Mercy Trips Uganda Mission: Update #1

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.

Prologue/January 11, 2010

The 2010 journey to Uganda is about to begin. With 28 team members there will be more patients seen than on any previous trips. Of course the more patients the more medicine and surgical supplies are needed. Mercy Trips has been blessed with many donations including those raised at our annual New Year’s Eve gala.

The task at hand may seem a little overwhelming but God has prepared the way for the team. The clinic sites have been chosen, the patients needing surgery are being screened. Due to the short amount of time the team can spend in Uganda only a small number of people will be able to have surgery. Many of the patients have been waiting for the American doctors to arrive. A few things to pray for are…the team members as they finalize details before their departure on January 23rd, for Dr. Patrick and his wife Helen as they make preparations for the arrival of the team. Pray for safe travel, not only while on the airplane but also while they are in the country as they take vans to the hotel and the hospital and clinic sites each day.

Each day I will post an update of the daily happenings. Feel free to leave a comment if you would like and I will pass them on to Craig and he will then pass them on to team members. Thank you for all your prayers. May God bless.

CLICK HERE to visit Mercy Trips' blog.

In the News ... "Jesus House continues to feed the homeless"

Shelley Childers
Reporter
KOSA-TV

ODESSA, TEXAS - The cold this week drove the homeless to shelters across West Texas, many we're filled to capacity.

Jesus House in Odessa reports seeing more than 70 homeless during the arctic blast this past week.
CLICK HERE to read the rest of the KOSA story.

Reports From Lulwanda: December, 2009

Every month, Lulwanda Administrator Edward Mukiibi provides an update on Lulwanda Children's Home in Uganda – how the children are growing and learning, how the staff is developing, and any ongoing needs that may arise.

December, 2009
"December 2009, we mark five years of Lulwanda Children’s Home opening. It is God who has worked through different people to enable us reach this far. It has been your consistent generosity and prayer that we are what we are. You have blessed us materially and spiritually, comforted us and given us courage as each day we face a new hope and future"

CLICK HERE to read the rest of his December, 2009 report.

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 01/13/10

Malawi
• Please keep in prayer the 78,000 children, some as young as 5, who work on tobacco plantations in Malawi. Pray for those who work up to 12 hours a day for less than a penny an hour in hazardous conditions. A British-based international children’s charity reports that child tobacco pickers are exposed to high levels of nicotine poisoning, the equivalent of 50 cigarettes a day. Pray for better enforcement of existing child labor and protection laws in Malawi. Pray for solutions to the root problems—like poverty—that keep children in this dangerous work.
A report from alertnet.org

Mexico
• Give thanks to God for the Protect Children in Tourism (PCT) project and its partnership with local communities along the Mexican coastal state of Quintana Roo (includes the prime tourism destinations of Cancun and Cozumel). Thanks be to God for the work of this partnership in preventing this beautiful vacation spot from becoming a child sex tourism destination. Pray that more tourism communities around the world would work to prevent the commercial sexual exploitation of their children and establish protective environments for them.
A report from ECPAT-USA
Another report from ECPAT-USA

North Korea
• Pray for the children and people of North Korea who suffer deeply because of the totalitarian regime and the recent currency revaluation. Pray for those who have little access to food, medical care, or education.
A report from The Washington Post

Tajikistan
• Please keep in prayer the 20,000 children and people of this impoverished Central Asian nation left homeless by a strong earthquake early in the New Year. Pray for those who lost everything and are facing freezing winter conditions with little shelter. Pray that assistance will be able to reach them all soon—the mountainous terrain and earthquake damage may hinder quick aid. Give thanks to God there was no loss of life.
A report from Yahoo News

United States
• Please continue to keep 10-year-old Dallas held close in prayer. At the beginning of the school year, he was having difficulty adjusting to his new medication for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Now Dallas and his mother, a recovering alcoholic, are going to be evicted from their apartment because pets aren’t allowed. Dallas was given a dog at Christmas by the mom’s boyfriend.
• Pray that Dallas and his mother will be able to find pet-friendly housing soon.
• And please pray that God will guide his mother—that she will make better decisions for her small family. Pray that she will accept responsibility for her actions and behave with maturity.

Zambia (Lubasi Home Orphanage www.lubasihome.org/)
• Give thanks to God for the caregivers and volunteers at Lubasi Home Orphanage in Livingstone, Zambia as they provide vulnerable children with food, clothing, shelter, love, and spiritual guidance. Pray for the children at the Lubasi Home, many of whom have lost a parent to HIV/AIDS or their families are unable to care for them anymore. Pray that God will provide the resources necessary to care for these children and even more. The home has space for 60 children, but can’t take that many due to the lack of resources.

Faces of Children
• Thanks be to God for the new intercessors that recently joined with Faces of Children in praying for children at risk following a Compassionate Christmas event in California. Praise God for Natalie’s vision and enthusiasm in opening her home to friends and neighbors during the holiday season and sharing about children at risk.
• 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 ... "Trip to Lima"

Roy Waggoner
Staff Writer
Odessa American

ODESSA, TEXAS - Victory Life Church takes its philosophy from the Scripture, inviting people addicted to drugs or experiencing other problems to get help directly at the church. Church Pastor Albert Flores recently went further than the streets of West Texas, taking the mission to South America as part of a conference in Lima, Peru.
CLICK HERE to read the rest of the OA story.

Word from Uganda: "Prayer"

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 ...

Prayer
"Many of you remember about a year ago when I asked you to pray for Nellie, our administrator's daughter that had emergency brain surgery due to an infection that got out of control. AND I hope you remember the MIRACLE that our loving Father did in keeping her alive!!!”

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

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.

In the News ... "Census launches faith-based initiative"

By Megan Lee Buck
Assistant Lifestyle Editor

Midland Reporter-Telegram

MIDLAND, TEXAS -
With U.S. Census Bureau workers estimating Texas will gain two representatives following this year’s population count while Midland County likely will be launched into a new population category, they say its crucial for citizens to respond to their questionnaire.

So while Census Day, when all responses are due, won’t arrive until April 1, local workers already are preparing to reach Midland’s population groups. It launched a faith-based initiative outreach Friday asking local churches to urge members to participate in the Census.

CLICK HERE to read the rest of the MRT story

Midland Group Responds to World Evangelical Alliance's Statement on Their Visit to China"

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 Responds to World Evangelical Alliance's Statement on Their Visit to China

Released by ChinaAid, December, 2009 ...

"After much prayer and discussion with members of fellow evangelical organizations, ChinaAid issues the following response to the statement issued by the World Evangelical Alliance concerning churches in China, on Wednesday, November 24th. (ChinaAid does not claim to represent the entire evangelical community, but is compelled by our calling to speak truth in love to our Christian brothers and sisters)"
Read the Rest of the Report from ChinaAid

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).

Prayer is ‘Coming Together Around a Promise’
A message from Chris Laufer, Coordinator, Faces of Children

"They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers."
Acts 2:42

"Family and community are about support, celebration, and affirmation where we lift up what has already begun in us. The visit of Mary to Elizabeth is one of the Bible’s most beautiful expressions of what it means to form community, to be together, gathered around a promise, affirming what is happening among us."

"This is what prayer is all about too. Prayer is coming together around a promise. This is also what celebration is all about. It is a lifting up and rejoicing with what is already there. This is what Eucharist is about. It is saying, ‘Thanks’ for the seed that has been planted. It is saying, ‘We are waiting for the Lord, who has already come.’"

O God, may our prayer in community open us to the Holy Spirit who reveals to us the depths of your redemptive love for 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,

I am still finding it hard to believe that we are more than midway through November and well on our way into the Christmas season. So in celebration of that, and the fact that the first Sunday in Advent fast approaches, I've included an Advent devotion by Henri J.M. Nouwen with the prayer list this week. May his words bless your time of preparation and waiting for the arrival of our Savior.

On Wednesday, January 13, 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!

With deep gratitude,

Chris

In the News ... "Midland Church Turns 50"

Jennifer Samp
Reporter
KOSA-TV

MIDLAND, TEXAS - Every seat was filled at Saint Ann's church in Midland to celebrate the building of this church in 1958. Some members say it's literally the design of the church that allows it to grow.

James Zentner had no clue his first gig as a church architect would have such an impact on the community so many years later.
CLICK HERE to read the rest of the KOSA story.

The Great Emergence:Pt. 1, What is it?

“'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 ... "Odessa Churches Working to Make a Difference for Kids in Uganda"

Jennifer Samp
Reporter
KOSA-TV

ODESSA, TEXAS - Odessa churches are making a big difference in families across the world with sports equipment.

The Crossroads Fellowship Church and the Odessa Bible Church has joined together in a project called “Project Replay.” That’s where you can free up some closet space and donate your old sports equipment to kids in Uganda.
CLICK HERE to read the rest of the KOSA story.

In the News ... "A Buffet of Faiths"

Cierra Putman
Reporter
KWES-TV

MIDLAND, TEXAS - Many know the term "blended family," but a new national study out shows thousands of Americans are blending their faith and views from other religions.

The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life talked to just over 4,000 Americans across the country via phone and learned they're brewing up a concoction that's molded to their desire. But a local man of the cloth says that trend hasn't quite hit the Permian Basin yet.
CLICK HERE to read the rest of the KWES story.

Lingering Over Christmas, Hanging With the Wiseguys

In many respects, Christmas is just a memory, now. Variations of “How was your holiday?” are disappearing from our conversation, depleted shelves of Christmas goods (at dramatically-reduced prices) are giving way to shelves stuffed with Valentine’s Day goods, and the ‘fridge has been cleared - one way or another - of the last ripening remnants of Christmas dinner leftovers.

Considering that we’re only now, finally regaining our breath and our our sanity from Hectic Holiday Hustle 2009, is this any time to talk of lingering over Christmas?

Well … yes, actually. It just might be, as was suggested this past Sunday at church, and will again be suggested tonight - ‘church night’ here, in this part of the country - during a special Epiphany Celebration Dinner, an evening of food and fellowship, prayer and praise … and gifts!

Some will suggest that tonight’s gathering is something of a stretch for us … westerners, Protestants - Presbyterians, no less. But, deciding not to turn-off the spirit of the season like a string of lights at 12:00:01 December 26, we instead chose this year to linger over Christmas, joining with other western Christians in celebrating the revelation of God-made-Man in the visitation of the Biblical Magi - the original Wiseguys - to the Baby Jesus.

Relying solely upon the Bible, there’s not much we actually know about the Wiseguys. Less than twenty lines in the Book of Matthew - a few facts, and the basis for some strong assumptions, and that’s it. Really, most of what we ‘know’ about them comes from various traditions over the last 1,500 years, and a 19th-century Christmas carol.

But we do know that, whoever they were and from wherever they came, they came bearing gifts. And that is a tradition we will honor tonight, with gifts for babies and toddlers - cans of formula, jars of baby food, boxes of cereal, diapers and wipes - which will be distributed to our church’s mission partners who serve young children.

I'm looking forward to a wonderful evening. I also expect to come away with the thought that I might find ways to continue lingering over Christmas, and hanging with the Wiseguys, throughout the year ahead.

Won't you join us? It's tonight - Wednesday, January 6 - at 5:30 in Lynn Fellowship Hall of First Presbyterian Church-Midland, on the northwest corner of the intersection of A and Texas streets, on the west edge of downtown Midland Everyone eats free!

In the News ... "Student Ministry"

Veronica Sandate Craker
Staff Writer
Odessa American

ODESSA, TEXAS - Walk by faith, not by sight. This message can be seen on shirts worn by members of the UTPB Catholic Student Association.

Coincidentally the message — from 2 Corinthians 5:7 — reflects the exact situation the group finds itself in, as members work to create a Newman Center at the university.
CLICK HERE to read the rest of the OA story.

Word from Uganda: "Swimming in December"

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 ...

Swimming in December

"One of the many really great things about living in Uganda is that it is always nice weather. Never too cold. Never TOO hot (though the sun is quite intense). AND it is swimming weather all year round- so plans are never interrupted based on the month.”

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

In the News ... "Camp Aims to Give Youth Self-Worth, Deter Teen Pregnancy STD's"

By Megan Lee Buck
Assistant Lifestyle Editor

Midland Reporter-Telegram

MIDLAND, TEXAS - As a retired youth minister from First Christian Church, the Rev. Pamala Vannoy has seen the faces behind the statistics on teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.

“The statistics are very alarming,” she said. “I’ve been in youth ministry for 20-something years and it seems about every five years the kids start getting sexually active earlier.”

To make a dent in those numbers and to encourage youth to make informed decisions, Vannoy has accepted the position as director of CLER Ministries’ camp program.

CLICK HERE to read the rest of the MRT story

Midland group shares Chinese House Church Alliance's troubling "Year in Review for Persecuted Churches"

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 shares Chinese House Church Alliance's troubling "Year in Review for Persecuted Churches"

Released by ChinaAid, December, 2009 ...

"BEIJING, CHINA – Following the World Evangelical Alliance's visits with TSPM leaders in China and their positive verdict on church life and religious freedom, members of the Chinese House Church Alliance remember the cases of intense Christian persecution of 2009."
Read the Rest of the Report from ChinaAid

In the News ... "Tending to His Flock"

Roy Waggoner
Staff Writer
Odessa American

ODESSA, TEXAS - He has to preach from a stool, but that doesn’t stop the Rev. Michel Johnson from leading his congregation at Caprock Baptist Church just south of town.

He tends to his flock, leads Bible studies, preaches sermons. But, in the midst of encouraging his congregants, he is battling a terminal illness that makes it difficult to breathe.
CLICK HERE to read the rest of the OA story.