Christmas 2021 Update

 ABC’s of Anderson Christmas

A.      A is for Anina who took a job transfer within Beacon and is no longer working at Elkhart General Hospital. She is working at Paragon Clinic in South Bend where she is the RN Wellness Coach. A is also for a new Anderson (See D.) A is for Abel who turned one this past June. A is also for apple picking – we were surprised to learn that John had never done it before this past fall!

B.      B is for busy boy. Abel is a climber; he keeps Elizabeth busy. B is also for Belize where some of our SonSet® radios were distributed.

C.       C is for Cornerstone Vineyard is where Tyler works/serves full time. C is also for Christian County where the newly married Andersons live.

D.      D is for David and Dominique who married December 11 (three D’s there.) D is for daughters and a new daughter-in-law. D is also for Donation Services where Jean has the primary role.

E.       E is for Elizabeth and Eleanor. Elizabeth is a great stay-at-home homeschooling mom. Eleanor turned five this year and is doing very well in school.

F.       F is for flower girl. Eleanor was the flower girl in David and Dominique’s wedding. She took the job seriously. F is also for Friends and Family – we are so grateful for you all and were so happy many of you could be at the wedding.

G.      G is for Grandpa and Grandma who sold their home in Elkhart and moved into Hubbard Hill assisted living. They put a lot of hard work down-sizing and now have a cozy two-bedroom apartment.

H.      Homeschooling is part of the Turner household; Elizabeth is very good at it, and the kids are doing well.  H is also for Hom; the Hom family is a big part of our lives, and we love it.

I.         I is for Illinois.  David and Dominique have bought a house in Taylorville, Illinois. Illinois is where most of Jean’s nieces and nephews live. I is also for IUSB (see T.)

J.        J is for many things. JR was able to come to Illinois and be David’s best man. John and Jean both took on additional roles at SonSet Solutions, which began April 2021. Jamie is unofficially Abel’s nickname. J is also for JOY that we feel as we remember what Jesus has done to redeem us.

K.       K is for kids: especially grandkids. It is the BEST being grandparents (should this go under G?) K is also for Kijani Farm, a ministry partner in rural Kenya that has one of SonSet Solutions’ Solar Media Center (two K’s!)

L.       Lifeline Youth in Elkhart is one of the local (another L) ministries Jean was able to return to this year. L is also for lions – JR also works with lions and other big cats, as well, now.

M.    Micah will turn seven at the end of this month. He is a smart boy and a cheerful worker at home with his chores. M is also for McCoy Memorial Baptist Church where John and Jean have attended since fall of 2010.

N.      N is for Ninja classes. Micah enjoys these classes quite a lot. N is for new job for Anina (See A.)

O.      O is for old. Sometimes John and Jean are tired. We can still do things, but it takes longer to recover sometimes.

P.       P is for many things, too. Personnel is the additional job that John took on – in addition to IT, software development and chaplain. P is for Peter who is a great dad. P is also for “pizza hands” and “pie hands” which Eleanor uses in tumbling. P is also for Penny, John’s aunt, who has been living in Elkhart to help transition Grandpa and Grandma.

Q.      Q is for questions that grandchildren ask such as: “How much Chinese are we?” “PoPo, why didn’t you celebrate Halloween?” (Q could be for inQuisitive grandchildren, too.)

R.      R is for recovery. (See O for old.) R is also for recruitment! We continue to need workers for the harvest. We have two new apprentices who are raising their support team; we also have two workers who are raising support for work with SonSet Solutions. R is for Reader! Micah has been able to read chapter books for some time!

S.       S is for SonSet Solutions. During the first three quarters of 2021, SonSet assisted 97 ministries in 40 countries via equipment, service, consultation, training, and partnership development. S is also for supporters. We have a fabulous support team, and we are thankful for the many prayers and gifts so we can serve!

T.       T is for Tyler. Tyler is busy. He works full time at Cornerstone Vineyard and goes to IUSB part time.

U.      UPS is where Peter works. It is a busy season for UPS workers right now. U is also for Uganda where SonSet Solutions has several partners.

V.      V is for violin, which Jean still gets to play now and then at church. V is also for vacation goals and Vermont where neither Jean nor John have been. V is also for volunteers, of whom we host a number of during the year.

W.    W is for work. We all have steady work and are grateful to the Lord for His provision. W is also for workers for the harvest (see R.) W is also for wedding (see D.)

X.       X is for x-ray. We are glad to say no one had to have any of those this year, except for dental ones.

Y.       Y is for youth ministry. John and Jean work with the young adults. Jean works with VBS and Word of Life Gopher Buddies and Lifeline as well.

Z.       Z is for zookeeper. John continues to work at the Lee Richardson Zoo in Garden City, Kansas. He is the zookeeper for the lemurs and ambassador animals and sometimes the big cats.

Merry Christmas!

Love from John and Jean

God's Word Goes Out in Kenya

Two of our teammates returned recently from Kenya, and it has been an awesome trip where God's Word has been going out!!! The above photo is amazing! It shows folks being discipled and trained as part of The Timothy Initiative with Pokot Outreach Ministries. One of the things shared about this trip was the need for audio Bibles. The region does not yet have a radio station, so prior to this trip, our teammates prepared to bring in audio Bibles. When they arrived in northern Kenya, they discovered that no one else had distributed audio Bibles since they were brought in 2017 and 2018 by SonSet Solutions.  Those radios are still being used and are in such demand that the local pastors set up a schedule for people and families to check them out and use them and then return them so others can use them. What a hunger and thirst for God's word. We praise the Lord!

Our work at SonSet has been busy always but even busier since April of this year. We'd love to show you photos of us at work, but we think you can imagine it – Jean processing and receipting donations, editing photos, sorting photos, etc... all done sitting behind a computer. John's photos would like the same...sitting behind the computer –though he does have plenty of meetings, too!

However, we'll share a collage: we were so glad to be able to see and meet up with many of you! It was such a blessing to share some time and pray together! We missed a couple families because of COVID-19, and we hope to catch up with them when they are well along with many others that couldn't meet up in October. Thank you all for your prayers and gifts!

Praises:

1. God continues to provide. Praise the Lord for current and new prayer and financial partners. Living on support from you all, we are constantly amazed at how God provides and sometimes without asking!  Thank you!

2. We were able to meet with several of our support team in October. It was wonderful to catch up with you all.

Please pray:

1. We continue to need workers here at SonSet Solutions. We are thankful for our new apprentices, but really could use seasoned workers as well. Please pray for these positions!

2. David and Dominique's wedding is coming up quickly. Please pray that things will continue to go smoothly.

3. We would love to go overseas. Please pray for a trip where we could be used.

God's Word Goes Out in Haiti

One of our partners, Radio Lumiere suffered damage to two of its sites. Please pray for the Haitian station engineer, Peniel, as he navigates travel within Haiti to check on the different sites and as they plan for repair. When Peniel found the studio usable but damaged in Cayes, aftershocks were still being felt, and the staff refused to go inside. Peniel helped to build a temporary tent in front of the studio so they could operate the broadcasts that provide hope and light. [See above photo.] God's word is going out! You can read the entire story on our website: https://sonsetsolutions.org/restoring-a-beacon-of-light/.

Radio Lumiere in Haiti has specifically asked us to help them at this time with funding for radio equipment that they need as a result of the earthquake. They are also asking us for SonSet®​radios because many of their listeners no longer have electricity available for listening to the radio. The funding need to fulfill these two requests is $22,700, which includes 320 SonSet radios. Fund for this purpose should be designated for the "Emergency Relief" fund.  

1. Give by check: make check payable to SonSet Solutions, include “Emergency Relief” in the memo line or in a note.

2. Online: go to https://SonSetSolutions.org/EmergencyRelief

Radio Lumiere provides light and hope through Jesus Christ and is much needed in the aftermath of the recent earthquake and tropical storm. Please join us in continued prayer.

We are always  glad to see some of our volunteers come and serve. This month, Vance Persons was able to volunteer and serve for a week with our Power Team.

Hosting is the one of the ways we serve at SonSet Solutions, and we were blessed to be able to host him at our home and be a part of his work here.

Praises:

1. We praise the Lord for new prayer and financial partners. We shouldn't be surprised, and yet we ARE amazed at the way God provides through His people. We have not mentioned any needs, and yet God has provided each time our support has gone down. God is moving you all, and we are grateful.

2. We thank the Lord that another one of our summer interns has applied and been accepted as an apprentice at SonSet Solutions. Please pray for Bryan Jackson as begins his partnership development by attending Support Raising Solutions Bootcamp this month.

Please pray:

1. We still need workers here at SonSet Solutions. We are thankful for our new apprentices, but really could use seasoned workers as well. Please pray for these positions!

2. John will be one of the speakers at McCoy Memorial Baptist Church's Missions Conference this October. He will be speaking during the morning service as well as the Sunday school hour. Please pray as he seeks the Lord's direction as he prepares.

3. We have hoped to see some of you all soon, this fall. Please pray for details of this to work out with the additional jobs we've undertaken. We are praying for week in October to see some of our Illinois area supporters.

 

God's Word Going Out to Northern Uganda

God's Word will go out soon to northern Uganda from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)! Our partner, Ngetha Media Association for Peace (NMAP) has been unable to get a license for a radio station in that region, but was able to procure one from the DRC that can broadcast into Uganda. NMAP has erected a new radio tower this month in the DRC. We have shipped a transmitter, antenna, and other equipment – which Radio Communautaire Terre FM 95 is in the process of installing. The goal is to broadcast from the DRC to the northern area of Lake Albert in Uganda to reach the warring tribal groups there. Please pray for this station to go on the air soon.  In addition, 240 SonSet® radios have been prepared for shipment to northern Uganda.   

God's Word Goes Out in Belize

 

Dr. Dan Kletzing, a local physician, carried in SonSet® radios and was part of a distribution team to deliver God's Word to Belize. Upon entry into Belize, the team headed to the villages northwest of Orange Walk. The two villages, the Douglas and San Roman, are less than two miles from the Mexican border. Pictured above is a recipient of this distribution.

God's Word goes out with each ministry we partner with. Our partners use technology as an inroad to share the gospel. During the first half of 2021, SonSet Solutions assisted 79 ministries in 35 countries via equipment, service, consultation, training, and partnership development.

Praises:

• We're very grateful for a partnership team that is willing to partner with us at many levels. We need your prayers, and are grateful for your financial partnership! Ways that many of you have partnered deeply: you came to Elkhart to participate in a tour and/or served with a work team, picked out a particular project that you/your church would like to fundraise, have had us out to speak at your church or ministry. All of those things have happened this year, and we are grateful for this.
• We are have been able to keep up with increased duties so far. (Though we are tired most days recently or are we just getting older?!)
• We thoroughly enjoy our local ministries, too, and look forward to resuming work with Lifeline and Church Community Services soon as well as serving at McCoy Memorial Baptist Church.

Please pray:

• John's mother, Susan, is being treated for C. diff, which can cause an inflammation of the colon. Please pray for her to recover from this.
• John's father, John (Sr.) had a fall in his yard and sustained a fracture in his neck about two months ago. He continues to wear the cervical collar at this point.
• They are hoping to sell their home so they can move into an assisted living apartment.
• ​We have a difficult neighbor. Please pray for our attitudes and for God–honoring responses. They definitely do not like that we are believers; they need the Lord.

FAMILY NEWS

• The Turners are doing well in Highland, Indiana. They are enjoying summer together and love the outdoors! The big kids are particularly excited that their dad and mom have bikes and can pull a little trailer for Abel to sit in.
• JR enjoys his work at the Lee Richardson Zoo and is quite busy. Who would've thought zookeepers would have so many meetings!
• David and Dominique are wedding planning and are coming along well with it all. It is a joy to watch them plan!
• Anina and Tyler celebrated their third wedding anniversary this month and traveled to see Nashville, Gatlinburg, and other sites.
• We, John and Jean, celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary June 28. We are trying to figure out when we celebrate properly! We've been dating since fall of 1981, which means in November we will have known each other for 40 years!

God's Word Continues to Go Out!

 

According to our teammate, Stephen Peacock, a small amount of engineering goes a long way. This past spring, Stephen took a trip to Malawi with a partner ministry. Turning up at 40 broken Afridev pumps and leaving them with mechanical upgrades and remote satellite monitors makes a tangible difference in the lives of villagers in Malawi. Most of the hand water pumps in Malawi are of a certain model where our engineers developed a five-point field retrofit kit that greatly extends the life of these pumps. This, coupled with our satellite-based remote monitors that fit on the pumps, is providing opportunities for the gospel:

• More wells stay functional, with proactive and less effort.
• Partner ministry focus remains on the gospel
• Trust is built and maintained in local communities.
• Churches are planted in communities around these stable water sources.

The team made it a goal to share the gospel at each location they worked. Many came to know the Lord during this time.

SURE and STEADY

Praises:

1. We're deeply grateful for a steady partnership team. We appreciate you so much.
2. We love when we visit our churches and friends, it's like family!
3. We are have been able to keep up with increased duties so far. (Amen!)
4. We are enjoying local ministry, too. We just completed VBS at McCoy.

Please pray:

1. McCoy just completed VBS. Please pray for planted and watered seeds and that the Lord would continue to draw those to Him.
2. This spring, John's mother, Susan had a recurrence of the infection in her left hip. She had surgery to clear that out, went to Hubbard Hill for a time, and is home with IV antibiotics.
3. John's father, John, Sr had a fall in his yard and sustained a fracture in his neck. The current plan is to wear a cervical collar; he is now allowed to drive.
4. We were hoping to be able to travel with Stephen to Malawi this past spring. Our own schedule did not permit this, though we have the desire. Please pray for opportunities to serve this way.
5. Please pray for us for strength and wisdom during this time of increased work.

BLESSED IN SO MANY WAYS

David is engaged to a lovely and godly, young lady – Dominique Windell. He and Dominique met at the church they both attend in Taylorville, Illinois. They are hoping for a December wedding. Please pray as these two make plans for their celebration!

Abel is so fun; he is one, walking and keeping his parents busy.

We all recently returned from a family getaway to Starved Rock. What a blessing to be all together!

God's Word Goes Out!

Getting SonSet® radios delivered from Elkhart to another location across the world can be tricky and extreme. In addition to customs, some locations are just difficult to reach. Above is a photo of our partner, Radio Logos (Peru), who had to use a float plane to reach a remote location along a river in northern Peru. Pastor Jairo Sangama of Radio Logos distributed SonSet radios pre-tuned to the frequency of Radio Logos. In addition, he spoke at open-air public gatherings to large crowds of people. There was also a baptismal service during this trip. People ARE hearing the Word of God through these efforts, they are coming to follow Christ, and being baptized!

 

Season of Change

 

We've served now at SonSet Solutions for over ten years. Over this past year or so, we've been seeking the Lord's will as to our future ministry. In the past several weeks, the Lord has answered clearly. He continues to call us to serve at SonSet Solutions, in both current and new roles.

You know John as a software developer and chaplain. You know Jean as a healthcare professional. Now, in addition to our current roles:

• John has a lead role in Human Resources;
• Jean has a major role in Donation Services.

Please pray for us for strength and wisdom as we balance our current duties with the new ones.

Sure and Steady

 

Praises:

1. We are so grateful for a steady partnership team; your prayers are not unnoticed and are a steady support to us. Thank you!
2. Our financial partners are also so very reliable and we are thankful for you all.
3. We are grateful that you communicate with us in so many ways: text, email, phone calls, and social media. We enjoy each contact and are encouraged.

Please pray:

1. We prepare to visit two more churches end of April and mid-May.
2. We have team members at SonSet Solutions who are retiring. Please pray for new workers to fill critical roles.
3. For us as we adjust to the new roles we have at SonSet Solutions.​
4. Our six summer interns are finishing up their school year and are raising up their partnership team.
5. We love working with the college and career-aged group at McCoy Memorial Baptist Church in Elkhart. Please pray for these young men and women as they grow in the Lord and serve Him.
6. Please pray for John's parents, who with increased needs, are looking to downsize and find a living situation more suitable. Please pray for clarity. 
   

 

Blessed

 

It is a blessing to have adult children. We share in their joys and struggles, and yet, there is a wonderful depth of relationship we enjoy.

The grandkids are great fun, and a simple video call gives added joy any time of the day; they are small in size but are large in blessings.

God's Word is Going Out!

 

There are exciting ways that God's Word goes out. One obvious way is through our SonSet®​radios. The photo above shows some ladies in Uganda who are charging their radios by hanging them on the tree bark. They hear the gospel through our partner, Usalama FM. Recently, our president, David Russell, shared that a sheik in a West African nation “collected the solar radios for distribution to the imams and their members in the town. Muslims are listening to the gospel every morning, afternoon and night.” Praise the Lord! This week 2,000 radios are being shipped to five locations! Please pray for those who will receive a radio and will hear the gospel! Using our technology with the SonSetLink™ water monitor, trips are planned where the team, sometimes including SonSet Solutions staff, will upgrade water pumps and/or install a SonSetLink water monitor. Trips like this can be grueling; the most recent trip of this sort included over 100 villages, where the gospel was shared at each location! In addition, the SonSetLink helps to increase the reliability of the water supply, which continues to build relationships in the villages which lead to sharing the gospel. Praises:  Our annual staff retreat, Advance 2021, was last week; it was a blessing! We are grateful that we have been able to join several churches in 2021 to share our ministry including invitations for John to preach. We've enjoyed the fellowship and community greatly. In the photo, we are putting together a Solar Media Center to show. We've been able to demonstrate it twice already. ​ ​Please pray: We prepare to join two more churches end of April and mid-May. We have team members at SonSet Solutions who are retiring. Please pray for new workers to fill critical roles. Please pray for Emmanuel Christian Reformed Church, who launched a fundraiser for a Solar Media Center for a pastor in Uganda. We were able to help a local ministry, Ribbon of Hope, who ministers to cancer patients, by delivering an Easter basket. Please pray for these that we have visited and for our desire to work with people directly. The family is doing well. Elizabeth, Pete and kiddos are enjoying their new home and ministering at Lansing Bible Church. JR was recently featured in a video about lemurs (he is the Lemur/Ambassador Animal Keeper). David just got a good raise at MarkNet Alliance and has become a member at his church in Taylorville. Tyler and Anina are now owners of a Mini Paceman. John's parents are getting better. Just after Chinese New Year, Mom got her feeding tube out. John's dad had a knee replacement. The pain in his new knee is more than expected but he is up and about. Aunt Penny is doing well, and we enjoy her close by.