Independent Faith Mission

Gardner, Jim & Ivonne

FIELD ADDRESS:
Calle Manzana #83
Fracc. Hacienda La Huerta
Morelia, MICH C.P. 58080
MEXICO

gardner.james@ifmnews.com

Website: www.campmeta.com

BIRTHDATES:
Jim - 1/30
Ivonne - 2/16
Emma - 11/13/95
Hannah - 10/21/96
Jimmy - 4/29/00

WEDDING ANNIVERSARY: 8/1

Meet Ivonne . . . In 1979 Ivonne and her family moved to Miami, Florida from Managua, Nicaragua because of the impending revolution. Although her parents were Christians, Ivonne still had not made a personal decision to accept the Lord while in Nicaragua. Upon their arrival to Miami, her parents enrolled her and her six sisters in a Christian day school where Ivonne realized her need for a Saviour when she was thirteen years old.

She graduated from Westwood Christian High School with honors and enrolled at Bob Jones University. Through the work scholarship program, she was able to complete her bachelor degree program in four years. During those years of undergraduate study, her active participation in Mission Prayer Band gave her an awareness of the great need on the mission fields of the world. And, as a result, her heart became burdened heavily for missions, and she joined the BJU Mexico Mission Team for the summer of 1989.

The year following her graduation, she taught the sixth grade at Westwood Christian in Miami. She was then accepted as a graduate assistant at the BJU Press working as editor of the spanish language projects. In two and a half years she obtained her master’s degree and afterwards remained project editor at the BJU Press.

Meet Jim . . . Jim grew up on a farm in Angier, North Carolina. Exposed to the gospel at an early age, he accepted the Lord at five years old. All six of the Gardner children attended Wake Christian Academy where Jim graduated in 1986. During his undergraduate studies at BJU, he committed to go on the Mexico Mission Team in (you guessed it!) 1989. It was that summer that the Lord gave him direction in many important areas in his life. Not only did he meet and establish a friendship with his future wife, but also the Lord gave him peace about serving as a full-time missionary in Mexico. While pursuing a master’s degree, he taught freshman English at the university as a graduate assistant.

Jim and Ivonne, married in 1992, have served the Lord together beginning in Greenville, South Carolina and now in Mexico. For ten years they traveled back and forth to Mexico, at first on survey trips, and then seeking to develop a youth ministry.

In 1990 Campamento META, a camping program for young people, was born. Without a physical property yet, they have traveled week to week from Campeche (in the Yucatan region) to Tijuana equipped with a trailer and a small team to carry out the camping program. As director, Jim develops the daily devotional studies, provides counselor training, preaches, and sees the program through. Ivonne assists in the registration, craft time, and counseling some of the young ladies, but her priority at this point would be the three youngest campers, Emma, Hannah, and Jimmy. Over the years the summer camps (six to eight weeks) have averaged from 850 to 900 young people each summer from all over Mexico.

In February of 1995 the Lord allowed them to begin the deputation process, under Independent Faith Mission of Greensboro, North Carolina, to make the transition to full-time missionary work.

(Excerpts from their latest prayer letter (March 2010)

CHURCH PLANTING IN MORELIA, MICHOACÁN
“The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” (James 5:16b)
In our last report/prayer letter, we mentioned several specific needs in the church planting and camp ministry in Morelia. Can I share with you God´s answers to your prayers in the last several weeks?

Evangelism in Morelia – specifically for the new believers to begin reaching out.

Camp 2010 Equipment Funds – of the $1500 needed for repairing/replacing equipment, we rejoice that $1000 has been applied to that fund.

Conference Preaching – the Lord granted safety in our travels to San Luís, Texcoco, and Guadalajara and allowed us to see Him work through the preaching of His Word. Since Guadalajara is only 4 hours away, sixteen of us left Morelia early one Sunday morning to enjoy the entire day with a sister church – a very positive experience for the new believers in our group as they witnessed hearty singing, baptisms, and fellowship.

Camp META Property Fund Initiative – IFM informs us that Phase #1 funds (property acquisition) are nearly complete! Have you been able to participate yet? If not, please pray and give as the Lord leads. On May 1st, Wake Christian Academy (Jim´s alma mater) is sponsoring a 5K Run to raise funds for the project. We celebrate God´s answer to prayer and continue to trust Him for beginning of the site planning and construction phase.

REQUESTS for PRAYER
-A young, Mexican couple to assist us in the church planting ministry, for the summer and permanently.
-March 21, 2010 – first baptismal service planned. Pray that the believers would follow the Lord in believer´s baptism.
-God´s provision for our family.
-2010 summer camp equipment funds ($500)
Camp META Property Fund (completion of Phase #1 and beginning of Phase #2)

In Christ,
Jim (for Ivonne, Emma, Hannah, and Jimmy)