Steve

Current SMOi missionary in Central Asia summer 2009
Former SMOi missionary in Central Asia May 2007-May 2009
SWO summer staff 2006, 2009
Birthday: April 12

Steve's blog

History:

Steve, better known for eating dirt, Recycle-man!, and his inability to dance, is passionate about all the people of the world experiencing the love and glory of God, especially the forgotten.  Clothe the naked, feed the hungry, and visit the lonely. These are the commands of our Lord right beside "go ye therefore and make disciples..."  Steve believes that all peoples should hear and more importantly that all the nations should SEE the Gospel of Jesus Christ lived out through the church.

Steve was born in Baltimore, grew up in Lancaster, PA, and went to high school in Pittsburgh, PA.  He attended the Word of Life Bible Institute in NY then went on to study non-profit management at Cedarville University .  He then began a masters of religion at Southern Seminary for two years before going to Central Asia for two years. Steve has completed his masters and is seeking the Lord's will in his future.

Steve met a youth chaperon at SWO in '09 and the two found a shared passion for the mountain people of Central Asia.  After just days of meeting they planned to meet on the Honduras trip in December.  Grayson spent the next few months in the OLD School semester program.  In December Steve presented the idea for a summer trip to Central Asia, which Grayson immediately agreed to.

Contact:

Strategy:

2007-2009:

Steve was part of the Hill Billy Team working in the mountains of Central Asia doing disaster relief and distributing humanitarian aid.  The team is still present and continues to share the Gospel through Bible stories, good deeds, and boldly professing their faith in Jesus as the Christ.  Much of the humanitarian work consists of long term projects rebuilding irrigation canals, destroyed homes, and disaster counseling.  Relationships run deep in the mountains and take time to be built.  Through these relationships the Good news flows in words, deeds, and in changed lives. There are no churches among these people groups.

Summer 2010:

Steve and Grayson will be spending two months living in mountain villages drinking tea and sharing the message where it has not been heard.  They will be traveling on tourist visas so they can dedicate themselves completely to the work of sharing in life as well as in word.  They plan to shepherd sheep, build homes, work in the fields, and journey to remote villages to plant spiritual seeds.  Most of all they will be following up in villages that Steve already has relationships.  No schedule, just ready for the opportunities that the Lord provides.  There still are no churches among these people groups... but a few believers!

Prayer requests:

  • Wide Valley - As it seems that God is moving there. A bunch of people have sensed a call to go there. Several teams are getting ready to go in. It is incredibly dark spiritually. There are no known believers. Safety is a concern for all the teams.
  • Corruption - It is such a burden upon my heart and I know it's upon God's heart too. The weak and oppressed are heard by God. This land is filled with people who demand bribes and refuse to help the poor.
  • Vision for the future - Our team is about to go into transition again. It is hard to understand what should be done in the future. Please pray for the team.
  • Limiting of access - People are having a hard time getting in and staying in. There is increased government pressure to get foreigners out of our country. Ware is also something that is looming on the horizon that would severely limit access.
  • Safety concerns - Our travel is on really bad roads and we spend a lot of time on them, healthcare is nonexistent, and we do a lot of climbing on water canals.

Support:

Steve was supported in 2007=2009 by the Southern Baptist International Mission Board as a two year Journeyman.

Steve and Grayson are traveling on a mixture of self funding and individual donors.  Both depart June 1st.  Grayson is still a little short so if you want to be a part of the work email hope32ad [at]yahoo.com.  Thanks!