OUR YEAR END STATEMENT

Vision: Taking seriously Jesus’ command to make disciples of all nations 

Merry Christmas!  God is good and we want to brag about his goodness in our lives this past year with you! Please let us know about the goodness of God in your lives this past year too!  We’d love to keep in touch and keep abreast how we can best pray for you. Thank you for being a part of our lives - in friendship, your prayers, and financial support!

As this is our year end statement, we’ll give you a brief overview of what we’ve been up to in 2022 and give our vision for 2023.

In 2022

IN MOZAMBIQUE 

• Organized and sponsored 43 discipleship seminars (3 days each) 
• Printed and distributed nearly 10,000 copies of our latest discipleship book
• Organized and sponsored 1 distribution of relief goods to refugees in Nampula
• Facilitated a new plan in 2 provinces where about 300 pastors received training and enough books to carry on direct discipleship with their churches without seminar teachers

Eastern Europe

• Helped facilitate 2 pastors conferences in Ukraine
• Preached at and ministered in over a dozen churches (prayer, healing, encouragement, distributions among refugees)

Thailand

• Lorena - Discipled girls rescued from the sex-industry at Whispering Willow (This will continue after their December break.)
• Preaching regularly at Whispering Willow’s small church
• Facilitating the production of a discipleship app in Thai

Philippines (month of December)

*Preaching at churches (still on-going)

*Observing and helping children’s ministries in Dumaguete

VISION and PROJECTED BUDGET FOR 2023

*Complete discipleship app in Thailand $5,000.00

*Translate, print, and record our discipleship materials into more languages  $5000.00

*Continue facilitating discipleship seminars in Mozambique 

 (seminars and books sponsored by Iris Global)

*Continue encouraging and discipling churches in Asia as God 

 leads - through preaching, children’s ministry development, 

 power evangelism, and healing. $12,000. Travel and hotels

*If funds become available in the future, Brian and Lorena’s  

 housing allowance is capped by our board at $25,000 and salary at $35,000 a year.* 

*Gifts and monthly support to other ministries $4,800.00

2022 FINANCES

All donations given were applied to ministry needs, including travel. *Brian and Lorena did not receive any salary or housing allowance from Transforming Lives Ministry so far this year. 

BOARD MEMBERS AND ADVISORS

Board Members

Dr. Brian Wood (President)

Pastor Jim Davis (Secretary)

Pastor Steve DeNicola (Treasurer)

Lorena Wood

Jeff Shaffer 

Rebecca Shaffer

Advisors 

Skip Krantz

Lisa Krantz

All gifts are tax deductible and are handled with integrity and accountability. Our organization is a nonprofit 501C3 and donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. We are also affiliates of Iris Global.

SUPPORT ADDRESS

Transforming Lives Ministry

1908 S El Camino Real

San Clemente, CA 92672

Ways to give online can be found at 

https://transforminglivesministry.org/?page_id=48

If you would like a PDF of this year end statement with photos please email me at pastorbrianwood@gmail.com

December in Negros Oriental, Philippines

We had lots of fun adventures in the month of December.  Since we needed to renew our Thailand visas, we decided to accept an invitation to visit the Philippines.  On the 31st of December we will fly back to Thailand.  I have included photos of our time traveling around the island of Negros Oriental.

Christmas Eve in Bais

Refreshments after church in Santa Catalina

The second largest Calvary Chapel dove I have ever seen,

Preaching in Dumaguete

Meeting new friends

Holiday preparations 

Preaching in Santa Catalina

Wonderful new friends 

More time preaching the word

Calvary Chapel Scandinavian Village

Christmas Eve in Bais

Exploring the Island

Preaching in Bais

Christmas BBQ

Brian Cooling Off

Christmas Party

Traveling through the Island

Typical Village Picture

Lady with Asthma breaths freely

Blog from Lorena

 Dear Family and Friends,

Again we are excited to tell you some great stories about what God is doing - this time in Thailand!  Yep, we left Eastern Europe and are now in Asia.  It took us 4 days to get from Moldova to Thailand, but it was easy and peaceful.  It began with an overnight train from Moldova to Romania. Since Moldova has a tiny airport, nothing is cheap flying out of there.  So we took an inexpensive train to Romania where we could fly internationally more economically.  What was interesting was that on the border of those two countries, they had to switch the wheels on the entire train to go on a different kind of track!  A few more airports and hotels later, we arrived in Bangkok, and then caught our final flight to our destination, Chiang Mai.

In Chiang Mai, we reconnected with our Malaysian friends, Helen and Vincent, from the last time we were here in 2019/20.  Helen has a wonderful ministry, called Whispering Willow.  She, along with a growing group of staff and volunteers, help and empower abused women in the sex industry.  When we arrived, Helen said we came just at the right time, as she needed help with discipling these girls. So I’ve taken this on, leading them in devotions every morning and teaching them a series of 27 Bible stories two afternoons a week. The girls enjoy coloring a cartoon style version of the stories, collecting them in a notebook and retelling them to each other as we go. They have a simple church service on Friday mornings as well, which Brian has been helping with. 

Helen and Vincent began this ministry during the Pandemic, when all the prostitutes were starving because they had no business. Helen began praying in front of one of the bars in the red light district every day.  Eventually, the owner got to know her and finally asked, “What do you want?”  “I want to rent a building on this street” she replied.  “Well, I own half of this city!”  Turns out that the bar owner rented the building across the street to them for half the normal price because it was during the Pandemic!  Helen started taking in girls desperate for a different life and God started bringing her all types of help - teachers, nurses, counselors.  Now the girls are learning how to sew, cook, and make crafts to sell, while receiving medical care, trauma counseling, and Bible teaching.  

The building was extreme run down when they got it, so the girls scrubbed it down and painted it white.  When I arrived, Helen and I brain stormed on how to bring in some cheerful color with the theme God gave her for this ministry - Is. 44:4, “They will spring up among the grass like willows by the watercourses.”  So I’ve also had fun painting this past month with some of these girls!

I feel so privileged to be here “for such a time as this.” Today one of the girls asked me with confusion on her face, “Why do you love us so much?  Most people don’t care about us.” 

Please pray for these girls.  Satan wants them back and the spiritual warfare is often intense.  Whispering Willow is a safe haven though.  I’m so blessed to be a small part.

Lorena

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Giving Tuesday PROJECT IN THAILAND

Our Thai discipleship APP 

Transforming Lives Ministry 

Taking seriously Jesus' command to make disciples of all nations 

We are excited to announce our most current project -- getting our fifty lesson simple discipleship program translated into Thai and onto an APP for the many new believers in Thailand!  This is the material we wrote and are still using successfully throughout Mozambique.  As thousands of people are coming to the Lord in Thailand, we have been asked to help develop a discipleship program for new believers.

God is moving! Our friends Ryan and Audrey Aitken's Outreach in Lampang, Thailand 12-3-2022

 To do this, we are developing an APP to disciple anyone new to the faith or who needs a firm foundation in the Lord.  A good missionary friend, who supports himself by programming APPS, has already begun with his staff. Our project will include having our material translated, recorded, and finally installed on the APP.  The material will be in both written and audio form. New believers will be able to track their progress as they move towards completing all fifty lessons.  The estimated expense to produce this project in the Thai language is $5,000.  If you want to donate to this project please go to 

https://transforminglivesministry.org/?page_id=48

Thank you for your donation! 

1908 S. El Camino Real, San Clemente, CA 92672-3246 | TAX-EXEMPT SINCE JULY 2014 EIN: 46-2340134

God's "reliable people" are encouraged (2 Tim 2:2)

We’re thrilled to continue supporting, organizing, and sending out our national discipleship teams to the hundreds of Iris Global Partners in Harvest churches throughout the provinces of Mozambique. Two weeks ago Pastor Mateus gathered and taught all the district and local pastors in 3 different regions, covering all of the Zambezia Province. Over 1,000 booklets were distributed, as each pastor was given a set of our latest discipleship book, Verdade (Truth), to use with their churches. Pictured here is Pastor Mateus in the district of Mocuba with pastors from the 12 northern districts. Just a few days ago one of the district pastors, Caesar from Gurue, called us and excitedly told us how he already gathered his 10 local pastors, gave and taught them their books, and instructed them to now teach them to their churches. We’re so thrilled to see such enthusiasm and fruit so quickly! Due to Covid restrictions and other issues, the pastors haven’t been able to gather for any discipleship seminars for a long time. Though we are no longer physically in Mozambique with them, we communicate daily with our pastors from our home in Asia, using the internet with phone calls, pictures, videos, etc. So many are expressing their sincere gratitude! Our hearts are full of joy and we wanted to share this joy with you!

2 Tim. 2:2 “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.”

Living on the 13th Floor

 

Lorena is now helping an organization called Whispering Willow, a safe haven for abused women in the sex industry. She is discipling the women and their leaders.

Chiang Mai, Thailand - We now live on the 13th floor!

Tons of people are coming to the Lord in Thailand but there is not enough practical discipleship training material available. I (Brian) am working on putting all of our discipleship material on an App that can be used by new believers or those without a foundation in the faith. I have fifty lessons that I wrote for Africa, which our Mozambican seminar teams currently use throughout their provinces. God has now put it on my heart to adjust them to the Thai culture, translating and recording them, and then putting them on an App or special website for them to access. 

"For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power."

 

Message from Chisinau, Moldova 

https://youtu.be/btAsb1sC3Fg

Brian and Lorena's message starts at 42:10

How God equips you to meet the needs of the lost.

 

Keep an eye out for any problem that an unbeliever has and pray for them! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=dWPEec-qYUg

Sermon from Poltava, Ukraine (sermon starts at 24:25)

For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of words but of power!

 Hello Everyone! 

I’m so excited to report the goodness of God in our lives over the past few weeks in Ukraine and Moldova!  

John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

In the midst of tragedy and darkness, the Holy Spirit shines brightly in and through his Church!  We have had the honor of traveling in this region for the past 8 weeks with wonderful varying team members, seeing God touch many hurting hearts with his love, peace, encouragement, salvation, healing, joy, refreshment, hope, and strength.  This was our hearts desire for this trip and we thank you all as you partnered with us in prayer.  He answered this prayer in abundance!  

Since our last newsletter, we traveled to Romania, Croatia, back to Ukraine, and   lastly, Moldova.  As you might already know, the European Church is unifying in love and compassion for the displaced Ukrainians fleeing their war torn country.  We were blessed to participate in some of their food distributions and evangelism in these surrounding countries as well as in Ukraine (pictured below).

Izmael, Ukraine

Newly liberated region above Kharkiv, Ukraine

Catacombs under the City of Odessa, Ukraine

Some refugees stay, but most of them pass through to other countries after a short time.  The churches are continually fluctuating, making the most of their time with these precious ones that are passing through. 

Taking the overnight train to Poltava (eastern Ukraine) from Odessa and back, marked a memorable adventure for us.  

Pictured below are some of the churches our team ministered in throughout Ukraine, including Izmael, Odessa, and Poltava.

Everyone seemed hungry for God and the Holy Spirit didn’t disappoint them!  The churches are full.  The believers are passionate and God is showing up. We definitely felt the Lord sending us here “for such a time as this.”  So many received a touch from Holy Spirit and testified about their heaviness lifting, depression leaving, and peace coming over them.  Many were also healed physically of various issues.  In some churches we were able to activate their members to believe and pray for each other for healing.  One Messianic church in Odessa recorded the extraordinary testimonies, but we are still trying to get a copy of that.  Hopefully we will be able to post some of those for you soon.  We were there for 2 nights, Yom Kippur and the next day.  The church members prayed for each other the second night and about 6 of them were completely healed, testifying all their pain had disappeared.  We love empowering the Body with faith building testimonies and teaching to pray for the sick.  I Cor. 4:20, “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.”

It never gets old to see someone’s eyes light up in complete surprise when they experience God’s power flowing through their body in healing power - sometimes emotionally, sometimes physically, or both!  It’s even better when believers pray for others for the first time to see and feel the Holy Spirit flow through them in power. We will post testimonies periodically to declare the goodness of God and bring hope to any of you needing healing as well.  We also hope this stirs you to join us in praying for those God has put in your path that need hope, comfort, or healing.  For us, there is no greater satisfaction in life than to see people restored and renewed.

God is with us, protecting and guiding all the way!  While on the overnight train ride back to Odessa from Poltava last week, we got news of the morning’s barrage of missiles attacking Ukraine.  The train stopped unexpectedly on the outskirts of Odessa.  With the sirens blaring across the country, we knew this delay was to avoid the bombs from hitting our train.  Calling my dear friend and intercessor, Teresa, in this moment, the Lord gave her a vision.  She saw a ball of fire going before us, preparing the way.  Thank you, Jesus.  Our team remained calm and encouraged.  After arriving in Odessa the next afternoon, our Ukrainian team members stayed in Ukraine while the rest of us journeyed on to Moldova.  The border crossing was long, but thankfully uneventful.  We safely crossed over and have been blessed to minister this past week in several churches, seeing the Holy Spirit move beautifully again and again in the believers and the refugees in Moldova. 

And we're off again!

Boarding another overnight train from Moldova, we head this time to Bucharest, Romania. From there we continue on for the next 3 days on various flights till we get to our final destination of Thailand!  

We are blessed beyond words to carry the gospel in word and power to the lost and discouraged, partnering with the Body of Christ as we go.  

Lots of love,

Lorena (and Brian)