Hello Everyone,
It is hard to believe that we have been in Hong Kong for five months. The past year and a half since we sold our house has been a blur as so much has changed in our lives. Our daughters are growing in so many ways, our business is growing as we have added a Chinese employee in the Hong Kong office, and our faith has definately grown. We have seen God work in so many miracalous ways during our journey thus far. We are a little tired from the battle, but God gives us endurance through His awesome grace. Just as we were starting to get settled in Hong Kong in our new flat, we receive direction that we need to go back to Dallas in early November for 9 months to add staff in the Dallas office. With all of the transition over the past 2 years, we can claim Romans 15:5
“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus.” We trust God in His wisdom, and most of all we have hope He will give us the endurance in moving again. When Anne and I embraced the calling of God on our lives through Sun Consulting, we knew this time would come. He allowed the first four years to be of some stability-all in one state at least, but the next three to five years will be anything but geographically stable as we strive in growing the company.
Many people have asked, “So what are you doing? Are you missionaries or business people?” I admit when we left Dallas I was struggling with the same question. In the last five months, our Heavenly Father has strengthened our resolve and built endurance through giving us a glimpse of how we will be used by Him. Through this time, we see more clearly our role in the Kingdom. So I hope this helps answers the question – What are the Clarks doing?
We see our ministry in three parts:
1. Sun Consulting: God continues to bless us with success, and we look forward to growing the company for as long as He provides. In hiring Rheuter Cheng in Hong Kong, it has reaffirmed our beliefs that God can bring the right people to the company just as he provided Solomon with specialist for building the temple. These special people not only have incredible business talent, but are like-minded in doing this work for the Glory of God. We desire that our employees also have a passion for spreading the Gospel and will use their business contacts to spread the Good News as we travel the globe doing business. Another great aspect of business is seeing our role as mentors to those we hire. Whether it is working along side someone in the company, or having dinner with their family, we can encourage and minister to those God brings our way.
2. Personal Ministry: Our personal ministry is broken into two categories.
a. The Clark Family enjoys building biblical community wherever we live. It is exciting to see in a short month and a half how God has built community in our new area. We are assisting our church in establishing a small group in the area (as it is on an outlying island), and it is always a joy to minister to people in our community whether that is Dallas, Hong Kong or wherever. Anne is meeting for prayer and support with the few Christian moms that are near us as they have all been struggling for some community. Also, they have regular intentional get-togethers with the other moms to have opportunities to live out their faith and God’s love among the lost.
b. The Kerusso Foundation: Our vision is to finalize the paperwork for a non-profit organization in 2008. We are calling this Kerusso Foundation. The verses that really touch our hearts in Romans gave us the idea for the name because the word ‘kerusso’ in Greek means ‘to preach’ as in Romans 10:14 “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching (Kerusso)to them? 15And how can they preach (Kerusso) unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”[g]
From our time in the Middle East, Anne and I grew to have great admiration for the indegenious (national) leaders of the church there. They had such passion and love for Christ at such risk for their lives and well-being. We also saw how they had a great desire to go to other countries in the world but did not have a way ‘to preach’ because there were no funds to send them. Our desire is to build a non-profit that identifies indigenious mission movements and supports their efforts in leadership training, evangelism and discipleship. God has blessed us with meeting awesome kindgom workers around the world who are called by God, and we have already seen opportunities to give. Today, the 27th of September, is the last day of a two-day conference on evangelism for 30 church leaders in Burundi (think Hotel Rawanda), one of the poorest countries in Africa. We rejoice because Kerusso Foundation is making an impact as God provided the funds to make the conference happen. Wow, what a wonderful God we serve! That an amazing King would allow someone like me to be part of His work.
I want to end with a song that has been ministering to me. When I was in the States in August, I picked up this CD and found this song. It is the Clark Family’s hope that we can live this song out. May He continue to do more than we could ever imagine or think in our lives!
Bring The Rain Lyrics
Artist(Band):MercyMe
I can count a million times
People asking me how I
Can praise You with all that
I’ve gone through
The question just amazes me
Can circumstances possibly
Change who I forever am in You
Maybe since my life was changed
Long before these rainy days
It’s never really ever crossed my mind
To turn my back on you, oh Lord
My only shelter from the storm
But instead I draw closer through these times
So I pray
Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings
You glory And I know there’ll
be days When this life brings me pain
But if that’s what it takes to
praise You Jesus, bring the rain
I am yours regardless of the clouds that may
loom above because you are much greater than
my pain you who made a way for me suffering
your destiny so tell me whats a little rain