of Jesus is that it offers hope.” – Donald Miller
Projects to work on & prayer requests:
- Salvation of the many that we have spoken to during our time in the US. Neighbours, groups and those in the churches.
- Hope’s (our daughter) passport to arrive to us prior to 3 November.
-Funds for 3 new laptop computers - Our computers need an upgrade to keep up with the demand of the city ministry (Approx. cost – $800 -1000 per computer)
- Assistance with shipping of 2 donated, rebuilt desk top computers for city ministry ($350/computer – we have a portion of this raised) We cannot ship them with our luggage on the plane with us due to the x-ray systems.
- Funds for 1 new laptop & 1 new desktop for family needs – Ours are in need of replacing at home
- Funds for a small vehicle to assist in travel needs for future ministry. (ex. Toyota Corrolla) Have you ever thought of donating your current vehicle for ministry needs?
-Direction and funding with church plant in Sydney; we have the opportunity for new church plants in 2011 – Our goal is to raise $5000 or more for this fund.
-Funds for furlough – This venture has been a bit more costly than we realised
That is it for now. Thank you for your prayers and support. We hope to see you at the churches.
If you will not see us at the churches, here is how you can support us monthly, increase your support or with a one time gift.
It is easy as 1-2-3
1. Go to www.abwe.org and click on the GIVE tab (It is in the upper right corner in an orange box)
2. Put in our name and the amount & follow the instructions
3. Our account number is 0132363
Thanks for the questions and the support.
The adventure continues…
Russ, Cathy, Rebecca, Hope , Joshua & Caroline
We received all of the kids US passports in the post yesterday, except for Hope’s. The photographer had not told us that she could not have anything in her hair. So, we had to get a new picture taken and sent her application back to her express post. Pray her passport gets back before we plan to fly out on 4 November.
Thanks for your prayers and support.
It had been a busy week. Meetings, Awana presentations, various church presentations, passports for the kids and we were all a bit weary. We had a good morning at one of our supporting churches. In the afternoon I called one of our supporters to find out the result of a church vote, specifically on supporting our ministry. After a bit of catching up, my friend told me that the church decided not to support us at this time, but asked how much more support we needed to raise. I gave him the number and he said, “That is the number our family has been praying to support you. So relax, your done.”
After I picked my jaw up off the ground. I was a bit shocked and overwhelmed. Then after clarifying it at least 3 times, that it was no joke. I am happy to announce, with praise to the Lord & thanks to our supporters, we have 100% commitment for all of our monthly support needs. Thanks for your prayers and encouragement.
A bit more to come:
Our family still has three more church presentations to do and three more weeks left of this adventure of furlough. We could use your prayers for strength, direction & continued enthusiasm. What a privilege to present the Lord’s work each week.
We are also looking to raise the funds for specific projects for the ministry. Here are the projects, see if you would be willing to assist with the support of any of these ventures.
Projects to work on & prayer requests:
-Funds for 3 new laptop computers - Our computers need an upgrade to keep up with the demand of the city ministry (Approx. cost – $800 -1000 per computer)
- Assistance with shipping of 2 donated, rebuilt desk top computers for city ministry ($350/computer – we have a portion of this raised)
- Funds for 1 new laptop & 1 new desktop for family needs – Ours are in need of replacing at home
- Funds for a small vehicle to assist in travel needs for future ministry. (ex. Toyota Corrolla)
-Direction and funding with church plant in Sydney; we have the opportunity for new church plants in 2011 – Our goal is to raise $5000 or more for this fund.
-Funds for furlough – This venture has been a bit more costly than we realised
That is it for now. Thank you for your prayers and support. We hope to see you at the churches.
If you will not see us at the churches, here is how you can support us monthly or with a one time gift.
It is easy as 1-2-3
1. Go to www.abwe.org and click on the GIVE tab (It is in the upper right corner in an orange box)
2. Put in our name and the amount & follow the instructions
3. Our account number is 0132363
Thanks for the questions and the support.
The adventure continues…
Russ, Cathy, Rebecca, Hope , Joshua & Caroline
We just wanted to send a quick word of praise to you. Our monthly support needs are being met. After a phone call last night from one of our supporting churches, conversations with two individuals this week and after scrutinising our current records, we now only need to raise $138 per month. ( I am very thankful for friends who are meticulous in analysing records!) Still work to be done, but the financial goals are being met. What an encouraging phone call.
Thank you to all of you for praying for these needs. Thank you to those who are supporting us financially.
We wanted to share with you to celebrate with us on the Lord’s provision.
The adventure continues…
Russ & Cathy Matthews
We have had requests on how to support us through ABWE.
It is easy as 1-2-3
1. Go to www.abwe.org and click on the GIVE tab (It is in the upper right corner in an orange box)
2. Put in our name and the amount & follow the instructions
3. Our account number is 0132363
Thanks for the questions and the support.
I will post some of the specific numbers for the cost of the computers and other needs for those who desire to know the specific costs.
The adventure continues…
Russ Matthews
© 2012 Matthews Down Under
