In the Air Again! Up, Up and Away to Paraguay

 It is great to be able to talk about moving around the world in ministry again. We were able to spend over two weeks in Kenya as we provided missionary care to our team of Global Workers serving in Kenya. It was wonderful to be God's messengers in the right places at the right times. 

Last month we shared the long list of preparations necessary for the visit and all of the travel requirements and expectations that had to be met as travel in our world today, demands. We are thankful for many of you that prayed for us as we went on this journey. We had what we needed, when we needed it and God provided all along the way. 

One of the right places at the right times was overnighting with one of our missionary couples when they received word of a death in their family back here in the USA. We were able to be with them at this exact time and provide pastoral care and ministry of presence and support as they received this news. God continued to keep us in the right places at the right times throughout this visit. 

From our travels to the hospitals in Chogoria and Bomet, to the outpatient clinic in Koboson our opportunities to minister and encourage were many. We had times of prayer, conversation, empathy and even an opportunity to go in to surgery with Dr. Ben Roberts at the Tenwek Eye Surgery Center. Each experience filled our hearts  to full and overflowing as we shared together. 

There were many wonderful times with brothers and sisters in Christ from churches to Bible colleges as well as the hospitals.  We finished our visit with an opportunity to go the Mara where we were able to go on our first Safari. What a great opportunity to debrief and unwind in the "wild" after a full two weeks of ministry. We were so thrilled as we looked at the "King of the Jungle" and realize that we had two full weeks of serving the "King of Kings and Lord of Lords!"

We are thrilled to be able to return to the joy of serving Jesus through these avenues. God has partnered us together for this time and we are so thankful for your support and your prayers for us. 

We are heading next for Paraguay in South America. As we make all the arrangements for the flight requirements we ask an interest in your prayers as we spend a week with our WGM Team serving Jesus there. The ministries include church planting and discipleship, Christian Education through the church and an International School,  as well as language school training that is provided by our missionaries to train other missionaries in the heart language Guaraní that is spoke in addition to Spanish. Our team of Global Workers are working diligently in the ministry of sharing the Good News and we are excited to partner with them in spending this week of encouragement and ministry to them. 

Pray for us as we go, we need the negative PCR Covid Tests, we connect through New Jersey, Panama and on to Paraguay. We will be flying overnight both ways, so we appreciate your prayers for the travels and for the retreat time for our people. We have the privilege of serving alongside of some of our missionaries that are a part of our support team that we were with in Laredo, Texas, many years ago. We will meet up with Greg and Teresa Leeth in Paraguay as they are on an extended visit to South America and we are traveling with Barb Thomas who is serving as a volunteer in member care. We pray that we will be attentive to the Holy Spirit as our guide through out this journey. 

Thank you so much for all you do to support our ministry. Truly it is a gift to have you on this journey with us. May Jesus bless you real good!

Sincerely,

Ned and Marlene McGrady

Pastors to Missionaries 

World Gospel Mission

Marion, IN 

To support this ministry

Return to Kenya

It was March 12, 2020 and we were in Nairobi, Kenya when we received a text from our daughter in Ohio stating that the USA was closing the borders to travelers from Europe. Our flight to Africa transferred through Amsterdam and we were wondering if the outbreak of the Coronavirus we were just beginning to hear about, would hinder our ability to get home. At this time we did not know what we did not know and we felt there was wisdom in returning so as not to be a burden on those we had come to encourage and visit. 

We found a direct flight the next morning that took us from Kenya to New York. Our co-workers, Jeff and Christine, returned with us and we made it back to our home. From then until now Covid has become very familiar, perhaps more than than we ever wanted it to become. Covid-19 began its' fury of infections and we all began to understand a pandemic was upon us that was likened only to plagues or pandemics of old. 

Many people's lives were greatly affected by this virus and all of us soon learned that it was a real and serious threat to our world. Our international travel to support missionaries and provide ministry to these choice servants of Christ  became possible only through the  computer and virtual visits by zoom, facetime, and messenger as we worked through the pandemic. We saw many new struggles and covid related difficulties as our global workers navigated lock downs that in many parts of the world far exceeded anything we experienced here. God has given us many opportunities to minister and deepen relationships through intentional zoom calls and virtual meetings around the world over these past two years. 

Tomorrow begins a new chapter as we will be returning to Kenya. We will re-join with our co-workers Jeff and Christine and board a plane in Ft. Wayne, IN  at about  11AM  for ministry in Kenya from Feb 7-23rd. Our Global Workers have been faithfully serving in the medical field at Tenwek Hospital,  as well as other ministry settings, and it has been challenging times in this pandemic. We are praying that we may be a blessings and encouragement to them as we return to this ministry. In preparation for this trip, we have gathered gifts and goodies to bless our missionaries and their children with, as well as  transporting some of their needed supplies. We are notifying our supporting churches, individual supporters and prayer partners as we embark on this journey. As we fly through Atlanta, Amsterdam, and on to Nairobi, we will arrive Tuesday Feb. 8 at 10PM. We will be traveling throughout Kenya ministering at most of the locations of  WGM Kenya. 

Above there is a picture that captures ALL of the documents and health clearance forms, generated QR codes, e-visas, passports, airline tickets. regulations, negative PCR tests, vaccinations, and more that this trip demands. Can you imagine families traveling in missions service today? They have to do all of this for every one of their kids, wear masks, and fly for hours. The stress and added burden on our Global Workers to travel is not found in just added cost, but also in added burden. It is harder than ever to travel and the effects of the pandemic continue to be felt. 

There is however, Good News! The Good News of Jesus continues to prevail and the love of Jesus continues to save lives physically and spiritually around the world. These are great times to be in ministry and behold the work of the Lord. We ask that as we travel to Kenya for this ministry, would you please pray for us? Would you ask Jesus to keep us healthy; help us to navigate jet lag; to be present in Jesus' easy yoke that He promises each one of us as we live in His Kingdom. Would you ask Jesus to give us ears to hear and hearts to understand as we minister? Would you pray that we will be salt and light as we travel these many miles in service to Jesus?

We are so thankful for you. As we return to Kenya, we know that we don't go alone. So many of you have faithfully prayed for us and have faithfully given to this ministry and we thank you! We are taking each of you with us in our hearts as we go forth to serve in Jesus strength. 

Here is a little prayer that has become very helpful and meaningful. It is short and simple. As you quiet your heart, take a deep breath and pray, "In Jesus Name"....and as you breath out, "Not my strain." May you be blessed, "In Jesus Name," Not my strain."

Thankyou for your on-going prayers and support for the work. Together our partnership in ministry allows us to reach around the world. We are so thankful for you! 

Love and prayers,

Ned and Marlene McGrady

World Gospel Mission 

www.wgm.org/mcgrady - for more info on partnering with this ministry. 

 

WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS!

 WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS! 

Dear Family and Friends,

We, like so many of you, have had another interesting year filled with joys and even some sorrow. COVID has continued to restrict our international travels, but we have been able to make several domestic visits to both global workers who are Stateside as well as some of our faithful supporters. We are hoping to do an international trip in February, so stay tuned for that. In our travels this year, we’ve been as far east as Massachusetts, as far west as California, as far south as Florida, and as far north as Michigan!  Fortunately, we’ve been able to stay in touch with our missionaries through email, phone, messenger, texting, Zooming, Facetime, and, when possible, in person. We were able to do a “live” Renewal in July (our time of debriefing and renewing with missionaries coming off the field) and man, did it sure feel good to see some of them face to face again. We continue to be grateful for good health and that we are able to do this great ministry to which God has called us. We know that we have you to thank for your prayers and your support which make it possible for us to continue to serve Jesus through World Gospel Mission.

This year has also brought us many sorrows starting with Marlene’s younger brother, Gary, who suffered a stroke last summer and continues to work to recover. Just two weeks later, Marlene’s oldest brother, Don, suffered a massive stroke that took him from us so very quickly. It was devastating to our family, to say the least.  Please pray our family, Don’s wife Sue, and their son, daughter, and families as they face the holidays without him. In August, Ned’s great niece, Alicia, passed away suddenly at the age of 23 and then in September, our close friend, Ginny passed away unexpectedly. In addition, Marlene lost three of her mom’s siblings, two brothers, and a sister this year. That’s a lot, folks. But somehow, we have sensed God’s sustaining love and comfort through it all. It truly is real and amazing. Your prayers and support for us during these times were and are so appreciated.

We’ve been blessed several times this year to spend precious moments with our kids, son-in-law, siblings, Ned’s mom and, of course, the two most amazing little granddaughters in the whole world, Rowen, and Elliot. (5 and 2) They have been a balm to our hurting hearts over and over again. Jessica and Zac and the family continue working and living in Mansfield, Ohio, Joshua lives and works out of Lancaster, Ohio, and Jordan is in Marion and teaching middle school and coaching again this year.

As you reflect on 2021, I pray that you are able to focus on the joys and blessings as well as the challenges. Thank you for loving us so well and keeping us in your prayers. We truly are all in this together.

Merry Christmas and many blessings for 2022!

Love,

Ned and Marlene 

It is a privilege to serve as missionaries with World Gospel Mission. If you are interested in supporting our ministry please make an end of the year, secure donation at www.wgm.org/mcgrady