Mercy Trips Uganda Mission:January 29/Breaking a Record

Partnering with local healthcare workers and churches in medically underserved countries, Odessa, Texas-based Mercy Trips Healthcare Outreach provides free medical clinics and surgical care as an outreach of Christian love for our fellow man.

January 29/Breaking a Record

"The medical team did break a record. I got the final totals from team 1 from yesterday - 471 bringing the total for the day to 1239. Way to go teams. Totals for today reached 941. With vaccinations, vitamin A, deworming pills and tetnus shots total treatment for team 1 was 1104. For team 2 total treatments were 1274. This doesn’t mean we focus on numbers but just want to show you the importance of this medical mission. Many of these people would not be able to afford or even receive medical care ..."(more)

CLICK HERE to visit Mercy Trips' blog.

Saturday Morning Devotional:Answering Calls

Saturday mornings this time of year find me working the floor of the gymnasium at our church in Midland, offering halftime devotionals during Upward Basketball games. I was inspired to prepare this week's devotional by headline in the sporting news, about a young man, a minor league baseball player who was doing so well, that most figured it would be just a matter of time till he was called-up to play in the majors. Well, he answered a call, alright … but it was not the call that many expected.

Upward, by the way, is one of the the world’s largest Christian sports program for children, and was created with a vision to provide the best sports experience possible for every child. An estimated 1-million people around the world play, coach, referee or volunteer in some way to support Upward sports activities, hosted by more than 2,600 churches - there are four churches here, in Midland, including my own First Presbyterian.

The organization notes that, "anyone – children and volunteers of any faith or no faith – can participate in Upward sports. Specifically designed for children in K5- sixth grade, Upward aims to bring out 'the winner' in every child – regardless of the game’s score."

Really, not a bad venue for discussing someone like Grant Desme, a player in the Oakland A’s organization. In the eyes of many, he might have had it all - the promising professional baseball career, the six-figure signing bonus and the life many a boy has dreamed of. But I guess, in his own eyes, there was something more important than all of that. Last week, he announced he was retiring from professional baseball in order to enter a seminary this fall, in hopes of someday becoming a Catholic priest.

The news of that announcement, and the controversy - yes, controversy - it generated among some observers, remoinded me of a line of Scripture, from the Old Testament, Isaiah 6: 8 ...

"Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?' And I said, 'Here am I. Send me!'" (NIV)

I suggested at Saturday's devotional that - as many of those in the stands knew, and as many of the youngsters out there on the floor were learning - we hear many different calls in the course of our lives …

… maybe it’s a call from a parent, a teacher or a coach to make that extra effort, to aim higher, to work harder …

… maybe it’s a call from your country to serve in the armed forces …

… maybe it’s a call from your heart to enter into a lifelong and loving relationship with someone …

… maybe it’s a call from your conscience to engage in protest or civil disobedience …

… maybe it’s a call from family, a friend – or even a perfect stranger – to step up and help in a time of need …

… or - as in Desme's case - maybe it’s a call from the Lord to follow another path – one very different from the path you had set for yourself.

I acknowledged that not everyone may agree with how we answer these, and other calls. But I went on to suggest that, if we listen carefully to those calls – not just with our ears, but with our mind and our heart – the answers will come to us much more easily.

I reminded everyone in the stands that they had been called to get up early on a cold (24°F) Saturday morning, and head out of the house. I thanked them for answering that call the way they did, for being there for the kids that morning, and cheering them on.

By the way, whoever you are and wherever you are, we would love to have you on our team! If you're the parent of a youngster who wants to play basketball, soccer, flag football or cheer, chances are Upward has a league or camp near you. What? No kids? No problem ... Upward programs always need volunteers to coach teams, to referee games, to operate game clocks, to rustle-up snacks for the kids, or offer devotionals at halftime.

I can think of worse ways to spend a Saturday morning.

Mercy Trips Uganda Mission:January 28/A Bigger Surprise

Partnering with local healthcare workers and churches in medically underserved countries, Odessa, Texas-based Mercy Trips Healthcare Outreach provides free medical clinics and surgical care as an outreach of Christian love for our fellow man.

January 28/A Bigger Surprise

"Clinic went well today for both teams. Don’t know the offical count for team #1 but they saw around 350 patients. Team #2 had 759 patients. Whew! Almost reached the record high. Surgery went well also and I forgot to ask about the electricity but am assuming it stayed on today ..."(more)

CLICK HERE to visit Mercy Trips' blog.

The Great Emergence:Pt. 4, Technology & Information Society

“'The Great Emergence' refers to a monumental phenomenon in our world, and this book asks three questions about it. Or looked at the other way around, this book is about a monumental phenomenon considered from the perspective of three very basic questions: What is this thing? How did it come to be? Where is it going?”

So begins Phyllis Tickle’s extraordinary new book, The Great Emergence: How Christianity Is Changing and Why. In this much-anticipated book, Tickle brings her encyclopedic knowledge of American religion to bear on the current shifts in the Christian landscape.

Mercy Trips Uganda Mission:January 27/Electricity

Partnering with local healthcare workers and churches in medically underserved countries, Odessa, Texas-based Mercy Trips Healthcare Outreach provides free medical clinics and surgical care as an outreach of Christian love for our fellow man.

January 27/Electricity

"Not entirely an unsual event for team members that have been to Uganda before but for first timers this was a new experience. During surgery the electricity went out. It didn’t go out for a long time but flashlights were needed to continue the job ..."(more)

CLICK HERE to visit Mercy Trips' blog.

Mercy Trips Uganda Mission:January 26/Supplies

Partnering with local healthcare workers and churches in medically underserved countries, Odessa, Texas-based Mercy Trips Healthcare Outreach provides free medical clinics and surgical care as an outreach of Christian love for our fellow man.

January 26/Supplies

"The team had a long day. Medicine was packaged to last for about 3 days. Supplies were put away. The pictures I’ve seen in the past show only a big bookcase like shelf unit holding all the supplies. Tomorrow will be the first day to treat patients and to begin surgeries ..."(more)

CLICK HERE to visit Mercy Trips' blog.

Faces of Children: Prayer Requests

Faces of Children is an ecumenical prayer ministry under the auspices of First Presbyterian Church of Midland, Texas. Our mission is to initiate ministries of prayer for children in churches, communities, and neighborhoods. In doing so, we seek to provide an opportunity for people of God to join together, learn about children and their needs throughout the world, and celebrate Christ's love (especially as it relates to children).

Prayer Concerns for the week of 01/27/10

Haiti
• Please continue to keep the children and people of Haiti held close in prayer as they deal with the devastation caused by the January 12 earthquake. Between 100,000 and 200,000 people may have died in this 7.0 quake.
A report from alertnet.org

• Pray for the estimated 3 million people who have been displaced or impacted by this disaster. Pray that God will provide housing for the hundreds of thousands without shelter. Pray for children, babies, the elderly, the sick, and the injured who only have flimsy sheets to shelter them from the heat and the rain.
A report from the Washington Post

• Pray for those who are injured and suffering—that medical care and supplies will reach them quickly. Pray for children with treatable illnesses or infections who are at great risk of dying because of a scarcity of medical personnel and supplies. Treatable diseases like tetanus, gangrene, measles, diarrheal diseases, malaria, and meningitis are expected to get worse.
A report from alertnet.org

• Please keep in prayer the many medical teams, like the ones from CURE International, working around the clock with limited supplies and equipment. Pray that God will sustain and protect these medical teams as they work non-stop to save lives.
A report from the helpcurenow.org blog

• Pray for the children who have been orphaned by this tragedy or separated from parents in the chaos. Pray for their protection and safety from predators or traffickers. Give thanks to God for organizations like UNICEF and World Vision that are working to identify and register all unaccompanied children, and keep them safe from traffickers. Pray that family members can be located for these children.
A report from UNICEF

• Please pray that children and adults who have gone for days without water or food will have their immediate needs met. Pray that suitable alternative ports, airports, and distribution centers can be established quickly to provide relief throughout the affected areas. Pray for those who are involved in the humanitarian aid distribution—that God will give them wisdom and guidance for this challenging situation.
A report from alertnet.org
.pdf Map of Affected Areas from reliefweb.int

• Pray for children and families in Leogane, the hard-to-reach epicenter of the violent earthquake. Please pray that the children and people there will receive water, food, medical treatment, and shelter soon. Damaged roads and communications have limited the amount of humanitarian aid coming into this poor area. Give thanks to God for the first supply drops by US military personnel.
A report from alertnet.org

• Please pray for the children and staff in orphanages that were destroyed or damaged in the earthquake. Pray that God will provide the resources needed to care for injured and traumatized children. Please keep in prayer children and staff at these orphanages: HIS Home for Children, Creche Enfants Jesus and Maison-de-Lumiere.

• Give thanks to God for the survival of three children from Canaan Orphanage who were in Port-au-Prince with relatives when the earthquake struck. Pray that God will comfort the children at the orphanage who lost family members. Please keep all of the 90 children at Canaan Orphanage held close in prayer during this frightening time. Pray that God will grant the team there wisdom in helping the children and community deal with the emotional trauma and devastation caused by the earthquake.

• Please continue to pray for the children and staff at Maison des Enfants de Dieu orphanage (For His Glory Adoption Outreach). Thanks be to God none of the children were severely hurt. Pray the children who are eligible for humanitarian parole will be safely evacuated. Pray for orphans who haven’t been referred for international adoption yet and remain at the orphanage. The orphanage staff report they are running out of food and they are very concerned about security. Pray for orphans who have been turned away because the orphanage doesn’t have the capacity to care for any more children.
A report from aletnet.org

• Pray for the children, staff, and volunteers at God’s Littlest Angels orphanage and give thanks and praise that none of the children or adults there were hurt in the earthquake or the aftershocks that continue to plague them.
A report from the God's Littlest Angels blog

Faces of Children
• Please continue to pray that more churches and individuals will join with the ministry of Faces of Children in spreading awareness about children in crisis and inviting more people to pray for children at risk.

In the News ... "Ministry, pro-life organization seeks to provide educational, emotional support'"

By Megan Lee Buck
Assistant Lifestyle Editor

Midland Reporter-Telegram

MIDLAND, TEXAS - Janie Garibay left her job as client services coordinator at The Life Center a little over a year ago. Her dedication to helping young women and people in need remained with her.

“That’s been my passion, just helping these girls, showing them how to love themselves and love other people,” she said.

With the new Hope Ministry at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, Garibay once again will have an opportunity to help others in need.

CLICK HERE to read the rest of the MRT story

Mercy Trips Uganda Mission:January 25/A Nice Surprise

Partnering with local healthcare workers and churches in medically underserved countries, Odessa, Texas-based Mercy Trips Healthcare Outreach provides free medical clinics and surgical care as an outreach of Christian love for our fellow man.

January 25/A Nice Surprise

"Just now getting a chance to post. Hope you all have had a great day. The mode of transportation for the team is by van. And not very big vans as I’m told. And the seats aren’t very big. I’ve also been told they stuffed 17 people in one van. The team had a 2 1/2 hour trip in the van today and it was bumpy, hot and dusty ..."(more)

CLICK HERE to visit Mercy Trips' blog.

In the News ... "Drama, Love and Conflict"

Roy Waggoner
Staff Writer
Odessa American

ODESSA, TEXAS -For Charlie Kirkpatrick, reading the Bible doesn’t come easy — but that changed with a new program at New Life Church called "The Story."

The unique whole-church program written in part by Max Lucado largely comes from direct Biblical text in Today’s New International Version, the recently updated text of the New International Version translation of the Bible.
CLICK HERE to read the rest of the OA story.

Mercy Trips Uganda Mission:January 24/Entebbe

Partnering with local healthcare workers and churches in medically underserved countries, Odessa, Texas-based Mercy Trips Healthcare Outreach provides free medical clinics and surgical care as an outreach of Christian love for our fellow man.

January 24/Entebbe

"Just got a call, (it’s 1:05pm central time). Only had a couple of minutes to talk but everyone is fine and all baggage arrived. Uganda is 9 hours ahead of us (central time) so it’s night time there. Busy will be the key word for the next couple of days. Pray the team gets good rest tonight ..."(more)

CLICK HERE to visit Mercy Trips' blog.

Authority on missional work coming to West Texas

Darrell Guder, noted author and authority on missional work, is coming to West Texas Friday and Saturday, February 19-20, at First Presbyterian Church-Midland.

Guder is Princeton Theological Seminary’s Dean of Academic Affairs and the Henry Winters Luce Professor of Missional and Ecumenical Theology. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Hamburg. As an ordained Presbyterian minister, he served as a student outreach pastor and as a faculty member of the Karlshohe College in the German Lutheran Church. His writing and teaching focus on the theology of the missional church.

Guder's publications include the seminal work, Missional Church: A Vision for the Sending of the Church in North America, which one reviewer described as, "one of the better books currently available introducing church leaders, pastors and lay ministers to ecclesiology from a missional perspective." Another reviewer labeled it, "after the Bible, the best book I've read all year ... this book was a partial answer to a prayer that I've had for years, 'God, What are you calling us to become, because it seems clear that we can't continue with the Christendom models.'"

For more information, and to be a part of Guder's visit to West Texas, please contact First Presbyterian Church of Midland at (432) 684-7821. Registration forms are available at the church's reception desk, at the Texas street entrance. First Prez is located on the northwest corner of Texas and A streets, on the west edge of downtown Midland.

Invitation to Prayer

Faces of Children is an ecumenical prayer ministry under the auspices of First Presbyterian Church of Midland, Texas. Our mission is to initiate ministries of prayer for children in churches, communities, and neighborhoods. In doing so, we seek to provide an opportunity for people of God to join together, learn about children and their needs throughout the world, and celebrate Christ's love (especially as it relates to children).

A message from Chris Laufer, Coordinator, Faces of Children

Matthew 18:18-20 Jesus, describing prayer to his disciples
"Take this most seriously: A yes on earth is yes in heaven; a no on earth is no in heaven. What you say to one another is eternal. I mean this. When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action. And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I’ll be there."

The Message
by Eugene Peterson

Greetings, Faces of Children Prayer Partner,

I don’t think I’ll forget January 12, 2010 for a very long time. It was our 30th wedding anniversary, but the events of January 12—what happened to the children and people of Haiti—will overshadow any other memories of that day. Haiti has been walloped at least five times by natural disasters in the past couple of years—four hurricanes and now a devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake.

Images from the newspaper, television, and online reports about the destruction haunt me. I can’t seem to stop checking on the websites and blogs of groups in Haiti with which Faces of Children has connections. I want to know how the children and caregivers are, whether the buildings were damaged, how they’re faring through this tragedy.

We’ve heard from several orphanages and groups with which Faces of Children is connected and they report that their children and facilities are alright, for which we give God grateful thanks! But there are so many others who are hurting and suffering in this struggling country. As I prepared the prayer list for this coming week, I felt God’s guidance in dedicating the entire list to prayers for the hurting in Haiti. Please pray with me for hope and healing for the children and people of Haiti.

This coming Wednesday, January 27, 2010, we’ll meet at 11:30 a.m. in the Bride’s Room at First Presbyterian Church, Midland to pray for the children of Haiti and the rest of the world. Please join us for this time of prayer and afterwards for lunch ($5) and fellowship.

The following prayer is from a denominational (Presbyterian Disaster Assistance) emailing I received this week. If you are overwhelmed by the amount of prayer requests on the list and aren’t able to spend time praying through them, I hope you will join your heart with others in praying this prayer:

“God of compassion, please watch over the people of Haiti, and weave out of these terrible happenings wonders of goodness and grace. Surround those who have been affected by tragedy with a sense of your present love, and hold them in faith. Though they are lost in grief, may they find you and be comforted. Guide us as a church to find ways of providing assistance that heals wounds and provides hope. Help us to remember that when one of your children suffers we all suffer. Through Jesus Christ who was dead, but lives and rules this world with you. Amen.”
(Adapted from Book of Common Worship)

Thank you for caring deeply about the children of our world and for devoting time and energy in bringing them before God in prayer. If you have prayer requests about children or those who care for them, please send them to me at claufer@facesofchildren.net or give me a call. Thank you for keeping the children of our communities and our world held close in prayer!

2 Corinthians 1:10-11
"And he did it, rescued us from certain doom. And he’ll do it again, rescuing us as many times as we need rescuing. You and your prayers are part of the rescue operation—I don’t want you in the dark about that either. I can see your faces even now, lifted in praise for God’s deliverance of us, a rescue in which your prayers played such a crucial part."
The Message
by Eugene Peterson

Joining with you in prayer,

Chris

In the News ... "San Angelo Diocese Raises Money for Haiti Relief"

KMID-TV

SAN ANGELO, TEXAS - Bishop Michael Pfeifer, OMI, announced that as of Wednesday, January 20, $44,474.00 has been received from the Catholic Churches of the Diocese of San Angelo for the earthquake victims in Haiti. All funds collected have been sent to assist the suffering people of Haiti through Catholic Relief Services (CRS).
CLICK HERE to read/watch the rest of the KMID story.

Midland Group Issues Plea to Help Defend the Persecuted

The China Aid Association is a non-profit Christian organization - based in Midland, Texas - with a mission to uncover and reveal the truth about religious persecution in China, focusing especially on the unofficial church. They do this, they explain in their website, by exposing the abuses, encouraging the abused and equipping the saints to advance the kingdom of God throughout China.

Midland Group Issues Plea to Help Defend the Persecuted

Released by ChinaAid, January, 2010 ...

"ChinaAid – As we enter the New Year, ChinaAid needs your help to continue defending the persecuted in 2010. We humbly ask you to consider contributing to the Legal Defense Fund and join us in our efforts to secure religious freedom in China. With your help, we can continue to bring truth to light and pursue justice for prisoners of conscience under the law."
Read the Rest of the Report from ChinaAid

Thinking Globally, Acting Locally

Midland youth held a bake sale this weekend, raising funds for Presbyterian Church USA Disaster Relief

If you have concerns over where your contributions to Haitian earthquake relief efforts may actually be going, you can - to borrow a phrase from the environmental movement - think globally and act locally.

There are no lack of local groups - made up of your friends and neighbors, their kids, their schools, their churches - that are connected with legitimate national and international organizations already on the ground and hard at work in Haiti, providing invaluable first-hand feedback on what resources are most needed, and where they are best applied.

Here is just a small sampling ...

First United Methodist Church of Midland, for example is seeking financial and in-kind contributions to assemble health kits. Each kit costs about $12 to put together. United Methodist is asking that all items be new, and don't include anything else in the kit that's not on the list. All kits must be handed in to the United Methodist Church in Midland before February 1st. CLICK HERE for complete information on assembling a kit. You can also make financial contributions, 100% of which will go directly to aid those in urgent need through United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR).

The Catholic Diocese of San Angelo has also called upon its churches across West Texas to step up and help Catholic Relief Services. In a statement released last week, Bishop Michael Pfeiffer is asking every parish and mission of the Diocese to send a donation, or take a collection, to help earthquake victims, and has promised that all funds will go to their relief, especially through CRS.

Buckner International is well known for it's humanitarian support around the globe. But it also has a local office working to get your relief contributions to where they are needed. Last week it was reported that the local division is planning to play a huge role in supplying the people of Haiti with basic needs - shoes and socks. And this is just one of the efforts under way at Buckner.

Not the same kind of local ... but there's also efforts under way by the Indianapolis, Indiana-based ServLife International, which was founded by Joel Vestal ... there are many in the Tall City who know Joel, and probably many more who remember his grandfather, Daniel. Recently, ServLife announced it had the ability to fly directly on a military-cleared plane directly into Port-au-Prince, Haiti and deliver Emergency Medical Packs as part of their Strategy for Relief and Response to the Haiti Earthquake.

Like I said, just a sampling ... I'm sure you'll find plenty of organizations out there you can trust to put your contributions to the good use you intended.

EDITOR'S NOTE: I would have linked you to the website for the local chapter of the American red Cross, but that site was having trouble this weekend. You can contact their local office at: 9601 Wright Drive, Midland, TX 79711, (432)563-2267, or visit the national organization's website at www.redcross.org

In the News ... "Crestview to host Graham for 'Get Growing Conference'"

By Megan Lee Buck
Assistant Lifestyle Editor

Midland Reporter-Telegram

MIDLAND, TEXAS - For the past three years, the Loving Arms Ministry at Crestview Baptist Church has sought to bring comfort and healing to people facing obstacles such as depression, addiction, family issues and more.

“We reach out to those who are hurting and broken,” ministry leader Sherry Thomas said of the volunteer-based support group program.

When Kathy Webster, another leader in the Loving Arms Ministry, read an article about Ruth Graham and Friends Ministry, she and Thomas set out to bring the group — headed by the daughter of evangelist Billy Graham — to Midland.

CLICK HERE to read the rest of the MRT story

Mercy Trips Uganda Mission:January 23/The Big Day

Partnering with local healthcare workers and churches in medically underserved countries, Odessa, Texas-based Mercy Trips Healthcare Outreach provides free medical clinics and surgical care as an outreach of Christian love for our fellow man.

January 23/The Big Day

Hello everyone, The big day has finally arrived. Check in at the Midland airport was a little hectic but the employees of Continential were very helpful, it just took a little while since we had 16 people and 32 bags. Each person has a personal suitcase then they each have a suitcase with medical supplies. There was a little changing around of supplies from one suitcase to another so they were under the 50 pound limit ... (more)

CLICK HERE to visit Mercy Trips' blog.

In the News ... "New pastor wants to teach his church to live the gospel"

By Megan Lee Buck
Assistant Lifestyle Editor

Midland Reporter-Telegram

MIDLAND, TEXAS - Life-long Lutheran Tim York, of Odessa, recently started attending services at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Midland. Led by the Rev. Steve Mohr, Our Savior is an independent Lutheran church and a member of the Alliance of Renewal Churches. For York and his family, the congregation and Morh’s style of leading worship stand apart from churches they’ve attended in the past.

CLICK HERE to read the rest of the MRT story

The Great Emergence:Pt. 3, The Conversation

“'The Great Emergence' refers to a monumental phenomenon in our world, and this book asks three questions about it. Or looked at the other way around, this book is about a monumental phenomenon considered from the perspective of three very basic questions: What is this thing? How did it come to be? Where is it going?”

So begins Phyllis Tickle’s extraordinary new book, The Great Emergence: How Christianity Is Changing and Why. In this much-anticipated book, Tickle brings her encyclopedic knowledge of American religion to bear on the current shifts in the Christian landscape.

In the News ... "Local Church Gives Relief To Haiti"

Shelley Childers
Reporter
KOSA-TV

ODESSA-MIDLAND, TEXAS - The UN is now calling the Haiti disaster their worst loss of life ever, but locally West Texans are trying to make a difference and at one local church it's relief you can count. Saint Ann's Catholic Church in Midland is not unfamiliar with donating towards disaster relief.
CLICK HERE to read the rest of the KOSA story.

Faces of Children: Prayer Requests

Faces of Children is an ecumenical prayer ministry under the auspices of First Presbyterian Church of Midland, Texas. Our mission is to initiate ministries of prayer for children in churches, communities, and neighborhoods. In doing so, we seek to provide an opportunity for people of God to join together, learn about children and their needs throughout the world, and celebrate Christ's love (especially as it relates to children).

Prayer Concerns for the week of 01/20/10

Haiti
• Please keep the children and people of Haiti held close in prayer following the worst earthquake in 200 years - a devastating 7.0 magnitude - on January 12. Pray that rescue teams can reach survivors in time. Pray that God will provide the resources and people needed to quickly help survivors.
A report from alertnet.org
A report from the New York Times
• Pray for the children and staff at New Canaan Orphanage and for those at For His Glory Orphanage in Haiti.
A quake relief update from For His Glory

Burma/Myanmar, United States
• Give thanks to God for the work of Partners Relief and Development in providing emergency supplies for families being chased by the Burma Army; housing for children orphaned by this conflict; and training for teachers and healthcare workers. Pray for the hundreds of children blessed by this organization's outreach and generosity. Pray for children who do not have access to this kind of help and support.
• Thanks be to God for the Partners' art therapy program that helped children and youth share their life experiences and that is now providing a window into those experiences through the exhibit Hope for the Child of War-art and stories from Burma's conflict zone. Please pray that many people will attend the art show events in California this winter and spring and lift Burma's hurting, hunted children in prayer.
A report from partnersworld.org

India (Sahaara Charitable Society www.sahaarasociety.org/)
• Give praise to God that these daughters of trafficked women-Sonali, Muskan, Sanya, and Mamta have secured admission in a prestigious school! Pray that their transition into this new learning environment will go smoothly and that they will be successful in their studies. Pray that God will be with all of the daughters of trafficked women at Sahaara Charitable Society's Anandalay Centre.
• Thanks be to God for the Christmas programs conducted in all seven children's observation homes and for the almost 2,000 children blessed by this outreach. Give thanks to God for the local Mumbai churches that also provided each child with a personalized gift hamper.
• And thanks and praise to God for the Christmas programs that brought cheer to ten slum communities-pre-primary children performed skits and dances that depicted the Christmas story.
• Please keep Babu Pareb and Raisha held close in prayer and pray that God will provide these children of trafficked women a place of refuge.
• Pray for all of the children with whom the staff and volunteers of Sahaara Charitable Society interact on a daily basis. Pray for their emotional, physical, and psychological health. Pray that God will provide them with all they need to grow strong and empowered-to be all God intended these precious children to be.

Sudan
• Pray for the children of Sudan as tensions and conflicts increase between the north and south five years after the 2005 comprehensive peace agreement was signed. Pray that this fragile peace will be maintained despite the rising violence, chronic poverty, and political tensions in this region.
A report from alertnet.org
A report from the BBC

United States
• Please pray that God will provide healing for 9-year-old Lauren
who is critically ill at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston. Pray that, with God's help, Lauren's physicians and hospital staff can reverse her condition-Lauren's organs have begun to fail. Please keep her parents, siblings, and friends held close in prayer, as well, and that Christ's peace that surpasses all understanding will sustain them through this crisis.
• Continue to keep the children and young people at Children's Hope Residential Services held close in prayer. Pray that God will bring healing to these emotionally disturbed children. Give thanks to God for the staff at this residential facility that care so deeply for these children and young people. Pray that God will sustain them in this difficult and demanding ministry. Pray that God will provide the resources needed to expand this ministry so it can help even more children.

Faces of Children
• Please continue to pray that more churches and individuals will join with the ministry of Faces of Children in spreading awareness about children in crisis and inviting more people to pray for children at risk.

In the News ... "First United Methodist-Midland to Help Haiti, Donate Health Kits"

Stephanie Sobic
Reporter
KMID-TV

MIDLAND, TEXAS - Here in the Permian Basin, the Northwest Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church is offering it's support to the people in Haiti. First United Methodist Church of Midland is serving as a collection point for donations toward health kits.
CLICK HERE to read the rest of the KMID story.

Word from Uganda: "Keep Praying"

Missionary teacher Natalie Rolfe writes, "'When He calls me, I will answer ... I'll be somewhere working for my Lord.' My call was Mbale, Uganda and that is where I have returned to serve for another year. Specifically, I am teaching phonics at Lulwanda Children's Home, an orphanage and school for 90 kids." Natalie also keeps an online journal of her service at the weblog, When He calls me, I will answer ...

Keep Praying
"Update on Nellie ... I hear that she was sent into the 'theater' = operation room around Noon and didn't come out until around 10- 10:30 pm. I just talked with Edward and asked him how things went. He said 50/50.”

CLICK HERE to read the rest of Natalie's post

_____________________

If you are interested in supporting LCH by sponsoring one of the 90 children, go to www.ugandaorphans.org If you are interested in financially supporting Natalie in her mission, you can send checks (with "Natalie Rolfe" in memo) to: Midland Bible Church, 2800 North A Street, Midland, TX 79705

From ServLife International ... "Ability to Fly Directly In to deliver Medical Equipment and Meds"

ServLife International is a movement defined by values of God’s kingdom, not programs built around human efforts and activities. The reign and rule of God should be made apparent to every person on the planet, despite their religion, race or socioeconomic status. We believe that issues of justice are inseparable from the good news that Jesus Christ came to proclaim. ServLife exists to take the gospel of Christ and the hope of a better, more just, world to the lives of people we touch. This happens through individual contributions of time, creativity, resources and dreams.

"Ability to Fly Directly In to deliver Medical Equipment and Meds"

We have the ability to fly directly on a military cleared plane directly into Port-au-Prince, Haiti and deliver Emergency Medical Packs.

Emergency Med Packs for Haiti: (content of packs listed at bottom of this post)
The Cost is $500
Value of meds and supplies: $13,000
Our Goal = 25 packs

You can give online or mail your donations to the ServLife office at:
ServLife International
PO Box 20596
Indianapolis, IN 46220 USA
(Please mark "Haiti" on your donation)

January 17, 2010: Field report from Port au Prince

"Tent cities filled with hungry people...dead bodies stacked in hospital courtyards ... makeshift clinics in large tents crowded with beds ... people suffering without anesthetic ... horrible disfiguring wounds that have not been treated ... dirty bandages ... flies ... little children too fatigued and too hopeless to cry ... limbs swollen with gangrene ... arms and legs being amputated ... doctors and nurses working around the clock ... some being treated for dehydration and exhaustion themselves ... people groaning, wincing, or screaming in pain...a human tide of misery."
Team members, Dr. Jennings, Dr. Hogan and emergency relief specialist Al Nixon

MEDICAL EMERGENCY PACKS LIST YOU CAN HELP US GET IN
Each pack will provide between 500-700 treatments. Packs contain no expired medicines. Some products may be short dated

Antibiotics
• Amoxicillin 125mg/5ml & Clavulanate 31.25mg/5ml, Augmentin Powder for Suspension
100ml BT quantity:12 11/30/2010
• Amoxicillin 250mg/Clavulanate 125mg, Augmentin 30tab BT quantity: 6 3/31/2011
• Cefdinir 250mg/5ml, powder for reconstitution, Oral Suspension, Strawberry Flavor,
• Omnicef 100ml BT quantity:12 5/1/2010
• Cefuroxime Axetil 125mg/5ml Oral Suspension, Ceftin 100ml BT quantity:6 1/31/2011
• Clarithromycin 250mg , Biaxin Film Tab 250mg 60tab BT quantity: 2 7/17/2011

Antihistamines
• Brompheniramine Maleate 1mg, Dextromethorphan 5mg, Phenylephrine 2.5mg,
• Dimetapp Cough & Cold, Grape Flavor 118ml BT quantity: quantity:3 9/30/2011
• Loratadine 5mg/5ml Oral Solution, Children's Claritin, 2years and older, Grape Flavored
• 120ml BT quantity:6 7/31/2010
• Loratadine 10mg, Claritin Reditabs 30tab BX quantity: 12 6/30/2010
• Loratadine 10mg, Claritin, Non-Drowsy Liqui-Gels 24 Hour 24cap BX quantity:12 10/31/2010

Analgesic and Antipyretic
• Acetaminophen 325mg/Dextromethorphan HBr 10mg/Guaifenesin 200mg/Phenylephrine
• HCI 5mg, Tylenol Cold Head Congestion, Daytime 50 x 2caplets BX quantity:2 7/31/2010
• Acetaminophen 325mg/Phenylephrine HCI 5mg, Tylenol Sinus Congestion & Pain,
• Severe 50 x 2caplet BX quantity: quantity: 2 7/31/2010
• Acetaminophen 500mg, Tylenol Rapid Release Gels 24gel cap BT quantity:12 9/30/2010
• Acetaminophen 650mg , Tylenol Arthritis Pain 290cap BT quantity:2 2/28/2011
• Ibuprofen 50mg/1.25ml, Infant's Advil Concentrated Drops 15ml BT quantity: 6 12/31/2011
• Ibuprofen 200mg, Advil 200mg 100tab BT quantity: 6 5/31/2012
• Anti-infectives Butenafine Hydrochloride 1% Antifungal Cream, Lotrimin Ultra 24gm TB quantity:6 3/31/2012
• Clotrimazole 1% Anti-Fungal Cream , Lotrimin AF 1% Cream 30gm TB quantity: 6 1/31/2011
• Clotrimazole 1%/Betamethasone Dipropionate 0.05%, Lotrisone Cream 45gm TB quantity:6 9/30/2010
• Clotrimazole 50mg (1%), Gyne-Lotrimin 7 Day Treatment, w/Applicator 45gm TB quantity: 3 5/31/2011
• Tolnaftate 1%, Tinactin AF Cream 30gm TB quantity: 12 4/30/2011

Antitussives
• Acetaminophen 325mg/Chlorpheniramine 2mg/Dextromethorphan Hbr
• 10mg/Phenylephrine HCI 5mg, Tylenol Cold Multi-Symptom Day & Night Formulas
• 24caplets BX quantity:6 10/31/2010
• Acetaminophen 325mg/Chlorpheniramine Maleate 2mg/Dextromethorphan
• 10mg/Phenylephrine 5mg, Tylenol Cold Head Congestion Daytime & Nightime 72cap BX quantity:6 10/31/2010
• Dextromethorphan 15mg, Robitussin Cough Gels 20cap BT quantity:6 10/31/2011
• Phenylephrine Hydrochloride 2.5mg, Children's Sudafed PE Nasal Congestion 118ml BT quantity: 4 9/30/2010

Expectorants
• Acetaminophen 500mg/5ml, Dexomethorphan HBr 15mg/5ml, Doxylamine 6.25mg/5ml,
• Coricidin HBP 296ml BT quantity:3 7/31/2010
• Anti-inflammatory Mometasone Furoate 0.1% /Topical Use, Elocon Ointment 0.1% 15gm TB quantity: 12 10/31/2010
• Montelukast Sodium 5mg, Singulair, Chewable 30tab BT quantity:12 1/31/2011
• Antacids and Adsorbents Rolaids Extra Strength, Tropical Punch, Chewable 100ea BT quantity: 6 8/31/2010
• GI Medications Famotidine 20mg, Pepcid 20mg 100tab BT quantity: 8 7/31/2010
• Famotidine 40mg, Pepcid 40mg 100tab BT quantity: 4 7/31/2010
• Miscellaneous Vitamin A & D Ointment 42.5gm TB quantity: 6 N/A
• Multivitamin Preparations Multivitamins, Centrum Kids Chewable 60tab BT quantity: 6 9/30/2011
• Multivitamin/Mineral, Centrum Advanced High Potency 130tab PK 6 4/30/2011Multi-Vitamins + Iron 1000ea BT 1 12/31/2011
• Quinolones Norfloxacin 400mg, Noroxin 20tab BT quantity: 12 7/31/2010
• Adrenals Prednisone 10mg 100tab BX quantity: 10 6/30/2010

• Supplies Bandage, Ace Elastic 6", Antimicrobial 1ea BX 3 N/A
• Bandages, Nexcare Tattoo Waterproof, 1 1/16' X 2 1/4" 20ea BX quantity: 6 N/A
• Replacement Preparations Calcium Carbonate 600mg with Vitamin D, Caltrate 600+D 120tab BT quantity: 3 3/31/2011
• Oral Rehydration Salts 1scht EA quantity:25

In the News ... "Buckner International Provides Shoes in Haiti "

Tatum Hubbard
Anchor/Reporter
KOSA-TV

ODESSA-MIDLAND, TEXAS - Buckner International is well known for it's humanitarian support around the globe.

The local division is planning to play a huge role in supplying the people of Haiti with basic needs - shoes and socks.
CLICK HERE to read the rest of the KOSA story.

Authority on missional work coming to West Texas

Darrell Guder, noted author and authority on missional work, is coming to West Texas Friday and Saturday, February 19-20, at First Presbyterian Church-Midland.

Guder is Princeton Theological Seminary’s Dean of Academic Affairs and the Henry Winters Luce Professor of Missional and Ecumenical Theology. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Hamburg. As an ordained Presbyterian minister, he served as a student outreach pastor and as a faculty member of the Karlshohe College in the German Lutheran Church. His writing and teaching focus on the theology of the missional church.

Guder's publications include the seminal work, Missional Church: A Vision for the Sending of the Church in North America, which one reviewer described as, "one of the better books currently available introducing church leaders, pastors and lay ministers to ecclesiology from a missional perspective." Another reviewer labeled it, "after the Bible, the best book I've read all year ... this book was a partial answer to a prayer that I've had for years, 'God, What are you calling us to become, because it seems clear that we can't continue with the Christendom models.'"

For more information, and to be a part of Guder's visit to West Texas, please contact First Presbyterian Church of Midland at (432) 684-7821. Registration forms are available at the church's reception desk, at the Texas street entrance. First Prez is located on the northwest corner of Texas and A streets, on the west edge of downtown Midland.

Invitation to Prayer

Faces of Children is an ecumenical prayer ministry under the auspices of First Presbyterian Church of Midland, Texas. Our mission is to initiate ministries of prayer for children in churches, communities, and neighborhoods. In doing so, we seek to provide an opportunity for people of God to join together, learn about children and their needs throughout the world, and celebrate Christ's love (especially as it relates to children).

Be Surprised By Joy
A message from Chris Laufer, Coordinator, Faces of Children

"You will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will have pain, but your pain will turn into joy."
John 16:20

"Learn the discipline of being surprised not by suffering but by joy. As we grow old, there is suffering ahead of us, immense suffering, a suffering that will continue to tempt us to think that we have chosen the wrong road. But don't be surprised by pain. Be surprised by joy, be surprised by the little flower that shows its beauty in the midst of a barren desert, and be surprised by the immense healing power that keeps bursting forth like springs of fresh water from the depth of our pain."

"With a heart trusting that we will get what we need, and a spirit always surprised by joy, we will walk through this valley of darkness performing and witnessing miracles."

"O God, may our daily discipline and devotion help us to move beyond our pain and suffering to the joy your redemption gives us."

Living in Hope: Advent Meditations from the Writings of Henri Nouwen
compiled and edited by James E. Adams

Greetings, Faces of Children Prayer Partner,

OK, I promise this is the last Advent devotion until next year! Reading Nouwen's words about being surprised by joy reminded me of something I saw on the way to church last summer. Out in the deserts of West Texas (where Faces of Children is based), the summers can be brutal. The intense heat of this long season dries most vegetation out to a crisp. As I pulled into the church driveway that summer morning, I happened to look at the vacant field next to the church and was stunned to see a vibrant, but tiny, reddish-orange blossom poking up out of the dusty, dried weeds in the lot.

How is it that a theologian who has been dead for several decades is able to speak to me so clearly? How is it that his words can evoke this almost-forgotten memory of joy found in barrenness? I am amazed and grateful that God's Holy Spirit can reach places in my mind and heart in the most wondrous ways. I find myself praying that the children of our world who suffer such incredible pain on a daily, hourly basis might know this joy that Jesus Christ offers, even in the midst of their great suffering. Will you pray this prayer with me this week? That they might be surprised by joy, trusting God to provide for them in ways we cannot?

This coming Wednesday, January 20, 2010, we will come together in community around the promise of Jesus’ love and presence among us. We’ll meet at 11:30 a.m. in the Bride’s Room at First Presbyterian Church, Midland to pray for the children of our local and global community. Please join us for this time of prayer and afterwards for lunch ($5) and fellowship.

Thank you for caring deeply about the children of our world and for devoting time and energy in bringing them before God in prayer. If you have prayer requests about children or those who care for them, please send them to me at claufer@facesofchildren.net or give me a call. Thank you for keeping the children of our communities and our world held close in prayer!

Celebrating this surprise,

Chris

In the News ... "Catholic Churches Reach Out To Victims of Haiti Earthquake"

Diane Tuazon
Reporter
KWES-TV

ODESSA-MIDLAND, TEXAS - As those heartbreaking images of destruction continue to come out of Haiti, people around the world are scrambling to help out.

Here in the Permian Basin, Catholic Relief Services are asking parishioners to open their hearts and their checkbooks.
CLICK HERE to read/watch the rest of the KWES story.

Midland Group Reports Uyghur Christian Persecuted for Religious Conversion

The China Aid Association is a non-profit Christian organization - based in Midland, Texas - with a mission to uncover and reveal the truth about religious persecution in China, focusing especially on the unofficial church. They do this, they explain in their website, by exposing the abuses, encouraging the abused and equipping the saints to advance the kingdom of God throughout China.

Midland Group Reports Uyghur Christian Persecuted for Religious Conversion

Released by ChinaAid, December, 2009 ...

"XINJIANG, CHINA – ChinaAid received breaking details on the case of Alimujiang Yimiti, a Uyghur Christian who has been illegally detained and held in prison for almost two years. On December 7, 2009, in Kashgar, Xinjiang, Lawyer Li Dunyong of the Beijing Gongxin Law Firm received notice that Mr. Alimujiang Yimiti had been sentenced by the Kashgar District Intermediate Court to a fixed-term imprisonment of 15-years, for the charge of “unlawfully providing state secrets to overseas organizations.” Alimujiang's family members were barred from seeing the verdict paper,. However, ChinaAid was able to access the document through a reliable inside Chinese government source, one who sympathizes with the unjust treatment of Mr. Alimujiang"
Read the Rest of the Report from ChinaAid

From ServLife International ... "Our Strategy for Relief and Response to Haiti Earthquake"

ServLife International is a movement defined by values of God’s kingdom, not programs built around human efforts and activities. The reign and rule of God should be made apparent to every person on the planet, despite their religion, race or socioeconomic status. We believe that issues of justice are inseparable from the good news that Jesus Christ came to proclaim. ServLife exists to take the gospel of Christ and the hope of a better, more just, world to the lives of people we touch. This happens through individual contributions of time, creativity, resources and dreams.

"Our Strategy for Relief and Response to Haiti Earthquake"

On Tuesday, January 12, an earthquake measuring a 7.0 magnitude struck Haiti near its capital city of Port-au-Prince. The damage to this country is extensive and the number of injured or dead is estimated to be in the thousands, perhaps the hundreds of thousands. ServLife International is part of an on the ground network that is bringing emergency supplies to survivors of this catastrophe.

Our strategy is working through and with local Christians and churches. In keeping with our commitment to collaboration and partnership, ServLife always determines what other organizations - whether churches or mission agencies - have capacity to receive donations and implement aid. In Haiti, we have secured an extensive network of relationships/contacts with 12 groups (missions, churches and other organizations).

ServLife is committed to a holistic approach in helping heal the world. With this in mind, our efforts are designed to meet the emotional, physical, mental and spiritual needs of those impacted. In Haiti, our implementation of this commitment will look like:

1. Encouraging ServLife's constituency to donate or fundraise among their groups for Haiti Our capacity of impact is determined by the funds we can help distribute to local, indigenous groups who may lack international contacts or access to government or large-scale aid. Rather than recruiting and dispatching specialized personnel, ServLife most often works through funds offered via the organization's supporters. We believe disaster response should be strategic and streamlined; aid in the form of extraneous, though well-intended, human resources, can severely strain local initiatives and impede productivity.

2. Assessing and researching ServLife will partner with at least five, and no more than ten groups, churches and Christian organizations to help provide monetary and personnel support for rebuilding efforts. Following an information-gathering trip (possibly multiple), phone conversations and other correspondence, we'll begin working with teams who share our commitment to Christ and proven abilities in post-disaster rebuilding. Shared worldviews and integrity is imperative as community rebuilding is a ten to twenty year-long process that offers critical new foundations for a society. It's our aim that these Christ-centered initiatives will promote lasting hope and healing for future generations.

3. Prioritizing our response initiatives and seeking partnerships in the following areas:
a. Groups working with children and teams offering post-traumatic counseling for children who have lost a family member.
b. Groups supporting immediate living needs - Working with local churches that are often neglected by larger aid groups, ServLife determines how to provide resources for community distribution. For example, practical post-earthquake items might include large numbers of hygienic supplies, basic kitchen utensils, medical equipment and first aid supplies and other essential materials that may have lost during the earthquake. Again, our capacity to deliver is contingent upon donor support.
c. Local church assistance in building/reconstruction efforts and distribution of supplies, Bibles, etc.
d. Micro-financing - As funds allow, we establish a ServLife Hope Fund that provides micro-financing opportunities to the local community. This is implemented at least six months post-disaster as initial remediation response is complex and time-consuming.

PLEASE NOTE: ServLife may support teams with specific expertise in providing relief services. These possible teams include:
• Trauma counseling
• Medical personnel
• Clean-up and reconstruction builders (as opportunities present)

ServLife Financial Goal: $100,000.00
Meeting this goal of $100,000.00 enables ServLife to generously respond to the devastation in Haiti. We ask that you pray and ask God how you can help.
ServLife will follow the same pattern in Haiti as it has undertaken for sixteen years; we will work with and through the grass-roots efforts of indigenous Christians.

Please join us in praying for the children and families devastated by the earthquake in Haiti. And please send a generous gift to help them today.

We have immediate opportunity to get medical Packs.
Cost: $500 each. They are of $13,000 value of medical equipment and medicines. We have a goal of providing 25 packs to our medical contacts on the ground in Haiti.

You can give online or mail your donations to the ServLife office at:
ServLife International
PO Box 20596
Indianapolis, IN 46220 USA
(Please mark "Haiti" on your donation)

In the News ... "Midlanders rally to provide support for Haiti"

By Kathleen Thurber
Reporter

Midland Reporter-Telegram

MIDLAND, TEXAS - With few options to physically provide relief to victims of Haiti's 7.0 earthquake, Midlanders are coming together to gather funds they hope will bring food, medical supplies and some semblance of hope to those left in the ruins of Port-au-Prince.

“When people need our help we're called to step up and help them," said Associate Director of Public Relations for Buckner International Jenny Pope. "Haiti is our neighbor so we want to be there to help them."

CLICK HERE to read the rest of the MRT story

Saturday Morning Devotional:Looking Into Tebow's Eyes

Saturday mornings this time of year find me working the floor of the gymnasium at our church in Midland, offering halftime devotionals during Upward Basketball games. I was inspired to prepare this week's devotional by looking into the eyes of a Heisman Trophy-winning, All American college football quarterback, Tim Tebow.

Upward, one of the the world’s largest Christian sports program for children, was created with a vision to provide the best sports experience possible for every child. An estimated 1-million people around the world play, coach, referee or volunteer in some way to support Upward sports activities, hosted by more than 2,600 churches - there are four churches here, in Midland, including my own First Presbyterian.

The organization notes that, "anyone – children and volunteers of any faith or no faith – can participate in Upward sports. Specifically designed for children in K5- sixth grade, Upward aims to bring out 'the winner' in every child – regardless of the game’s score."

Really, not a bad venue for discussing someone like Tim Tebow. At the moment, he is one of the most well-known college athletes in the nation, and some are suggesting he will be the #1 pick in the upcoming pro football draft.

Those of you who watch college football on TV, have probably noticed those patches of eye black he wears during games, and the references to Bible passages written in white letters on that eye black … one of them is Hebrews 12:1 ...

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." (NIV)

I suggested at Saturday's devotional that it was nice, really, to have someone like Tim Tebow out there. Is it me, I asked, or are there too many sports headlines out there devoted to guns in the locker room, marital infidelity, dogfighting, coaching scandals and steroid drug use. I wondered, can one embrace sports at any level – whether it’s in the church gym, the local ballpark or a major pro sports stadium – and still embrace Christian values? Answering my own question, I said, "yes, I think so." Tim Tebow, I noted, did it every Saturday afternoon … and these Upward kids are doing it right here, every Saturday morning.

By the way, whoever you are and wherever you are, we would love to have you on our team! If you're the parent of a youngster who wants to play basketball, soccer, flag football or cheer, chances are Upward has a league or camp near you. What? No kids? No problem ... Upward programs always need volunteers to coach teams, to referee games, to operate game clocks, to rustle-up snacks for the kids, or offer devotionals at halftime.

I can think of worse ways to spend a Saturday morning.

The Great Emergence:Pt. 2, A Global Movement

“'The Great Emergence' refers to a monumental phenomenon in our world, and this book asks three questions about it. Or looked at the other way around, this book is about a monumental phenomenon considered from the perspective of three very basic questions: What is this thing? How did it come to be? Where is it going?”

So begins Phyllis Tickle’s extraordinary new book, The Great Emergence: How Christianity Is Changing and Why. In this much-anticipated book, Tickle brings her encyclopedic knowledge of American religion to bear on the current shifts in the Christian landscape.