— Updates —

September 2024

How is God moving in your ministry/what can we celebrate with you? 

We had an extremely busy summer serving MK’s and their families.

• We participated in multiple weeks of training that OC offers to new missionaries. 

• Both Micah & Andrea led sessions at the MK Re-Entry seminar for missionary kids, which is held at BIOLA University each year. This event serves missionary kids from multiple missions organizations all over the world.

• Micah led intensive small groups for MK Re-Entry. Many of these kids needed to process very difficult circumstances from their ministry overseas.  After spending two weeks with Micah and other counselors, they were better prepared to transition off the field and start school in America. 

 What is your greatest need? Anything specific?

Andrea and I have been invited into conversations and influence over administrative and organizational changes that are happening at OC.  Andrea is helping to develop systems that will be helpful in recruiting and caring for missionaries. I am helping the Member Care team more proactively care for missionaries throughout OC. Learning new systems and implementing change can be difficult, especially for seasoned missionaries.  Pray for wisdom, grace and skill as we all learn together. 

What is a fun fact or unique incident that we probably don’t know about you?

Some of you know that one of our favorite family traditions started at LTCC. We moved to Colorado in 2020, when churches weren’t meeting in person. However, we wanted to mark Sunday as a day set apart for our young boys, so as Andrea and I were brainstorming, I thought, “You know what I always loved about Sunday mornings? DONUTS!” So, we started a new tradition with the boys on Sunday, saying “God is good & donuts are good!” as we talked about various stories from the Bible around the table. This month, Andrea & I discovered a new favorite Thai donut place called “Donuts & Noodles” – it’s kind of perfect because we love donuts and we also love Thai food (but not usually at the same time).

 How can we be praying for you?

• This week is a big week for us. Monday, Micah will meet with the Global Care team in OC, proposing some new ways of caring for OC missionaries. Tuesday, he will fly to Louisville, Kentucky for the Mission Nexus conference. This is a really significant event that we expect will have a big impact on our ministry. Please pray for Micah and the connections that he will make Tuesday – Friday.

• The boys are doing well & have had a great start to their school year. Please continue to pray for local friendships for all of us.

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APRIL 2024

It's been another exciting month for us working from the One Challenge Office in Colorado. We've had meetings with global leaders regarding Member Care, child safety best practices, and have engaged in conversations around complex cultural situations that our global workers are navigating. We've met with teams planning events (including the OC board meetings that happened this month and our IT team even hosted an event that brought together leaders to discuss the integration of Artificial Intelligence within the context of our Christian ministries. We are both using our education and skills in new and creative ways.

 March 12-15, Micah attended the MK Caregivers Summit in Dallas, Texas. This event brings together pastors, counselors, and education specialists who are committed to supporting Missionary Kids and their families. This event gave Micah the opportunity to meet and network with other care providers in the United States and around the world (including friends from GEM, Frontiers, and Ethnos 360). It's also a chance to encourage and recruit younger individuals who feel drawn to this unique ministry.

 This month, Andrea has been diving deep into the systems and processes that the personnel team uses from recruitment through retirement. There are dozens of unique tasks that need to be completed, documents that need to be received, and important emails that need to be sent at specific times for each stage in the process. Managing these details across multiple departments is a big task, and it's a significant part of caring well for families. As OC continues to grow, she's been exploring some new systems that might help our team to scale and manage these touchpoints. We'll share more about this in months ahead, but we would appreciate your prayers for wisdom as we evaluate the most effective systems to come alongside families.

 We have also been invited to travel to South Korea and Zimbabwe to participate in programs to encourage and train ministry leaders and their families. However, at this point, we are not fully funded, so it looks like we will have to decline these opportunities for now. Please pray with us that God would continue to grow His kingdom - not only by sending out new workers but that workers in Korea and Zimbabwe would grow in depth and effectiveness as they minister in unique and challenging circumstances. God is using OC to make a difference around the world, and it's such a gift to be part of the team.

 100% of our financial support and ministry expenses are raised by supporting families, individuals and churches. As of today, 78% of our financial supporters have made the switch from GEM to One Challenge. Thank you!

As we invite you to partner with us financially, we pray that those reading about this financial "ask" will feel it as an invitation, and not any sense of guilt or hesitation. God has led us this far, and He continues to provide for us in creative and powerful ways. May all that we are and all that we have be used to bring Him glory and impact His Kingdom. 

 Micah and Andrea

PRAYER REQUESTS

• I think the biggest prayer request right now for us personally is funding. We are currently at 78%

• Prayer for some significant meetings happening this next week for our area leaders, including a meeting that Micah was invited to attend in South Korea. We would have to be fully funded for Micah to attend.

• Prayer for all the details as we are gearing up for some big summer events.

• Andrea is developing a new contact engagement system that will be pretty significant. Please pray for wisdom as we evaluate different systems.

• Andrea’s Dad's Parkinson’s disease is continuing to progress more rapidly than it has throughout the last 20 years, resulting in higher pain levels, blood pressure spikes (and drops) and more frequent falls, along with other things. Micah will go with Andrea’s Dad and Mom to meet with the Palliative Care team on April 9. We would appreciate your prayers for her parents and for this appointment, along with a neurology appointment on April 23. 

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DECEMBER 2023

At Dad’s funeral in May, Micah talked about how Dad used to always start his prayers with “Father,” but for most of his life he’d never been comfortable doing that. 

However, in the last year, all of us (even the boys) have started naturally addressing God as Father. As we’ve reflected on this shift, we’ve realized that perhaps it’s because of the ways that we saw God in Dad. 

There have been so many times in the last 6 months where we’ve said to each other, “This is a time when we’d usually call Dad.” 

However, we’ve also noticed how God has been so close to our hearts in our grief. Our Good Father has led us through dark valleys and deep grief this year. Our Good Father has comforted our tears and His presence has been so close to us in this season. 

We have also been sensing that God was preparing us for a new season of ministry, so we began to fervently ask Him to lead us step by step. He did just that and Micah and Andrea have decided to transition to One Challenge! They have been invited to work directly under Marla Henderson in the One Challenge Headquarters in personnel, recruitment, pre-field training and member care departments. 

Pray that God would direct their paths as they make this transition. If you have questions about how to change your giving to One Challenge you can speak with Ron or Fran Hubeek or Julianne Sparks.

JULY 2023

We just finished GEM’s debrief week here in Colorado. Micah led a devotional for our missionaries, along with a presentation on stress. This week, he also led a group session around the story in Genesis 16, where the angel of the Lord found Hagar in the wilderness and asked her, "Where have you come from and where are you going?" After that encounter, she referred to the LORD as "the God who sees me."  

This story has been a very significant story for us personally and for our ministry throughout the last year, and it also seemed to resonate with the missionaries attending the retreat this week. We are so thankful for these in person conversations with GEM colleagues, and for the ways that God uses these times together to empower them for the next season of ministry.

The boys are about to start school and are very excited to see their friends again. They've had a great summer attending our church's VBS, enjoying some cousin time, and experiencing their first day camp in WA. 

Micah left Friday for GEM’s annual conference in Frankfurt.

 ·         Would you be willing to pray for the moms (and dads too) attending GEM's annual conference this year? 

 ·         Would you also be willing to pray for the kids and teens? The leaders will be speaking through Matthew 22. Their sessions and small groups will explore the Great Commandment through this year's theme "First Things First." 

Micah will be leading our 42 teens through sexual abuse prevention training sessions. This is something that our team leads our GEM-Ks through every 2-3 years. Micah has taken the curriculum and adapted it for our missionary kids, and it usually results in some very significant and heavy conversations. Micah will also be part of a team leading a session for the parents on "Hard conversations + Helpful Resources." May each session empower families and point them towards our loving Shepherd, who promises to lead us every step of the way. 

·         Please pray for Micah and the teens as he goes through this curriculum.

I'll be sending daily prayer updates throughout Annual Conference. If you haven't received them in the past, but would like to be included in this list, would you let me know? (contact info at the top of this page) 

We’re also really missing Dad (Tim) this week, as he’d always know how to comfort us when we felt nervous before a big event like this, and would always pray with us when we felt the increased resistance from the enemy. And oh, was he ever a prayer warrior for us these weeks! He knew a number of the GEM-Ks by name, he’d met some of the parents and our GEM-K staff and would pray over everything in the schedule for the week. Our boys were both missing Grandpa last night before bed, and we’ve all cried missing him at different times in the last 24 hours.  

·         We are so thankful to be the Missionary Spotlight this week. God knew we needed a little extra prayer and encouragement this week.

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MARCH 2023

Thanks for praying for us! We had a pretty packed January and February with multiple events. Here are the highlights:

• Our GEM-K team led our annual winter camp for missionary kids

• We led a debrief retreat for American GEM missionaries on furlough

• We attended a GEM Retreat for all US based missionaries that provided opportunities for greater collaboration across departments

• Micah led interviews for GEM’s Candidate Orientation

If you would like to receive our updates, please sign up at encouragemks.com.

Prayer Requests:

• Clarity: We both have more opportunities within GEM than we have capacity. There are a lot of different ways that our experiences in Europe and our skill set could be used to advocate for missionary families and kids. However, we need wisdom to prioritize well.

• Funding: We currently do not have the funding that we need to lead the events GEM has asked us to lead. Specifically, we need funding for the summer conference in August and the men’s and women’s retreats that we’ve been asked to lead. If you would be interested in partnering with us either monthly or with a one-time gift, we would be happy to connect with you and tell you more.

• Family: We would appreciate your prayers for both of our dads (Tim and Len).

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OCTOBER 2022

Current Prayer Requests

1.  Pray for our missionary families. Many of them are navigating very challenging situations personally, in their marriages and with their kids. Most of our GEM missionaries are bracing for a challenging season in Europe, as a number of our friends and colleagues experienced fuel shortages this week, along with significant cost increases in heating and living expenses because of the ongoing war in Ukraine. However, we have also noticed that crises like these also present opportunities to share hope with neighbors. Pray for courage and new opportunities to share the Gospel.

2.  Pray for our growing team. In the last few years, we’ve seen God bring us individuals who are passionate about caring for Missionaries and for their children. Ask God to continue to raise up workers, and pray that He would provide for them. Please also pray that God would give us discernment in how to lead, train and care for them as they minister to missionaries all over Europe.

3.  GEM has asked us to help lead two new events next year. A men’s retreat in June and a retreat for missionaries on home assignment. Pray for wisdom for us as we plan and facilitate these events, and pray that God would use these experiences to serve & empower our missionaries. We are also planning for our annual winter GEMK retreat that will happen in 2 months.

Looking forward to seeing you this weekend.

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JUNE 2022

Thanks for praying for our family. This summer is shaping up to be a busy one.  

This week, Micah is completing an intensive two weeklong class on “Counseling Groups” as part of his Masters Degree from Denver Seminary. The timing of this class is God-ordained and will make such a difference in the events that we will be leading the next 3 months.  

Next week, Micah will be interviewing a group of new missionary applicants at GEM’s Candidate Orientation in Colorado.  

For two weeks in July, we will be debriefing and leading two different programs in Colorado for missionaries and their families who are stateside (on furlough). Micah is also preparing our European based GEM-K staff to serve kids at GEM’s First Term Missionary retreat in Germany that will be happening at the same time. 

The last week in July, Micah will fly to Europe to lead our GEM-K team for the GEM-K summer conference. This will be the first time in two years that GEM’s teenagers will be able to gather together.  

Here are some ways to pray for us: 

• Pray that God would use our team to provide teens and their families with the spiritual and emotional encouragement, to continue to serve Christ in the midst of turbulent current events

• Pray for us as we adjust to new roles here in Colorado and help to lead new events

• Pray for our team as we prepare for the GEM-K conference

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January 2022

Our GEM-K Winter Conference was a great success.  It was the first time that we were able to gather kids in Europe together in 2 years. Even though the Omicron variant was rapidly spreading through Europe, God protected us, and we did not have a single case at the camp or in transit. The week was full of great teaching from our staff, meaningful and encouraging one-on-ones and much needed laughter.  After camp, we received numerous thank you notes from parents for the difference it made for their kids.

Please pray for our ministry in the next few months, which will include:

• Hosting and interviewing missionaries who are applying to GEM for the first time as a part of our Candidate Orientation here in Colorado Springs

• Leading our GEM-K team as we plan and prepare for a retreat for new missionaries serving in England

• Participating and collaborating with our Member Care staff in Colorado to debrief missionaries temporarily coming off the field
  

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August 2021

We are so thankful for LTCC’s commitment to praying for and supporting their missionaries. 

SUMMER HIGHLIGHTS:

• We’ve hosted well over 50 people in our house the last couple of months – including 26 overnight guests. We are so thankful for the conversations that have happened in our home, and the way that God has used our house to serve and host so many missionary families.

• We were able to host an in person event for 16 GEM-Ks in CO, and served as part of the leadership team for GEM’s virtual Annual Conference.

• We are sending out over 70 packages and cards of encouragement to GEM families as the school year kicks off.

MINISTRY PRAYER REQUESTS FOR SEPTEMBER:

• September 2-3 We will be having 20 hours of meetings with various GEM leaders to discern the way that God is leading GEM’s Member Care team, as the mission continues to grow and needs are rapidly increasing beyond our current capacity.

• September 11-18 We will be helping to lead GEM’s Candidate Orientation. Please pray for those who are preparing to come, as well as for discernment for those of us interviewing them throughout this week.

• This week, Denver Seminary kicked off their fall semester. Micah continues to take theology and counseling courses that are profoundly impacting our ministry and the way that we serve families within GEM. Pray for wisdom and endurance as he takes on these classes, while continuing to lead our GEM-K team. Please also pray for continued financial provision to complete this dual degree program that’s required for the new role he’s been asked to take with GEM.

PERSONAL PRAYER REQUESTS FOR SEPTEMBER:

• School started August 3. We are thanking God for another great teacher for Noah.

• Continued prayer for both of our dads, and wisdom for our family to know when to return to WA for visits.

• We are becoming more involved in our local church. Please pray for us as we build relationships and invest more into our local community.

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APRIL, 2020

LATEST UPDATES FROM THE HEATHS

• We hosted a GEM family of 5 for almost 3 weeks. While they stayed with us, they were able to connect with 50 people to share about the work that God is doing on the island of Lesvos, Greece with the refugees. We have another family that will be staying with us in the future. We continue to see how God is using our house and this location to serve missionaries and their families.

• With our new location at GEM’s headquarters, we come with a lot of practical cross cultural / ministry experiences from our (almost) 12 years with GEM, but we are on a steep learning curve as we gain additional technical skills required for Micah’s new position. He continues to be trained and mentored by GEM’s Member Care director in the States, while also taking a full course load at Denver Seminary. This month, he completed GEM’s two year FUEL leadership cohort. I also completed training to assist GEM’s director of missionary services in the coming months.

COMING UP

• In the next month, GEM’s leadership will make the decision about whether or not we will be able to meet in person for summer conference. Please pray for wisdom in this decision. Our teens are so lonely and are desperate to get together. Please also pray for our teammates who are waiting for their visas to be approved. They are hoping to move to Austria before our summer conference.

• We have been asked to help with multiple MK/missionary events this summer. We need discernment to know which opportunities to accept.

• Please pray for God's blessing on the following project: We’ve been trying to develop more of a practical and consistent way to reach out to young moms within GEM. We will share more about that in coming months. However, THIS MONTH, we want send something tangible to encourage young moms in GEM. There are currently 29 moms with kids under the age of 7, so we would like to send them something. The European lockdowns have been quite a bit more extreme and more frequent than the ones we’ve experienced in America. This unique population (those new on the field, with young children) tend to have a higher attrition rate, so we are trying to come alongside them more intentionally and more frequently – ideally helping them to thrive on the mission field. If you would like to help us, this is a big need. Our deadline is the end of this month. Click on this link for more information.

  
  

To learn more, connect with the Heaths or sign up to receive their monthly email updates, at their recently updated website, www.encouragemks.com

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November, 2020

Please pray for Micah and Andrea Heath and their family this week. This week, they will be announcing the difficult decision to cancel their annual winter GEM-K conference because of rising COVID19 numbers and travel restrictions throughout Europe.

Please be praying for the GEM teenagers, as so many of them are isolated and struggling right now. Please also pray for Micah as he leads the GEM-K staff in preparing alternative ways to serve GEM teens and their families from a distance. Because of current travel restrictions, he is taking on as many classes as he can at Denver Seminary, so that when borders open again, he’ll be equipped and ready to care for families that need their help as GEM's Director of Member Care for youth ministry. They are praying for God to provide the finances to complete this essential training for his new position.

They've updated their website (www.encouragemks.com) this month with information about their ministry, a place to sign up for their prayer letters, and ways you can be a part of their ministry team.

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June, 2020

Let’s pray for Micah and Andrea Heath and their family this week. They are in a season of change as they transition from Germany to the mission headquarters in Colorado, where Micah will serve as the Director of Member Care for youth ministry. They are currently living on Whidbey Island, but most of their things are in Germany. They are making arrangements for having them shipped to Colorado. This week, they will be traveling to Colorado to make housing arrangements. Please pray for all the logistics. Please also pray for their preparations for their annual conference for missionary kids, which will need to be conducted online this year. They have a number of important deadlines to meet in preparation for conference. Their latest prayer letter and information about how you can be a part of their ministry team can be accessed clicking here.