This has been a month of writing reports, preparing for March's conferences, a major consultation, speaking several times, hosting guests, receiving and orienting new missionaries and following up contacts made during our recent Christmas evangelistic party ministry. Even though February is a short month it flew by! Here is a summary to show how God has and continues to answer our prayers.
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1. Erin Johnson:
Erin arrived on the 9th to start a 10 month investigation on how the Street Impact Team goes about mobilizing, equipping, engaging and partnering with local evangelical churches and agencies in ministry with children-in-crisis and their families. Erin is a graduate of Georgia Tech with a degree in physics and Bethany College of Missions in MN. She did her internship in Cambodia for 16 months with a ministry working underprivileged children. Now she is seeking the Lord's direction but she knows she is called to work among children-in-crisis so pray for Erin as she works alongside us over the coming months.
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2. Praise Goh's research:
Praise is doing very well gathering information on how ACTION works with churches as she visits our ministry partners with her Filipina assistant Dianne. Her research is an assignment for a Master's degree at Fuller Seminary and she's also been commissioned by 180° Global Alliance for this project. Praise was clearly called by the Lord to work with street children when she attended the Urbana Missions Conference in '00-'01 and is praying about her next step after returning to California March 20 so pray for her please.
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3. Strategic Planning Consultation:
February 3-6, 45 key children-in-crisis ministry leaders gathered to study the Word of God, pray, worship, fellowship and plan strategically on how we can better work together over the next 24 months. Pastors, missionaries, social workers and ministry heads represented five networks at this consultation. While we had a great time we also worked late into the evening working out joint plans and praying. Several commented how difficult planning is but also how vital it is to develop long-range objectives.
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4. Children-in-Crisis video:
We finally finished ACTION's new DVD on our work with children-in-crisis worldwide. Yesterday I sent by Fed-Ex a nine, six and four minute version of the DVD to Doug Nichols so if you're interested in receiving a copy contact him at ACTION's USA office. Hopefully soon it'll be posted as well on ACTION's web site so you can view it there too. Let us know if you would like a copy of the DVD.
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5. Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes:
Recently our team was able to get 194 Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes which we'll be distributing soon from our partner ministry Sowers of the Word. Sowers has also provided quality ministry materials over the years so we're grateful for their generosity to us.
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6. Children-in-Crisis club:
Under the leadership of Doug Nichols ACTION is starting a CIC club in which people can contribute $15 a month to assist our ministries world-wide in providing food, clothes, Bibles, Bible study materials, medicines and the like. If you're interested in joining this club you can contact Doug for more information.
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7. Field Conference and International Council:
March 14-17 our team will have our annual field conference with Pastor Tom Crouse as our speaker with the theme "Honoring God as we serve together". Pray that our days together will be rich in learning, fellowship, prayer and fun. Then the 19th Mary Ann and I leave for Calgary, AB for ACTION's annual International Council meetings. I am our field's representative as well as serve as the Council's secretary so I need Mary Ann's help in taking the minutes since I'll be fully engaged in the deliberations. I'm also ACTION Associate International Director so I need to be fully prepared for the meeting when we arrive in Canada. Please pray for physical strength, clear thinking and God's wisdom as representatives representing ACTION's 25 fields and over 250 missionaries meet together.
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8. Musical Drama:
Since December 35 former street kids along with pastors, church workers, teachers and agency workers have been practicing each Saturday for a musical drama that our Manila based network will be presenting in order to raise awareness of the plight of street children among church people and society at-large as well as raise funds. The drama was written by the principal of a Christian school based on interviews she did of kids who were on the streets but now residing in ministry centers and/or have gone on in their new lives in Christ. Several local Christian artists will also perform so this is a big undertaking, by faith, for those leading this production. We have no funds and are scrapping together money among ourselves and soliciting food from friends who are involved in food production so we're making it Saturday-to-Saturday. Pray for God's financial provision and blessing on this effort. We really want to tell the world, especially the church, that street kids are not garbage but people made in God's image and many have been transformed buy the miracle working power of the gospel.
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9. Dedication of the Lifehouse Village Drop-in Center in Olongapo City:
January 30 a few of us from Manila attended the dedication of a drop-in center to be run by my good friend and long-time ACTION colleague Ron Homenuke. Ron has faithfully served with ACTION Philippines working among street children for over 23 years and he said to the 60+ who came to this special service "God brought me to the Philippines for this." Ron has endured all kinds of tests and trial over the years and God has brought him through all so he is a shining example of perseverance and focus.
Before the meeting began a young pastor's wife from Olongapo excitedly said to me after I introduced myself to her " Kuya Jeff, I have your name in my Bible and I pray for you all the time!" Now I don't know her and wonder how she got my name and why she prays for me but she does and I was stunned. What a blessing and very humbling.
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10. 1st Quarter Fellowship:
Yesterday we sponsored our 1st quarter fellowship for 40+ people who work with us among street kids and their families. We worshipped the Lord, I gave a message from John 7:17 and Hebrews 11:6 about living and ministering by faith, ACTION missionary Jim Craig taught on the content of the gospel, there were several ministry updates for prayer and further planning and we enjoyed a nice lunch together.
Again before the meeting began, Lolit, whom I haven't seen for quite some time, told me with tears in her eyes she clearly remembers when Aries Reginio (a former ACTION staff man and dear friend who's now with the Lord) and I visited her November 1, 1991 and challenged her to work with street kids. Lolit was a very successful businesswomen and faithful worker in her church but she was challenged by seeing this Americano working among street kids. After awhile she joined our ministries and eventually started her own in her area of Manila. To make the story short, she eventually migrated to Canada, which was her dream, and had a comfortable life but she was miserable. Lolit knew she was out of God's will and abandoned the work the Lord called her to so she repented and returned to Manila in '05. Since then Lolit and her small team have started four schools for out-of-school youth and as a result a church of 84 worshippers has been planted among people who were relocated from squatter communities to the outskirts of Manila. Their church is now planting a daughter church so she was excited to tell me about this.
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11. "Yes, Lord!" hard-copy prayer letter:
Thursday our first quarter "Yes, Lord!" hard-copy letter was mailed from the USA office so you'll be receiving it shortly. However, if you'd like to view on line log onto http://www.jeffmaryann.com
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12. Amos & Micah:
Please continue to pray for Amos’ work toward graduation. Next week is a significant one. He is also applying for jobs. Pray for God’s leading.
Micah was recently switched to night duty. She is not a night person so it may be a challenge for her. She is looking forward to joining us in early April. We hope we get back from Canada before she arrives but I’m sure the team will take care of her if she gets here first.
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Closing: I'm working through the book of Proverbs and today I studied chapters 22 and 23. Proverbs 22:9 got my attention because I'm praying about starting a project to assist ministries who are providing shelter to street kids and need help with the huge amounts of rice they need to feed those under their care. The verse reads: "A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor." (NIV) A 50-kilo of rice costs approximately $35 and would be a huge blessing for our faithful partners in ministry. Prayerfully consider providing rice please because God's standard of ministry is sacrifice not convenience by giving through the CiC Club fund.
Sincerely in Christ,
Jeff
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