Author, educator and commentator Dr. James Denison has been pastor of Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas since June, 1998. Prior to that, he was pastor at churches in Atlanta, Georgia, as well as Midland (at First Baptist!) and Mansfield, Texas.
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).Author, educator and commentator Dr. James Denison has been pastor of Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas since June, 1998. Prior to that, he was pastor at churches in Atlanta, Georgia, as well as Midland (at First Baptist!) and Mansfield, Texas.
Author, educator and commentator Dr. James Denison has been pastor of Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas since June, 1998. Prior to that, he was pastor at churches in Atlanta, Georgia, as well as Midland (at First Baptist!) and Mansfield, Texas.
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.Issued by ChinaAid, December, 2008 ...
Natalie Rolfe has spent the last year at Lulwanda Children's Home in Mabale, Uganda, serving "90 of the most precious kids in the WORLD" by teaching them phonics and sharing the love of Jesus with them.
Brett and Shelly Faucett are mission co-workers living in Chiang Mai, Thailand, where we had a chance to meet with them during our mission to that country, earlier this year. They are HIV/AIDS regional consultants. Brett is a nurse and amateur photographer. Shelly, a former literacy specialist and ESL teacher. They have their two daughters, Acacia and Annapurna, with them. 
Church of Christ in Thailand AIDS Ministry(CAM) along with 6-7 other HIV/AIDS NGO’s and FBO’s organized a WAD celebration in the sub district of Saraphi located in the southern part of Chiang Mai ../. Please pray for the people of Thailand and their continued efforts to care for those suffering from HIV/AIDS.
Deadly cyclones and repressive governments notwithstanding, our friends in mission based in southeast Asia continue to spread the love of Jesus Christ, not only through their actions, but through the written Word of God. Following is an update we received from Mark and Astrid of the Christian Far East Ministry. We met with them both, learned from them and contributed to their efforts during our Thailand Mission, earlier this year. Their work extends beyond the borders of Thailand into other southeast Asian countries ... as the following post will tell you.
Christian Far East Ministry reports, "below are pictures of the people, many of them Christians, who we feed, aid, encourage, and share the gospel with. They are amazing people. In spite of all the horrors, oppression, and death that have come against them, many are still so kind, gentle, and loving. There seems to be no anger in them; nor unforgive-ness or hostility. Sadness, yes, but they don’t seek revenge, only peace and freedom." 
Refugees kneeling in the sand to worship God
Shan children learning a Christian song at outreach
At night we preached and gave Bibles by candlelight
IDPs receive their personal Bibles
A sponsor gave money so we could build this church with a cement floor for the refugee children who jump and dance as they worship God, and who were falling through the floor of their bamboo house on stilts.
Refugee children are praying to the Lord with all of their heart, mind, soul, and strength.
Bibles given at a refugee camp Natalie Rolfe has spent the last year at Lulwanda Children's Home in Mabale, Uganda, serving "90 of the most precious kids in the WORLD" by teaching them phonics and sharing the love of Jesus with them.
In one IDP camp, they built shelters to take in about 200 children from the Hurricane Nargis affected area, but they were too slow to get any children. Many children were orphaned by the Hurricane. The Burmese government did nothing to help the people, and they actively kept aid away from them. Many adults starved to death, leaving their children orphaned. The Burmese government then rounded up the orphans and drove them hundreds of miles away to the border areas. They dumped the children in towns where whoever wanted the children could just take them. Many of the children were taken and sold into the sex trade business. Could there be anything more horrifying for a child then to witness their parents’ deaths, to be alone, to be ripped from their homes, and then brutally forced into the horribly, abusive sex slave industry? There are no words to properly describe this catastrophic crime against humanity. Please pray for these children and for peace and freedom in Burma.
Tomorrow evening, "Part 2: Pictures"
The Free Burma Rangers (FBR) is a multi-ethnic humanitarian service movement. They bring help, hope and love to people in the war zones of Burma. Ethnic pro-democracy groups send teams to be trained, supplied and sent into the areas under attack to provide emergency assistance and human rights documentation. Together with other groups, the teams work to serve people in need.
I looked around the cluster of small huts, and smiling and happy people. I looked as the medics began to prepare for treatment and I thought, 'this is a wonderful thing'. I felt satisfied. Not satisfied with the situation and the people in hiding, but satisfied that all of us at this site were happy together and that on this day, we would all eat well and sleep well. Later that same night other Karen from different displaced villages came to sing carols at the hide site. They went to every family's house and sang. As we looked up at the stars and listened to the singing, I thought, "This really is Christmas."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.Issued by ChinaAid, December, 2008 ...
"In August of 2008 my wife and I moved from Fort Collins, Colorado, to the comparative isolation of West Texas," Dolce J writes in his profile. "My job is to help build a contemporary worship service in a new space in a traditional Protestant church. God help them and me!"
Steve and Oddny Gumaer started Partners Relief & Development in response to the needs of refugees and displaced people from Burma. This blog is meant to be a more personal stream of conversation than newsletters allow for. The opinions expressed here may not be those of Partners Relief & Development.Christmas in Burma
By Oddny Gumaer - "The evening sky was like black velvet sprinkled with gold sparkles. I pulled my hat down over my ears and was thankful for my wool sweater. Holding a cup of hot tea kept my hands warm.
I was deep in Burma's jungle, and it was December 1. All around me, Karen people were welcoming the Christmas month together. The Karen call this night "Sweet December."
We were in a field, and a fire was burning. People who had walked from the villages close by to attend the big event stood close to the flames, enjoying the warmth. Many of them were barefoot; most of them were poorly dressed. Several children around me wore only a ripped t-shirt. I shivered in the cold.
All night they sang Christmas songs. Songs reminding them of the birth of Jesus and the freedom he came to give.
A couple of miles away were the Burma Army soldiers. It did not seem to matter on this starlit evening. Or maybe it did. I couldn't tell.
Later all the guests got a present-a bar of soap and sweets for the children. In spite of the cold weather there was warmth in the air. Their celebration was a simple act of gratitude, love and joy.
A country at war. Children with hungry stomachs. Weather that was almost freezing, but no shoes. Diseases that spread faster and got worse because of the cold, but no doctors or medicines. And still, they chose to sing!
The freedom, the warmth, the safety, the wrapped presents and the yummy food that we take for granted, is but a dream for them. But the ability to enjoy small pleasures-a warm fire, songs that have been sung for generations, or even a bar of soap-is something they can teach us a lot about.
I was touched and thankful to be able to celebrate together with a people who have suffered for so many generations. As we celebrate Christmas, remember the 1.5 million people who are hiding in the jungles of Burma-on the run from an enemy who wants them gone- right now. Remember them in your thoughts, prayers, and gatherings.
At Partners, we want to wish you a blessed Christmas, a time filled with joy and love. May some of the simplicity of the celebration among Karen Christians in Burma remind us of the true reason for the season.
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.Issued by ChinaAid, December, 2008 ...
The Askren Family has set out in obedience to God's word and have become the house parents of the Mae Ka Chan Children's Home in Northern Thailand. They invite you to join their ministry to the children of Thailand - through prayer, action and giving.
Discipleship with YoSteve and Oddny Gumaer started Partners Relief & Development in response to the needs of refugees and displaced people from Burma. This blog is meant to be a more personal stream of conversation than newsletters allow for. The opinions expressed here may not be those of Partners Relief & Development.Christmas Reflections on Value
By Sarah Lapa - "My personal feeling is that the value of a person's life is not determined by an individual's degree of wealth. Some people feel that their life has value when they own a house and a car. My feeling is that the person who assists the widow, the orphan, the stranger, and the refugee - that person's life is of great value, because he/she lifts up those who need help.”
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).
