West Texas Missioner: May 2014

Saturday, May 31, 2014

In the News ... "Policy changed for prayer at ECISD graduations"

By Lyndsay Weaver, Reporter
Odessa American

ODESSA, TEXAS - After threats of a lawsuit from an organization that promotes the separation of church and state, Ector County Independent School District officials discovered the district wasn’t following policy on the tradition of prayer at graduation ceremonies.

To escape the legal ramifications, the district decided to retroactively make the changes despite the hurt feelings of a few students who will now be left out of speaking at the graduation ceremonies next week.

• read the rest of this story

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. How often have you wondered, where are the young adults in the PC(USA)? Wonder no longer. The 2014 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is devoted to the theme of young adults in the church. Its stories, many told by young adults, lift up how Presbyterians of all ages are engaging and joining with Presbyterian young adults in reforming the church for Christ’s mission.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: May 31, 2014

PRESBYTERY OF LAKE MICHIGAN - Settled on the banks of Woodbeck Lake in Gowen is Camp Greenwood, a small PC(USA) camp that has been ministering to campers since the 1950s. The vision and goals of Camp Greenwood are always evolving, but its ministry wouldn’t be possible without the young adults on summer staff who faithfully give their summers to Christ.

At the beginning of the summer of 2012, an enthusiastic group of young adults, ranging from high school students to recent college graduates, arrived at Camp Greenwood to begin a two-and-a-half-month journey that they will remember for a lifetime.

CLICK HERE to read more.

Friday, May 30, 2014

Making a moral case for fossil fuels in America

By Jeff McDonald
West Texas Missioner

Later this summer, the 221st General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church USA will consider a "Divestment from Fossil Fuel Companies Overture," stating "Our Faith Compels us to Bold Denominational Action In recognition that our faith with corresponding works is dead (James 2) we recommend that the General Assembly call on the Board of Pensions and the PCUSA Foundation to immediately stop new investment in fossil fuel companies and eliminate all current holdings over the next five years."

The overture from Fossil Free PCUSA recommends that "The General Assembly expresses its profound concern about the destructive effects of climate change on all God’s creation. Climate change has had a disproportionate impact on those living in poverty and in the least developed countries, the elderly and children, and those least responsible for the emissions of greenhouse gases. General Assembly thus recognizes the moral mandate for humanity to shift to a sustainable energy plan in a way that is both just and compassionate. This mandate propels us to action as a denomination: to divest from the fossil fuel industry even as we reduce our use of fossil fuels and shrink our carbon footprint."

I, personally, object to this overture for so many reasons ... and I plan to address those objections in the next couple of weeks leading up to the General Assembly's meeting in Detroit. They are based upon my life, my faith and my experience as a Christian in the PCUSA denomination ... but they are also based upon the first-hand experience and insights I have gained from decades as an environmentalist AND a resident of the 'oil patch.' If you would like to contribute to the discussion - REGARDLESS of your stand on this overture - please CLICK HERE for an e-mail link.

From @FWMission ... Friday Story: "Sincere Gratitude"

Founded in 2001, Free Wheelchair Mission is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to providing wheelchairs for the impoverished disabled in developing nations. Headquartered in Irvine, California, FWM works around the world in partnership with a vast network of humanitarian, faith-based and government organizations, sending wheelchairs to hundreds of thousands of disabled people, providing not only the gift of mobility, but of dignity, independence, and hope.

Friday Story: "Sincere Gratitude"

Greetings and happy Friday!

Your partnership with Free Wheelchair Mission does more than lift someone off the ground, it literally transforms their lives and those of their caregivers. This week I want to share with you a story of a woman in Vietnam who expressed her sincere gratitude for her new wheelchair.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Le was born in 1958. Due to impacts of herbal pesticides used in rural areas of Vietnam, Ms. Le was born with leg deformities making it impossible for her to walk ...

• read the rest of this story ...

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

PRESBYTERY OF LAKE HURON, MICHIGAN - Alma College is blessed with wonderful student servant leaders—student ministry coordinators! These nine students select and lead music for worship, write liturgy, plan fellowship events, and publicize activities. Each student ministry coordinator, or SMC, has responsibility for a single area of ministry but is intentionally cross-trained. These students not only take an active role in leading chapel programming but will take their skills with them into the congregations they join after graduation.

CLICK HERE to read more.

Thursday, May 29, 2014

Reports From Lulwanda: Program Coordinator's Report for April 2014

Natalie Rolfe serves Lulwanda Children's Home in Uganda as program coordinator: organizing and coordinating the programs of the Home, school, and clinic; overseeing sponsor connection and relationships (on the side of the children); and hosting American visitors that come to the Home.

April, 2014

"April brought about many activities to close out the school term. Students were busy in their classrooms taking final exams. But in the midst of the stress they have also been having some time of relief practicing and refining their skills for track competition ..."

... The end of April brought about the beginning of holiday activities at the home. From the older children having a slumber party at the Palmer’s house, to reading time in the library, to visits to St. Kizito, to just helping and playing in the compound. Stay tuned for May’s PC report for more details about the holiday fun."

• read the rest of Rolfe's April, 2014 report

• enjoy an April, 2014 photo album from LCH

Faces of Children: Prayer Concerns for This Week

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 05/29/14

Columbia

On May 18, 2014, an overcrowded bus returning from a church service in Fundacion, Colombia caught fire. At least 32 children were killed as the fire spread quickly. Twenty-five others, including an adult, were injured and seriously burned. Reports vary as to the cause. Survivors report the bus driver was handling a gasoline container on the bus and emergency responders say he was trying to start a broken down engine.
• more on this issue
• Please hold close in prayer the loved ones of those killed in this tragedy. Pray for God’s comfort and peace to surround them in this difficult time.
• Pray for healing for those who were burned or injured in the vehicle fire. Keep in prayer the families of those injured as they help care for their loved ones.
• Pray for the bus driver who disappeared after the accident. Local residents blame him for causing the fire.

Kenya

There are an estimated one-and-a-half million Somalian refugees living in Kenya following Somalia’s 1991civil war. Because of the string of terrorist attacks in Kenya, believed to have been committed by Somali-based al Shabaab, Kenyan authorities have been arresting thousands of immigrants. Last month, authorities began arresting people and deporting them or sending them to overcrowded refugee camps. Since the operation began, Kenyan police have arrested more than 4,000 immigrants and refugees, many of them ethnic Somalis. Authorities have also arrested and deported hundreds of other illegal immigrants, including those from Ethiopia, South Sudan, Congo, Cameroon, and Uganda. Non-government organizations are discovering a number of children and babies have been left behind unattended when their parents are deported or sent to refugee camps.
• more on this issue
• Keep in prayer children left without caregivers when their parents were arrested. Pray for their safety and provision. Pray God will provide for all refugee children who’ve been separated from their parents in this anti-terrorist operation. Pray for the 9-year-old who was left to care for her twin siblings who are less than a year old.
• Pray for anxious parents who were taken from their children and not given an opportunity to obtain interim caregivers. Please pray these families will be reunited soon.

United States, Mexico, Rwanda, South Korea, China

Presbyterian Pan American School (PPAS) is a college preparatory boarding school in Kingsville, Texas that educates high school students from around the world, including China, Mexico, Rwanda, South Korea, and the United States.
• more on this issue in the PPAS website
• Thanks be to God for the graduating class of PPAS, the largest one in the school’s 100-year history. Pray for these 56 students as they continue their education in universities throughout the U.S. and abroad.
• Pray for the faculty and staff of the school as they take a much-needed break from a busy school year. Pray especially for the dorm parents and supervisors who work 24 hours a day, seven days a week during the school year, including all holidays.
• Please continue to pray for students who are starting their summer break from PPAS. Pray for those from South Korea and Rwanda who aren’t able to return home because of the high cost of travel or visa issues. Keep students from Mexico close in prayer as they return to homes in areas of drug cartel violence.

United States

Four-year-old Jordan had surgery to remove a kidney with a fist-sized-tumor wrapped around it and several days later had surgery to remove another tumor in one of her lungs. Jordan finished 10 days of radiation and chemotherapy the day before her baby sister Leslie was born. She recently completed weekly chemotherapy treatments and will only have to go back every three weeks for treatment until she finishes in August.
• Pray for God’s healing touch to be upon Jordan. Pray she will feel God’s comfort and love during this difficult time. Give God thanks Jordan is feeling better and has a break from chemotherapy treatment for a little while.
• Please continue to pray for Jordan’s parents, Jerin and Kristen, as they navigate the medical issues facing Jordan and care for newborn Leslie.

Faces of Children

• Please keep Lindy, the sister of Faces of Children prayer partner Bridget, close in prayer as she continues treatment for cancer. Give thanks to God Lindy has recovered enough to be released from the hospital after having life-threatening complications during her treatment.
• 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.

If you have prayer requests about children, those who care for them, those who have authority over them, or those who harm them (the really hard prayers to say sometimes), please send them to Chris Laufer, FOC Coordinator, at claufer@facesofchildren.net

In the News ... "Fort Stockton native Dinessah Fuentez seeks a mission to South Africa"

Frank Rodasky, Reporter
Fort Stockton Pioneer

ODESSA, TEXAS - Missionary work has always been a way that churches have helped the less fortunate, many times in foreign countries.

A Fort Stockton native has a chance to help provide spiritual guidance to Africans stricken with AIDS.

Dinessah Fuentez, a freshman at Odessa College, is trying to raise money to pay the cost of traveling to the other side of the world to provide ministry services to people who may not have long to live.

• read the rest of this report ...

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. How often have you wondered, where are the young adults in the PC(USA)? Wonder no longer. The 2014 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is devoted to the theme of young adults in the church. Its stories, many told by young adults, lift up how Presbyterians of all ages are engaging and joining with Presbyterian young adults in reforming the church for Christ’s mission.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: May 29, 2014

MINUTE FOR MISSION: ASCENSION OF THE LORD - The monthly meeting of Donaldina Cameron House’s board of directors always opens with a personal reflection by one of the members. “After graduating from college, I wandered from job to job,” Edmund began, “and then one day a social worker at Cameron House handed me a job announcement from the Chinatown office of Social Security. I was hired—over 30 years ago—and now I’m a regional district manager overseeing 500 employees and I love my job!” He went on to say that the skills he gained as a youth volunteer at Cameron House are valuable and being used every day on the job.

CLICK HERE to read more.

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

WAW Wednesdays: Prayer Requests

"The Word at Work is a ministry that mobilizes churches and individuals to answer God's call to minister to those in need," writes Rev. Tim Tam, Director of the Amarillo, Texas-based ministry. "Through our relationships, God reveals needs and opportunities for service. As we come along side the poor, new friendships develop and doors for ministry open. As we serve, God provides the resources to supply for the needs he reveals."

Prayer Requests

Hello Friends!

Tim Hagen and his band of Ministry Associates have been emptying our warehouse in Amarillo - we have two containers arriving shortly in Belize! Partners in the Victoria, Texas area have been busily gathering furnishings and supplies for King's Children's Home, Marla's House of Hope, and Child Development Foundation; they are just about ready to ship a container from their location, however our shipping funds are depleted ... we are hopeful you might be moved to make a donation toward the $5K USD needed to ship these needed supplies!! In addition to furnishings for these children's homes, we hope to fill every nook and cranny with medical and surgical supplies. If you want to help make this container go, please fill out this Commitment Card and return it to our office!

We continue to pray for a consistent shipping sponsor; perhaps your church's mission team would be interested in leveraging their tithe for this worthy investment ... let's discuss the possibilities!

We are praying hard for long-term missionary couple Rachel & Cole Calloway. Shortly after arriving at King's Children's Home for their long-term mission call, the Calloway's found out they are expecting a child! We celebrate this new life with them! Sadly, soon after receiving this news, Rachel's mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Thankfully, the Calloway's were able to return to the states in time to spend time with Kim before her passing. Please keep the entire Mariano family in your prayers as they deal with this great loss and the Calloway's as they make the transition back to the USA.

One more prayer request: For our fearless leader, Tim Tam!

Tim underwent a surgical procedure today on his back. The surgeon is pleased with how things went, but this does mean Tim will be recuperating for a while! Please pray for protection from infection and that the procedure will have the desired effect ... and for the rest of us at TW@W as we prepare for teams and a busy summer ahead!

Thanks for your time,

Molly Fields
Operations Manager, The Word at Work

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

EASTMINSTER PRESBYTERY OF OHIO - Joseph Badger Meadows Camp and Conference Center (JBM) was an underused 235-acre presbytery camp south of the community of Kinsman. Lamenting decline in the camp’s usage, the JBM committee sought to discern what God’s purposes were for JBM. From a generative conversation begun by Rev. Steve Fortenberry, a member of the JBM committee and pastor of Common Ground Church Community (North Lima), an idea germinated. Common Ground, whose church facility was converted from a nursery, has given birth to a separate nonprofit organization, Goodness Grows, which focuses on food justice and training in agricultural development. Steve suggested that JBM could be the site of an incubator farm. The JBM committee strongly sensed the working of the Holy Spirit in their midst.

CLICK HERE to read more.

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Will You Support Those Called to Lead?

Strength is synonymous with the image of America's armed forces. For Caleb Williams, a student at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary who serves in the Army's 143rd Airborne Infantry (Ranger) unit, strength comes from growing closer to God. Because of you, Williams can answer the call to become a military chaplain and pass this strength on to other soldiers.

Recently I had the opportunity to get to know Caleb and he shared how hard it was for him to get to seminary. He knew what God had planned, but he could not figure out the finances:

"I knew that God was calling me into the ministry but I thought it was an impossible request. I just did not see a way that I would be able to pay for it. I continued to hear God's call but when I researched seminaries around the country, it just was not feasible. I walked into Austin Seminary and laid out all the reasons why I could not come, and the admissions counselor kept giving me ways to overcome the barriers. Thanks to need-based scholarships, I will be able to take my passion for Christ and share it with veterans and my brothers and sisters in the military."

• read the rest of Caleb's story

Scholarships are crucial for our student's success, and currently Austin Seminary is able to provide scholarships that cover 85% of tuition costs to 75% of our students.

Today I am asking for your help so we can continue to provide scholarships to those God is calling into ministry. Please make a gift to support annual scholarships to help seminarians like Caleb as they prepare to be the kind of leaders God has planned.

Faithfully,

– Theodore J. Wardlaw
President of Austin Seminary

• please, make a gift

For the glory of God and to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary is a seminary in the Presbyterian-Reformed tradition whose mission is to educate and equip individuals for the ordained Christian ministry and other forms of Christian service and leadership; to employ its resources in the service of the church; to promote and engage in critical theological thought and research; and to be a winsome and exemplary community of God's people.

Invitation to Prayer: TOMORROW

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).

Dwelling in Jesus

“Jesus leaves little doubt about the meaning of prayer when he says: ‘Apart from me you can do nothing; those who dwell in me as I dwell in them, bear much fruit’ (John 15:5). Dwelling in Jesus is what prayer is all about.

Life becomes an unbearable burden whenever we lose touch with the presence of a loving Savior and see only hunger to be alleviated, injustice to be addressed, violence to be overcome, wars to be stopped, and loneliness to be removed. All these are critical issues, and Christians must try to solve them; however, when our concern no longer flows from our personal encounter with the living Christ, we feel oppressive weight.

Most of us try to get out from underneath by saying: ‘I have enough problems in keeping my own family and work going. Please do not burden me with the problems of the world. They only make me feel guilty and remind me of my powerlessness.’ We no longer participate in the full human reality, choosing instead to isolate ourselves in that corner of the world where we feel relatively safe. We may still say our fearful prayers, but we have forgotten that true prayer embraces the whole world, not just the small part where we live.”

Prayer Embraces the World by Henri J. M. Nouwen

A message from Chris Laufer, Coordinator, Faces of Children

Greetings, Faces of Children Intercessor,

The Midland Faces of Children prayer group will meet in the new Family Life Center conference room at First Presbyterian Church-Midland, on Wednesday, May 28, 2014 at 11:30 a.m. Lunch ($5) and fellowship will follow our time of prayer.

If you have prayer concerns or celebrations about children, those who care for them, those who have authority over them, or those who harm them (the really hard prayers to say sometimes), please send them to me at at claufer@facesofchildren.net, or give me a call.

Blessings,

Chris

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. How often have you wondered, where are the young adults in the PC(USA)? Wonder no longer. The 2014 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is devoted to the theme of young adults in the church. Its stories, many told by young adults, lift up how Presbyterians of all ages are engaging and joining with Presbyterian young adults in reforming the church for Christ’s mission.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: May 27, 2014

PRESBYTERY OF DETROIT - The Invisible City began in the summer of 2012 as a local mission experience for the teens of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Ann Arbor. Instead of venturing far away for mission, the youth stayed at their own church and learned about people who previously had been “invisible” to them and their community. Working with organizations throughout Washtenaw County, they served people struggling with hunger and homelessness, isolated seniors coping with loneliness, people in recovery, people living with disabilities, and academically challenged children.

“I definitely learned more that week than I did on four previous mission trips,” writes sophomore Leah Hess.

CLICK HERE to read more.

Monday, May 26, 2014

ChinaAid: "Content of letter given to Chinese Consulate published"

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.

Content of letter given to Chinese Consulate published

Distributed by ChinaAid, May, 2014 ...

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – China Aid received the content of a letter given to the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles on April 30.

The letter, translated and edited by China Aid below, compares the April 28 demolition of Sanjiang Church to the March 2001 demolition of the Bamiyan Buddha statues in Afghanistan by the Taliban. The Sanjiang Church building was demolished after thousands of Christians had gathered to guard the church.

• more on this story from China Aid

Invitation to Prayer: Wednesday

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. How often have you wondered, where are the young adults in the PC(USA)? Wonder no longer. The 2014 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is devoted to the theme of young adults in the church. Its stories, many told by young adults, lift up how Presbyterians of all ages are engaging and joining with Presbyterian young adults in reforming the church for Christ’s mission.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: May 26, 2014

THE PRESBYTERY OF CINCINNATI - Over 10 years ago, a group of youth and adult advisers ventured across state lines and denominational boundaries to assist in food distribution for people in need. They’ve been returning every month since.

It all started in 2002 when Liz Gardiner, a member of Lakeside Presbyterian Church in northern Kentucky, became aware of the growing need in the Cincinnati neighborhood surrounding the church in which she had grown up, Church of the Advent (Episcopal), in Walnut Hills. In her former neighborhood, needs were increasing while resources were shrinking. She wanted to make a difference.

CLICK HERE to read more.

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

Changing trains on the way to Grinnell, Iowa,
for the Westminster Youth Assembly

MINUTE FOR MISSION: PRESBYTERIAN HERITAGE - Many young Presbyterians in the 1940s and 1950s participated in Westminster Fellowship programs. Whether through summer camps, youth conventions, Bible studies, or service projects, Presbyterian young people aged 12 to 23 joined together to enhance their relationships with God, the church, and their peers all over the world.

A major gathering of Presbyterian young people occurred in the summer of 1950, when representatives from 45 states descended upon Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa, to attend the second Westminster Fellowship National Assembly.

CLICK HERE to read more.

Saturday, May 24, 2014

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. How often have you wondered, where are the young adults in the PC(USA)? Wonder no longer. The 2014 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is devoted to the theme of young adults in the church. Its stories, many told by young adults, lift up how Presbyterians of all ages are engaging and joining with Presbyterian young adults in reforming the church for Christ’s mission.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: May 24, 2014

SYNOD OF THE COVENANT - One important objective of the mission plan for the Synod of the Covenant is to nurture and embrace youth.

The average age of a Presbyterian is 62. Our congregations seem to be focused mostly on financial survival, day-to-day management of aging buildings, and outdated programs and ministry models. Our educational and discipleship programs usually lack the segments of the population that are critical to the revival and longevity of the church. Youth and young adults are becoming extinct in our Sunday-morning church experience. Both parents and church leaders seem helpless to reverse this trend.

CLICK HERE to read more.

Friday, May 23, 2014

From @FWMission ... Friday Story: "A Wheelchair Helps an Entire Family"

Friday Story: "A Wheelchair Helps an Entire Family"

Greetings and happy Friday!

Kadiatou is a wife and mother of four. As a child, Kadiatou was very active, playing in her yard, talking with friends, but it all came to a halt when one morning at the age of eight years old, she woke unable to use her legs. She has spent the last 40 years of her life crawling on her hands and elbows. Twenty-one years ago she was gifted a hand cycle from a man. It was a great piece of equipment for long distances, but was impractical for use inside of her home, so she had to rely on help from her husband and children to do the daily chores. Now, Kadiatou says, “I am glad that Free Wheelchair Mission and World Vision have given me a wheelchair because I can use it inside the house as it is small and can turn easily.”

Receiving a wheelchair from Free Wheelchair Mission also provided more opportunities for Kadiatou’s family ...

• read the rest of this story ...

In the News ... "Locals attend holy ceremony"

• Prayer, celebrations highlight canonizations for Midland pilgrims

By Tom Collier, Special Contributor
Odessa American

MIDLAND, TEXAS - In April, I had the privilege of traveling with my wife Pat and 60 other pilgrims from across the U.S. to attend the canonization of Pope John XXXIII and Pope John Paul II.

When Cardinal Angelo Roncalli became Pope John XXIII in October, 1958, I was only one day old. Twenty years later, in October 1978, Karol Cardinal Wojtyla became the first non–Italian pope to serve the Church in 455 years.

On Divine Mercy Sunday, April 27, 2014, both men were canonized as Saints by Pope Francis. It was a blessing to be in Rome to experience our truly universal church praying and celebrating with such joy.

• read the rest of this OA report ...

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

SOUTH AFRICA - In a society that discourages open discussion of sexuality, members of the Thembisa Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa (UPCSA) congregation have helped to start Camp LaThuso, an eight-day program that equips young people to tackle social and health problems. More than 100 youth from various parts of Johannesburg participated in the first camp in 2012. “For most of the campers, it was the first time they had ever gotten straight answers to their questions concerning sexuality and HIV/AIDS,” says Kefiloe Masiteng, the camp’s founder. “Our goal is to change participants’ attitudes and behaviors, helping them to gain the knowledge and strength needed to avoid the pitfalls of adulthood.”.

CLICK HERE to read more.

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Faces of Children: Prayer Concerns for This Week

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 05/22/14

Brazil

With the 2014 FIFA World Cup a month away, organizations serving vulnerable children in Brazil are working hard to raise awareness about the potential for increased sexual exploitation and violence against children. Groups working with vulnerable children fear the massive influx of people attending World Cup events will cause the already occurring commercial sexual exploitation of children to skyrocket. Sexual violence is the second most reported crime against children in Brazil with more than 10,000 children and adolescents reported to be victims of sexual abuse in 2011 alone. Most of the victims were between 10 and 14 years old.
• more on this issue
• Give God thanks and praise for children’s charity organizations like Plan International that work to protect children and educate the public about child sex tourism during the World Cup. Thanks be to God for the programs Plan International has created to aid at-risk girls, boys, and young people. Pray these programs will help vulnerable children develop their potential and reduce their risk of exploitation.
• Please pray for the safety and protection of children at risk of sexual abuse in Brazil, and especially those in the World Cup host cities. Pray the campaigns to raise awareness about this sexual exploitation of children will spread throughout Brazil and create a community that is alert to the abuse and will work to stop it.
• Please pray for law enforcement officials and government authorities as they work to prevent the abuse of children. Pray the focus will be on the arrest of those who abuse children, from the pimps to the customers.
• And pray for those who prey upon children in order to fulfill their sexual or financial cravings. Pray for justice for children who have been abused by such predators.

Thailand

On Monday, May 5, 2014, a strong earthquake hit northern Thailand near Chiang Rai, a mountainous region popular to foreign tourists. The 6.3 magnitude quake, the strongest in decades, had more than 100 aftershocks and caused multiple injuries and damage to roads, houses, hotels, hospitals, schools, shops, and temples in the area. Faces of Children has provided prayer support throughout the years to the children and staff of the Mae Ka Children’s Home, a home for 150 at-risk, ethnic hill tribe children that is located near the epicenter of this quake.
• more on this issue
• more on this issue
• more on this issue
• Please pray for those affected by this major earthquake. Pray for children whose schools and homes have been destroyed or damaged. Pray for those injured by the quake or its multiple aftershocks. Keep in prayer those who are still displaced from their homes.
• Give God thanks that all the children and staff at the Mae Ka Chan Children’s Home are okay. Pray for children who were frightened by the earthquake and aftershocks. Thanks be to God the children’s housing wasn’t damaged. Pray for the staff at the children’s home as they provide selflessly for so many vulnerable children.

United States

A southern Minnesota teen was arrested earlier this month and charged with planning an attack on a school in his rural community. The 17-year-old had planned to kill his family, set a fire to distract authorities, and then attack a building that houses both the community’s junior and senior high schools. There are more than 900 students that attend these schools. He had also planned to set off bombs during lunch, set fires in the school, shoot students and staff, and then be killed by law enforcement authorities. The 17-year-old had collected bomb-making materials, firearms, and ammunition as well as detailed his intentions in a journal. He idolized one of the Columbine gunmen and referred to that 1999 shooting at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado in his journal. .
• more on this issue
• Give God grateful thanks this young man was arrested before he could inflict pain and destruction on others. Thanks be to God for the vigilant person who observed the 17-year-old acting suspiciously and called police.
Please keep the students and staff at the schools close in prayer as they deal with the effects of this close call. Pray God will comfort them and their parents/families. Pray the peace of Christ that surpasses all understanding will guard their hearts against anxiety and fear.
• Pray for the 17-year-old young man…that God will bring healing into his brokenness. Pray for his parents and siblings as they deal with the consequences of his actions. Pray for God’s comfort and peace for these family members, as well.

Faces of Children

• Please keep the family of 20-month-old Lilly close in prayer as they mourn her death. Pray for God’s comfort for her parents, brothers, grandparents, and extended family in this season of deep grief and loss.
• 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 ... "St. Stephen’s launches Fortnight for Freedom observance"

By Jimmy Patterson
West Texas Angelus

MIDLAND, TEXAS - Fortnight For Freedom is a campaign begun by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to participate in events during a 14-day period in June and July that heightens awareness of religious liberty issues in the United States.

The first observance of Fortnight for Freedom opened with a Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in June 2012. Since, the event has grown to encompass events held at dioceses around the country, 70 of which held events in 2012.

This year’s event, called “Fortnight for Freedom to Serve” will focus on the freedom to serve the poor and vulnerable in accord with human dignity and the Church’s teaching.

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Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

LESOTHO - Whether playing guitar or piano with the worship band or playing basketball with the youth after church, Bataung Makhakhe (aka Batta) exudes a quiet confidence that draws others to him. Born in Koro Koro village in the lowlands of Lesotho, he was raised in a happy home with three siblings. They moved to the outskirts of the capital when he was just entering secondary school. He did well and was given a place at Lerotholi Polytechnic studying electrical engineering. Then, in 2008, his father died suddenly. A good man and hard worker, Batta felt his loss keenly. Being the eldest son, he had to leave school and go to work. He found employment with a youth resource center, where he became a peer educator teaching life skills and counseling youths about HIV. Later, he became a mentor to young men, helping to establish a support program for prison inmates dealing with HIV. And he did all this by age 22!

CLICK HERE to read more.

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

WAW Wednesdays: Marla's House of Hope Fundraiser

Marla's House of Hope Annual Fundraiser

Friends,

This weeks Wednesday update is all about Marlas' House of Hope located in Belmopan, Belize ... I was fortunate to attend Marla's Annual Fundraiser last week and it was awesome! We had 110 guests from all over the country and there were folks from the US there as well. This event is vital to Marla's mission to provide a safe, stable, loving environment to girls who have been placed there by the Ministry of Family Services.

I was really privileged to share Alfred's Story with the attendees. This video was created to tell the story of Marla's and God's unique plan for every child's life. I hope you will take a few minutes to watch (you might need a tissue) .... • CLICK HERE to view the video

Through the silent auction, ticket sales, and gracious donations, they raised nearly one-fourth of their annual operating budget ... perhaps you'd like to become a monthly donor and help stabilize Marla's operations .... luckily, I've included a Commitment Card in this message for you to complete and return to the office so we can sign you up!

OR ... maybe you've been to Belize with TWAW ... and you've dreamt of owning a piece of beach-access property there ... somewhere near Placencia perhaps ... if that describes you, please check out this 82'x67' lot in Placencia by clicking HERE! The proceeds of the sale of this property will directly benefit Marla's.

Keep praying for our teams that begin arriving in June. Kenny & Jose are busily getting supplies and logistics finalized for these teams ... what a gift it is to be His hands and feet!

Thanks for your time,

Tim Tam
The Word at Work

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

MADAGASCAR - Faced with choosing between becoming another of the many vendors on the streets of her hometown of Andaingo Gara or becoming a physician, Annick (Awn-èke) Rakotoarimanitra chose what she believes the Lord called her to and prepared her for—becoming a physician.

Annick is one of the first student residents of Akany Gazela—the Gazela home for secondary-school girls started by the Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar (FJKM), the PC(USA) partner church in the island nation.

CLICK HERE to read more.

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Reports From Lulwanda: Program Coordinator's Report for March 2014

Natalie Rolfe serves Lulwanda Children's Home in Uganda as program coordinator: organizing and coordinating the programs of the Home, school, and clinic; overseeing sponsor connection and relationships (on the side of the children); and hosting American visitors that come to the Home.

March, 2014

"The month of March marks the middle of the first school term. Children at Lulwanda Primary School have found a routine: morning school assembly, deep into class lessons, mid-morning break/snack, back to classes again, 1pm lunch, lunch hour Scripture Union every other day, more lessons in class, then released around 5:00pm for the community children to catch the bus back home ..."

... Next month will be busy with sports competition and the ending of Term 1. Please pray for the students to learn how to balance learning and extra-curricular activities. Also pray for endurance for the teachers as they draw near to the end of the term. And pray for our secondary students to continue to be salt and light in their schools and to finish the term well."

• read the rest of Rolfe's March, 2014 report