2008 ANNUAL PRESIDENT'S REPORT

Raymond P. Brunk

December 15, 2008

As we approach the end of the calendar year, in our ministry we are in the first quarter of our 29th year of ministry.  As I was musing about the contents of this report, two scriptures came to mind.  David, in I Samuel while defending himself against his brother Elib, said, "What have I done? Is there not a cause?"

After the shepherds had seen the infant Jesus, "they made known abroad  the saying which was told them concerning this child.  And all that heard them wondered."

Yes, there is a cause today.  The ministry of Gospel Sunrise is to spread the good news of the Gospel as wide as possible.  There is a cause- many people are going to eternal hell today.  There is a cause - Jesus wants us to work for Him.

Since the beginning of this ministry, we have tried very hard to be obedient to our call in this cause.  Our own hearts are filled with wonder as God has worked through His servants.

TRACT DISTRIBUTION-

The original focus of our ministry was the production and distribution of the "Jesus Said..." gospel tracts.  During the early years 20 of these tracts were produced.  The first distribution was among truck drivers, prisoners and in large cities.  It soon spread to African and Central and South American Countries, the Caribbean Islands, and to some Pacific Islands, then to several Asian countries. 

It was exciting to have local evangelists and returned missionaries offer to translate the tracts into other languages. 

Our materials have reached people in more than 60 countries in 11 different languages.

Here are excerpts from several recent letters-

From South Africa, "You are a blessing to the world.  I cannot express my happiness to you.  Only God knows what you are doing to this world. God bless you.  I received your tracts and am excited and proud of you.  South Africans know you very well.  Prisoners are getting born again, youth and Sunday School children as well."

Malawi, Africa, "Thank you very much for your one small box of  2,000 tracts and one Holy Bible.  You have sent it to me in very good time because our group of men had three revival meetings in African countries: Mozambique, Rwanda and Burundi.  About 674 people got saved. But 10 of our church leaders have no Bibles.  When they want to preach words of God, they use tracts as a Holy Bible.  When you are sending another box of tracts, please I am crying to you, if you can help me with 10 Holy Bibles.  Please try to send me large boxes."

We also receive many passionate letters from India requesting our materials.

Along with the tracts and tapes we also include Bibles, New Testaments, and books and magazines that are given to us.

Cassette Tape Distribution-

When I received the call from the Lord call to write tracts at the age of 10, tapes were a large part of this, too.  In the Spring of 1980 cassette tapes were in use.  Truckers who aided the vision of this ministry wanted cassettes to give to other truckers. This part of our work expanded very rapidly as displays were placed in truck stops in several areas.

We receive many outstanding phone calls and letters from people who have gotten our tapes. 

Occasionally a call comes inquiring about our materials on CD.  Even though there is a slight reduction in the requests for cassettes, we do not plan to do CD distribution.  Cassettes are still more popular among truck drivers.  If someone asks for a message on CD we do give them one with the understanding they will provide additional copies themselves to distrubute.

This past Summer we were offered several large "close-out specials" on good, new cassette tapes.  The price for these ranged from 10 to 18 cents each.  We were grateful that when these offers came we had funds on hand to buy them.  At the present time we have a good stock of both new and used tapes.  Our need to purchase new tapes in the next year will be small.  However, we can still use any discarded tapes you would like to send.

Currently there is in society an emphasis to "recycle." In our ministry, recycling is minimal, but to "re-use" is a big asset.  For many years a local poultry plant let us go through their discarded boxes.  Also, my brother David who worked in a factory in PA brought us many thousands from there.  It is most amazing how our tracts, Bibles, New Testaments and tapes would fit into so many different sizes of boxes!

Many thousand, approximately 20,000, tapes each year are reused.  We receive them from individuals as well as businesses.  These are sorted by length, erased, relabeled and then recorded.

Our last purchase of a new tape copier was 25 years ago.  As we have mentioned many times in these newletters, Mike McCool of National Media Services, in Front Royal, VA has helped us with these. 

Over the years he has given us copiers that are no longer used in his business.  We use them until they are entirely worn out. (Also, he have given us more than 200,000 used tapes.) 

Presently our main duplicator copies 20 tapes at a time.  Some repairs were done recently, but parts are now extremely hard to find for these older machines. This year Wendell Lee, in his home and Dennis Lilly, at our office have been copying tapes.  Dennis has Cerebral Palsy.

We are looking for copiers that would be donated to us from churches or ministries who have switched to CD production.

Our witness at "agricultural assemblies" was very fruitful again this year.  We were blessed to witness the prolife message to many young people as well as older ones, too.  Tapes, tracts and literature were given to interested persons.  Bibles were given to people who did not have one.  It was amazing how many people, upon seeing our booth and materials, were moved to start their own witnessing ministry.

Most of the members of our volunteer staff have had health problems in the past year.  Please pray for Doug and Martha Shank, David and Lois Knight, Norman and Doris Benner, David and Matie Layman, Joe and Mabel Shirk, Richard Morales and Dennis Lilly.  They all need the Lord's healing touch.

At our recent Board meeting Jonathan Lee was elected to the Board.  He is self-employed and very active in gospel outreach.

The requests for our materials remains far above our resources.  Even though the amount of mail from overseas has decreased, due the high postal rates there, we still cannot keep up with the needs. 

Recently I gave an informal talk on "Effective Everyday Witnessing."  Let us know if you would like to have a cassette or CD of this.  (Outlines are also available.)

The Board of Directors express sincere gratitude and thanks to all of our volunteer workers and all contributors to make the work of winning souls for the Lord their very own.

Raymond Brunk, President
David Schrock, Vice-President
Vernon Graber, Treasurer
Reba Brunk, Secretary
Jonathan Lee

TO THINK ABOUT

2 cents will buy 1 gospel tract   

5 cents will buy a booklet on the value of life

25 cents - a Gospel of John

$1.70 - 2 New Testaments

$55.00 - 14 KJV Bibles

$400.00 - 1 month's office rent

$1,000 - 5,000 new cassette tapes

$1,900 - 100,000 gospel tracts

$14,000 - 1,000,000 gospel tracts