Our Journey to Suriname
The Lord
gave Michael a burden for reaching Hindus with the Gospel after a trip to India
in 2001. This was his first experience in missions. He stayed in India for two
months, and witnessed to all kinds of people: Hindus, Muslims, Jains, etc.
Michael &
Erin met as counselors at a youth camp the same year. They began corresponding
after Erin graduated with her Masters in Speech & Language Pathology in
2003. That same year, Michael asked Erin to marry him, and told her that he
desired to serve as a missionary, and so could end up anywhere in the world.
Erin also desired to serve the Lord with her life, so she agreed to both.
Michael
& Erin married on May 15, 2004. They served Grace Baptist Church of
Blackduck in rural, Northern Minnesota for four years, and even served some
Native Americans on the nearby reservation. Meanwhile the desire to serve as
missionaries was growing. A good friend Trevor Johnson encouraged them to look
into World Team with whom he served.
They went
for World Team’s assessment twice (2007 & 2010), and were accepted the
second time. World Team gave the Pfleegors a few suggested fields, including
Suriname. Because this ministry was a pioneering work (i.e., giving the Gospel
to unbelievers for the first time, forming churches & beginning to train
indigenous leaders), and a work among Hindus, the Pfleegors thought it fit well
with the gifts & desires the Lord had given them. After a couple short
trips, they both agreed that they felt like they didn’t want to leave Suriname.
In
Suriname, the Pfleegors will work closely with Gurudatt & Nadira Shiwdat,
former Hindus from Guyana, Suriname’s neighbor. They’ve been serving in
Suriname for over 20 years. The ministry will focus on planting reproducing
churches among the Hindustani people (originally from India), among whom less
than 1/3 of 1% are Evangelical Christians.
The
Pfleegors are currently looking for churches & individuals to partner with
them to reach the Hindus in Suriname by prayer, financial support & visits.
They have 80% of their outgoing funds (the one-time expenses of moving there,
getting settled & learning the language) and 25% of their regular support (their
regular salary & ministry expenses). Psalm 67 Missions Network is helping
them reach Suriname, and will send groups & interns to work with them in
the future. Their goal is to go to pre-field training in January or July of
2014, and then move to Suriname by the Spring or Summer of 2014.
For more
information contact the Pfleegors by phone, (314) 315-2607, or email, mpfleegor@gmail.com. Thank you.
