Gifts received in the last 12 months…

Note: If you’d prefer not to use an online payment service, you can also simply mail a check to: Team Expansion (Brigada), 13711 Willow Reed Dr., Louisville, KY 40299. If you’d like a tax-deductible receipt, please mail your check and make your check payable to “Team Expansion.”

Still needed in 2009 = $17,150 – $598 = $16,552 to go!

166 “True Fans” (each giving $100 or more) to go!

2004 total = $9,384.79;
2005 total = $10,952.28;
2006 total = $15,096;
2007 total = $17,150;
2008 Total = $17,150

These funds go toward fuel for the Brigada missions fire, along with the costs of our website, secretarial help, and promoting missions. Each month, sponsors are given the opportunity to “renew.” Those who are unable to do so will then “scroll off” the end of this list. To become one of the 171 “True Fans” of Brigada, just send $100 via either of the links above (top left or top right)or mail a check for $100 to the address above. Now… to our sponsors:

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01/25/2009 — WE GIVE THANKS… — … for a check from Insurance Services of America (ISA) for $63 as a result of insurance purchased by Wendy and Mary Lou. Thank you ladies… and thank you ISA. Find out more about the options they offer, which are many, at…

http://www.missionaryhealth.net/brigada.htm

In short, you’ll find just about every kind of medical, travel, life, and medical insurance imaginable, including special policies specifically for missionaries. What’s more, they make a special gift to Brigada in your name when you purchase coverage from them. So thank *you* for checking them out.

We’re grateful to a new Brigada participant from Plainfield, IN, for sending a gift of $10 to help tide Brigada over into the new year. Thanks for your partnership!!!

Thanks, too, for a $100 “True Fan” gift from Evangelism Resources. Learn more about Evangelism Resources at…

http://www.erinfo.org/

See the entry above about their work… and thanks to the leadership at Evangelism Resources for partnering with Brigada!

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01/18/2009 — This past week, we received encouraging help in the form of $200 from Asbury United Methodist Church, Tulsa, OK, with a note attached, “You are a constant source of great mission information!” Thank you Asbury!!! Another participant from Little Rock sent $25. We’re very grateful!!!

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01/11/2009 — We’re grateful to the “True Fan” in Birmingham, AL who sent $100 this past week. He, in turn, was thankful for the Presbyterian Frontier Fellowship (PFF) and Perspectives. Learn more about PFF at

http://www.pff.net/

and, of course, read about Perspectives at

http://www.perspectives.org/

We’re also grateful for a $100-gift from “a friend in Savannah who realizes the ever increasing value of partnership with Team Expansion and Brigada.” He added, “Thanks for all you’re doing and for the way you resource and motivate me. Have a great day!” Praise God.

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01/04/2009 — WE OWE A DEBT OF GRATITUDE… — To the folks at Missionary Resources Connection, who became a “True Fan” of Brigada by sending $100 this past week! Thank you MRC!!! Also becoming new “True Fans” were friends in Fresno, Phoenix and Bosnia, both of whom sent $100. Another friend from Oklahoma City sent a $50 gift (also much-appreciated). We’re so very thankful to finish 2008 in the black (first time since we started in 1995) and begin 2009 with a positive balance! Additional gifts came from new friends from Greer, SC ($50), a veteran of 36 years ministry with Wycliffe ($50 as well), and a great friend from Partners Int’l — who gave $200, become *2* True Fans in one!! (See the item about them above.) So we are amazed, sobered, encouraged, and pumped! Thank you!!! This maxes out the matching giving from the international church in the Middle East (Thank you!) and also starts us out on a great footing for 2009. Once again, this is the first time in Brigada’s 14-year history that we’ve been able to meet our financial needs. May God be praised for the faithfulness for all His people!

[Note: Gifts given on this date were counted toward the 2008 total.]

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In short, you’ll find just about every kind of medical, travel, life, and medical insurance imaginable, including special policies specifically for missionaries. What’s more, they make a special gift to Brigada in your name when you purchase coverage from them. So thank *you* for checking them out.

Thanks, too, for a $100 “True Fan” gift from Evangelism Resources. See the entry above about their work… and thanks to the leadership at Evangelism Resources for partnering with Brigada!

— Thanks today to the member of the Pittsburgh Network for the Great Commission

http://www.pngc.org/

who sent in $25, with a note, “Can I recognize Doug Lucas for your faithfulness in sending us the Brigada Newsletter for many years?” This anonymous donor also gave thanks for the great worship at Zion Christian Church

http://www.zioncc.org/

and the fantastic outreach opportunities provided to him via Wycliffe Associates

http://www.wycliffeassociates.org/

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11/09/2008 — Tonight we salute Mark in Nebraska, our newest “True Fan” of Brigada, having sent $100 this past week. Another True Fan this week: Corbie and the folks at Alaska Mission for Christ, who also sent $100. Click on “photos” there to see their slide show. Tim wrote a note that he was a True Fan “wannabe” :-), having sent $50. The truth is, we value any gift, regardless of size! Both of these guys can deduct this gift from their income tax. In fact, for those who send their gifts by check, we send out a tax-deductible receipt without you even having to request it. (Those giving through the online means get an email thank-you, and can request tax-deductibility if they desire it.)

The folks at LongviewNET, featured in last night’s Brigada, have already received interest and picked up new client work — so they sent an immediate gift of $20, saying, “Now we’re both blessed!” Don’t forget to check out their search engine service at:
http://www.longviewnet.com/

— JOIN US IN GIVING THANKS FOR THESE PARTNERS
— Would you please help us praise God for…
*** A friend from Charlottesville, who gave $10 after stopping by

http://www.myspace.com/douglucasmusic and downloading free MP3 music
tracks we’ve created for those who give.

*** Judi, serving in Ukraine, who observed her own birthday by throwing a birthday party, of sorts, for Brigada! In observance of her special day, she sent $100 and became a “True Fan” of Brigada. Judi — you’re amazing. Thanks!

*** Debbie, another “True Fan” of Brigada, is herself changing lives in Philippines. She sent $100 to underwrite lasting change around the world. Thanks Debbie!!!

*** Grant, serving with YWAM in Albania, who also is now a “True Fan” of Brigada, for the $100 gift!

*** Justin, the thinker who suggested the “True Fan of Brigada” concept, who himself sent $100 to put his own money where his email was. Thanks so much, Justin.

*** The anonymous missions pastor in Allentown, PA, who noted that he “has benefited from Brigada Today” for sending $50.

*** The anonymous Wycliffe Bible Translator who said he skipped 1 fast food meal a month for 3 years in an effort to save the money for Brigada. He send, just a few days ago, $180. Now *that* is a True Fan.

*** The folks at Creative Results Management

http://www.CreativeResultsManagement.com for the $100 “True Fan” Gift to Brigada.

http://www.maf.org/

You can even request a free copy of “Jungle Pilot” there.

Recently, we received $50 from missionaries
in Ukraine (Thank you!) and $30 from a great friend in Loomis, CA (We
appreciate you!). A doctor and his wife from Dallas sent $100. They’re
focused on unreached nomadic people groups, praise the Lord. Please join
me in giving thanks that they decided to become “True Fans” of Brigada.
Thanks, too, for the $20 cash we received from workers in Germany. (We
don’t necessarily recommend sending cash in the post, but it’s nice to
know that it can still make it safe and sound.) Please pray for the
prayer letter they write regularly to raise interest in unreached people
groups worldwide. They also drew our attention to

http://en.etnopedia.org/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

which is a wiki. It’s a great example of a fantastic deployment for
the sake of the unreached. Got to hand it to those clever Germans. They
also drew attention to Justin Long’s perceptive observations on Orissa
at:
http://www.missionmanual.com/wiki/2008_Persecution_in_Orissa%2C_India

THANKS TO THOSE WHO PAY THE BILLS — Hello
Tigard, Oregon! Thanks for sending $25 to enable Brigada’s servers to
serve the world! We appreciate you!!! Thanks to Blessed Hope for sending
$20.16 — a direct result of those who use their quality
telecommunications services. Learn more about them at:

http://www.lowermyphonebill.com/brigada/

Thanks also to San Luis Rey, California ($100) and, most amazing of
all,

http://www.worldconnex.org/

which sent a large share of the “true fan” commitment. Shew!
Remarkable! Amazing. With grateful hearts. Please, please visit their
website. At their request, we aren’t saying exactly the size of the
gift. Just suffice to say they are a big “True Fan” of Brigada, to use
Justin Long’s term. Their staff wrote this past week to explain, “WorldconneX
believes Brigada is a key missions connector, and we generously support
your efforts.” More about them next week. But for now, thanks again!

Here’s $50 from a Pioneers guy headed to
Central Asia to help locals write and translate materials in their own
language. Praise the Lord! Thanks, too, for the Brigada participant who
gave $10 in exchange for the music we’re making available for all
Brigada readers. Grab it for free at:

http://www.myspace.com/douglucasmusic

What’s more, the Glory Story folks pitched in $100 for Brigada this
week! Whoa. Please visit their website at

http://theglorystory.com/

Thanks to the friend from Tulsa who gave $50
to Brigada recently. And hats off to the Brigada participants from way
up in Wisconsin and Alaska who each shared $100 respectively. We noted
that the donor from Wisconsin had a special burden for training up
mighty men of God. He had written, “According to David Murrow, only 39%
of people who show up in church anywhere in the world, are men. And the
men who show up are mostly just nice guys who sit still and be quiet.
Where are the mighty men?! My passion and project is to train them up.”
Learn more about his work at:

http://www.gibborim.org/

Sounds good to us here, brother! Thanks for your vision and action!

And hello Kansas… where another partner gave $100! This latter friend dared others to step up to the plate to match his $100. He wrote, “It is a small amount that will hopefully be put to good
use by God. Please put it towards the year-end total need you mentioned
in the latest digest. I am hopeful that many others will step up also to
contribute.” Thanks for setting the pace, Bill. Are there other
individuals and/or churches that would match his gift to get us closer
to our year-end need?

We’re giving thanks today for the participant
from Bishop, CA, who arranged with his bank to send $50 and is
considering setting a gift up on a monthly basis. May it be so! Thank
you Bishop, California! THANKS FOR THOSE WHO EMPOWER US! — Thanks to
Talking Bibles Int’l (especially to Harvey) for the $25 gift to keep
Brigada going. Learn more about Talking Bibles Int’l at:

http://www.talkingbibles.org/

Maybe $25 wouldn’t matter that much to some. For us, this week, it
was the only gift that arrived.

This past week, a Team Expansion worker in
Northern Africa sent $100 for Brigada and its ministry. Team Expansion can
be found at

http://www.teamexpansion.org/

Another worker, this one from Interserve, sent $136.22. Interserve is on the
web at

http://www.interserveusa.org/

Yet another worker, this one serving in Alaska, wrote, “I have been reading
Brigada for quite a while now and it has been a wealth of information to me.
… Your information has made a huge difference in our mission up here in
Alaska. .. We need to give outside of ourselves. No recognition is
necessary; just accept my thanks for the work you are doing.” This worker
from Alaska sent $175. Sobering, humbling, & inspiring.

Another worker from Canada wrote, “I am involved with a variety of
missionary efforts related to music and worship in various countries and
have found your mailing to be unique and invaluable. May the Lord bless the
ongoing ministry and your move to Emerald Hills.” What an encouragement!
This worker sent $100.

Thank you to all — Thank you!!!!

HATS OFF TO THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO HELP —
Thanks to those who choose to give Brigada a boost! This past week,
GlobalAirtime.com got into the act again by sending a gift of $25. They
wrote, “We have had a lot of inquires regarding our Global SIM card product
since the article was featured in the recent Brigada Today. Several people
have already commented about what a blessing it has been to them. Thank you
again for allowing us to partner with Brigada and the wonderful work your
organization does for World Missions. We will send more donations as the
Lord blesses our business.” Amen! :-) Learn more about their money-saving
communication products at:

http://www.globalairtime.com/

Thanks, too, to Dental Training for Missions, featured above. They sent
$50. Learn more about them at:

http://www.dentaltrainingformissions.com

Finally, thanks to the anonymous donor in Montreal who sent $25! We
appreciate you!

This week, we’re incredibly grateful to an
anonymous donor in Edmond, OK, for the $30 undergirding for Brigada. We also
appreciate First Evangelical Free, in Manchester, MO for the $50 they sent. Thank the Lord for a $75 gift from “a fellow
kingdom worker in Taiwan that has often benefited from Brigada” (her quote,
not mine [blush]). Thank you Taiwan! Thanks, too, for the $100 gift from
another anonymous couple. The only thing I can tell you is that they are
very involved in prayer for unreached peoples. In every other way, they’ve
requested that we allow them to remain anonymous. But God knows — and we
pray he’ll bless you greatly!!! Because of the way you have given, Brigada
can go forward. Just in hand — a check from Blessed Hope long distance for
$14.93. Learn more about their outstandingly competitive rates and customer
service by browsing to:

http://www.lowermyphonebill.com/brigada/