Tom & Linda Maher Newsletter (Winter 2024)

Happy New Year!

Each year Tom and I choose a “word of the year” and spend the year focusing on and applying it to our lives and experiences. Our word for 2024 is DEVOTE. We are using Colossians 4:2 as our verse of the year. “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.” (NASB). In one of the books I am currently reading, I ran across this statement, “Trusting and trying are opposites, we are either trusting God or we are not.” This statement hit home with Tom and me. We desire to spend a year DEVOTED to prayer, with alertness and thankfulness. We are confident God will give us many opportunities throughout the year. We are encouraged by the testimonies from the 14 winter Boot Camps run overseas. Over 2000 young people had the opportunity to be trained and equipped to share the Gospel. We are also excited that 200 teens are already signed up for the 2024 summer mission trips. The numbers are higher for January 2024 than last year. Praise the Lord!

OCTOBER

We traveled to Pennsylvania in mid-October for my mom’s funeral. Mom entered her eternal rest on October 15. We had an interesting trip with Tom on the knee scooter, but it was a bittersweet and precious time. As a group of six siblings, we were relieved to see that mom’s suffering had ended: however, she was our friend, the one whom each of us called to share any news. She will be greatly missed. I had the opportunity to talk with cousins I had not seen in years. Mom was the last of the family patriarchs and was a prayer warrior for so many. It was a blessing to hear how her life had touched so many others. Some of her childhood girlfriends attended and told stories about her we had never heard. We will treasure those memories.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER

The holidays were very different for us this year. We had Thanksgiving with Zach, Alyssa, Kalah and the girls at Zach’s home. We went over the day before and spent the night and had a good time of fellowship together. We did Christmas in what seemed like shifts. Everyone in the family took turns with different illnesses. Oh, such is life. We were eventually well enough to celebrate with everyone. We had a joyous time making cookies, playing games, opening gifts, eating good meals, and having the blessing of knowing our Saviour came as a baby. I enjoyed watching the grandchildren play with the nativity set and tell the story to each other. Kalah spent three or four days with us and it was fun to rest together. I also spent time through the holidays talking with my siblings as we all missed Mom.

NOW

Tom is as busy as ever in the Graphics/IT department. He is working on the new website, supervising the printing of materials for summer team members to promote their trips, printing year-end receipts, and troubleshooting. He does have a new “toy”, an electric cutter. The Graphics/IT Department is having fun with it and the guys are so excited to cut literature with accuracy.

Tom purchased some toy rockets and the grandkids are having so much fun launching them with Papa in the field. Tom also found a used bicycle and is teaching the two oldest to ride a two-wheeler. They love it, and so does Papa.

I managed to keep busy with running the Finance Department and teaching this term. I took on a class at the last minute due to a lack of available teachers. 2024 greeted me with my first challenge of the year when I was diagnosed with shingles on January 14th. I am convinced this must be what Job experienced with his skin condition. It is painful and produces so much fatigue. I am not contagious so I am working in the office. The ministry has been so gracious in allowing me to rest when needed. Tom is hovering like crazy, and he along with many co-workers get on me if I am staying “too long” each day. God has an incredible sense of humor. As a couple, we decided to devote ourselves to prayer and God has given us the opportunity to do just that. I have not been sleeping well, so I spend many moments in prayer throughout the night. Once I worked through the frustration of coming down with this, and thanked the Lord that it wasn’t on my face, I decided to make the best of it and have a good attitude through the process. I am not always presenting the correct attitude, but am intentional in trying.

The next big event for the ministry is the annual 5K Mud Run on May 4th. We are praying for a good turnout. We have been averaging around 600 participants since we began. It is a wonderful opportunity to share with our community the things we are doing around the world. All of the proceeds go to our overseas bases to buy clothing, medical supplies and food for those in need.

We are so grateful for our support team who partners with us in ministry. Thank you so much for your prayers, sacrificial giving and love. We are just now beginning our 45th year in ministry. It is hard to wrap our minds around the idea that it has been that long. Here are some stats to reflect those 45 years.

Tom has driven buses over hundreds of miles, has worked in the Print Shop as a printer, as a graphic artist, designed and drew the building plans for three of our existing buildings, and is a registered software developer, web designer, computer programmer fixing both hardware and software, video cameraman, photographer and has been the Boot Camp Mr. OC (Obstacle Course Coordinator) since 1983. Not to mention the hours of doing various other work projects around the 265 acres here at TMI over the years.

I have worked in every department except the Mechanic shop (and I never will). I have served as Department Head of several different departments, In-House Editor, cook in the kitchen, Bible school teacher, Boot Camp counselor, speaker and teacher, and the maker of giant pizzas.

Together we have led 35 teams of teenagers around the world and have been in 43 countries. Our teams have built amphitheaters, clinics, churches, airplane hangers, dormitories and done landscaping. We have drilled wells, had foot-washing teams, eyeglass/medical teams and have done open-air meetings on five continents. We have visited all nine of our African bases, teaching various classes and skills (including motorcycle riding). In building relationships, we fell in love with Africa and its people. We established the work in Cameroon, West Africa, where Tom became a Prince of the tribe of Gom and Nswonga. We have also visited several other TMI bases. We have four children and at present eight grandchildren. In writing all that down it sounds exhausting and I am sure much has been forgotten. We do realize that it has been a privilege to have taught and led so many. We love missionary life! May HE find us faithful.

Thank you to all of you who have had a part in our lives and ministry these last 45 years, it’s a milestone we realize was not reached without the prayers and partnership of so many!

Because He Lives,

Tom and Linda Maher

PRAISES

• Praise God for the lives and hearts changed as a result of the winter Boot Camps.
• Praise God for His faithfulness to us in 45 years of ministry.
• Praise God for family and friends.

PRAYER REQUESTS

• Pray for my full recovery from shingles.
• Pray that each of our children and grandchildren will walk with the Lord, seeking Him to direct their paths.
• Pray for Zach and Alyssa as they plan to move this year.
• Pray for wisdom and direction as we seek the Lord in prayer.