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| The Lello Family |
About John
My road to missions is the story of how God has lovingly drawn me to Himself and given me a desire to reach the unreached for Christ.
It begins with happy childhood memories of the bible stories my parents read and the hymns we sang during family worships. As literature evangelists, my mother and father worked tirelessly to reach people with the message of God’s love, and they enlisted my sister and me in their efforts. Our family was a team working together to cover Philadelphia with truth filled literature while at the same time teaching my sister and me important practical and spiritual lessons and instilling in us a desire to love and serve God.
During my college and early professional years, when at times I lost my way, God used the embers of my desire to love and serve Him to call me back to Him. Then when I moved closer to home to attend graduate school, my parents’ continuing witness as literature evangelists stirred and reignited those embers and I surrendered my life completely to God again.
At about that time God brought Pam into my life and used our shared desire to love and serve Him to guide our courtship, confirm our love and provide a pattern for our home. In time God blessed us with our two girls Abbey and Alissa, and he has continued to bless our family with many blessings the greatest of which is His love and the opportunity to share it with others.
In 2009 our family served on a short term mission project to the jungle village of Paurima, Guyana where we led out in the construction of a water line and conducted public and personal evangelism. While there we also experienced anew the joy of sharing God’s love and heard God calling us to foreign missions.
After returning, we applied to Adventist Frontier Missions who confirmed our calling by accepting us as missionaries in training to the Ama people of Papua New Guinea. Since then, God has opened the way before us. He has sold our house, supplied all the funds we need to launch to Papua New Guinea and provided more than half of the monthly pledges that will sustain our mission work. Praise the Lord! “Faithful is He that calleth you who also will do it.” (I Thessalonians 5:24)
About Pam
I was raised in an Adventist home and remember sitting with my brothers and sisters for evening worship. I loved to sing the Sabbath school songs and really enjoyed making crafts. This, at a young age brought me into working with children in the Sabbath school departments at the age of 12.
Looking back through my life, I can see God was preparing me for a wonderful plan that He had already chosen. He also gave me love for those less fortunate then me. My heart would go out to those people who were hurting, alone, and felt life was hopeless.
When I attended Newbold College in England, once again I led out in children’s divisions. I gave children the opportunity to share there talents through music in my small children’s choir. I helped out in the soup kitchen at the school and remember delivering soup and sandwiches to the homeless in London. Did these people know about the love that God had for them? Did they know that there was someone who cared? These were guestions that kept crossing my mind. I would listen to people share there lonely stories as I spent one summer canvassing. What a mess this world was in, “I thought”. God continued to work on my life through many experiences. I studied the Bible hoping to find the answers to my questions. When I was spending time helping others, is when I felt the closest to Jesus. I could feel his love for me and I wanted to share that love too.
Through the years my heart went out to children with no home. I remember travelling through England and Europe, passing by castles and mansions and thinking about the orphanage that I would have one day. I would fill it with homeless children and teach them of Jesus’ love. I have never had that chance, but God gave me two beautiful daughters to begin my education of first hand teaching.
In my younger years, I would read missionary stories and hear people share their experience in the mission field, but I never dreamed that one day God would choose me to fill one of His assignments as a missionary. In January 2009, John approached me with the idea of going on a mission trip. I kept trying to come up with reasons why it wouldn’t be a good idea. I finally consented knowing that I would return in a few weeks.
I thought life would get back to normal. But God had other ideas in mind. He began chipping away at things that were holding me back from completely giving myself to His work. Be willing to let go of my security with the house, neighborhood, friends, family and finally my garden was not easy. Each time I would let go though, it became easier the next time. God is so good in taking us where we are and one step at a time. There was a tug-a-war between the two forces of the world. If I really came to terms with myself, there is no other place I would rather be then in the arms of Jesus and doing His will. A memory verse that the girls learned in Sabbath school reminds me of what we really need to do. 1 John 3:18 says, “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. We are the most happiest and receive the greatest blessing when we are working in God’s vineyard. God has a plan for each one of our lives, but we need to reach out for Jesus’ hand and let Him lead. I kept questioning the Lord of His choice for my future. God knows best and I had to keep reminding myself of that. Take courage my friends and step out in faith for Jesus. He will do amazing things with your life for His people.
My mommy and daddy are very special to me and I am so glad that they have taught me about Jesus through their example of daily worships. My daddy would have special time with both Abby and I in reading the Bible and teaching us to memorize verses. He would pray every day for us. I also am glad for the Bible stories and songs at such a young age. Even though I did not so eagerly go door to door I did love to be in God's nature with the animals and flowers. I learned object lessons in moms vegetable and flower gardens too. When daddy mentioned missions to us I was scared and wanted to make sure mommy was coming too. I loved living in a different country and learning the language but I still was shy. I also thank Jesus for the opportunity but miss daddy who gave his life for the people of Papua New Guinea. When Jesus comes back I too will see my daddy again and be able to hold baby Aubrey.
God blessed my life with two wonderful parents who taught me about the love of Jesus. At a few weeks old my daddy began reading Bible stories and sang songs to me of the Love of Jesus. My mom shared her love of God's nature with me through her vegetable and flower gardens. We spent Sabbaths walking in the woods and learning about God's nature. The day came when daddy wanted our family to go on a mission trip. I was all for it and answered with excited, Yes. this led to another mission trip that would take us away from home permanently. I wasn't so sure about this but if my daddy believed it was the right thing, then I did too. Moving across the other side of the world, learning a new language and meeting new people was exciting too, but loosing my daddy was very hard. I am looking forward when Jesus will come again and I see my daddy and baby Aubrey again.
My mommy and daddy are very special to me and I am so glad that they have taught me about Jesus through their example of daily worships. My daddy would have special time with both Abby and I in reading the Bible and teaching us to memorize verses. He would pray every day for us. I also am glad for the Bible stories and songs at such a young age. Even though I did not so eagerly go door to door I did love to be in God's nature with the animals and flowers. I learned object lessons in moms vegetable and flower gardens too. When daddy mentioned missions to us I was scared and wanted to make sure mommy was coming too. I loved living in a different country and learning the language but I still was shy. I also thank Jesus for the opportunity but miss daddy who gave his life for the people of Papua New Guinea. When Jesus comes back I too will see my daddy again and be able to hold baby Aubrey.
