A Month in the Dominican Republic

Posted by Brian on Aug 17 2010 | 1 Comment »

Today is my last day of spending a month in the Dominican Republic.  It’s been an important trip for at least three reasons.  First, while I’ve traveled to Santiago, DR several times, this is the longest I’ve stayed in any one stretch.  Second, this is the first time when I’ve come down not doing a training.  A lot of this trip was to become more familiar with how we do things at G.O. Ministries. I’ve also been able to work on my Spanish, and particular learn the areas I need to work on more.  I’ve also been able to spend time with some great short-term teams while I was here, including two from our home church, Eastview Christian Church.  Third, Bethany was able to visit the DR for the first time.  She is the first of our children to come down and see the work we do here.

I’m looking forward to being with my family again for a while.  I’ll be back in the States for three weeks, and then I’ll be coming back for another month where I’ll do two trainings sessions with the church leaders here.

Thanks to all of you who are on this journey with us, and thanks to all of the great G.O. Ministries staff.  I love to work with you guys!

Prayer needs:

  1. Please pray for supporters to partner with us.  We still have to raise over 60% of our monthly budget.
  2. Please pray for our children as they start another school year–especially Bethany who’ll be moving to Lexington, KY to attend the University of Kentucky.
  3. Please pray for Josanne’s and my marriage to be strong as we are spending a lot of time very busy and apart for long periods of time.

Thanks so much!

That’s What I Do Now!

Posted by Brian on May 25 2010 | Comment now »

Had a profound moment today.  Jeff Rogers was talking to me about a project he wanted me to work on, and even while he was talking, I started thinking (please don’t tell him I think about other stuff when he’s talking), how am I going to fit this into everything else I have to do. . . and then it hit me!  THIS IS what I do now!  So I don’t have to fit it around other stuff.  This IS the stuff.  It was a cool moment for me.

Thanks to all of you who’ve been on this transition journey with me.  Just to update: the Bell’s Palsy keeps hanging on.  I think I’m able to independently twitch my cheek for the first time today!  Please keep praying for swift and complete healing.  On support raising, we still are at only 34% (actually 33.4% but I’m trying to be optimistic) of our monthly pledges, but it continues to grow.  If you’d like to give, find out here how.  There isn’t too small of an amount you can pledge, by the way!  Josanne still does not have a job, so pray for God’s faithful provision.  Send me an email and let me know how I can pray for you too!

The Time Has Come

Posted by Brian on May 19 2010 | Comment now »

It’s hard to believe it, but the time for my transition from working at Lincoln Christian University to working full-time with G.O. Ministries is here!  It seems like only a few days ago that Josanne and I were feeling the tugging of God’s call to make this change, and now the time is here.  As this transition takes place, I wanted to update you on a few items:

  1. Support Raising.  We have been humbled by how God’s people (many of YOU) have responded to our appeals, and we are currently (as of May 19, 2010) at just under 33% of our monthly budget which has been pledged!  We’d like to be further along that this personally, but God is faithful and he has brought some great supporters to us thus far.  We are trusting him through the rest of this journey as well!
  2. Summer Plans.  Brian will be going to Santiago in July for about a month.  Josanne and Bethany are planning to come down to join him for a week.  If you would like to contribute to Brian’s trip click here to find out How to Give.
  3. Prayer Concerns. It seems like the closer things get, the more there are obstacles to overcome.  Brian has had a couple of bouts with health problems–including he is currently battling Bell’s Palsy.  We are in need of as many solid prayer partners as we can get!  We believe in the power of prayer, and there is too much going on for us not to bathe it all in prayer.  If you’d like to join our prayer list, please send an email to Brian at: brian.johnson@go-ministries.org.

Supplies on their way to Haiti

Posted by Brian on Jan 24 2010 | Comment now »

Thanks so much for all of those in the Bloomington/Normal area, and all those all across the country who are gathering supplies to send to Haiti.  I wanted to share just one example of how they are being gathered and used.

Josanne drove from Bloomington/Normal on Monday afternoon.  We had people who donated baby formula, bandages, medicines, medical supplies, etc. that Josanne loaded in the van and drove to Louisville.  There G.O. Ministries has been donated warehouse space where the supplies were unloaded.

Josannes van unloaded by volunteers

Josanne's van unloaded by volunteers

From there they were boxed together with other supplies.  Each box has to be measured, weighed, labeled, numbered, and a manifest of what each box contains needs to be made.  Eric Leach is doing a phenomenal job of organizing this process.

Supplies are boxed

Supplies are boxed

The boxes filled with supplies are labeled

The boxes filled with supplies are labeled

And then the boxes are gathered with other supplies and bundled onto a pallet to prepare to be taken and loaded on the cargo planes.

Thanks so much for all you are doing, and the difference that it is making today in people’s lives!

Supplies bundled onto pallets

Supplies bundled onto pallets

Update on Haiti–January 21st

Posted by Brian on Jan 21 2010 | Comment now »

God continues to open doors for G.O. Ministries, and in one of our executive teams words, “We are getting better at this relief thing.”  We really desire prayers as we are responding–on the move–to needs as they arrive.

Here is a video of Brook Brotzman flying into Haiti with supplies and in order to meet with those in some of the orphanages that we’ve been privileged to help out in this time of need.

Flight to Haiti

The best way to keep up with what is going on is: http://www.gohelphaiti.org/ Please continue to pray.  Please continue to give as you are able, and please help us continue to get the word out!

Update on what G.O. Ministries involvement in Haitian Relief

Posted by Brian on Jan 18 2010 | Comment now »

In the midst of the constantly changing response to the tragedy in Haiti, it’s been hard to keep everything up-to-date.  There is so much that is happening so rapidly.  God has opened incredible doors of opportunity for us.  Right now, we have five planes which are flying between Santiago, DR and Jacmel, Haiti carrying in medical supplies, water, and food.

Relief Flight from Santiago to Jacmel, Haiti

Relief Flight from Santiago to Jacmel, Haiti

There is money coming in which we are able to immediately put to use in getting these supplies to those who desperately need it.  What can you do?

1) Pray for God to continue to open doors and pray for the safety of our team members.

2) Give as you are able.  We have raised about $150,000 in a little over 4 days, but we have already spent more than that in supplies.  You can find out how to give here: www.go-ministries.org

3) Keep in touch, and spread the word.  Follow our updates on twitter @GOMinistries, or follow us at the website.

Thank you so much for your continued effort and help.

Tragedy in Haiti

Posted by Brian on Jan 14 2010 | Comment now »

I wanted to update everyone on what’s happening in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.  I spent most of the day yesterday trying to help coordinate our response.  Josanne was actually in Southern Indiana yesterday, so she went into the G.O. Ministries office in Louisville, KY to help manage the large volume of phone calls and requests that are coming through.

All of the Haitian pastors with whom we’ve been in touch are safe.  There are some that we have not been able to contact because communications are extremely difficult at the moment.  Cell phone towers are down in the DR as well, though there was not much other structural damage in Santiago.  There are two of our Haitian partners who live and minister in Santiago who have still been unable to reach their families who are the the Port-au-Prince area. This is the major prayer concern.
Currently the best ways to help are to pray and to give so that resources can be provided for those who are already on the ground.  Because of where we are located, G.O. Ministries is positioned to provide help.  We have started G.O. Help Haiti as a way of getting funding directly to those who are on the ground in Haiti.  100% of the funds will go to the Haitian relief efforts.  You can give my sending checks to G.O. Ministries (11501 Plantside Dr., Suite 14, Louisville, KY 40299), and just write “G.O. Help Haiti,” or “Haiti Relief” in the memo line.  You can also give online, or through direct deposit.  You can find how to do this here: http://www.go-ministries.org/give.shtml Just select “Haiti Relief” from the dropdown menu, or write it in the correct line on the form to fax.
We have several people in Santiago currently plus Jeff Rogers and Brook Brotzman from our stateside staff who have travelled down.  Pray for us as we help respond to this tragedy.

G.O. Ministries Staff Retreat

Posted by Brian on Sep 21 2009 | 1 Comment »

Josanne and I will be traveling to the Dominican Republic later this week to take part in the G.O. Ministries Staff Retreat.  I will be doing some teaching about how to make the most of Bible study time, and I will be doing a morning Bible study session as well.  This will be an encouraging time to be with the other staff members.  It’s when I am with people who have taken this step and who have been supported by God and his people that I am encouraged that things will work out for us.  Please keep us in prayer as we travel, and be in prayer for our family as we are apart from them.

If you’d like to give to support this trip, or if you’d like to give toward start up costs of our ministry this year, please see how you can do so here.

Hola, Español

Posted by Brian on Sep 17 2009 | Comment now »

So, I’m learning Spanish.  I’ll be honest, I almost put “I’m trying to learn Spanish,” but I’ve got to think more positively!  My wife and I enrolled in a community education class which started last night and will last for 11 weeks.  Additionally, I’ve been using some recordings I purchased called Learning Spanish Like Crazy.  So far I like those really well, and I do feel like I am learning some basics of the language.  It will be a long time until I won’t need a translator when I’m teaching (if I ever get to that point), but I really want to be able to better carry on every day conversations with my students in the DR and just with the people I live around while I’m there.  Would you pray for Josanne and I through this process?

And since I mentioned prayers, would you pray for us in the process of fund raising too?  It’s an easy process in which to become discouraged.  Would you pray for comfort in my heart and mind?  And would you pray for a strengthened trust that God will care for our needs?

Transition Update, September 2009

Posted by Brian on Sep 08 2009 | Comment now »

The school year has started back, and while in many ways it is like so many before, there is also constantly in the back of my mind that for me, this is the last year of all of these familiar happenings.  We are excited, but we also have the recognition that there is so much that needs to get done in the next several months.

We have had a few individuals and one church make donations to cover our start-up expenses.  I can’t tell you how encouraging that is!  You begin this process and you wonder if anyone at all will support us.  We are hoping that there are those who will soon begin to commit to be regularly, monthly supporters as well.  If you want to know how you can help, remember you can always go to this page.

Our biggest need right now is for regular people to lift us up on prayer during this time.  If you think that you are one of those people, would you please email me and let me know?  We really do desire to have as many as will praying for us, but we recognize the need for a few people to pray intently, specifically, and regularly for us in this time.

Also, be looking for our first quarterly newsletter mailing which will be out in a couple of weeks.  If you don’t get one and you want to, please contact me with your address and I’d be happy to add you to our mailing list.

Until next time, may God bless you and bring you peace.