I have been corresponding via e-mail with Pastor Ron Barnes for the past couple of weeks. Ron Barnes is an ABWE missionary involved with church planting and training in the Czech Republic. Several years ago the president of the Baptist Union in the Czech Republic invited ABWE to assist them in the work of church planting, Bible training, and leadership training in the Southern Bohemia region.
The Czech Republic is one of the more stable post-communist countries in Eastern Europe. However, 60% of adults identify themselves as atheists. It is the least evangelized country in Eastern Europe. In Southern Bohemia there is only one Baptist church which is in the city of Ceske Budejovice. There are few other Bible believing churches in the region. Pastor Barnes is currently supporting the work of the Baptist church in Ceske Budejovice, and two other church plants that will be starting up within the year. He is also coordinating work on starting a Bible Seminary in a nearby city.
I sent Pastor Barnes some information about me, our family, and our call to missions, and we corresponded a number of times via e-mail. The work in Southern Bohemia is of great interest to us, so I made arrangements for Pastor Barnes to call me via Internet phone on Saturday morning. I was on one phone and Marge and the children were on the speaker phone. We spent about two hours getting to know one another, and working to get a broader sense of the work and culture in the Southern Bohemia region of the Czech Republic. It turns out that he will be in the states for about one week, and will have the afternoon free on Sunday 18-Feb.
After Marge and I spoke with him on the phone, we really felt like working with the team in the Czech Republic could be an excellent fit for us. Typically the next step is to take a survey trip to meet the team there, spend time with the church members and leaders, and experience the culture. However, since Pastor Barnes is going to be in the states, I decided the best next step would be to fly out to Newark where he will be and spend the afternoon with him. We’ll share a hotel room together and then go our separate ways. Choosing a field of service and joining a missionary team is something like a marriage.
If my meeting with Pastor Barnes goes well, and we all think we should take the next step, then we will schedule a survey trip. This is all very new for me, and asking for help is not something I am accustomed to do. That said, I have already received several offers to help with travel expenses, and that help will be needed. These trips are completely outside our budget, so we are trusting God to provide, and believe He will.
Donations Accepted
Bethel Baptist Church has set up a special account for anyone who would like to donate toward our missionary expenses. This account is only temporary in that when we are officially appointed as ABWE missionaries, then we will have an account set up with them. We will be appointed as ABWE missionaries upon successful completion of Candidate Seminar.
In the meantime we will have several times when we will need to travel. I’m already starting to set up dates to go share my testimony and sing at some churches where I have family or I have been to before. I’m not officially raising support, but this gives me an opportunity to make contact, encourage people, and share with them how God has been working in our lives. We will need help with the expenses of traveling to churches, the trip this weekend, the survey trip, and travel to Candidate Seminar.
As always, please don’t feel any pressure to give money. Your prayers and friendship are most important. However, if you would like to give some money, please send it to:
ATTN: Donation for Parmenter Missions
Bethel Baptist Church
402 South Westnedge
Kalamazoo, MI 49007
Keep in touch.
We would love to hear how you are doing. The best way to get in touch with us is via this e-mail link. If you would like to send us an old fashioned paper letter, I promise one of us (or several of us) will write back to you. You can write to us at Parmenter Family 1512 Bank Street, Kalamazoo, MI 49001.
Finally, let me know how we can pray for you. We want to support you with our prayers even as you are so kindly praying for us.
In Christ,
Adam Parmenter
On behalf of Marge and the kids
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