Praise & Prayer

PRAISES:

• We are at 80% of our financial goal and have 12 prayer partners!
• We closed on our house on Wednesday, October 27!
• Bob is having a good final semester at Taylor.
• Chris is appreciating the time she can spend with friends here.

PRAYER REQUESTS:

• We still need about $600 more a month to be at full support. Pray for 12 more financial supporters at $50/month.
• We are asking the Lord for an additional 18 (at least!) prayer partners.
• We are asking the Lord to continue to prepare our hearts for the transition.
• We desire more opportunities to share about the call the Lord has given us in a way that encourages others.
• The World Impact—St. Louis ministry center has been robbed 3 times in the past week. About $200,000 of damage has been done to the facility. Pray that this damage and loss can be repaired so that the people of the community can hear the Gospel through the Word and deed.

Please let us know how we can be praying for you.

Timeline

About 5 years ago: Hank and Johanna Voss,World Impact missionaries, hosted a gathering of family, friends and supporters in Indiana. Chris attended that event. Hearing Hank share about his work with The Urban Ministry Institute (TUMI), Chris "knew" Bob would be a good match for this ministry. She took home as much material as Hank could spare. Bob was impressed with TUMI, but the time for transition had not arrived.

November, 2009: Hank and Johanna Voss,World Impact missionaries, hosted a gathering of family, friends and supporters in Indiana. Bob attended that event. Hearing Hank and Johanna share, as well as Dr. Keith Phillips, Bob came home and told Chris he believed that they should consider becoming World Impact missionaries!

March, 2010: While in Southern California attending a conference, Bob visited World Impact--LA. Bob and Chris were both praying that the Lord would give clear direction. And He did! So they began the application process.

March, 2010: With our written applications completed, Bob headed to Wichita, KS, for the TUMI Summit. Being a part of worship, sessions, and fellowship was another confirmation of the call.

April, 2010: We traveled to LA for our in-person interviews. ("Tammy knows everything about me now!" says Chris :-)

June, 2010:  We went to Wichita for Candidate Assessment Program (CAP). This was an intense, fun, and amazing week of being challenged, encouraged, and, yes, evaluated. We were invited to be World Impact missionaries!!!!!

July, 2010: Finally, the mailing list was submitted to World Impact and our first letters went out.

October 14-17, 2010: Two generous friends offered to drive our possessions to LA during Taylor University's fall break. World Impact--LA staff unloaded the truck. Thanks to everyone who helped with this part of our transition!!!!!

October 22, 2010: At 77% of our support.

The Lord leads in amazing ways.

Answered Prayer

In recent years, several prayers have been in our hearts.

“Lord, give me your heart for the lost.” 

“Lord, open my eyes to a kingdom view.” 

“I desire to live totally for you.”

“Enable me to release comfort and empower me to be faithful and to do your will.” 

God is answering these prayers through the call to World Impact.This is certainly beyond what we thought or even imagined (Ephesians 3:20-21)!

~~Chris

An Open Letter

August 2010
Dear Friends,
     By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. (Hebrews 11:8)
We do know where we are headed, but we are still walking by faith.
     For 20 years Bob has been teaching in Christian colleges located in the rural Midwest (Northwestern College, Orange City, IA; Taylor University, Upland, Indiana). For several years we had been sensing the Lord had a new direction for us. Our only child Rebekah graduated from Taylor in 2007 and moved to Miami. While working as a house parent at His House Children's Home, she met Jorge Veitia. To our great joy, he became our son-in-law in January, 2009. We prayed that the Lord would show us what this new season would involve. In November, 2009, Keith Phillips, President of World Impact, spoke at Taylor's World Opportunities Week. Hank & Johanna Voss, long-time friends and World Impact staff, hosted a gathering of their friends and supporters. Bob was able to attend. Dr. Phillips spoke at that meeting as well.  Through these interactions, we knew the Lord was directing us to apply to World Impact. It has been quite an adventure thus far, culminating in CAP (Candidate Assessment Program) in late June and our acceptance.
Now we are asking the Lord to put together our ministry team. We need people who will pray for us on a regular basis as well as support us financially. We believe that the Lord has a team for us already, hearts that have a vision for the spread of the Gospel in the inner city. Is He calling you to be part of our team?
     If you are willing be pray for us, please let us know. Also, contact us if you have any questions about our call, our needs, or what we will be doing. We would love to share this vision more fully with you, your church, and others who may be interested.

God bless you as you seek and serve Him!
Bob & Chris

For those who have asked, here is "The Link" that allows anyone to support any World Impact Missionary online.https://www.worldimpact.org/donate/donate.php?rid=0f9dd94c9ee8&gsource=National+Online+Donation-FB&desig=2537

Otherwise, anyone wanting to contribute to our ministry financially may mail a check made payable to World Impact (don't put our names on the check but write "for account #2537" in the subject line).  You may also put a post-it note ("for Bob and Chris Lay") in the envelope if you wish.  Mail to: World Impact2001 S. Vermont Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90007

A New Beginning

In November, 2009, we clearly sensed the Lord directing us to apply with World Impact. Since then we have been on an amazing adventure. We completed the application process in June and began to raise our support. We close on the sale of our house next week. Last week two friends drove most of our possessions to LA! We will keep you up-to-date on our adventures. Stay tuned!