I would like to take this opportunity to express my most heart-felt thanks to both of you for the opportunity you made possible for me, and my peers here in Susanville, to go to the land of the Bible. It was an extraordinary trip for me personally.  Everything in my Christian walk has been affected by this trip.  Already the Word of God has become more alive as I read and replay the places I walked and the things I saw and heard during my time in Israel.  I know I will never be the same and I am looking forward with anticipation to the next trip I can make but this time with my wife. John and Roxie are the best.  They were a joy to be with and love their heart for the people of Israel and their passion for Pastor’s, and others, to experience our other home. Thank you again and my God’s most abundant blessings be yours. With Gratitude; Allen J. Barger, Pastor

People say, What’s your highlight? The whole trip from morning to afternoon to evening was so full of God, so full of His wonderful land.

It was all the highlight. Now I can see that the land, the wilderness used properly can bless abundantly. The dates that grow in California might produce 40 kilos, but in the wilderness in Israel the same trees can produce 400 kilos. On the Sea of Galilee it was exposed to me that there was good in the wilderness and we are in a wilderness experience right now with a granddaughter. But there is good in the wilderness because God is there. He will bless it abundantly.

Cris and I had the experience of a lifetime on the January 2010 Israel trip.  We are so thankful to Father’s House for sending us and our friends Pastor Armand and Lilybelle Valdez to the Holy Land, where we joined some US church groups on a wonderful ten-day tour. Recently I have presented slideshows of our pictures from Israel to students of our Calvary Bible Institute (both Day and Night classes) in Davao City.  It has made a huge difference for me to have been to so many of the sites in Israel and to have been guided by such a knowledgeable Jewish guide as Moshe Bronstein.  I feel like I can now talk about the Biblical places with a bit of authority and certainly with insight that I didn’t have before.  The students were fascinated by the pictures and the commentary.  Many of them would love to go to Israel now! I know Cris and I have a heart to go back to Israel and see even more of that wonderful country.   God has truly turned our hearts toward “home”– here on earth, our true original home is in Israel. God bless Father’s House! Love in Christ, Rev. Ken & Cris Sandberg missionaries in the Philippines

The biggest life changing experience ever, because it made me want to get into my Bible. And that has changed my life. I went on the original trip with Father’s House in 2008 and it is still true today. I can’t wait everyday to get into His Word. Having been there where it happened, walking where Jesus walked, makes it come alive and gives understanding I could never get any other way. I’ve been on lots of other trips and by the end of the 10 days or 2 weeks or whatever, I just want to get home and sleep in my own bed. Not Israel. I was home. I was home.

Dear Byron, I can’t believe we have been back in the states for one week already. To say we wish we were still in Israel would be an understatement. Also, I wanted to take a moment to thank you for the investment you made in our lives. Though we have never met (hope that changes on our next trip to Texas), you have provided Ruth and I the opportunity for our love for Israel to grow deeper. Your generosity and investment allowed us to explore the possibilities of hosting trips and observe what it would take to be effective leaders in that way. Having the chance to observe and assist John and Roxie as a primary task gave us a whole different view than being participants on the trip our first time. (As you know, John and Roxie represent the Lord and your foundation with love, wisdom, and grace. It was and is a huge blessing to have them as mentors.) One other benefit of being on the trip (which was not something I was looking for but had heard from my dad and John) was gaining a clearer understanding of your passion for bringing pastors home to Israel. I can’t yet quantify the deeper connection of the obvious but I have a richer appreciation and connection to the importance of seeing the vision fulfilled. I am looking forward to seeing what the Lord has in store regarding my/our involvement making your vision a reality for more and more pastors. Again I thank you for believing in and investing in our lives. This trip drove home to me the truth that God is able to and will accomplish His purposes in our lives and the world. For He is faithful. Many blessings to you. I look forward to meeting you in person possibly as soon as this summer. Blessings, Mike Harrison. From Byron Stinson, Founder, Fathers House Educational Foundation: The work and journey of the Fathers House is very fulfilling and it is with great joy we hear testimonies like this. After 8 years we are blessed to have hundreds of reports from so many of you and we cherish each note. However, I want to say, if we never receive a note like this we plan to move forward. If Satan himself sticks a knife in our eye we will continue to follow the bread crumbs of the Lord! What motivates us is giving Glory to God. Our path is sometimes hard and crossing the barrier of Jew and Gentile is tough! This walk is not for sissy’s, but compared to those who worked the land before us it is a cake walk. Often I stop and think about those that answered the call of God. Men and women like Abraham, Sarah Jacob, Rachel, Moses, Joshua, Caleb, King David, Deborah, Gideon and more. 12 spies went out and only 2 answered the call to go in. Why? This journey is scary, confusing perplexing financially and even life threatening, work. Now we at Fathers House Foundation are taking more steps of faith. We recognize the times are here and we get to play a small part in the birth of one Covenant Nation. Jew and Gentile will become an inheritance to the Lord as the veil is lifted from our eyes. We must not allow the rocks to cry out louder than his people. Please pray for us and ask the Lord to guide us. Our primary source of funding went dry and we need Him to open financial doors for us and close those doors HE wants to close. Thank you to all the pastors that faithfully have stayed in touch, lifted us up in prayer and continue to support us in so many ways. Thank you, Mike, for taking time to write this testimony, giving thanks and encouragement to our ministry. For those that have traveled with us in the past but now feel separated or have been led to take a different path we bless you and hope you are well. We know that often our part in your life and ministry was to help the spark ignite. If the trip we helped you take led your spirit to begin a new work, we praise the Lord with joy and love to see those works succeed. If you desire to re-connect you will always be welcome in our Fathers House. (Heart) We pray for blessings and love on the entire body of Christ. Thank you, Mike, for taking time to write this testimony, giving thanks and encouragement to our ministry. For those that have traveled with us in the past but now feel separated or have been led to take a different path we bless you and hope you are well. We know that often our part in your life and ministry was to help the spark ignite. If the trip we helped you take led your spirit to begin a new work, we praise the Lord with joy and love to see those works succeed. If you desire to re-connect you will always be welcome in our Fathers House. (Heart) We pray for blessings and love on the entire body of Christ. ~ Byron Stinson

It is amazing and will change your life. I can’t wait until we get to go back!

John, many thanks to you and Roxie for all you do and brought to the trip. Dotti and I both loved your hearts for Jesus and teaching. Couldn’t have survived without you two. Blessings and love, Wade (and Dotti) Cloyd

Part of me wants to say a hundred ways how much Mom and I love each one of you and how the journey with each of you (sovereignly chosen by God) has forever imprinted our lives.  And, and part of me, on this quiet day back home, just wants to simply say, “Thank you!”  Thank you for all your prayers and acts of kindness towards Mother and me. John and Roxie called us to meditate of Psalm 91 in anticipation of our trip and this morning I read it again, and I thank the Lord for who He is.  Join me in praising Him. “…He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”…If you make the Most High your dwelling– even the Lord, who is my refuge– then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.  For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;…”Because He loves me,” says the Lord, ” I will rescue him [her]; I will protect him [her], for he [she] acknowledges my name.  He [She] will call upon me, and I will answer him [her]; I will be with him [her] in trouble, I will deliver him [her] and honor him [her].  With long life will I satisfy him [her] and show him [her] My salvation.” And He has…and He does…and I thank Him. Thank you, again, for your prayers and acts of kindness.  Know you each remain in our prayers for God to give you rest and refreshment, and for God to sweetly whisper His truth and grace to you…to lead you in His path all the days of your life.  We’ll never be the same, will we, since this journey.  He is good and you are beautiful.

Thank you so much for providing the opportunity for me to visit the land of our Lord. What a blessing, what an adventure! I’ll never read another another word of Scripture the same. What a life change this trip has been. In the midst of all that I experienced, what an added joy it was to be with a number of other pastors from my community. You’ll never know what you have helped do, by God’s divine hand. The eight pastors who went from Susanville are all part of our local ministers group. We have done many community wide events together and seek to bring the churches of our town together by our example. But this trip brought us together in ways that we could never have imagined. The fruit of this adventure together will be born in the many months and years to come. You just didn’t affect the lives of a few pastors, you helped promote the Kingdom of God in a whole county in Northeastern California. Thank you, thank you! My prayers and blessings go out to you and Tammy, your work and ministry. May God continue to prosper and favor you and yours. Blessings/Shalom Rick Conrad