The apostle Paul spent much time in the city of Antioch, which played a significant role in the book of Acts and the earliest development of Christianity (Acts 11:25-26; 12:25-13:3; 14:28). Similarly, Andy and Diana Manfredi spent many years in Santo Domingo during the formative years of Empowering Action. As the note below indicates, they have recently returned for an extended time this summer to visit with family and reengage with EA’s in-country team. Please keep this time in your prayers that they would be both encouraged and an encouragement after having personally invested much in Empowering Action over the years.

EA Family,

 As Paul was torn away from the Thessalonian church (1 Thes. 2:17), we have felt “torn away” from a people and ministry we love the past few years as, in God’s sovereignty, we’ve been limited to annual trips to the Dominican Republic. I resonate with Paul’s eagerness to be reunited with the church (1 Thes. 2:18-20) and am grateful to share that Diana and our kids can spend four weeks in July and August in-country. As Timothy brought a good report back to Paul of the Thessalonians’ faith and love (1 Thes. 3:6), I am thrilled to witness up close reports I regularly hear from afar as a board member—that God’s ever-abundant grace in and through EA staff, volunteers, and church partners continues to bear fruit for the upbuilding of the church of Jesus Christ in Latin America and the spread of the gospel.

Your prayers for our trip are highly valued — particularly that our presence would in some small way encourage the work of faith and labor of love our staff engages in every day, that Christ would be glorified, that we would be Spirit-led as we discuss and pray through ongoing ministry opportunities, and that upon our return we would be faithful in bringing back a good report of God’s working in and through EA to so many friends and faithful supporters of this ministry.

Sincerely,

Andy Manfredi