Timon had been sick for many years.  He is part of what many call an “unreached people  group”. A few people in his tribal villages had heard of Jesus from traveling outside of their region but no church had been established.  A FAME partner mission had been trying to visit and make contact with them but had not found a way to connect and have folks hear the gospel.  THEN they planned a medical camp in one of Timon’s villages.  He heard they were coming but doubted that they could help him.  The morning of the medical camp he stayed home.  In the early afternoon though, Timon heard a lot of excitement in his village – a Buddhist monk was telling how he had gone to the medical camp and received care including medicine.  Timon hurried with his family to also go see what was possible for him.  He was seen by a Nurse, diagnosed, and was easily treated with 30 days of medicine for his condition.  But most important of all?  We know this story because he explains that “one of the people there told me about how Jesus may or may not be able to take away my sickness.  But that Jesus CAN take away my guilt and shame!”  Timon believed in Jesus and after his baptism, and a few others, a church was started in their people group!  They are NO LONGER ON THE UNREACHED PEOPLE GROUP LIST!

Stories like Timon’s repeat in country after country because of your generosity.  One exciting thing about this story is that funds from 2022 were not used.  The ministry there is a self-sustaining FAME mission partner because funds many years ago prepared and trained the people there!  FAME still partners with them with funding on occasion like 2 current clinics for which we are raising funds, but they are self-sustaining!

If you give financially to FAME in 2023 your gifts will be used for amazing partnerships – but there will also be a story in 2 years, 5 years, or in 10 years just like Timon’s!  Your generosity in 2023 will bear fruit until Jesus returns!

You’ve heard the phrase, “Thinking outside the box.” FAME and FAME partners do that a lot to be able to strategically use medical evangelism.  (Don’t miss reading the Airplane Emergency Ultrasound story below)
 
But I’d like to thank so many of you for making it possible that we can think about the box.

Our Warehouse is full of boxes.  Empty boxes, small boxes, large boxes, and full boxes.  Each and every box is labeled, organized, categorized, and inventoried.  Our team of staff and volunteers are organized and efficient!  Then these boxes travel the world to or with our partners, the medical evangelists!

But where does WHAT’S INSIDE THE BOX come from?  From donors and partners like you! Whether it is a Hospital or Medical provider who updates and donates prior equipment from their facility to groups of students or church members who collect over-the-counter supplies – they all are “boxed” and shipped to impact lives.

But not only do our partners use what is IN THE BOX, they also do evangelism

OUTSIDE THE BOX!  We recently just heard this story from a team who took a large donation of medicines with them on a Mission trip to Guatemala.

We sent a large donation of lidocaine along with other medicines to him and his team who were traveling.

On day 5 of this 8-day trip, the doctor dropped our Mission Resource Director a short email to thank him for the donated medicines and to report that they had already performed over 200 surgeries and they still had three+ days to go.  Hundreds of people had also heard the good news of Jesus!

Then on his way home, he reported that this happened:

Well…I guess the medical portion of my trip is not over yet! Just as I sat back in my seat,
drinking a coffee and watching a movie…, I heard the overhead speaker say if there is a doctor on board come to row 15!  I went there to see 79-year-old Maria (a Guatemalan) with sudden onset of severe left leg pain. She told me she has vascular problems. I could not feel a pulse behind her left knee nor any pulses on her left foot; her wrist pulses were very strong. I travel with my pocket ultrasound and sent the stewardess to get my bag. I placed the linear high-frequency probe behind her left knee and turned on the color flow doppler, lighting up the blood flow a little behind the knee but not in the foot. I diagnosed her with an ischemic left leg (blocked arterial blood flow) and told the stewardess the arrange an ambulance to meet us at the gate and take her immediately to the hospital in Atlanta (now only 45 minutes away) for definitive care and possible surgery. Maria will get to keep her leg! I love my little pocket ultrasound!

What’s in a box at or from FAME?  Evangelistic tools like medicines, equipment, supplies, and diagnostic tools!

Check out our website here to see ways you too can donate, or collect and donate “evangelistic tools” that will save lives; both physically and then spiritually!

Additionally, when you give to FAME, you position us to acquire, house, and ship all these items to medical evangelism partners around the world.

Thank you for making this possible because of your partnership!

Dear Prayer Partner,

It is hard to believe that another year has come and gone. What a blessing it has been having you partner with us this past year, praying for the ministry of FAME and our partners around the world.

I recently read a quote by Frances Chan that reflects his thoughts on the New Year. I love his take on the “fresh start” we have the opportunity to partake in each year.

New Year’s Day is my favorite holiday. I love fresh starts. I think we all do. We look back at mistakes and wish we could have a do-over. Not that I make all these resolutions, but there is always something exciting to think about. Just turning over to a new year and saying, “Lord, may this year be different. May this be the year when I draw so close to you. May this be the year I finish all these things that I’ve put off. And all the changes I know need to take place in my life? May this be the year that they happen. May this be the year that I change my rhythm of life and prioritize the right things. May it be the year that I spend more time talking about how wonderful our God is rather than all of these other issues.” That’s what I love about New Year’s Day.-Frances Chan

This month, as we start a new month and a new year, won’t you please partner with us in praying for the following that are on each day of the January calendar?

• FAME Board members as they continue to lead the ministry
• FAME Scholarship Recipients that are studying to become medical professionals in their home countries.
• Church visits and a conference Executive Director, Bill Warren will be attending
• Volunteer groups that will be serving in the FAME warehouse.

Thank you again for your partnership in prayer and blessings in the coming year.

Click here for the January Prayer Calendar