Monday, May 17, 2010

I want to take this opportunity first to thank all of you who have supported us at ACTS Worldwide (formerly Breath of Heaven Ministries) over the last three years since we started the ministry.  

Many have supported us in prayer and financial support to carry out the vision God gave us to help people in need living in impoverished regions.  Some of you have supported us with your time and your talent to assist with volunteering during the many projects and events we have conducted.  Others of you have given your wisdom and experience to help guide and direct us in establishing a new and changing organization.  All of which we have been blessed and feel eternally grateful for the people God has brought into our lives.

Now, we have found ourselves in a new season once again.  Let me speak personally for just a moment and not on behalf of our entire organization. 

When I founded this organization it was after over a decade of Missions Ministry and administrative experience.  At 18 years of age I knew that I was called into ministry service and this would be my occupational purpose in life.  Three years ago when we started Breath of Heaven Ministries I had a 3yr. old and 1yr. old son.  At the time it didn’t seem like the ideal time to start a new organization, but I knew this was God’s leading in our life and this was confirmed by many around us including our leaders, family and friends. 

Since that time we had another child who is now almost 2yrs old and are expecting our fourth child in November.  I have depended a tremendous amount on the support of Dawn Barbero, our administrator, and Diana Graham our Director of Operations, as well as a dozen of our team members and leadership team to keep the vision of this ministry moving forward.  There is no possible way we could have made the impact into the hundreds of lives who benefited from this ministry without the support of this team. 

However, after much prayer and consideration in this season of my life with small children and a growing family I must take a sabbatical from active ministry.  I am devoted to raising these four blessings and giving my time and energy to meet their needs.  As a minister I will never take a sabbatical from ministry, as my life will always reflect devotion to my relationship with Christ and serving others through His love.  However, for a season in a formal sense of ministry in this organization I must take a sabbatical. 

After prayer and discussion with our leaders, our small organization is not established enough to continue ministry activities without my involvement and leadership, so as of June all ministry projects will cease for time and a season. 

I again want to thank all of those who have continued to support us in so many ways over the past three years and again reflect on the many accomplishments that we made together:

• The drilling of three deep water wells in Kenya and Tanzania Africa.  There are countless reports of hundreds of lives, even thousands that have received fresh clean water from these wells.  Many received Christ because of the love that was shown to these who were in need and in desperate conditions.
• The agricultural development in Tanzania that gave jobs and opportunity to people that would not have otherwise had the opportunity to provide for their families. 
• Micro-enterprises that funded small business people in Tanzania to create or expand businesses, which resulted in numerous testimonies about lives and families who were impacted through these projects. 
• Training and sending mission teams to Africa on short term mission trips.  Especially our trip to Kenya last Nov. made a tremendous impact in the region of Kakamega.  Our team led and conducted ministry and business training for church leaders that made an impact into these lives and churches, which is eternal.  Hundreds were fed each day during these meetings and hundreds of children’s lives were touched by the gifts they were given during this mission trip. 
• Partnering with elementary school for first grade projects to support orphans in Kenya.  75 1^st grade students were taught about missions and being a missionary and many were touched by God and felt compelled to start a project to buy bibles, puppets and bible story books for orphans in Kenya.  Last month 100 Bibles and story books were sent to Kenya to minister to children in need. 
• Meeting weekly for small group ministry meetings to train and equip leaders for practical ministry that will influence all different spheres of society.
• Funded 10 new micro-enterprise loans in Kakamega, Kenya and helped support building a new Children’s home (still in construction).

These are just the highlights over the past three years!  So, thank you for taking part in these great and worthy projects that have impacted hundreds even thousands of lives.  We will continue to grow our relationships and friendships that have come into our lives over the past three years.  We plan to stay in touch and be in touch, but just in other ways in this season.  We will continue to support the projects that are close to our heart through our local church at Jubilee Christian Center and though other organizations with like minded vision and purpose. 

Someday I know I will pick back up where I left off here, but with more passion, purpose and wisdom then before.  In that season, definitely with more time to devote myself. 

Again with much gratitude for all your support,

Stephanie Sposeto

Founder Acts Worldwide

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,

Because He has anointed Me to preach

The Gospel to the poor;

He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,

To set at liberty those who are oppressed;

To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

Luke 4:18