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Here you'll find a collection of all the news stories we've posted on our website.

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Our Latest News

People Movements

No, this is not some great treatise on whole villages or tribes changing locations. Just an update on a couple of location changes in the realm of our personal ministry.

We've been terribly remiss of late. Most of you haven't heard that we've moved! As of May 15, 2010, our home address became 8828 Cross Oaks Ranch Blvd, Crossroads, TX 76227. You can find it and our phone numbers (which haven't changed) anytime on our contact page.

It may sound like a big move, but it's really only three blocks from our old home. (Of course any time we move, it's always big!) While we were moving, the post office decided to update their mailing address database, so our city changed from Aubrey to Crossroads; we stayed in the same housing development.

We made the decision to buy this house in order to continue to enjoy a home similar in size to the one we were renting, yet save more than $200 each month on housing costs. It doesn't reduce our commitment to return to China in any way, but fits with what we originally sensed as God's leading—what we begged would be His will—namely that we would be in the States no longer than we were in Hong Kong--about six years. Now our housing expense should remain fairly stable until we return to China--and we shouldn't have to move again until then!

While all that seems like big news, even more exciting for us is that one of our Chinese staff families will be moving out of Shanghai very soon! Jason and Cindy had already agreed to be the family to start a new work outside of Shanghai, but now they've settled on the city—hence the picture accompanying this story—and have set a timetable for departure.

In September, team leader Joe will travel with Jason to Nanchang to scope out universities and registered churches. They'll make a decision where to locate their home and see if they can't take a contract out on one to rent. Once that is completed, Jason, Cindy and family will make the move in October.

We've urged them not to rush into ministry too quickly, but to take the time to get settled, learn their way around and get familiar with their new setting. But Jason is so conscientious that we may have to remind him several times to slow down. His family's successful adjustment to the new city is key to their long-term success in developing a brand new TEL ministry there.

Please be much in prayer for Jason and his family as they make the move, settle in and start up a new evangelistic and discipleship ministry in Nanchang.

Right now about a quarter of the money that comes into TEL for our family goes every month to cover the needs of Jason and the other Shanghai national staff. A dear friend, another TEL missionary family and TEL's general fund help bring the total given to support the team up to $1,800/month. That's still about $700/month short of what they need.

Amazingly, the Lord has always provided for their needs, usually through extra gifts given to us that we're able to pass on to them, and sometimes through special gifts given to them directly in Shanghai. We have begun to encourage the team to invite those occasional Shanghai-based givers to become regular donors. To that end, Joe has organized a "Thanksgiving" Celebration for the end of August to review what God has done through the ministry and to invite greater participation in the work of all who have been touched by it. (Joe is all but begging Mark to fly out to Shanghai for that meeting—and he may yet go.)

At the same time, we wanted to invite you to pray about greater involvement in their labors for Christ. We will do a better job of posting their prayer needs and news on our website, since they are a direct offshoot of our personal ministry, and still tied very closely to us. (News, events and prayer needs for the team are also posted at TEL's main website.)

If the Lord leads you to give to help support the team, you can do so by sending your gifts to TEL, PO Drawer E, Denton, TX 76202. Because of IRS regulations, the simplest way for your funds to be transfered to our Chinese national staff would be to include a note directing the gifts to our family (for China); otherwise, you can direct your gift to TEL's General Fund and Mark will request that the monthly general fund contribution to China be increased by the amount of your gift.

We cannot thank God enough for you and your faithful care, prayer and financial support of our family—and for our extended ministry, now stretching across two continents! May He pour out amazing blessings upon you--in spite of this economy!

Posted: July 26, 2010

Past Articles

Urbana09 (January 22, 2010) Our First Ever White Christmas! (December 24, 2009) Missions Fest Seattle 2009 (December 7, 2009) Vietnam Visit (August 29, 2009) HK Homecoming (Part 2) (August 29, 2009) HK Homecoming (August 21, 2009) Bed and Breakfast Rides Again! (June 6, 2009) Continuing Tong's Training (April 1, 2009) Winter Storms (March 2, 2009) Blessings and Challenges of 2008 (December 29, 2008) Nevember a Dull Moment (December 11, 2008) Life in America (November 12, 2008) The Derfers Have Landed! (September 13, 2008) Final Fling Before We Fly (July 28, 2008) Teaching a Life of Devotion (June 14, 2008) Legacy Received (May 26, 2008) Going Home Sadly (April 23, 2008) Director's Wife Rewarded (December 2, 2007) Hitting the Trail Again (November 19, 2007) Safely to Iowa (September 22, 2007) Special Invitation at Chinese New Year (March 29, 2008) Happy Birthday Bikes (March 3, 2008) Winter in China (February 2, 2008) Happy New Year to All (January 2, 2008) Director's Wife Rewarded (December 2, 2007) Hitting the Trail Again (November 19, 2007) Safely to Iowa (September 22, 2007) Saying Goodbye to Washington (August 31, 2007) We Made It! (July 3, 2007) Vision Passed On (May 21, 2007) Boys Bear Another Fruit (April 29, 2007) Spring Training (March 2, 2007) New Year Greetings 2007! (January 2, 2007) Full House (November 15, 2006) Welcome to the New Derfers.us (November 1, 2006) Good News for Kids (September 9, 2006) Precious Fellowship (August 24, 2006) Humble Worship Reaching the Lost (July 4, 2006) English Time Ends (June 6, 2006) Parenting Progress (April 20, 2006) Holiday Wrap-Up (March 9, 2006) Annie & Sze Keep Growing (November 25, 2005) Moving Back to Mandarin (October 29, 2005) National Colaborers Retreat (July 28, 2005) Bemenderfer B & B Back in Business (July 12, 2005) English Time End-of-Year Party (June 20, 2005) "Crazy" for Jesus (May 18, 2005) Mabuhay ang TEL-Philippines! (May 5, 2005) Old News and Good (March 2, 2005) A Child is Born...! (March 1, 2005) High School Christmas Party (December 23, 2004) Rachel Delivers Babes! (December 12, 2004) New Life in November (November 30, 2004) Thousands of Thanks (November 29, 2004) Micah & Daniel Make 5 (November 12, 2004) Climbing Castle Peak (October 26, 2004) Sze's (Ci's) Birthday Bash (October 23, 2004) Goin' Fishin'! (September 23, 2004) TEL-China Retreat 2004 (August 16, 2004) Thailand Trekking (August 3, 2004) Annie's Summer Surprise (June 28, 2004) University Fruit (June 28, 2004) International Conference 2004 (May 25, 2004) Further Training (May 6, 2004) Josh Bears Fruit (March 18, 2004) Principles of Parenting (February 26, 2004) So Long...For Now (February 26, 2004) Hearts in Shanghai (January 29, 2004) Holiday Hurricane (January 27, 2004) Hosting for the Holidays (December 29, 2003) December BBQ (December 29, 2003) Gospel News (December 16, 2003) Thankful Things (November 29, 2003) Visitors from Beyond (November 29, 2003) Building Better Boys (October 23, 2003) High School Surprises (October 15, 2003) Twin Birthdays (November 29, 2003) Evangel-Josh (September 28, 2003) Mid-Autumn Kwans (September 28, 2003) And the Lord Takes Away… (September 1, 2003) The Lord Gives… (September 1, 2003) Good Things Come in..."C's"? (August 1, 2003) A Big Welcome to Sara Triplett (August 1, 2003) Driving on the Wrong Side (July 1, 2003) Dragon Boat Festival 2003 (July 1, 2003) Weddings in the Works (June 1, 2003) English Time at Chinese University (June 1, 2003) Neighborhood Ministry (May 1, 2003) New Directions (April 1, 2003) More Macau Training (April 1, 2003) Ministry Updates (March 1, 2003) Macau Training (March 1, 2003) Follow-up at S.C. Chan Memorial College (December 1, 2002) Josh the Genius (November 5, 2002) Micah and Daniel Hit 3 (November 5, 2002) Back to Work (October 1, 2002) Time for a Break (October 1, 2002) August Preparations (September 1, 2002) Evangelism Experiments (August 1, 2002) 6 Years and Counting… (August 1, 2002) Changing Gears (July 1, 2002) We're Official! (July 1, 2002) Still Waiting…. (May 1, 2002) Our New Home (May 1, 2002)