Dear friends and family,

What an exciting time it is! Fall is finally here, the leaves are changing, and the crisp taste of autumn is full on the air. And just like the wind, God is moving swiftly and changing things, particularly in my heart. You see, I’ve been reading a lot of books lately and there seems to be a consistent theme: we are supposed to live an active life.

I was convicted the other day when I read a book called Crazy Love. In it Francis Chan is not bashful at all when he writes that we, as the body of Christ, should be active in our faith. He says that we should follow our Saviour’s lead and live sacrificially. While thinking on that, I’ve been reminded what Paul said in Philippians

“But even if my life is to be poured out like a drink offering to complete the sacrifice of your faithful service (that is, if I am to die for you), I will rejoice, and I want to share my joy with you.”(2:18 NLT)

And the straight talk of James

“So you see, it isn’t just enough just to have faith. Faith that doesn’t show itself by good deeds is no faith at all – it is dead and useless.”(2:17 NLT)

To say the least, it has been a humbling number of weeks. As much as I hate to admit it, I live a very comfortable life, one of very little sacrifice. I tell you this not to boast of my own humbleness, because I have none apart from Christ and his redeeming love. I tell you this because I want to live sacrificially and be “poured out like a drink offering.” I tell you this because we serve a very big God, and I want to show just how big He is.

I have the unique opportunity to do just that by going with Leader Servant International on a Servant Heart trip to serve the staff at the Lomonosov Children’s Hospital in Lomonosov, Russia. The team I will be working with will be going to share the tremendous love of Christ with the patients, staff and administration by renovating one of the rooms in the hospital. The Servant Heart team will be stripping the room completely and starting from scratch, putting in new studs, drywall, flooring, electrical wiring, and light fixtures; everything the room needs to be used once again to help the patients.

I come now to ask if you would consider helping myself and the Servant Heart team complete this project. There are a number of ways that you can do this:

· Pray: You can pray that God would be glorified and that his renown would grow in the hearts and minds of the staff and the children we will be serving. You can pray that God would provide for the children and staff in extraordinary ways. Pray that God would provide for those of us on the Servant Heart team, that God would provide funds for the trip above and beyond our needs.

· Give: The cost of the trip is $2,600. This cost includes airfare, food and lodging, travel costs in country, and supplies for the renovation. By giving, you will help me go and serve God and show his love in a tangible, practical way. If just 26 people gave $100, I would have everything I need to do the work God has called me to. (If you would like to give, you can make all checks payable to Leader Servant International.)

· Go: Prayerfully consider going on a Servant Heart trip. Go to leaderservant.org and begin to look over the photographs posted, pray and spend time seeking and listening to God about where he would have you go and what he would have you do.

Thank you so much for your prayer and your prayerful consideration to support me. Make sure to keep up with the project while we are there by going to leaderservant.org to see pictures from each day and hear about what we are doing. I pray that God would reveal himself to you in new and staggering ways.

With much love,

Sam Banfield

Psalm 117