Time of Refreshing (TOR) is a unique, and amazing ministry that was founded by Dr. Bill and Emogene Kaiser in 1987. As they traveled through Europe, they saw the many needs of American missionaries who had left their family and friends to minister in many different nations. To go into a foreign country, learn a new language and culture, and live without family and friends close by can be challenging. Time of Refreshing was established to help serve the needs of these missionaries. A team of about 20 people from all over the United States come together to lavish gifts, prayer, time, love, and friendship to these missionaries. The goal is to give them a place to get alone with God, to relax and have fun without having to be concerned with ministry details.
The conference usually takes place somewhere in Europe. This year’s conference was held in Leysin, Switzerland. The TOR conference starts with a beautiful banquet with a traditional American dinner. The following three days are filled times of praise and worship, teaching, and prayer, having meals together, and just relaxing in the beautiful Swiss Alps. These missionaries who give so much are lavished with gifts at every meeting and at end the conference a boutique is set up as a store where the missionaries can get whatever they want without any cost to them. Gifts brought by the team members supply the boutique with gifts of clothes, jewelry, cosmetics, tools, suitcases, American foods (peanut butter), and whatever the churches at home donate to bless these servants of God.
What amazing people these missionaries are with such humble hearts who have left comfort and convenience to fulfill the calling of God on their lives. At the end of the conference many testify that they were ready to quit because of the pressures of ministry but having been refreshed and encouraged are willing to continue their work. Some are pastors and church planters while others are at work running safe houses for those escaping human trafficking. Others run schools and orphanages or work with people society has rejected and despised. They enter war zones taking food and medical supplies to those in crisis and help reestablish refugees fleeing unlivable circumstances.
River of Life Church in Lutz, FL helps to support this ministry by collecting items all year to bless the missionaries and by sending a team to help with worship and to work the event wherever the need may be. This year, Pastors Dan and Dianne Coflin, Pete and Carla Colangelo, and Pastors Justin and Amy Peterson had the privilege of serving these amazing missionaries.