Faithful Partners Empower Alliance Ministries

By Chuck and Betty Ostlie, serving in Chile

Many have met the Savior through Alliance Marriage Encounter (ALMA), a weekend retreat designed to restore and strengthen marriages. Because of this ministry, which we started in northern Chile, our church grew substantially, as did other Alliance national churches.

We would not have been able to continue outreaches such as ALMA without the prayers and support of Alliance people—like Marlene, who has partnered with our work for 33 years.

New in Town

As a young woman, Marlene came to us shortly after we had begun pastoring a new Alliance church in Bismarck, North Dakota. Marlene has just moved to the area, and her parents, concerned that she didn’t have any Christian friends in Bismarck, told her to look up the pastor of the local Alliance church.

“Is there any way I could stay with you for a while until I get settled?” Marlene asked. Although we had just met her, we agreed to take her in.

In time, Marlene began to date Mike Murschel, a young man who worked at the Coca Cola Company. We didn’t know him and he wasn’t a believer, so we were quite concerned. We prayed that Mike would meet the Lord.

Shortly after we left for Chile in 1980, we learned that Mike had become a believer. He and Marlene had married and were attending our former church. Out of appreciation for our hospitality to Marlene, the Murschels began to give to our Work Special fund, which covers everyday ministry expenses.

Committed Partners

For more than 30 years, we received financial support from Mike and Marlene. The long-term generosity of people like the Murschels made it possible for countless couples to encounter Jesus through ALMA’s “48 hours of love.”

Last year as we began the process of transitioning out of Reñaca, Chile, Marlene and her daughter, CJ, visited us. We showed them our church and thanked them for their part in making our ministry possible.

We are grateful to people like the Murschels for their faithfulness to give and pray. As The Alliance moves into more-difficult areas of the world, your partnership is needed more than ever. We praise the Lord for touching lives and using His children to extend His Kingdom. “Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples” (Psalm 96:3).

The Great Commission (GCF) Fund allows Alliance workers like the Ostlies to remain on the field, introducing people to their Savior through outreaches such as Marriage Encounter. Give to the GCF and help support Alliance workers as they engage in strategic ministries, opening doors to share the hope of Christ.

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