Brothers and Sisters:
My name is Travis Hutchinson and I am the pastor of Highlands Presbyterian
Church where Linda Summer is a member and where Mike Summer served as an
elder for over fifteen years. Our congregation has supported the Agape
Puppets almost for the entire history of our church. We have found that the
Agape Puppets have been one of the most fruitful, faithful, and
cost-effective ministries we have ever seen. Mike and Linda bore more
Kingdom fruit per donated dollar than any ministry we’ve ever had contact
with. This seems the result of God blessing their incredibly diligent work
ethic, their overwhelming passion for ministry and the wisdom with which
they have stewarded God’s resources.
One of the ways in which Mike and Linda stretched ministry money was that
they have never taken personal support from the money they have raised. Mike
worked full-time for the USDA and supported their family. Then he gave
twenty to thirty hours a week to the puppet ministry (sometimes more), as
well as absorbing puppet ministry costs in the family budget. This left
Linda free to spend all of her time devoted exclusively to the ministry,
often traveling overseas for more than fifteen weeks a year, four of which
Mike was with her.
Now we, the supporting friends and churches, need to raise our giving to
keep this ministry vital. Mike allowed us to give less by working so we didn
‘t have to support his family; it’s time for us to pay our full share. While
Mike was faithful in trying to ensure that his wife would be taken care of
in the event of something like this, no one ever expects to die in a wreck
at 53. Linda’s pension will be a quarter of Mike’s income. Linda cannot live
on 25% of Mike’s modest income, and she cannot support herself and spend 3-5
months out of the year planting children’s ministries in other countries. It
‘s time for us to step up to the plate. The puppet ministry currently
functions on about $80,000 per year. Linda needs an additional two thousand
dollars a month to supplement the pension she has from the Federal
Government. But even with this amount, the Agape Puppets is one of the most
strategic uses of missions funds that is available. To be extremely candid,
I look at many missionary budgets. Most of these budgets include
$50,000-60,000 in support for the missionary alone (including insurance and
other benefits). $24,000 will keep a very productive missionary in the
field.
Every year, Linda presents the Gospel to over FIFTY THOUSAND children. Every
year, she plants about six children’s ministries in other countries. Every
year, the Agape Puppets travel throughout the Southeastern United States
sharing the Gospel in the inner cities, youth prisons, and other places
where children have little hope outside of Jesus. Every year, the teams the
Agape Puppets have equipped are themselves sharing with thousands of
children and themselves planting children’s ministries. Every year, the
Agape Puppets is re-supplying and discipling teams around the world. The
Agape Puppets are not only parents of ministries, but grandparents; and now
are becoming great-grandparents of Gospel ministries.
I’m asking you to increase your giving to the Agape Puppets. If you have not
been a regular giver, I challenge you to do so now. This moment, now, is a
critical time for a ministry which God has blessed greatly and used mightily
for his Kingdom. Be his instrument to partner in the Gospel with Linda
Summer and the Agape Puppets.
Yours for the Kingdom of God,
Travis D. Hutchinson, Senior Pastor
Highlands Church (PCA), LaFayette, Georgia