Will we ever think of the numbers “2020” the same? I’ve set goals for 2020 using the 20/20 Vision theme since 2000 – but now we DO have a 20/20 Vision look at 2020, don’t we?

We’ve been asked, “What did you do in 2020 that was a COVID-19 Response?” That answer is simple,
“EVERYTHING!” The impact of this global pandemic was, well, global! Whether we sent funds, equipment and supplies or people – it was a response to the pandemic. Some were because the partner had spent their medicine funds on the starving people in their community. Others were directly related, like ventilators and oxygen related equipment…no matter the help and hope…it positioned our global partners to care for the needs around them and share the good news!

Thank you for your partnership! You have impacted one million of the world’s most vulnerable because of your generosity and partnership!

Click here for our 2020 Year in Review

Big Year ahead; Big plans, Big trips, Big projects

Shipping PPE to a mission partner in China for a barely heard of crisis

Shut down, Separation

Trips canceled, Emergency appeal for a global pandemic

Big Hearted Response from Partners like you

Shipping PPE from Asia to Hospitals in crisis in the USA

Sending PPE, ventilators, and oxygen equipment to global partners

Global partners deal with starvation, lack of access to healthcare

$700,000 worth of equipment and supplies shipped to 32 Countries

Big open doors- Big opportunities

Big Needs, Big Response from people like you with Big Hearts serving a Big God

“Peace on Earth Good will to men.”  Luke 2:14 KJV

What “good will” did the angels mean?

A short Christmas word study shows that this “good will” means

FAVOR THAT RESTS UPON YOU 

Can I tell you that most of the people that your FAME global partners serve have not always felt as if “favor is resting upon them?”  Then they often feel without hope and helpless.

As told by one mom a partner met in Ghana:

It is very difficult for parents who have a sick child.  In times like this, there is pressure on you,  financially and emotionally.  If you fall into such a predicament and you neither have any support or money, then you are bound to lose your child. 

Thankfully to YOU and other partners like YOU- Jamilia’s story ends well!  Her son, who needed heart surgery, was treated and cared for by your FAME global partner.

FAVOR RESTING on you may come in the form of:

• being treated by a dentist in a rural village where there’s never been a dentist before
• being transported by an Ambulance that is only possible because of FAME partnerships
• a diagnosis of a serious illness and surgery because of a doctor who received surgery tables and lights from FAME partnership
• a medical team coming to your hurricane or cyclone ravaged village and caring when no other medical providers were available

Thank you for your partnership – it is bringing PEACE ON EARTH (as people meet Jesus) and GOOD WILL OR FAVOR as people are treated in the name of Jesus during some of their most helpless and hopeless times!

That’s why we tell you weekly, “you bring help and hope through medical evangelism.”

Thank you for continuing the message of Christmas, by partnership with FAME!

This is an amazing open door!

Do you know much about the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)?   Starvation is real, serious illness is chronic, sexual abuse of women rampant, and persecution of Christians is both common and severe in this Central African Nation.

You can imagine, into this kind of darkness – even a tiny light of hope shines like midday.  Recently we were introduced to a wonderful couple – both DRC survivors – who have been serving in the name of Jesus in their home country.  For their safety, I’m just going to call them Dr. and Mrs. DRC.

Since receiving asylum in the US in 2012, the couple has dreamed of helping those still suffering in the DRC.  Their dream?  A series of 7 medical clinics focusing on obstetrics, pediatrics, surgery, and trauma care.

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Dr. DRC was at the FAME warehouse recently – and I wish you could have walked with us.  As he moved aisle-to-aisle, shelf-to-shelf, bin-to-bin – his smile and relief at knowing we would help was really moving.

Of course, the “we” who can

help ship medical supplies to the DRC is really “you” and “me” and others like us who know the power of medical evangelism.  I can’t tell you how much I appreciate knowing you’re in this with us!  Thank you!

The open door is this – because of COVID-19, the DRC government has lowered the cost of shipping medical supplies into the country to unheard of low costs!  We’ve already been able to ship exam tables and other supplies to help Dr. DRC with 2 Clinics.

But there is only a short time to provide for the other 5 Clinics with this highly discounted custom taxes and fees.  We have many of the supplies on hand – would you like to help cover the cost of getting them to the field?

I’m estimating to acquire, crate, stage and ship will only cost a total of $10,000.  But it would be so much more without the DRC government discount on the cost to receive the medical supplies.  So, we really think this should happen right away before the rates go back up!

Oh, and we’re also helping 2 other ministries in the DRC – they now have quality hospital beds replacing bamboo mats!  Additionally, your gift could help us with sending help and hope to Ethiopia and 18 other African countries where we have active global partners this year!  But like Dr. DRC’s work, they have many other needs for their clinics.  Can you give a gift to “wherever needed” by December 31^st that will help victims of crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo and around the world?

Last thing,  – Dr. DRC’s work is so much more than just medical care.  Mrs. DRC oversees the “trauma care” and these services follow her Biblical Counseling training – so patients are impacted daily by workers sharing the hope of the Gospel!

Ok, that’s the open door I wanted to share.  If you’d like to help FAME with this opportunity and so many more, click DONATE above! Thanks for thinking and praying on what you might do right away.  Let me know if you have any questions.

Bill

 

Watch this video and get a taste of all that ICOM has to offer this year, and maybe this video would be good to share with others or your church!

Every Fall thousands of people from around the globe descend on a USA city to connect and be encouraged at the International Conference on Missions (ICOM).  This year was to be no different – and Indianapolis was to be the city for 2020!

But, nothing has been normal in 2020- so ICOM is a combination Virtual Event and Live Virtual Exhibit Hall AND an in-person Exhibit Hall in Indy.  Many fewer exhibitors will be in person, and that’s disappointing – but HERE’S THE GOOD NEWS!

No matter where you live, you can ATTEND THIS WEEKEND!  Check it out at www.theicom.org

FAME will have a Virtual booth- You can “walk /scroll” through the exhibit hall – or search for us!  There are 3 Bible Studies with Jeff Vines, the president of ICOM that FAME is sponsoring this year- we had fun shooting videos with Jeff Vines when he was in Indy awhile back – he is a real “fan of FAME!”

FAME, as usual, is sponsoring the Short-Term Trip Workshops which, along with the main sessions will all be virtual-only and online!

Maybe you are a Central Indiana friend of FAME- ICOM has safety measures in place (masks provided by FAME) to make it an enjoyable experience to head downtown Indianapolis to the Convention Center to connect with many of FAME’s Global partners!

Thank you for your friendship and partnership, you are impacting lives every day around the world!

We in the USA are not alone in the roller coaster year of the pandemic impact.  I’d like to give you an update on one of our global partners.

Because of generous partners like you, there are 5 Clinics in a mountainous region of Mexico just south of Saltillo.  In 2016 many of you met Esly and Sandy Fuentes from Mexico and Bolivia respectively, who met in Medical school in Cuba!  You may have met them at the Night of Hope Banquet raising funds for their Hospital which is currently under construction.

In this mountain region, the church in La Biznaga has supported them as they not only have the clinic attached to the church, but they have added clinics and pharmacies in 4 other villages as well.  These villages are the type where everyone knows one another, the deaths impact all, and births cause all to rejoice.  These people are hard-working farmers, and you may even buy the 3-pack of peppers which are grown and packaged by many of them!  At each of these clinics, the church has begun Bible Studies and evangelistic medical outreaches!

Esly reports, “The first wave of COVID did not affect the rural areas very much.  But now the second wave is hitting us hard, because everything opened up and now people are out and began to visit our rural communities and the virus has moved into our villages.”

Esly shared that this week they lost 5 dearly loved elderly folks, and last week they lost 8 due to COVID.  They are sending many to the hospital, but they hope to see a downward trend soon!  Esly continues, “We are the only clinic and pharmacy that meets all the health codes set by our local and state government.  We have been setting an example of how to be a blessing to all those around us.”

Can I say “Amen!” on our behalf?

Isn’t that exactly what you and I hope to hear from those around the world with whom we partner?  “…setting an example of how to be a blessing…”.

I am thankful to be in partnership with Doctors like Esly and Sandy, aren’t you?

I am also thankful to be in partnership with people like you- who make partnership possible!

Bill Warren
Executive Director

Taking local traffic patterns into account, rural Americans have an average travel time of 17 minutes to the nearest hospital, while those in suburban and urban communities have an average travel time of 12 minutes and 10 minutes, respectively.

In Africa, nearly 50% of the population have more than 2 hours to travel to the nearest hospital, with 28% of those being more than 24 hours of travel to reach such a hospital!

 

With that fact – Obstetric crises are common!  One FAME global partner is a CMF (Christian Missionary Fellowship) Clinic which has served expectant mothers for many years.  A focus of this clinic has been HIV+ mothers – with wonderful results of 98% success in no transfer of HIV to the babies!

But this wonderful clinic has had to halt all services except prenatal care.  The Ivory Coast Government is requiring them to have an Ambulance for emergency situations before they are allowed to continue with maternity services that include the delivery of babies!

This Ambulance is one of the 11 sustainable projects for which Bill Warren is running on Saturday, November 7th in the Monumental Half-Marathon.

Are you looking forward to 2021?  Ready to leave 2020 in the rearview mirror? Me too- but there are some generosity opportunities that expire on December 31, 2020, which are worth noting! Here are two resources we’d like you to see, which can help increase your stewardship as we approach the end of this unique year.

One:  A Guide to Year-End Giving

Compiled by our partners CDF Foundation, this Guide can help you reach your personal generosity goals and protect your financial planning

Two:  CARES Act Fact Sheet

Unique generosity opportunities that will expire on December 31, 2020, connected to the CARES Act of 2020.

Download these resources, and if you have any questions please contact Jeff Coon jcoon@fameworld.org or 317-675-7373 and he will answer, or connect you to a partner who can answer your questions.

This week I was on a Zoom call and was asked if we ever worked together with other ministries.  Well, the answer is YES.

That is what we do!

Can I name a few partnerships for you?

First, we only go into the “uttermost parts of the earth” where there are partner ministries who have requested our teamwork and ministry with sustainable partnerships, shipping equipment and supplies, and sending short-term teams.  That is where the evangelism happens because FAME helps open doors for our global partners.

Second, we only are able to do ministry because of individuals and churches like you who partner financially with us- there is no FAME ministry- it is OUR ministry with you!

Third, we work in partnership with other parachurch ministries to support the global partners we share in the world.  Here is a short-list of a partner and an example of partnership

TEAM Expansion– Last week co-sponsored Community Health Evangelism (CHE) Training at the FAME headquarters, preparing Trainers headed to global partner locations

IDES – International Disaster Emergency Services – recently FAME and IDES have partnered on a Hospital in Pakistan, and Ambulances in the Philippines and Honduras

CMF- Christian Missionary Fellowship– Sustainable Project collaboration in Africa and SE Asia, clinics, hospitals, mobile clinics, and medical resources

PBT-Pioneer Bible Translators – For many years FAME has provided the basic medical supplies for PBT team leaders as they head to the field.  Recent conversations have begun for one Translator in Papua New Guinea to help outfit a clinic they are using for medical evangelism.

So, yes; we work with other ministries- that is what we do!

And by the way, the original question…when I’m asked, “who is our greatest partner?”  It is YOU!  And others like you.

FAME – Partners in Medical Evangelism is who we are, and what we do!

Jeff Coon

Director of Development.

The pandemic has reached into the most remote parts of the world – but SO HAVE YOU!

For months, Myanmar appeared to have escaped a major COVID-19 outbreak. Between March and August, cases were limited to 374 with only six deaths. The last fatality was recorded in April, and no local transmissions were reported between July 16 and August 16. But on August 16, everything changed. A second wave of COVID-19 cases erupted and quickly spread to Yangon, with smaller clusters now being found across the country, including the remote area of North Myanmar!

In early September, 17 preachers gathered in remote North Myanmar in the village of Putao.   Putao is tucked into the Himalayan foothills where there are no paved roads!  They met to divide up the critical medical supplies purchased with Funds sent by FAME which you made possible!  The $1500 sent by FAME was exchanged for 1,950,000 kyats!

These great men scattered around the mountain villages and they were able to provide infrared thermometers, sanitizers, masks, and medicines for 45 churches.  Forty-Five Churches with one gift!   Also, now is the rainy season, the season that the people in Myanmar most suffer from various kinds of illnesses and diseases.

These preachers become the frontline workers where there is no doctor.  Many of them have minimal training from FAME teams teaching Health Education and CHE (Community Health Evangelism); but without proper resources, training is only minimally helpful. Now, because of you, and other partners like you- even Himalayan foothill villages are more prepared for what’s ahead.

 

That’s multiplying your impact!  Thank you for your partnership in the remotest parts of the earth!

Bill Warren
Executive Director