East Hill is a congregation that believes in sending as many as possible onto the mission field, both domestic and foreign.    The last Sunday  in April is typically our “Mission Sunday” at which time we recognize those who will be serving in the Kingdom throughout the coming year.  We also take up a special collection to aid any group who is in need for the coming months.   Last year we recognized the following missions:

~ Our Youth Group’s summer mission trip to the Wichita Work Camp

~ Summer work in Ukraine

~ Support of York College LST teams, camp counselors, and summer interns

~ Summer camps around the nation

~ Long-term missionaries on the field in Albania, China, Sweden, Japan, and New Guinea

Messages from the field:

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Hello all!

I am sending this in lieu of Joshua, as he left this morning for the jungle/medical mission.  I am his editor in chief so credit any mistakes my way J I was to put the finishing touches on the document and then send it out to you all.  It was done in Publisher, so I am emailing it as a PDF to make sure all can receive it.  Let me know if you’d like to me to send it to you in a different format. As we said in the report, we are so thankful for you all and the ways you have blessed and encouraged us this year.  We are looking forward to touching base again with you all this summer on furlough, and hope to see many of you down here over the next coming years!  We love you!

Julie

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Dear Brethren,

It was good to see many family members and to visit many congregations and tell of the work being done in Albania, while over the holiday season. It was a good, but short, trip and it was great seeing so many people. My apologies over being jet-lagged which I suffered worst flying to the States. Returning I was very tired but I was able to sleep, in the States I had trouble sleeping so I was not able to recover quickly.
                I have gotten back into the routine of things in Tirana and so I am quite a bit busy. I arrived in Tirana January 3rd and went straight to the school since it was a teacher work day. The next day I was teaching the students. Many times when I got home I did a little work and went to sleep to recover from flying, so I had to work hard to catch up with everything. I have gone to Wednesday night Bible study and Bledi (the preacher) asked me to stay Wednesday nights for the college age class that happens after Wednesday night Bible study. He asked me because he wants more male influence on the study since many time males do not come, or if they do there are only one or two versus the larger majority of females. But this last time we had two males there and I was able to meet with them and talk a little since their English was good.
                The first weekend I did not meet with anyone since everyone was still home for the holidays so I worked on classes and did some reading. The next weekend I went to Korca and was able to meet many people there. This weekend I will be here and hopefully meet with the University students that have come back and to meet others that are returning to Tirana.
                This last Wednesday night was encouraging because there were 10 people that came to Bible study and everyone seemed to enjoy the discussion and topic (we are covering the parables). Hopefully more can be encouraged to come and participate, but I notice that it is the older generation that is coming with few exceptions.
                I know that I have not written a lot and hopefully there will be more to write about in the coming weeks in regards to the spiritual matters here in Tirana. I pray that God blesses all our work in bringing others to know God and put Christ as our Lord and Savior. May God bless us in the work He has set for us.

Sincerely,
                Matthew Almquist

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Dear Friends,

Thank you for your prayers and your patience. I have been wanting to share with you about the past few months, and now I have managed to get together an update for my blog (and some extra goodies as well). Please head over to My Blog to check it out. Also, if you would like to know more about the relief work that the churches of Christ are doing in Japan take a look at The Church of Christ East Japan Disaster Relief Blog. (If the links don't work for you, please let me know.)

Also, I wanted to ask for a few specific prayers for some friends that I love. The first one is for my newest roommate, Hiro. We are blessed to have him in our house. Please pray that his life is also blessed by becoming part of our household. He is working with Joel, Gaku and Emiko to organize and lead volunteers going up north to help in the relief efforts. It is so wonderful to see him working hard in the relief work and seeking to understand more about God as he goes along. Please pray that he will have time to rest amidst the busy-ness and that his relationship with God will grow deeper each day.

And please pray for my sweet friend, Kana. Kana is a sophomore in university, and she has been coming to Mito church and joining in lots of activities here for the past year. Recently, through our young adult cell group, she and I have begun to become better friends. Kana is a loving, outgoing young woman, who loves to serve. Please pray with me for our friendship -- that I will be a wise older sister to her; and pray that she will continue to grow in her love for people and for God and that she will have a growing desire to commit her life to Jesus.

And please pray for Maya. Maya is from a small town outside of Ishinomaki, very close to one of the areas most damaged by the tsunami. She spent the summer volunteering with the Be One group (with whom we are partnering in the relief work) and has now moved to Sendai to begin working at a day service for the elderly. She has a bubbly personality and an almost overwhelming love and affection for people. She worked tirelessly all summer, but behind all of that she has some hurts deep in her heart. I would just like to ask you to pray a blessing on her new start, her new job. And also, please praise God with me for all the ways that he used Maya to bless his good work in Ishinomaki. Pray with me that Maya will know God and give her life to him, and that she will find the healing and perfect love that she seeks in his arms.

Thank you so much for all your love for me and for Japan!

Blessings,
Sasha