Our Summer in Kona (part 2)
by David Frank, August 2005

We started off the summer with several tests. Our projected monthly budget was too low, a pay check from a web site job was delayed and on top of that Brenda was a month away from her due date. Oh the drama! June was rough, but we hit July running and we were able to contribute to the University in several ways. Now many new opportunities are opened for ministry and Mission Geographic!

So what happened?

1.) Financial provision
We received a flood of support from our friends and family in June. Some people contacted us that we had not heard from in years. It seems many of you are forwarding our newsletters every month. We want to say thank you, we have been blessed. A week before our July rent was due we were still way behind on what we needed, but when the time came to pay we had exactly the amount needed. Awesome!

As you know we are new to missions. There are many times when Brenda and I are completely humbled. When we committed to
be in missions full time we knew that it meant relying on believers for support. We have received dozens of letters of confirmations that we are on the right path as well as encouragement to continue on in this journey.

2.) The mystery of the delayed check
When we were in Washington for a month I took a job building a web site for a ministry. This was a huge blessing as the
payment for the job would cover all of our expenses in Hawaii over the summer. It turned out that there were some
miss-communications within the board over the type of web page they wanted. This didn't seem to be a big deal. I could still design the page they wanted. However, it turned out that I would be delayed in receiving a pay check until they decided on what style of web site they wanted. On August 19 (after 3 long months) the board decided to delay the web site project indefinitely while they focus on different areas of media. I have now been assured that I will receive payment for the work I have done so far. Thank you for all your prayers in this area.

**In other news...

So who's great idea was it to make me a teacher?

Teaching and learning at the Support Development Seminar... This is the main reason we came to the University this summer. The purpose of the seminar was to teach missionaries how to better communicate with their churches and form a strong support team. This tied in great with the foundation of Mission Geographic. This was also an excellent follow up to the Leadership School we attended in Colorado. When the classes first began I looked around at all the students who had been in missions for many years. I definitely felt inadequate and under qualified to be teaching. Thankfully my teaching times were short and mostly hands on. Most of my time was spent as a student during the seminar and I learned a great deal that will help me with Mission Geographic. The course was also credited, so slowly but surely I continue to collect those college credits.

The seminar was taught by Andy Huddleston and John and Jane Ray. Andy has been in missions longer than I have been alive,
but he definitely doesn't look it. To read more about Andy and his life click here: Andy H. I also strongly recommend his book and
web site White Knuckle Faith. John and Jane Ray flew in from Arkansas and have also seen their share of adventures in missions
over many many years (click here to read more about the Ray's). Deb Duffy was a volunteer staff member who ran all over campus
non stop for over a month to keep everything together.

	Me teaching web design. "That's Mr Frank to you"	Support Seminar staff: John and Jane, Andy, Deb

My meeting with Loren Cunningham

YWAM founder Loren Cunningham

In July I met with the founder of YWAM, Loren Cunningham, and talked about Mission Geographic. He shared
his vision and plans for the University over the next ten years. He was very supportive of Mission Geographic and encouraged
me to base the ministry from the University. I was impressed with his vision for the University and many of the projects that
are under development here. He talked a lot about globalization and how projects and ministries can be based from the University
while the people who work on the projects can be anywhere in the world. With the resources available this is happening now.
This opens a whole world of opportunities for Mission Geographic. Loren also was very interested in my background with promoting bands in Seattle. He encouraged me to integrate more of my experience with bands into the web page. I was excited to take his advice. If you have read through our Mission Geographic Ministry you know how I had hoped to include music and bands to help raise support for missionaries and humanitarian efforts. This meeting encouraged me to continue in this direction. When Mission Geographic goes online in September you will see how this all fits together.

Another cool Mission Geographic story...
It was when I was reading Loren Cunningham's book "Is that really you God?" in Colorado that I first heard God speak to me about Mission Geographic. It was also at that time that I felt God ask me to put music aside for awhile and focus on His path. Before I
met with Loren I felt like God was saying it was o.k. to pick up music again. It's just another cool chapter in the Mission
Geographic story that when I met with Loren Cunningham it became even clearer that God was telling me to bring the music
back again.

3 confirmations & just what is a "Band Institute" anyway?
It was after a presentation at the Support Development Seminar that I was approached by Jim Orred. I view Jim as a sort of YWAM elder, but I am not sure what his official title is. I do know that he seems to be in all places on the campus at all times. Jim began asking me all sorts of questions about Mission Geographic and asked if we could meet later to discuss the ministry more. When we
did meet he was very interested in Mission Geographic. He was also very interested in my background with band promotion.

		He encouraged me to meet with David and Natalie Bruce. David and Natalie have founded a ministry entitled Ignited Nations and they are focusing on a long term goal of establishing a "band institute" to the University. I use "quotations" when describing a "band institute" because they made it clear that it won't actually be called that. The purpose of the "band institute" will be to produce and promote bands that are mission minded.This is part of the University's plans. Brenda and I met with David and Natalie and were impressed with their passion for missions. They currently tour throughout the world with their band "Luminous". Brenda and I prayed with the Bruce's and felt this was another perfect avenue for Mission Geographic. We are planning on helping in anyway we can with the development of this school. When I felt God saying that it was o.k to bring music back there were 3 confirmations.
	Natalie and David Bruce from a fun band photo (Davids the one in the air)	The first from Jim Orred, the second from David Bruce and the third from Loren Cunningham. Directly after my meeting with Loren I was invited to sit in on a planning meeting regarding the planning phases of the Institute.

Mission Geographic will be online in September!
There are still many technical issues to solve, but the website is ready for the September launch!
We are continuing to work on the main web site here at the University. Mission Geographic will provide web pages for long term missionaries. Our goal is to create web pages that are unique to individual missionaries and their ministries. This web site, Frank Journal, is an example of just some of the options missionaries will have as we help them to construct their own web pages.

Mission Geographic is also a diverse community of artists, musicians, photographers and film makers who are united with a goal of increasing aid and awareness for missionaries and humanitarian organizations.

Mission Geographic will also utilize use of the internet to show film and video documentaries that bring supporters closer to the sights and sounds of the mission field. It is our hope that home churches and supporters will be able utilize mission geographic to better relate to the important spiritual and financial needs of missionaries.


So what's the next step for the Frank's?
Our 3 month volunteer commitment to the University comes to an end in August. We were tentatively planning on returning to Weston Colorado to staff but the school in Weston is going to be closed during the fall.

So the doors are completely open for us. When we pray about the next step we just feel like God is simply saying to finish the foundation of Mission Geographic.

We know what our long term vision is and the direction we are headed with Mission Geographic. For now we will continue to establish Mission Geographic at the University. When the foundation of Mission Geographic is established we are confident that the next step will be clear.

If you would like to learn more about our long term direction click here: our journey