Jerry and I are just as ordinary as you can be. We are living proof that God is still changing lives! I think the words to a song best describe what He has done with our lives: “If you see what we once were, if you could go with us, back to where we started from I know that you would see, a miracle of love that took us in His sweet embrace and made us what we are today, just old sinners saved by grace."

 

We live in Mound Valley, Kansas, a town of about 400 people. We built our home and have lived at the same location for years.  I still cook from scratch, hang clothes on a line when it is possible, we plant a vegetable garden, and home-can our vegetables together. I love to work in my flower gardens when I can, and Jerry loves to fish when he can!

 

In the ministry I speak and write and Jerry fixes, builds and restores.  Together we haul, pack and gather needed items for the Lord that we call ‘gifts’ and place them into the hands of ministries and missionaries working in the nations.

 

We were both raised in Southeast Kansas, grew up on small family farms with our parents and grandparents in the home, and we are both better people because of this. Our families were not fully devoted to Christ families, but they took us to church on Sunday so we could learn about Jesus.

 

I have known the Lord since I was a child. We were both baptized into Jesus as teenagers, but did not dedicate our lives fully to the Lord until a few years ago. Yes, God’s grace is Amazing!

 

Jerry’s family ran a dairy and farmed in rural Mound Valley where his folks still live. I grew up nearby in Coffeyville, Kansas in the rural area where you simply learn to do everything that has to be done.

 

Jerry loves to fish, to be outside, and is a gifted athlete in many sports. Jerry graduated from Labette County High School, in Altamont Kansas. God has gifted him to be an excellent welder.  He is nearing retirement, and currently working as a welder in a nearby town. He is gifted through his hands and is truly is a ‘helping hand to the Lord.’ He stands very supportive of the roll the Lord has asked me to do in GFTN ministry as founder and director.

 

I love to talk and sing. I love life, my family and I love the Lord. I graduated from Oologah High School, in Oologah, Oklahoma. I married Jerry, then went to work as a bookkeeper in a bank, until our children were born. Later after they were in school I took various jobs out side the home. I surrendered to full time ministry after age 40 and  studies for ministry at Ozark Christian College in Joplin Missouri and graduated in the spring of 2008. 

 

We have been blessed by the Lord in so many ways. The greatest is through this ministry and our children. 

 

He truly has been preparing us through the years to gather Gifts for His Nations as God uses all that we learned growing up on the farm and what we have done through our various jobs throughout the years to enable us to do this ministry.

 

We welcome you to be a part of this ministry and invite you into our lives through Gifts for the Nations Ministry.

 

Debbie and Jerry Cramer

 

 
Updates - Haiti Collection
A story from Haiti that will touch your heart...

 

“Debbie, when I was in Haiti, volunteering at North West Haiti Christian Mission I was able to give a Mission Gift Bag to Marie Louis, a young mom, just 26 years old.  

Here is her story told by Melonnie of when she first came to the Mission and attached are a few pictures: When young Marie came to the Mission with her baby, she was very sick, and they were hungry and in need of basic necessities.
We fed and treated her at the mission and kep t her baby  boy of 15 months at the near by orphanage while she recovered.

She was so skinny that she looks like just skin an dbones.  She told us that she had no husband and her family could not help her. As Melonnie and I gave the blanket from Gifts for the Nations to her, she smiled and told us that she was hapy because she did nothave a blanket for her baby to sleep on. The following Sunday morning Magdala came and asked me to find clothes for Marie as she wanted to go to church.   I gave her one of my skirts and Susan find a skirt small enough for her tiny body.  I was so hapy when I found her in the crowed chruch and was able to sit next to her.  She showed me that her feet looked much better but said that they still hurt.  I help her feet and prayed, held her knees and prayed and just pretty much help onto her hands for the entire service.  I just kept rubbing them for the entire service while listenting to what she was trying to tell me. 
There was a point where she tugged on my hand to help her stand for one of the songs.  
     Watching her worship was amazing.  She sang and prayed, her hands raised high.
    At the end of the service she tugged on my hand again. This time it was for the invitation.  I helped her up and then let her go.  I watched as she accepted Christ.  
    It was a beautiful moment to witness.  I felt such comfort knowing that she was turning it all over to Him.  That she isn't going to try to carry these burdens alone anymore.”  Melonnie
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Verse of the Day
For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.
Proverbs 23:7
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