The Reign in Spain

Never Off Duty

   Greetings dear friends,  

   It's been a while since you've heard an update from us.  The reason is that for the past 4 weeks, we have been running all over the country speaking to churches and finally taking some time off to recharge our batteries in the Caribbean (thanks to a generous Christmas gift from Michael's family).  The trip ended with a stop in Chicago to pick up our Spanish visas, and we finally arrived in Pittsburgh, PA after having traveled by car from Tampa to Chicago to Pittsburgh--30 hours of driving over an extended weekend!

    While on vacation, we tracked down the FMC in Antigua, but unfortunately we were too early for the church service (we were told by locals that their Sunday service is in the evening).  Since we would be leaving before nightfall, we decided to head for the beach.  After talking to several locals, we wound up on a pristine but secluded white sand beach.  We decided to hold our own church service, singing hymns and praying while bobbing in the crystal turquoise waters of the Caribbean.  Soon a familiar man came floating by.  We were suprised to see that it was the same man we had seen the day before in a shop agonizing over having to pay $20 for a bottle of sunscreen which he had forgotten to pack.  Feeling his pain (I would agonize over the same) we decided to give him one of ours and save him the money.  The whole interaction took less than 60 seconds.

   We greeted him as he floated by, and he soon recoginized us as well.  We began to talk, and the conversation quickly turned to questions of faith.  Interestingly enough, we aren't even the ones who brought up the subject; he did.  He wasn't even sure if we were Christians (after all, we had only interacted for a minute in a random souvenir store), but he had some serious questions and was on a quest for answers.  Lucky for him, he had come to the right people!

   Although we were on vacation, we are never off duty!  In fact, we had been praying for an opportunity like this since our vacation began.  He asked some tough questions, which we were able to answer with the use of scripture.  He shared with us some of his recent moral failures in the form of anger, addictions, and all manners of sin.  He told us that he recognized that he was heading in the wrong direction and needed help turning his life around.  Although he knew and believed in God, he hadn't been walking with Him, and his own guilt was preventing him from running into his Father's waiting arms.

   After sharing for several hours as we bobbed around in the water, we prayed for him that God would bring him the special touch he needed and would put him in fellowship with other believers.  Then he prayed one of the most beautiful and heart-felt prayers we had ever heard...a prayer asking for forgiveness from sin and selfishness, asking to be restored, asking to be filled with the fruit of the spirit, and most importantly, asking to be used by God.  That day we knew that it was more than a coincidence that we had met the day before, and that we all happened to be alone on the same vacant beach (on an island renowned for its 365 different beaches). We thank God for our dear brother and the opportunity to minister to him in one of the most beautiful settings in the world!

   We also thank God for you and your support of our ministry over the past year, and we wish you the happiest and most blessed of Christmases.  May God bless each of you and your families with His love and peace.

In Christ,

Michael and Carrie (Caty) Hamley

Operation Christmas Child

  For the past week, we have been volunteering at the Operation Christmas Child's Western PA collection center located at the Free Methodist Church in Greensburg.  OCC is a ministry of Samaritan's Purse in which households all around North America and Europe pack shoeboxes filled with school supplies, toys and candy to be distributed among remote tribes and villages around the world as a way of sharing God's love to them.  Each shoebox is accompanied by a "comic book" version of the Gospel in the local language, and all children are invited to take part in a ten-week discipleship course.  New this year: upon completion of the discipleship program, each child will receive their very own Bible.

   Last year, more than 8 million boxes were given out in 130 countries around the globe.  This year, the goal is to reach 9 million children with a shoebox and the Gospel message.  At the collection site in Greensburg alone, we processed more than 20,000 shoeboxes and filled 5 tractor-trailers with cartons of shoeboxes.   It was exciting to be part of such a global effort.  Millions of Christians, service clubs, and generous individuals from all across the country banded together to participate in this worthwhile endeavor.

   If you had meant to pack a shoebox, but missed the deadline, it's not too late.  Did you know that the FM church in Europe sponsors a similar project?  It is called Vitual Christmas Boxes, but instead of having to go shopping, pack and wrap a shoebox, and pay for shipping, you can simply "shop" online (from the long list of items you can fill you box with), give the money online to cover the cost, and Al and Diane Mellinger (missionaries to Bulgaria) will do your shopping and packing for you!  What's more, there is no shipping cost, and your gifts will be hand-delivered by church members to the remote villages and gypsy colonies throughout Bulgaria.  If you don't have time to "shop" through the list of items, you can simply make a donation, and Al and Diane will use their discretion in putting a box together on your behalf.  To learn more or to give towards a Virtual Christmas box, please visit www.almellinger.com.

   This week please pray as we will be visiting a few churches in Florida before taking some time off for vacation.  Pray for safety in travels and that the FL churches (some hispanic) will catch a vision for ministry in Spain.  Thanks again for your constant thoughts and prayers.

    HAPPY THANKSGIVING,

Carrie (Caty) and Michael Hamley

In God's Hands

Dear Friends,

It has been an eventful week!  Last Wednesday we turned in our visa application paperwork to the Spanish consulate in Chicago, and thankfully, after a thorough going-over, it was accepted.  This is not to say that we are getting our visa yet, but that our paperwork did not have any glaring errors, omissions or discrepancies, so it is being forwarded to Madrid for review and, we hope, approval.

The time-frame on the visa process is very much open-ended: they told us we could have our decision in as little as three weeks or as much as a year!  However, the average is about 3 months.  Obviously, we are hoping for the low end, and ask that you would join us in praying for this as well.

It was a big relief for us to get the paperwork turned in.  Although we spent a lot of the time waiting on various bureaucracies to get documents to us, we still carried with us the sense that it depended on us to get our paperwork together.  Now that this is done, we know that the whole situation is in God's hands, and the "work" we have to do is mainly praying and inviting others to join us in prayer, that all will work out for God's glory and in His timing!

In the meanwhile, we celebrated Michael's birthday last week and ordination on Sunday evening in Wilmore, KY, where we joined the Free Methodist Church and have spent the greatest part of our married lives.  Although we left 3 1/2 years ago, it still feels a lot like home, and we've enjoyed getting to visit with many friends and loved ones.

On Wednesday, we journey to Tennessee for church visits (6 in just over a week!) and to visit with some friends before the New South conference fall ladies' retreat at Eagle Ridge.

Hope to see many of you soon!

Blessings,

Michael and Carrie (Caty) Hamley

Finally!

Dear Friends,

This past Friday, we received some long-awaited good news: our visa application documents from the Spanish Evangelical society have arrived!  As we write, we have only a few more blanks to fill in and copies to make until we're ready to turn them in.  However, doing so requires a road trip, since visa applications cannot be turned in by mail.  So tomorrow (Tuesday), we head to Chicago.

Please pray for us: safety on the roads, that our applications will be accepted without further complications, and that we will be able to avoid hefty translation fees.  Please pray that we get all our i's dotted and t's crossed, so to speak, since visa applications can be delicate things from the standpoint of those who read and approve them; filling in the wrong box or oval can send up red flags.  Also, please pray for us that if they give us an interview while we're already there, so as to not make a special trip back, that we would do well in representing God, as well as our church and purpose in Spain.

Although the wait for these documents has been long (we had hoped to have them when we left for the U.S., now nearly three months ago), we still can see how God is working in the details.  For instance, they finally reached us in Wilmore, KY, one of the closer points in our journeys to Chicago; and during a week where we don't have a Wednesday evening appointment, also making a road trip easier.

In other news, we thank God for some great visits recently with churches and Christian schools, and for keeping us safe on the road.  We recently had a tire problem that caused a slow leak, which turned out to be a 5-inch nail.  We're thankful that that is now repaired.

Finally, please pray for some medical situations we hope to have cleared up in the near future.

Thank you, as always, for your prayers and support.

Blessings,

Michael and Carrie (Caty) Hamley

Living with Uncertainty

   Dear Friends,

   It has been such a joy to re-connect with so many of you over the past two months while visiting your churches.  In the 8 weeks we have been traveling, we have spoken more than 26 times in 23 churches and Christian schools. 

    Our plan had been to be finishing up our tour over the next few weeks and returning to the field with Spanish visas in hand.  Unfortunately, things have not quite worked out that way.  In fact, we are STILL awaiting a document to arrive from Spain (which as far as we know has yet to be written) so that we can proceed to Chicago to apply for our visas.  We were told a month ago that the paperwork should be here this week, so we cleared our schedule for the coming week so that we could make a trip to Chicago on our way back to our southern churches; however, at this rate, it doesn't look like that is going to be possible.  We are especially frustrated that many of the documents we had issued in June have since expired, and we are in the process of having them re-issued (for a not-so-small fee), so even when the papers finally arrive from Spain, we may or may not be ready to apply for our visas.

    All of the stress and travel is finally beginning to take its toll.  After returning greatly encouraged from a wonderful missions conference in Gearhartville, PA, Michael woke up this morning sick.  It's no suprise, considering he drives an average of 800 miles a week, often getting to our destination or to bed well after midnight.  And I suppose that if he had to get sick, this is the "ideal" week, since we have some time to actually slow down and rest, but it still isn't any fun!

    We would ask you to please pray for our health, that Michael's illness would be short-lived, and that Carrie would continue to stay healthy so as to care for Michael and continue to get work done.  Also, please pray for our visa situation.  We are so frustrated with the whole process and are eager to return to the field and work to which we are called.

    Thank you for all your love and encouragement, prayers and support.

Blessings,

   Carrie (Caty) and Michael Hamley

The Giving Game

  Greetings dear friends!  If you have been wondering where we've been, the answer is "on the road."  In the past two weeks we have had the opportunity to speak to 9 churches and a Christian high school.  Twice our missions presentations have conflicted with Steeler games (and we are deep in the heart of Steeler country), but we were pleasantly suprised with the crowds that came anyway!

    We have recently been hearing a lot about how the church should be a recession-free zone.  As Christians, we need to adamantly boycott the recession as it relates to our thinking and giving.  Some pastors are challenging their congregations to give more so that God can bless them more richly than they could ever imagine.

    Last night a young woman came up to us after our presentation and shared with us that her family had recently fallen on hard times.  Her job has been phased out, and this was her first week without a paycheck.  Earlier that morning, someone she didn't know all that well came up to her and gave her an envelope of money.  Not wanting to take away their blessing, she accepted it, but felt like that money wasn't meant for her.  She immediately looked for someone else to bless.  She told us this to let us know that this money had come our way in the church's love offering.  Wow! Talk about faith!  And no sooner had she given us her last dollars when two minutes later she was given another envelope, this time with twice the amount she put in the offering plate!  She says that she is enjoying playing "The Giving Game" because even in her time of need, she is learning that it is impossible to outgive God!

    Please continue to pray for traveling mercies, as well as our visa situation.  We are still waiting for all the paperwork to come in to submit our applications.  Thank you for your constant prayers and support.

   Blessings,

  Michael and Carrie (Caty) Hamley

Back on the Trail

Dear Friends,

It's good to be back!  I wish I could say we were back in Spain, but for the moment, it's good to just be back in the swing of life and ministry.

It's been a busy few weeks, however.  Following a great 10 days' vacation (Michael went canoe-camping with his brother in Canada, and Carrie visited with friends in Michigan and California), we returned to Pennsylvania for the marriage of Carrie's younger sister.  The ceremony and reception were beautiful, and it was great to be together with so many friends and family members.  Congratulations, Chris and Amy!

We were back on the church visit trail the next day, meeting with our "home" church in PA, Greensburg FMC.  After enjoying the Labor Day holiday with both our families, it's back to more church visits beginning Tuesday.  We'll be meeting with the Youngsville, Warren, Titusville and Sugar Grove FMCs (all PA) this week, plus speaking at a district gathering and a Christian high school about life in Spain.  We're told there are some other surprises in store as well.

So, please keep us in your prayers.  Thank you to all, and a special welcome to those of you who have signed up to pray for and/or support us financially in the last few weeks.

Blessings,

Michael and Carrie (Caty) Hamley

Church Tour/Support

Dear Friends,

Greetings from (at the moment) Pennsylvania!  Probably by the time you read this, we'll have been on the "Church Tour" trail for two weeks and will have visited our ninth church to date.  It's been great reconnecting with so many of our supporters and getting to meet some new folks as well.

After a short break, we'll be resuming the tour in early September.  If you want to see our tour schedule, check out our newsletter (available online on our blog, see the top left).  And if we're not scheduled to come to your church, we may get there in November or December, since at this point, it looks like our visas will take longer than we'd originally hoped for.  But we'll make the best of it, and hope to see you soon!

In other news, we have been finding out recently that the economy has taken a bit of a toll on our financial support.  Several financial supporters, representing about $200 per month, have apparently dropped out, perhaps due to changing job situations, unemployment, etc.  We understand that times are tough.  We would like to ask, however, that if you need to change your financial support level, please let us know so we can make adjustments as needed.

While our Missionary Support Account (MSA) is still in the black (albeit barely), this would not be the case had we not returned to the U.S. when we did.  Because we currently do not have an apartment in Spain, we did not take the large majority of our housing, utilities, transportation and ministry funds appropriations for the third quarter.  While this savings represents good news financially, it comes at a ministry cost: We're not in Spain sharing God's love with the people there whom He misses.

As soon as our visa situation is resolved, we plan to return to the field, and we pray that we will be well supported from all perspectives: in prayer, financially, and with many partners eager to share in our mission.  Please pray with us that this would be the case.

And if you are able to give financially, and the Lord is leading you that way, please give.  We know that God will provide for all our needs.  As we often hear, "the cattle on a thousand hills belong to the Lord."  One of those hills just might be yours!

In Christ,

Michael and Carrie (Caty) Hamley

Homecoming

Dear Friends,

It took a full 24 straight hours of travel, but we arrived safely back in the U.S. last week.  We've spent the last few days getting ready for our impending tour of church visits, but also getting to see friends and family, many of whom we haven't seen in over two years!  The best example of this is Joshua, our first nephew, who arrived a few months after we left for the mission field.  He's now a lively, talkative, very bright two-year-old!  Please pray for his family, as his younger brother or sister is due any day now.

Vacation Bible school in Spain was a big success!  Although we had fewer children than last year, we were impressed by the growth we saw in those who did attend.  It was a very calm, enjoyable week for all of the children and volunteers who made the VBS come together.  And thanks to your prayers and a few timely phone calls, the power was restored at the church, just as we hoped.

Please pray for us as we have much to do before our church visits: getting our programs and displays ready, calling and confirming visits, getting the car ready, packing (again!), etc.  We hope to see many of you soon!

Blessings,

Michael and Carrie Hamley

Let There Be Light! (Today....Please!)

Dear Friends,

By the time you read this, we should be into our second day of VBS at Comunidad Cristiana Luz y Vida.  Well, we're a bit short on the "luz" (light) at the moment.  Our power has been out at the church for a week now, due to a banking error (since corrected) and the power company's continued failure to flip the switch to turn it back on.  Fortunately, we do have a generator, which the church purchased a few weeks back for park evangelism events.  After a cold, dark service we had back in November, we knew to have it on hand for such a time as this.  Even though it blows black smoke and makes a whole lot of noise, so far we have been blessed that none of the neighbors have come down to complain or called the cops.  The only real disadvantage is that the generator isn't quite powerful enough to run the air conditioner along with everything else.  And it's forecast to be almost 100 again tomorrow.  Please pray that the electricity will be restored muy pronto, and that the VBS continues to go well and grow!

On a brighter note, we did find a temporary home for Carrie's large aquarium.  A family from the church agreed to house the fish and plants in their own large, already established aquarium, and the tank itself in their garage.  This is the best possible scenario, so thanks to those of you who have been praying for a resolution.  Please pray that the move (Wednesday) goes well, and that none of the fish are lost in the heat.

Blessings,

Michael and Carrie (Caty) Hamley