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Welcome to our new website as we try to keep you involved as our partners in God’s ministry allowing us to be used as his vessels wherever he chooses to send us. We would like to share a little of how this began, where it has taken us, and where we are now.
Butch and I retired early in our lives due to physical reasons and after a first mission trip with our little country church in Titus, Al. we realized that God was opening a new door. After a time of soul searching and much prayer we began seeking his will which led us to preparing our daughter to leave for college, selling our home, most of our material belongings, purchasing a truck and fifth wheel trailer and heading for an assignment in Texas. That was the beginning of our lives with the Mission Service Corps and the North American Mission Board in 1988 and it has continued throughout the years in many assignments and many states. We served on the road for over nine years before returning to Alabama and purchasing a home in Helena, Alabama. We continued to serve with the MSC in different positions while attending Westwood Baptist Church and serving in various positions there. Although our family and church in Alabama are very important to us and difficult to leave behind God’s call is again for us to follow his plans for us to serve in other areas. Once again, home is on wheels and we will go wherever he leads trusting him to provide as he always has.
Many have asked us to explain more about the mission service corps and how it compares to other mission fields. Pam Ortego from the North American Mission Board explained it best in the recent letter to us which is included as part of this newsletter. It is often difficult to explain to people that the MSC does not fall under the cooperative program for funding so people ask how we do this. We understood when we accepted the call to missions that this was self funded. If you want to help us the most important thing you can do for us is to continue to pray, but if you choose to help financially with the mission there is a number set up through the NAMB which goes directly into an account for us and a record of your giving will be sent to you for tax purposes. If you do not require that and just want to contribute to the mission you can give whatever you choose through PayPal, You will find both numbers with the necessary information at the bottom of this letter. Please understand that any donation is strictly for the missions. Butch and I live off Of our income and we do not ask anyone to pay our debts, feed, or clothe us. God takes care of our needs and allows us to give back a portion of what he has given and for that we are eternally grateful.
We served in Citronelle, Alabama from January through April at Whispering Pines Baptist Camp. This camp is in Mobile Baptist Association and is a great camp which is in the process of making a lot of improvements and we are including a couple of pictures to show you a little of Butch’s work there. I did a little paperwork and helped a little in the kitchen but mostly supported him and recovered from the illness I had just before that assignment. Now we are in Wyoming watching it snow as we rest before continuing our trip to west Yellowstone, Montana for an assignment which will take us into August. We will be serving as ‘house parents’ to 25 college students who will be serving there with park employees. We will attend bible studies, cook outs, other meetings, worship services, etc. with them. We will be assisting the resort missionary in other areas as needed. We have served as resort missionaries ourselves in Missouri, South Carolina, and Alabama in the past so hopefully we will be able to help him out.
We hope you will enjoy the pictures and the website and we will try to keep it a little lighter and more interesting as the summer progresses. Thanks to all of you for taking the time to visit and if you choose to email our address is also listed and we enjoy hearing from you too.
God bless and keep the prayers flowing.
IN HIS SERVICE,
VI AND BUTCH
But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40 : 31
WEBSITE: www.RieksRetreat.com
E-mail: Vi@RieksRetreat.com
E-mail: Butch@RieksRetreat.com
Financial Contributions:
PayPal Account ID - butch@rieksretreat.com
NAMB ------ Larry Riek - 002795
Address:
North American Mission Board
4200 North Point Parkway
Alpharetta, GA 30022-4176
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