Days

In 2005 Steve Jobs stated that he looks in the mirror every morning and asks himself, "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" This is a great question.

On Thursday, April 26 I accompanied my father to several medical appointments here in Cedar Rapids. He had called the day before and asked me if I could go to the appointments with him. My father is very independent and he never makes a request like this. So I cleared my calendar and met him the next morning at the urologists office.

Later in the day we met with oncologist Dr. Kutteh. In a matter of 30 minutes our world was turned upside down. Dr. Kutteh read off my father's blood numbers and wasted no time in delivering the devastating news ... acute leukemia ... days to several weeks to live ... I can't allow you to drive home ... do you have a place where you can stay here in Cedar Rapids ... would you like me to set up an appointment with hospice ... we will keep you comfortable.

We brought my father home to live with us. Three days later he was admitted to the Oldorf Hospice House in Hiawatha. At 10:00 AM on Tuesday, May 15, my father shed his earthly tent and was welcomed to his new eternal home!

Days! The word rang in my ears. Days ... Days ... Days. What would I do, what would I say if this was the last day of my life? What would I do, what would I say if this was the last day I would see my father?

In God's providence, we were given not one day, but 19. 19 days, some too short, some very long. Days filled with expressions of love, laughter, tears, sorrow, joy and hugs. For 19 days life seemed to stand still. I arose each morning wondering if this day would be my father's last. 19 days of crystal clear focus. 19 days of eternal perspective. Today may be my father's last day to live. Today may be the last chance I have to tell my father how much I love him. Today may be the last time I get to sit in the same room with my father and enjoy his presence. Today is all that matters.

Nothing in life can adequately prepare you for a moment like this. God's presence walked with us and His grace surrounded us. God gives good gifts to His children. The gift of time ... presence ... family ... friends ... days. All sweet gifts. All received with a grateful heart. Thankful for just one more day.

For those who are interested, the visitation and memorial service will both be at the Kruse Phillips Funeral Home in Tama, Iowa. The visitation will be on Sunday, May 20 from 4:00-7:00 PM. The memorial service will be on Monday, May 21 at 10:30 AM. The graveside service and lunch will follow.

The lunch will be held at the Reinig Community Center in Toledo. In lieu of flowers, we request that gifts be made to the Hospice of Mercy in Cedar Rapids.

If you are traveling to Tama on highway 30, please note that the new bypass may not appear on your GPS. Traveling from the east, take the first exit for business 30 and then proceed to the funeral home.

So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12

Almost There!

I'm excited to let you know that to date almost $70,000 has been donated to the Zimbabwe Drilling Rig Fund! A special "thank you" to all who contributed to this cause!

$165,000 was the total for the entire Drilling Rig Project. However, reaching $89,000 would enable us to purchase the drilling rig, ship it to Zimbabwe and purchase a vehicle to tow the rig. Anything that is raised over and above $89,000 will go toward the cost of drilling individual wells. New Covenant plans to donate $34,000 through our Advent Conspiracy Offering that would drill 10 wells!

If you have not yet done so, you can still give to this project online or by check. Help us reach our goal! All gifts go directly to MCDF. MCDF is a 501 (c) (3) tax exempt organization and is a New Covenant Kingdom Partner. And best of all, 100% of your gift goes to the Drilling Rig Project. There are no administrative or overhead fees!
To Give Online

• Go to www.mcdforphans.org and click on the Donate link.
• On the Donate page click on the “Donate” button at the center of the page. If you don’t have a Pay Pal account, click the “Continue” link under the credit card logos.
• Fill out the credit card information.
• When you get to the payment confirmation page you will be asked for “Any Special Instructions?” Enter “Kim Pagel Rig Fund”.

To Give by Check

• Checks should be made payable to MCD Orphans.
• Write “Kim Pagel Rig Fund” in the memo line.
• Mail checks to Dennis Matangira, 670 Beaver Hollow CT SE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52403

Because of your generosity, 7500 school children will have clean drinking water this coming year. Because of you, the good news and the good works of the gospel will be shared in a powerful way in the country of Zimbabwe. You are helping make the invisible kingdom visible!

This is a Win, Win, Win proposition:

• 7500 children in Zimbabwe Win. Most of these children are orphans. If we don’t help them, no one will! Schools will receive clean drinking water, families will be able to grow self-sustaining gardens, villages will be transformed, women and children will spend less time gathering water, churches will be planted and the gospel will be preached!

• Mushayamunda Christian Development Foundation Wins. God has given this Christian ministry incredible favor with the village leaders and the government. This drilling rig will help MCDF drill more wells, plant more churches and to share Christ more effectively. Your gift enables MCDF to share the Good News and the good works of the Gospel with their own people.

• You Win! Giving to this important project will help you put your faith in action and store up treasure in heaven. James 1:19 says – “Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their misfortune and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”

Thank you for caring! There are many things in the world that we have to accept and cannot change. This is not one of those things. Bringing clean water to 7500 children in Zimbabwe is something that we can do.
This is something that we must do! Together, this is a God-sized vision that we can accomplish for His glory. Thank you for helping!

Christmas 2011

Our Christmas Letter is published! After several years not getting it done, Sharon thought we needed one this year. I guess she thought that two college graduations, two weddings, my 60th birthday and 20th work anniversary, and our church relocation was deserving of an update!

Enjoy! May you and your family have a wonderful Christmas as you reflect on our Saviors birth.

A Good Cause

What an awesome time we had at our Open House Celebration yesterday. Good times, good food, good friends combined with a good cause that seeks to share the Good News! Does it get any better than this!

Thank you Dennis, Girlie and Donald - for your passion and love for Christ and the people of Zimbabwe. Thanks for sharing your vision of purchasing a drilling rig and the community transformation that it can bring.

Thank you Jesus who has given me life and a purpose for living. He gives us good things for our enjoyment and so that we can share with others. I am truly rich!

Thank you to all who made generous gifts so that 7500 children can gave clean water. Thank you for your friendship and for caring about the things that God cares about. Thanks you for your gracious words of affirmation!

Thank you New Covenant, for taking a risk and hiring me as one of your pastors. My boys were 10, 7 and 3 when we moved to Cedar Rapids 20 years ago. Today they are all married, walking with God and serving His purposes.

Thank you Sharon, for loving me through the ups and downs of married and family life. It hasn't always been easy. Thank you for trusting God, for believing in me and for never giving up. Together, we make an awesome team!

Gifts for the Drilling Rig Project continue to come in. It's not too late to give. We will continue to receive donations through the end of the year.

You can give to this project online or by check. All gifts go directly to MCDF. MCDF is a 501 (c) (3) tax exempt organization and is a New Covenant Kingdom Partner. And best of all, 100% of your gift goes to the Drilling Rig Project. There are no administrative or overhead fees! 

To Give Online

• Go to www.mcdforphans.org and click on the Donate link.
• On the Donate page click on the “Donate” button at the center of the page. If you don’t have a Pay Pal account, click the “Continue” link under the credit card logos.  
• Fill out the credit card information.  
• When you get to the payment confirmation page you will be asked for “Any Special Instructions?” Enter “Kim Pagel Rig Fund”.   

To Give by Check

• Checks should be made payable to MCD Orphans   
• Write “Kim Pagel Rig Fund” in the memo line. 
• Mail checks to Dennis Matangira, 670 Beaver Hollow CT SE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52403

Eyes to See

I take so much of life for granted. Even though I'm working at raising funds for a drilling rig, I'm not sure I fully realize what clean water means for those who live in Zimbabwe. What started out as a birthday/anniversary celebration has turned into a battle of cosmic forces for the hearts and lives of thousands of orphans, children and families in Zimbabwe. 

I got this special prayer email today from Dennis Matangira. He and his family are praying for our Open House Celebration. You can read it for yourself.

This coming Sunday ranks high on God's calendar and ours. Kim Pagel, a good friend and Executive Pastor at Covenant Bible Church in Cedar Rapids hosts this special fund raiser for the purchase of a well drilling machine for Mushayamunda Christian Development Trust.

We are inviting family to prayer and fasting today for this event.

• Lord bring clarity of vision to Pastor Kim's friends so that they see the benefits of this rig the way God sees it.
• Jehovah God, let any and all impediments to attending this function be removed in Jesus' name.
• Lord protect our friends and helpers from satanic attacks that are meant to erode their ability to give and to stand with us.
• King Jesus, what comes to our mind, heart and spirit is how from nothing you fed over 5000 with 12 basketful of left overs. Let our cup run-over this weekend in Jesus' name.
• Holy Spirit, grant Pastor Kim all manner of wisdom as they arrange for this event.
• Let heavenly favor cover these plans from the West, the East, the North and the South.
• Let the devil's sworn design of poverty on all God's children be frustrated in Jesus' name.
• Spirit of the living God, we glorify the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit for what you accomplished before the foundation of the earth and the manifestation thereof this weekend.
• Jehovah Jireh, our provider, we wait upon you now; have your way Father, in the strong name of Jesus to which all principalities should bow and surrender, now and forever. Amen.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

The people of Zimbabwe are calling out in prayer asking that you and I will see the benefits of this drilling rig the way God sees it. May we have eyes to see and hears to hear!

Be Generous

The Need: 15 schools and 7500 children in Zimbabwe don't have access to clean water which leads to disease, sickness and early death.

The Solution: Help Mushayamunda Christian Development Foundation (MCDF) purchase a drilling rig so that they can provide clean water in Jesus name to these children and schools.

The Opportunity: I'm asking my friends to give generously so that we can purchase a drilling rig and fund one year of operation. This will provide for the drilling of 20 wells!

Every gift and every amount is important. Here is how some are helping fund this critical project:

• Give what you would receive for your next birthday. One friend is donating the $200 he expects to receive for his next birthday to the project.
• One friend is giving the $2000 he expects to receive as part of a small business that he runs.
• My dentist was impacted by what we are trying to do and has donate $1000.
• Another friend is making a sacrificial gift of $7000 - the average cost of drilling one well if you have to contract with a drilling company.

Whatever you are able to do, please help! Thank you for giving this project serious consideration. There are many things in the world that we have to accept and cannot change. This is not one of those things. Bringing clean water to 7500 children in Zimbabwe is something that we can do. Please be generous!

You can give to this project online or by check. All gifts go directly to MCDF. MCDF is a 501 (c) (3) tax exempt organization and is a New Covenant Kingdom Partner. And best of all, 100% of your gift goes to the Drilling Rig Project. There are no administrative or overhead fees! 

To Give Online

• Go to www.mcdforphans.org and click on the Donate link.
• On the Donate page click on the “Donate” button at the center of the page. If you don’t have a Pay Pal account, click the “Continue” link under the credit card logos.  
• Fill out the credit card information.  
• When you get to the payment confirmation page you will be asked for “Any Special Instructions?” Enter “Kim Pagel Rig Fund”.   

To Give by Check

• Checks should be made payable to MCD Orphans   
• Write “Kim Pagel Rig Fund” in the memo line. 
• Mail checks to Dennis Matangira, 670 Beaver Hollow CT SE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52403

Please Help!

By now you probably know that I celebrated two significant events this past summer – my 60th birthday and my 20th anniversary at New Covenant! As I thought and prayed about how I wanted to celebrate these two milestones, God gripped my heart with the overwhelming need for clean water.

Which brings me to today - I want to provide a drilling rig in Zimbabwe so that 15 schools that Mushayamunda Christian Development Foundation (MCDF) ministers to can have clean drinking water. Schools, villages and entire families can be transformed by this project!

I’m asking you to consider giving a generous gift to the Zimbabwe Drilling Rig Project. My goal is to help MCDF raise $165,000 so that 7500 children can have clean drinking water. This total includes the first year of operating costs for the drilling rig and enough materials to drill 20 wells! A breakdown of the *total project budget is at the bottom of this post.

Why should you give to the Zimbabwe Drilling Rig Project?

• 7500 children in Zimbabwe will win. Most of these children are orphans. If we don’t help them, no one will! Schools will receive clean drinking water, families will be able to grow self-sustaining gardens, villages will be transformed, women and children will spend less time gathering water, churches will be planted and the gospel will be preached!

• MCDF will win. God has given this Christian ministry incredible favor with the village leaders and the government. This drilling rig will help MCDF drill more wells, plant more churches and to share Christ more effectively. Your gift enables MCDF to share the Good News and the good works of the Gospel with their own people.

• You will win! Giving to this important project will help you put your faith in action and store up treasure in heaven. James 1:19 says - "Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their misfortune and to keep oneself unstained by the world." And if that’s not enough, I'm handing out a coupon for one free drink from the Main Street Café to each family who contributes to this project. Stop by the Open House Celebration on Sunday, October 30 from 3:00-5:00 to get your free drink.

You can give to this project online or by check. All gifts go directly to MCDF. MCDF is a 501 (c) (3) tax exempt organization and is a New Covenant Kingdom Partner. And best of all, 100% of your gift goes to the Drilling Rig Project. There are no administrative or overhead fees! 

To Give Online

• Go to www.mcdforphans.org and click on the Donate link.
• On the Donate page click on the “Donate” button at the center of the page. If you don’t have a Pay Pal account, click the “Continue” link under the credit card logos.  
• Fill out the credit card information.  
• When you get to the payment confirmation page you will be asked for “Any Special Instructions?” Enter “Kim Pagel Rig Fund”.   

To Give by Check

• Checks should be made payable to MCD Orphans   
• Write “Kim Pagel Rig Fund” in the memo line. 
• Mail checks to Dennis Matangira, 670 Beaver Hollow CT SE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52403

Thank you for giving this project serious consideration. There are many things in the world that we have to accept and cannot change. This is not one of those things. Bringing clean water to 7500 children in Zimbabwe is something that we can do.

This is something that we must do! Together, this is a God-sized vision that we can accomplish for His glory. Please help!

*Drilling Rig Project Budget

Drilling Rig Acquisition	$57,600
Rig Truck (used)	$20,000
Shipping drilling rig from USA	$12,000
Rig Maintenance	$5,000
Well Materials - 20 Wells	$66,000
Operations Management	$4,400
Total Project Cost	$165,000

Together We Can Do This!

These photos were taken by our New Covenant Zimbabwe Team. The Mushayamunda Christian Development Foundation (MCDF) works with orphans and students in 20 different schools. 15 of these schools don't have wells or clean drinking water. Each school has an average of 500 students.

Imagine sending your child off to a school that didn't have clean drinking water or adequate sanitation. Many children, girls in particular, aren't even able to attend school as their water carrying duties take up a large part of their day.

To help celebrate my 60th birthday and 20th anniversary at New Covenant, I want to provide a drilling rig in Zimbabwe so that the 15 schools that MCDF ministers to can have clean drinking water. Together we can make a difference as we share the good works and the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Water given in the name of Jesus changes everything. Together we can make a difference in the lives of thousands of orphans and school children. Schools will receive fresh drinking water, families will be able to grow self-sustaining gardens, villages will be transformed, women and children will spend less time gathering water, churches will be planted and the gospel will be preached!

I hope you can join me on Sunday, October 30 for an Open House Celebration at New Covenant from 3:00-5:00 PM. This is an event for the entire family. Come and learn about the need for clean water, the African culture, enjoy some food and how you can get involved. Together, we can do this!