The Sams Family in Samoa (July 08)

Dear Friends & Family,

If you haven't seen it yet, check out my blog - two publications wrote about Joshua's story recently. While we didn't want to exploit Joshua's story, we felt it was right to tell Joshua's story for two reasons. The first - when Joshua passed away we asked Ruel Foundation, an organization that provides funds for minor surgery for children in the developing world, to take Joshua's memorial gifts. Over $2000 was given from all over the world. Ruel Foundation then asked us to allow them to tell Joshua's story in a press release and two publications picked it up from there. We're hoping that more people will give to RF to help children like Joshua. (Some of the children in RF have problems that are similar, though less severe than Joshua's).

We recently decided that we'd go to the last ship outreach of the year. As I've said before, the ship only sails between April and August, because of hurricane/typhoon season. We'll be in Samoa from the 26th of July to the 9th of August for a two week outreach. Our team is a "mixed team" from a variety of locations. We're really happy that Dave Smith, who was with us at Beach Christian Centre and helped heaps with The Green Drop In Centre gets to come as well!

Oceana will be with us, which we expect to be nothing short of an adventure, but we're looking forward to it. In fact, we borrowed a lifejacket yesterday. I think I'll try to convince her that it's very kool and should never be taken off! We'll only be at sea for a few hours (as Samoa is very small) and then presumably we'll be at a port, tied up.

Obviously Matt and I aren't medically trained, but we expect to help with construction, evangelism, prayer, and screening people for the medical checkups. I'm also planning to help a lot in the galley (ship kitchen) because a crew member recently left, and another person who was filling in will have had to return home by then. We do not have the finances to make this trip without going into our savings, but we feel it’s very important to go. We were blessed to have our director, Jesse Misa ask us if the ministry could name the outreach season in Joshua's honor. We were more than happy to oblige, so this year's outreach is called the Joshua Outreach. To read about the first 3 outreaches (the team just left on the 4th, so check back in 2 weeks), go to this link and all three are in "Breaking News" to the right side. It’s because of The Joshua Outreach that we feel especially connected to this outreach season.

We covet your prayers, particularly for Oceana to have a good time and not get sick/over-exhausted and also that God would cover the trip's costs.
If you feel the Lord lead you to contribute to our trip, or to partner with us in our regular monthly costs, you can send your gift to Fountain of Life in the US, to Marine Reach Ministries in the NZ, or by bank transfer to MRM.

Matt, Susie, and Oceana Sams

Fountain of Life Church
290 Newberry Road
Middletown, PA 7057

Marine Reach Ministries
PO Box 1028, 7th Avenue
Judea, Tauranga, 3110
New Zealand

For either location, please do not write our name on the check, but include a separate piece of paper indicating it for the Sams Family.

If you prefer Bank Transfers, please email us privately for that information. Thank you.