The Beginning of a Journey...

When I was a teenager I said, "by the time I'm 25 I want to be married, have a child and be overseas." Well, in August I will be 26 and these three goals/ prayer requests have been answered! I was married at 24, Elaine & I just had our first child, Mordikai (Kai) Andrew, in December and we have just received the official word that we'll be moving to the Philippines. It’s funny how God answers our prayers even when we begin to think it will not happen.


We are extremely excited to share with you about the opportunity that God is leading in. As most of you know, in August 2014, I was able to go and visit a ministry in the Philippines called Streetlight. Streetlight ministers to children who live on the streets of Cagayan De Oro (CDO), Philippines. During my time there I was able to get to know the missionaries in CDO and participate in the daily routine of Streetlight. I was also able to visit the headquarters of the mother organization, Kids International Ministries (KIM). While at the headquarters, I was able to talk with and discuss future plans with the director and other board members of KIM. Since getting back in the states we have continued to discuss a potential future with KIM and have recently been accepted to come and minister for 1 year. The purpose of this year would be to learn the language and to also see how Elaine and I could fit into the ministry of Streetlight. We are hoping to leave January, 2016 and
return a year later at which point we will decide if we want to join KIM full time.


Over the upcoming months we will be nailing down the specifics of our trip and be raising the necessary monthly support for our family while in the Philippines. Our goal is to raise $2000 a month. KIM requires us to have at least $1500 in monthly commitments before we can move to the Philippines. There is also a one-time start cost of $5000; this money would go toward plane tickets, visas, insurance, etc.


We are hoping to take several trips to visit friends, family and churches that would be interested in this endeavor. If you think your church would be interested in having us share about this opportunity to partner with us so that we can be God’s hands and feet to these children, please contact us as soon as possible. But more importantly than the finances, we would ask that you would be in prayer for our family as we step out in faith and make this move. If you would like to join our Prayer Team, please email us your address. We would love to send you a prayer card.


Adopted in Christ,
The Canfields


Prayer Points
~ Mental and Spiritual Preparation
~ Continue to grow close as a couple
~ Wisdom as parents
~ $2000 in Monthly Support
~ $5000 for start up costs


How to partner with us financially:


1) Email us and let us know how much and if it is a one time gift or monthly commitment.


2) Checks should be made out to "Kids International Ministries."
Our names cannot appear anywhere on the check, or it could potentially compromise the tax deductibility of the gift. This is done because IRS regulations prevent donors from dictating specific use of funds, however, KIM is committed to honoring donor intent in terms of what ministry the donation is intended to benefit. We will receive 100% of donations intended for us.


3) In the envelope, include a note saying: "One time gift of $__ for Zac & Elaine Canfield" (or) "Monthly commitment of $__ for Zac & Elaine Canfield"


4) Send to:
Kids International Ministries
ATTN: Zac and Elaine Canfield
PO Box 1639
Lawrence, KS 66044

Newsletter #1

So my newsletter is done and I am sending them out this week. Most of the information in it has been posted to this blog. There are two sections that have not been posted on here, so here they are:

2 Month Internship with Agape Children’s Ministry

I have been given the amazing opportunity to spend two months in Kisumu, Kenya. I will be interning with Agape Children’s Ministry (for a full explanation of Agape please read the next page). I learned about Agape while at a conference put on by the Christian Alliance for Orphans. As I talked with the ladies at Agape’s booth and heard them explain the work they were doing, I realized this ministry is doing everything I want to do someday. I filled out an application, got some information and began praying. When I got back to Liberty University this past fall, I made sure that this could count for my psychology internship because in order to graduate May 2013 it must be completed. I talked to my professor and she said that it would meet the requirements. I then contacted Agape and tried to get the process moving quickly, so I could have time to raise support and get the internship squared away between Liberty and Agape. I did a Skype interview with the director in Kenya and he explained some of the day-to-day ministry in Kenya. He also gave me a picture of some of the things I would be able to be involved in. We talked about what dates would be best and some other logistical things. After that interview, I was more excited than ever to go to Kenya and serve with this ministry. It was a couple weeks later I received the official acceptance letter.

If you feel God leading you to partner with me financially in this ministry, here is some important information.

There are two ways to give. You can either send a check to Agape, with my name in the subject line, and including a printed and filled out form (see below) or you can give with PayPal on the Agape website. There will be a spot to put the reason for the gift and you can put my name there. Agape is a non-profit ministry and you will receive a tax-deductible receipt from them. You may also send your gift to me directly but you will not receive a tax-deductible gift receipt.

Lastly, if nay one would like me to email you a copy of the whole newsletter or would like to receive any future newsletters via email, please let me know.

Agape Children's Ministry

Here is an overview of Agape Children's Ministry, the organization I will be working with this summer.

One-hundred fifty million abused and abandoned children, many orphaned by AIDS, live desperate lives trying to survive on the streets of virtually every city in the developing world. They are alone...hungry...without hope. They are society's outcasts, begging and stealing to make it through each new day. Agape Children's Ministry is a non-profit, Christian mission organization dedicated to bringing help and hope to these children.

Agape’s mission may be summed up in four words: rescue, redeem, rehabilitate, and reintegrate. We must first rescue the child from the life-threatening dangers of the streets. On the street they are victims of violence, physical abuse, malnutrition, and disease. Malaria and illnesses caused by eating rotten food from garbage bins and drinking contaminated water are common among street children. Many boys turn to sniffing glue in order to numb their minds and escape their loneliness and fear. Sadly, continued use of glue can cause irreversible brain damage.

As part of their rescue, Agape addresses their physical needs by providing a safe place to live, clothes, nutritious meals, and necessary medical care. The ministry also seeks to deal with their emotional and psychological needs. Agape provides an atmosphere of love and acceptance, where every boy is taught he is God’s unique and valued child. Most importantly, Agape shares the life-changing message of the Gospel with them. As they come to know and experience Christ’s love and forgiveness (redeem), emotional wounds heal—hope and purpose are restored.

The next step is to seek to rehabilitate the boys through academic and vocational training, equipping them to be independent and to live productive, contributive, Christ-centered lives when they leave Agape. Finally, Agape endeavors whenever possible to reintegrate the boy back into his family and community, re-connecting him with his roots and culture.

Why do we talk instead of act?

This past week I have been thinking about why we do not act on our words as Christian. We say that we care about the lost but how many times do we stop and talk to someone about spiritual things? We say that we stand for life but there are children waiting for homes and we say we are to busy or give some other lame excuse to justify not taking them in. I mean if we expect a lost young girl to not abort a baby that will possibly ruin her plans but we will not sacrifice our comfort and finances to help those children already born with no home, what kind of hypocrites are we? We complain about the financial crisis in our country but instead of complaining about how to much money goes into welfare programs why doesn't the church stand up and care for these people with Christ's love and make the government programs obsolete. There are so many examples that I could make but it all comes back to the original question. Why do we talk, complain, and judge instead of acting with Christ's love by sacrificing our time, money, and lives? Here is a song that kind speaks to this issue.

Life and Justice Conference

Just wanted to let everyone know about a conference this weekend (Jan 22). It is the Life and Justice Conference put on by Focus on the Family, New Life Church, Children's HopeChest, and iEmpathize. I found out about this conference on Tom Davis' blog and am going to try tp be listening in on the web. I hope you will be listening as well.

The Boy Without a Name

This is an amazing testimony and a story of success. The Boy Without a Name

Eric Ludy - Depraved Indifference

There is nothing I can really add. This is a very powerful and moving message.

Great Book

I just finished a book called Adopted For Life by Russell D Moore. I first picked up the book because I had heard about it at the Summit 6 conference. I figured it was for those who were thinking about adoption. I am planning to adopt someday so I thought I might enjoy it. God used that book to open my eyes to my adoption as a child of God and what that truly means. Also he show how adoption is fulfilling the great commission and that we all should have a part in it.

Eternity

I have been thinking about eternity recently. The question that comes to my head is “What am I doing today that matters for eternity?” Sadly, I think most days the answer is nothing. But how would it look if everyday I did something for eternity? Does that I mean I don’t do anything but witness. What else matters for eternity? The Bible talks about storing up treasures in Heaven. So giving lasts for eternity. Jesus also says whatever you do for the least of these you have done for me. So loving the poor, the widow and the orphan matters for eternity. What about prayer, having a relationship with God? That would have to matter. I know this is just a starting place but I want to get us thinking about why we are here. What are we doing to make our life count and when we get to heaven here God say “Well done my good and faithful servant”?

If you have more thing that matter please leave a commit and lets help one another on our journey.

Contentment in Ministry

So I kinda feel like an outsider right now. I am in a whole different ministry, with a whole different focus. I know God has em here but every day it gets harder to stay content. I love what I am doing right now. I mean getting to teach kids about God every night is great but I can feel my heart being torn away to those who physical are fatherless. I need to keep my prospective though. God has put me in a ministry and I need to be faithful to the end. God has given me a ministry to a boy hundreds of miles away, who is going through some hard times. If you think about it pray for wisdom for me. he is asking a lot of hard questions and I don't have all the answers. Thankfully I have a God who does.