Report Summary of Ministry for 2008
Projected Ministry Schedule 2009
Christmas Blessings to each of you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ! We thank Him for this special time of year to celebrate and remember God’s entrance into humanity through a humble birth. Join us in worship of the One who was and is and is to come! It is our honor to humbly serve Jesus by taking International Christian Hospice ministry to the world. Thank you for your prayers and gifts which are the conduit through which God is building His Kingdom around the world.
We flew back to the US in September and began an exciting fall of ministry and fellowship in 4 mission’s conferences and speaking opportunities. Biltmore Baptist Church, our home church in Asheville, NC, hosted us and 40 other missionaries in their annual Global Impact Celebration Weekend. We enjoyed renewing friendships and meeting other people who are in ministry around the globe. A few highlights for us were the International Bazaar, much like a world fair, and the Monday morning debriefing. Common problems such as burnout, feelings of isolation and poor communication were addressed and some helpful solutions offered. Thank you BBC for your loving support and making sure we know you are with us in prayer no matter how far we travel!
Our next Mission’s conference was in October with our dear friends at Lexington Baptist Church, SC. This annual Global Focus Conference gave us some great opportunities to share with Sunday school classes and individuals who stopped by our display booth. We have a special place in our hearts for LBC particularly because of the eleven mission team members who have come with us to Central America to do hospice ministry over the past 2 years. The warm embraces, genuine support and interest we experience every time we are at Lexington blesses and encourages us to keep pressing on. We believe that God arranged contact with other missionaries this weekend to open doors for us to take ICH to Ukraine, Moldova and possibly Turkey in 2009.
Also in October we joined a group of volunteers for training at Abbey Road Hospice in Columbia, SC. Sean Steiner, CEO and Lyn Reagan, MSW offered a great workshop on the compassionate hospice work they offer to anyone in the midlands of SC. We can clearly see Christ’s love and hope being offered through the staff at Abbey Road and are excited about partnering in local volunteer work with them and also about their staff joining us in international ministry. This is another example of the Body of Christ coming together in His plan for Hospice.
The first weekend of November we were invited for the first Global Missions Conference of Greenway Baptist Church in Boone, NC. We thank our new friends Gordon and Lucy Rule for hosting us. It was an enjoyable time of sharing with their church about ICH and learning about their work locally and in El Salvador. 
We attended the largest annual Global Medical Missions Conference in the US in Louisville, Ky. the second week of November. We were so encouraged to learn how much God is doing all around the world. We joined with thousands of attendees who gathered twice daily for worship and Bible study. The rest of the day was filled with smaller breakout sessions taught by medical missionaries on many different topics of global health concerns. We noticed two themes that became recurrent as we attended classes: 1) every ministry emphasized holistic care which ministers to the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of each person; 2)every ministry was involved in community development through their particular expertise. How exciting to know that we are on the same page with other mission efforts around the world! Whether it was about primary medical care, pure water treatment or AIDS and TB infectious control each ministry desires to involve communities and broaden the focus beyond just meeting physical needs. As one speaker said “If we only fix the body we have really done nothing.” How awesome that God has called us to see people with His compassionate vision. Meeting the physical needs of healing is only temporary. He desires the eternal impact of healing the heart and restored relationship between Himself and each individual. The spiritual healing of each person raises unlimited possibilities for improving community wide health and all living standards. International Christian Hospice gives training for the national Christians in ministering to the whole person meeting them where they are in the terminal process. This training also targets bringing the spiritual leaders and medical community together to accomplish Christ-centered care. We are beginning to see the fruit of this happening in all 7 developing countries in which we have worked. This is all to God’s glory and under His direction. We are the honored ones who get to be a part of His plan for ICH.
In December we have traveled to the Dominican Republic for 10 days of ministry. God has partnered us with Drs. Francisco and Diane Sabado who are missionaries and have been doing hospice care for individuals in their own home for several years. Before we ever met them their dream was to open Christian Hospice centers for training and care. Since we met in November 07 we all have been praying and planning in unity toward this goal. Our time with them this month was encouraging to all as we are seeing the possibilities of a hospice house near their home in Santo Domingo, the capital. A fellow short-term missionary from Asheville, Sharon Kast, FNP, joined us for a week of ministry and travel. We were able to present ICH training in two different locations. We drove west toward the Haitian border to a small town called Tomayo. Pastor Francisco Melo, who pastors a small church there, had spread the word of our coming to do training.
We were delighted to meet with Pastors and church leaders from 34 different evangelical churches in that region. Over 60 people attended our training seminar in a large meeting hall on the town square. The pastors prayed for us at the end of the training which was a wonderful expression of God's Love.
Dr. Jose Noa attended also from the local government hospital and expressed a need for his staff to have hospice training. 
The next day Pastor Francisco arranged a meeting with Pastor Edison who asked us to return and work with his organization in the south of the DR and also in the capital. 
We visited Pastor Francisco’s tiny church, Christian Church of the Body of Christ, in a very poor community on the outskirts of Tomayo and prayed for his ministry there. We also traveled that day to another Haitian border town, Jimani, to learn more about a mission project there.
Back in 
the capital, The Sabado’s church pastors Alexi and Omeyra welcomed us and received the Pastor/Volunteer training eagerly. They shared stories of co-workers, family and friends who are dying or grieving. As we spoke God’s message of Hospice in Jesus’ name the people began making plans to start their own outreach. As on each trip God networks us with more of His people. We are looking forward to working with new friends, the Lepleys, who serve as missionaries for the Nazareen Church. Many plans were made for our time of continued ministry in the DR. We are praying for God to raise up those He desires to go with us in February. 
We are praying with Drs. Diane and Francisco Sabado about possibly developing this house into Hospice home/training facility in Santo Domingo. This will be the first ICH facility we have the opportunity to open which can meet the needs of people who are dying and have no place to go as well as to provide training and outpatient care.
As 2008 comes to a close we have many praise and prayer items. Please join with us in raising these things before God who is our faithful guide and provider.
Praises in 2008
New organizational incorporation/ non-profit status
5 mission teams joining us to work in 3 Central American countries
400 new Pastors and church leaders trained in Christian Hospice
4 possible locations for ICH training/care centers in C.A. and D.R.
Increased openess of Medical personnel in C.A. and D.R. for Hospice training
Prayer Requests
Guidance in organizational planning for growth in ministry and staff needs
Discernment in developing ICH centers in the countries as God opens opportunities
Encouragement and perseverance of the ICH workers in the 7 countries of our ministry
Finances to support ongoing ministry
More people to join ICH in short or long term ministry
We pray that you and your loved ones have a Blessed Christmas and a joy filled New Year! Thank you again for being a part of what God is doing around the world through International Christian Hospice!
Your friends and co-laborer in His harvest,
Ron and Susan
Tax receipts will be sent for any donations to International Christian Hospice
Mail to either: P.O. Box 1014 Swannanoa, N.C. 28778 or 145 Chillingham Rd. Irmo, S.C. 29063
Report Summary of Ministry 2008
Countries in which we ministered 5
ICH training Seminars (other countries) 26
Total People Trained ( Pastors, Church leaders
Volunteers, Medical staff) 795
People attended Grief Workshops(other countries) 195
Short-term Mission Teams 5
Medical Clinic participated in 5
Pastor Associations presented to (other countries) 4
Mission Conferences(US) 4
Other Speaking opportunities(US) 2
ICH Volunteers partnering with
Abbey Road Hospice(US) 7
(Detail description of monthly ministry activity available if desired)
Projected Ministry Schedule for 2009
(Subject to Spirit lead changes)
January Medical Equipment delivery to Indiana for shipment to Honduras
Ministry in Honduras
12 Week ICH training begins at Lexington Baptist Church
February Ministry in Dominican Republic
Short-term Team to DR
March ICH Board Meeting
Organizational development
April Ministry trip to Ukraine, Moldova, Turkey
May-June Ministry development
July-August Ministry in Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua
September-November Mission Conferences
ICH Board Meeting
December Ministry in Dominican Republic
