For the past 6 years, Mt. Bethel UMC, has asked and tried to answer some tough questions: How can we care for the hurting children and families in our communities? Is it solely the job of the local DFCS office to care for and protect children in our own back yard or is it the mandate of the local church to care for these hurting children (James 1:27)? As we continue to “Shift” to focusing on the family unit, how can we as families, individuals and as a body of Christ make an impact on a social problem this big? These questions are daunting, but a church like Mt. Bethel UMC can make a difference, and has.

Mt. Bethel is positioned to respond to this call for foster families and to support children and their birth families. We ask that you take some time this week to pray specifically for these children in crisis, their families and our ministry partners, FaithBridge Foster Care and DFCS. This is a wonderful time to involve your children in praying for children that could be walking beside them in school hallways. Right now, Cobb County children need a home, some for a little while and some forever and we know there is no better place to heal than in a good, solid Christian family.

If you would like to hear more about becoming a Mt. Bethel Foster Family or just find out ways in which your family can support a foster family, please come to a Foster Care Orientation from 6:30 to 8:00pm on May 16th, in room B118. Or feel free to call either of us for more information.

Jeff McKisson, FaithBridge Foster Care Ministry Advocate 678-642-0061
Julie Kirby, Foster Care Ministry Advocate 770-656-6305

Project 82 is a non-profit organization devoted to defending the cause of the weak and the fatherless in Kenya. Mt. Bethel and Project 82 will meet practical needs: feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and share Jesus by building relationships. We will serve in communities with high orphan populations that Project 82 has partnered with as well as serving those living on the streets or in slums. God has led Project 82 teams to participate in home and school visits, VBS, life skills training, i.e. sewing, carpentry, etc., serving in a health clinic, teaching in a community school, building chicken coops, kitchens, cow sheds, and purchasing and delivering goats and calves for individual families.

Trip Dates: Dates: June 10-22, 2012

Requirements: The only requirement is a willing spirit.

Language: Kiswahili, not required, and English

Passport: Required, must not expire within 6 months beyond trip end date, and $50 Visitors Visa to be purchased in Nairobi airport upon arrival.

Immunizations: Routine Adult Immunizations up-to-date. Recommended: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Typhoid, Yellow Fever, Polio, and Malaria

Cost: $3,500 estimated – This includes airfare, travel insurance, ground transportation, accommodations, meals, purified water, building supplies, and tips.

Contacts:
kevin.combs@wellsfargo.com, 678-480-3374
jonathanlawson55@gmail.com, 770-312-1916

“This Mission Sunday Event created an awareness for Murphy Harpst that we have not had at Mt. Bethel UMC. The response and interest that was shown by the membership at Mt. Bethel was very gratifying.”

“There was much more enthusiasm this year…we had 18 people sign up for two future packing sessions.”

“I want to thank you for the opportunity to hi-light the Back Pack Ministry. We had a great response and signed up over 20 new volunteers.”

“We were happy to have participated, and we picked up a few new veterans for our membership. Thanks for making this happen.”

View More Pictures

Each local mission does an amazing job of helping the Least and the Lost. To learn more about each of our local mission partners, please check out the Community Section of this site. You will also find Volunteer Opportunities where current needs are posted.

So many Mt. Bethel members are already involved in local missions, and we thank you so much for all you do! If you aren’t involved in a local ministry, please check out the website and prayerfully consider ways you can get involved.

Dianne Brasuell (DsBrasuell@aol.com)
Kathy VanderBroek (KVand@bellsouth.net)
Missions Committee

If you are selling, have you thought about the fact that your children are watching you from the sidelines as you sort through toys and clothes, label them, and maybe become a little stressed preparing for the consignment sale? Or if you are attending the sale and purchasing clothing for your children, have you thought about the new clothes your child will have for the upcoming spring and summer season? You may be donating time and working during the sale, but have you thought about how the children perceive you volunteering your time?

“Shift” your thinking as you are preparing this week and realize that you are leading by example. You are showing your daughter and son that through the sale, you are also doing God’s work. It is a teachable moment no matter how young or old.

If you are selling, children can be incorporated into the normal prep work for the sale. As you pull items for the sale, simply ask your children to pick out one nice, slightly used outfit or a single item to be donated to a child who is in need. If you are buying new clothes for your child, have your child donate an item from their closet that is slightly used since they have just received new clothes. If you are working the sale, you can encourage your child to support the sale and donate a slightly used outfit or item, so others will be clothed this spring and summer.

“Shift” the subject as you are taking the five minutes to pick out the item or items, and have a conversation about what Jesus would have us do for others. Tell your child about the Bible verse, Matthew 25:36, “I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” Tell the children about children around the world in India, Kenya, or those in our own backyard, The Garden and other locations you may know whose clothes, are worn, tattered, dirty, and probably do not fit. Also explain that they don’t have the means to have several outfits, and even if they did, they have nowhere to keep them or wash them. At the end of the clothing sale, many organizations and foster families come to select clothing from what is left over. The balance is usually donated to MUST.

Explain to your children that we are in the season of Lent, and during this season, we are encouraged to do acts of kindness. By your child choosing one nice, slightly used outfit or piece of clothing and donating it to other children, they have performed an act of kindness.

Tracey Reed
Mt. Bethel Parent

It took us until early February to finish counting and sorting the books from last November’s Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church book drive. Of the 15,000 books we have in inventory for our May program, approximately 5,000 came from Mt. Bethel parishioners. What a blessing for Athens children!

Read more here.

This past December, I was able to fly thousands of miles to Kenya. I had no idea what to expect. I knew I was going to feed and love children, but I had no idea what I was stepping into. I was really excited, but really nervous as well.

We started off going to a slum on the first day to feed and play with children. It was an eye opening experience that I will never forget. I knew when I arrived at the slum that day and saw all the children that the next two weeks were going to be life changing.

A few days later, we were able to make it to Springs of Hope, which is a children’s orphanage. The orphanage was very different than the slum. We were able to spend personal time with the children and the caregivers. It was just amazing to start building relationships with the children. This is, a little baby girl that instantly stole my heart. She was the most adorable thing I had ever laid my eyes on. I truly started to experience a transformation. You see, when you go to a slum to feed children or when you sponsor a child, you are doing an amazing thing. That is what God asks us to do and what some of us are called to do, but it is totally different than when you are holding a beautiful baby girl God has broken your heart for. It becomes real. It is something that will never leave me. I honestly feel that in my time at Springs of Hope, I took a mighty leap closer to my Lord and Savior. God opened my eyes up to His love for me like I never had seen. I was no longer in Kenya as a missionary that served food and built things, but I was there to be a servant to Jesus, and do whatever He asked.

I believe going to Kenya is something everyone needs to experience. I would recommend it to anyone who is thinking about it and even for those who are not. Going to Kenya was one of the greatest experiences of my life. If the Lord allows me, I hope to go multiple times. I mentioned Abigail earlier and how she stole my heart instantly. I believe God did that to me for a reason. I think He used sweet little Abigail to show me how much He loves me.

Though the whole trip was full of the Lord and there are so many stories I could share, the Lord gave me Abigail to open my eyes like they have never been opened before.

Kenya used to just be a name, but now it’s a place that has a special place in my heart.

Taylor Pair
College and Young Adult Associate

The meeting concluded with a celebration of the scholastic success of OK for Youth participants. OK Board members Tricia Eoff and Bill Spell noted the remarkable number of students honored as Executive Director Dale Champion proudly announced that this group represented the most successful semester of grades in the history of OK for Youth. “Fifteen youth were recognized for good grades and received awards,” he said. “Many of those A’s and B’s were previously C’s or D’s.” During the recognition, Dale told the teens that the award was insignificant compared to the knowledge they gained for their futures.

Mentoring, choices, and a positive attitude are the keys to making a difference in a foster teen’s future. “Jesus was the greatest mentor and provides us guidance for our Mission,” Dale said. “It is a blessing that we care for the homeless, but it is also important that we try to remedy the generational poverty resulting from lack of education and poor choices. We encourage and support these disadvantaged youth to change their futures. Our mentors recognize this and do an incredible job in uplifting our teenage participants.”

The monthly meeting is part of the OK for Youth program, which includes mentoring, workshops, field trips, educational assistance, and other activities. Dale said that “the youth still talk about their great trip to Camp Evergreen last August and are looking forward to returning this coming summer.”

For ways that you can help, Dale can be reached at 678-641-1968, dchamp50@aol.com, or visit ok4youth.org for our stories and activities.

The back pack ministry definitely makes a material difference. It touches so many: the children, their siblings and parents, teachers, administrators, our church family and the community. And what a demonstration of our faith and the love of Christ. It is a pleasure to be part of this and I love watching others catch the feeling. The video speaks for all.

God Bless,
Tony Palermo

A group of us went out to help unload the blankets. As we were making our way outside, I was introduced to another gentleman helping them; his name was Greg. When Eric opened the back of the truck, I saw that it was completely packed from top to bottom with hospital blankets. It took us several trips to unload these blankets, which ended up totaling 250. As we were thanking them, we learned that Eric and Myra were from Chamblee. Before I could ask how they heard about us, Eric said, “Greg told us about the wonderful things your church is doing with the homeless. He has visited your church a few times. You see, Greg used to be homeless, but now he’s off the streets and helping us out!” What a powerful moment!

Praise God for using this church to serve Him as we go “to the least and to the lost.”

“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’” Matthew 25:40

Rob Mickler
Director of Recreation

Angel Tree is a massive undertaking, and it works because of the commitment of many volunteers and the entire Mt. Bethel community. Thank you for being a part of this special ministry.

Stacy and Bill John

We proceeded with our gathering, and what was planned for the devotion was not what God wanted for this particular morning. Thank God we heard him say, “Luke 2 is not just the narrative you and the team are to use for the Christmas puppet show, but rather it is for each of you personally and specifically to read it and to study it and this is what I want you to spend time doing this first morning in Kenya.” Yes sir, and we did just that.

We opened God’s Word and begged the Holy Spirit to take over, to teach us fresh using the familiar. We spent some time reading, praying, discussing, and witnessing the familiar: “In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree…” transform into, “this is not just a ‘story.’ ” We were washed new in knowing that this is marked in history according to political rulers reigning, this is “Real.” We actually talked about how Mary did not have to be chosen by Joseph to go with him on this 80-mile journey to register for the census. We discussed the fact that the shepherds were poor, the lowest of society, and how they were out watching over the flocks that were more than likely the Temple flock – yes, the lambs that would be bought for a price by all who were coming to Bethlehem to be used as sacrificial lambs before they would go to the temple to seek God, and that the angel came to them first is so cool. We sat stunned and laughed a bit nervously, that the first thing the angel uttered to the shepherds was, “do not be afraid…” which we honestly admitted we would have been terrified! We shook our heads at the audacity of Christ, the Messiah, being placed in a feeding trough and that that would be the identifying factor for the shepherds – finding him in a manger was ridiculous, counter to any birth and subsequent placement of any ranking official or King!

Even so, in all of our reading, discussion, excitement, and pondering, I felt the entire room was most struck at the reality that verses six and the beginning portion of seven say this, “While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.” We grappled with the enormity of these 20 some words. We uttered, “all of human history turns on this fact.” The weight of this proclamation, the grappling with, the stunning freshness of the Gospel being born struck us, seared our hearts, and caused us to bow in adoration to pray.

Just as I was struggling to find any words to speak into this moment, to give one more battle cry to the team of the truth that God doesn’t need us, but He invites us into His story to be used by Him, that we crossed an ocean out of love and obedience to our Lord and Savior, that we get to be a part of what God is doing, what a privelege and honor to be able to decrease, so He will increase and receive all glory and honor. Yes, I was struggling, big time, to wrap the majesty of the moment up and to not crush the Spirit but to get us going. When God orchestrated a choir of heavenly hosts, who happened to be the Kenyan staff from Heart Lodge guest house, who were assembled for their morning devotional 40 feet outside my room’s open doors, sing out, in breathtaking Kenyan accents, “O come let us adore Him, O come let US adore Him, O come let us adore him. Christ the Lord.”

We sat there unable to move or breath. We heard each other gasping and tearing up while we felt overtaken and undone by the presence of God, Emmanuel, God with us! He had done it, as only He can. He stunned us with His attention to detail, reminded us that we matter, and as we come and adore Him, He turns it to blessing us.

This is how our experience began, and our faithful God continued to stun us throughout our entire two-week experience in Kenya, with the fact that, yes, indeed, He was and is with us, and we are invited to participate in His story as we “come and adore Him.”

Adoring Him more today than even yesterday,
Gaylyn Kelly
Director of Young Adult and College Students Ministry

In an action packed, frenetic event on February 3, 2012 from 11:00am-1:00pm, Mt. Bethel Christian Academy middle school students will come together in service to meet this timed challenge. The assembly process combines rice, soy, dehydrated vegetables and a flavoring mix including 21 essential vitamins and minerals into small meal packages. These meal packages will then be shipped around the world to support school feeding programs and crisis relief. The food stores easily, transports quickly and has a shelf life of five years.

The Academy will be funding this program at a cost of $13,500. To offset the cost of purchasing the supplies and meal contents, all students, staff, and faculty have volunteered to fill mini M&M tubes with quarters. The FISH radio Fun Crew will be on site to offer encouragement and music for our students. Anyone wishing to witness this extraordinary event is welcome to view the action from the track in the CAC between 11:00am-1:00pm on February 3.

Jackie Grasty
Director of Advancement

But to the many other Mt. Bethel folks who donated books, moved books, or helped in so many other ways: we may never know your names or what you did, but the children of Athens will benefit from your generosity. Thank you. Two little words… so much meaning.

Read the rest of the article on the Books For Keeps blog.

Unfortunately though, there are more children who need our support. Mt. Bethel members have been sponsoring orphans living in the Hope for Today Alpha Home in Hyderabad, India for the last several years through BrightPoint for Children, a child sponsorship organization started in response to mission involvement at Mt. Bethel. The Alpha Homes were established by Peter and Esther Pereira as part of their role in compassion ministries in India. Peter and Esther have been to Mt. Bethel on several occasions, participated in our Global Outreach activities, and work with the International Leadership Institute (ILI).

In 1997, Peter and Esther were visiting a day center and felt the call of God to support three of these children housed there. Esther had always wanted to start a children’s home, but they did not have sufficient funds in their ministry. Esther began working with these children, who had no place to live and most were beggars in the streets (think Slumdog Millionaire). Then in March 1998, God blessed their labor with the birth of the Alpha Home. They started in a very humble thatched hut with 38 children. This hut was filled with joy as they began to receive Christ’s love in their new home. The ministry has been blessed by God, and they were able to build the current home in 1999. They have grown over the years and continue to get requests to take in more of the orphans and the extremely poor.

Mt. Bethel members Bridgett and Jim Cook are our ‘point persons’ for this orphanage. They have done an outstanding job of coordinating sponsors for these beautiful children. Most of these sponsors are Mt. Bethel members, but we still have 28 sponsorships for either Basic Needs or Education that need be filled. The dream of the Alpha Home is to give these children Christ’s love, an education and a chance to become good citizens of the world and witnesses for Christ. Your support of these children for $39 per month can help make that dream come true.

To sponsor a child in India, please visit us at brightpointforchildren.org.

About BrightPoint for Children:

Founded in 2007, BrightPoint for Children is a Christ-centered, child sponsorship organization that was started to help missionary teams stay connected with the children in the communities in which they have served. We team with our ministry partners and our sponsors to help children with their basic needs (food, clothing, shelter, health care and adult care) as well as their education. We do this by customizing our programs based on the needs of the children and the guidance of our ministry partners. Ultimately though, we desire to connect each child with a lasting relationship with a sponsor. We are currently working in nine countries impacting the lives of over 5,500 children.

Please consider joining the 100+ Mt. Bethel families currently involved with BrightPoint.

Justin Brasuell
Co-founder
BrightPoint for Children

Cold weather is here! Our M25 + Opening Our Doors (Homeless Ministry) Team is ramping up to welcome our guests.
When the temperature drops below 25 degrees for 4-5 hours on a given day, we invite our homeless guests to the Mt. Bethel UMC campus. By 11am that day, a message announcing that we are opening our doors will be posted on OpeningOurDoors.com and our Twitter account (@OpeningOurDoors). All current and urgent announcements will be posted only in those two places. Volunteer information and registration will be located on OpeningOurDoors.com. An email will also be sent to those who are on the mailing list (You can sign up here to receive them.) To receive text message updates from our Twitter account, text “Follow OpeningOurDoors” to 40404—no registration required. If you have any questions about staying updated when we open our doors to our homeless family, please contact Randy Hudon or Gaylyn Kelly.

We’ve learned a lot since our first time doing this last winter, and we want to share a few bullet points as we prepare for the new season:

• Our buses can hold about 100 total guests, and we will make a single run downtown with each bus.
• We will need about 150 volunteers (about 50 to cook and bring food, and about 100 to drive, host, set-up and serve )for the in-bound day, and about 50 volunteers (take-down, clean-up and drive) for the out-bound day.
• OpeningOurDoors.com will be the place to go to volunteer for any and all of the activities associated with the process. It will take a few “clicks,” so please be patient-these steps are necessary to keep the process organized and to keep everyone informed as much as possible.
• Donation Items: Our clothing and sundries hand-outs will be specifically limited to what we now know as the best combination we can sort, store, distribute and align with the guests needs. We will only distribute men’s and women’s clothing (tennis shoes, socks, jeans, t-shirts, underwear, sweatshirts/hoodies, coats, gloves, and hats) and sundries/personal hygiene items (travel size shampoo & conditioner, hand/bath soap, deodorant, tooth brushes, and toothpaste).
• Currently, we need: tennis shoes, jeans, coats, sweatshirts/hoodies and deodorant, as well as about 20 single/twin size air mattresses and associated sheet sets. Please place donations in the large yellow M25 barrels in front of, or just inside, the CAC (Gym).

Watch the weather as well as OpeningOurDoors.com and our Twitter account for announcements. If you wish to join in the ministry, you can find further information at OpeningOurDoors.com or by contacting Randy Hudon, Gaylyn Kelly, Ben Hornsby, or Gabe Barrett.

Thank you,
Randy Hudon
Director of Homeless Ministries

After much prayer and talking with the Mt. Bethel advocate, Jackie Gallentine, Kathy felt called to get involved at The Garden and began what is now called Vases with Verses. Kathy commented that “God has called many Mt. Bethel members to this ministry in many different ways.” She felt that she was being called to use her artistic skills for art therapy and fundraising activities.

Beginning this past fall, Kathy began taking recycled vases to The Garden and teaching the residents how to paint art and scripture on them. Currently, they have painted 325 vases with Christmas being the most recent theme. In January, they plan on continuing the vase painting with a Valentine’s theme.

Along with providing art lessons to the residents, Kathy’s Vases with Verses serves as a fundraiser that allows the residents to contribute to the needs at the Garden. “Pastor Seven wants them to take some responsibility for assisting in this ministry,” says Kathy. The vases are not “for sale” but rather are given to anyone who would like one for a suggested $20 donation. They suggest that the donors might use the vase to gift it to someone who needs encouragement or inspiration. The donations will be used to improve the restrooms and to help fund the art materials for art therapy activities.

For more information on Vases with Verses or to contribute clear, smooth vases, please contact Kathy.

Our October session focused on entering the job scene. Mentors reviewed the interviewing techniques necessary for securing a first job, and we ended with mock interviews between mentors and youth.

Education and family are important in the lives of children. Our OK4Youth teens have missed out on trusting and supportive family relationships. Our dedicated mentors are filling a real void that will affect these teens for a lifetime.

Please consider supporting OK4Youth. Our mentors make a difference in the future of at-risk teens. Call me at 678-641-1968. Thank you.

Dale Champion

Sunday was a day of huge miracles and evidence of the power of the God we serve. In response to Randy’s passionate altar call and in obedience to the call on every Christian to love, care for and defend the fatherless, over 400 Mt. Bethel members responded to sponsor orphans! Not only were all the needs of the orphans in Molo and Maralal met, including many special medical needs, but over 60 commitments were made for additional orphans to be matched with the sponsors, as soon as they can be added to the Project 82 orphan ministry program.

Project 82 had only expected and planned for less than 150 children to be sponsored Sunday morning but God exposed our plans to be too small for what He intended. No one can imagine the joy unbounded by the children and our caregiving “angel” partners when they heard the news. What you didn’t know, but Randy did, is that all of the children and the leaders had been praying specifically for him daily for over a week and they were trusting God for a miracle!

There are also embedded in the broader miracle, so many miracles in the lives of the children including Yvonne, an orphan who was born deaf and has never been to school; however, in January, Yvonne will be attending a school for the deaf and will be able to begin the life that God intended for her! Additionally, there are over 20 children, who have attended a Muslim school because of no other options, who will be attending a Christian school beginning in January 2012.

Our prayers have always been that in response to the fruit of the ministry, God alone would always and forever receive all glory and praise! We thank you, Mt. Bethel, and are so grateful to you from which Project 82 was birthed. We thank Randy for his huge heart and obedience in defending the fatherless, and we are joining the precious orphans and so many more in praising God and looking forward to discerning and following His future plans for the ministry. God is so very good, and Mt. Bethel continues to be a home of miracles!

Ferrell Coppedge
Chairman of the Board
Project 82

Thank you, Genevieve!

For more information on the Back Pack Food Ministry, go to MtBethel.org/Backpack.

Our Mission: We’ll partner with Books for Keeps, a 501(c)(3) non-profit in Athens, Georgia, to help them end ‘summer slide’, a reading achievement loss that contributes significantly to the achievement gap between children from low-income families and their fellow students. According to the 2010 Census, Athens’ 39% poverty rate now ranks #1 in the nation for cities its size. Summer slide is a real problem, often due to a simple lack of access to books outside of school. Books for Keeps will give 12 books each to over 7,000 children, empowering them to read all summer long. Your books can improve a child’s chances for academic success, and help end the cycle of generational poverty in Athens.

Goals: We want to collect 100,000 books, which will then need to be sorted, inspected, and packed by volunteers and transported to Athens.

How to Participate: You can drop off large donations in the parking lot by the gym throughout the month of November. Look for the drop-off location sign. Small donations can be brought to the church’s front office and outside the Fellowship Hall. Various ministries around Mt. Bethel will be having their own drives as well.

Collection and sort days:

• Mt. Bethel Christian Academy Drive: We’ll collect books in the front lobby October 31-November 3. Each day beginning at 4pm, the books will be pre-sorted.
• Mt. Bethel Church-Wide Drive: We need adult and student volunteers on November 21 and 22 to help sort and pack the books! Please bring any large donations of books on these days to Mt. Bethel’s front office. Register to volunteer in a two-hour shift on VolunteerSpot.

Here are a few suggestions for getting involved:

• Clean off your book shelves and bring in your books!
• Have a neighborhood or club book drive (it’s as easy as sending an email).
• Check garage sales and thrift stores for heavily-discounted groups of books in good condition.
• Donate directly to Books for Keeps to help them take advantage of deep-discount purchase opportunities (such as “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” for $3/book).
• Purchase books from Books for Keeps’ Amazon Wish List. These books are shipped directly to their warehouse.

Monetary donations to Mt. Bethel on Books for Keeps’ behalf will be used first to cover Mt. Bethel’s book drive expenses (which will include the purchase of re-usable equipment and supplies for Books for Keeps). After that, all further proceeds will be used by Books for Keeps for its May 2012 summer reading program.

Questions? Contact Donna Lachance for information about Books for Keeps and our involvement.

Go to ToTheLeastToTheLost.com for more information, to donate, or to sign up to volunteer.

• On October 22, The Walker School packed 25 large care-boxes weighing 417 pounds, which were mailed supporting 431 military personnel in Afghanistan, Djibouti, and Iraq. The Walker 8th grade students also conducted a large merchandise collection drive for Project mail Call.
• On October 16, with 28 total in attendance, the Friends in Faith (am) Circle packed 17 care-boxes weighing a total of 315 pounds for the US military serving in Afghanistan. During the session, Project Mail Call passed the milestone of 59,000 pounds mailed to the US Military.
• On October 11, Brownie Troop 10448 packed 7 large boxes weighed a total of 101 pounds and were mailed today to 161 military personnel in Afghanistan and Iraq.
• On October 10, the Diane Mickler Circle packed 17 large care-boxes weighed a total of 358 pounds for military personnel in Afghanistan and Uganda.
• On October 1, Georgia Perimeter College packed 26 boxes weighing 334 pounds. Dr. Garrett and one of her students had also conducted a huge merchandise collection drive for Project mail Call, and plan to do so again.
• On September 27, Brownie Troop 2113 from Timber Ridge Elementary School packed boxes and made cards for the military.
• On September 24, the monthly general packing session for individuals and families packed 36 boxes that weighed a total of 534 pounds, which were mailed today to 28 military units supporting 618 military personnel.

All Halloween and Thanksgiving decorations and cards have been mailed, and we are now including volumes of Christmas decorations and blank greeting cards for the military to use. As of today, Project Mail Call has packed 3,716 boxes weighing 58,519 pounds, which supported 100,042 military personnel in 27 countries.

Project Mail Call is currently conducting a care-box packing session every 3 days, with additional focus on large amounts of Christmas decorations, gifts, wrapping paper, lights, mugs, and blank Christmas cards. For more information about the thirty-four year-to-date 2011 packing sessions or Project Mail Call, visit ProjectMailCall.com.

Mary and Ed Ettel

The Habitat for Humanity houses are Mt. Bethel’s 30th and 31st builds. The houses are almost complete, and the keys will be handed to the homeowners during a ceremony on October 29. To donate, go to HabitatRoadRace.com.

God chose to place examples of self-less love before me in ways that even I could not miss them. Over and over again, absolute examples of “less of me, Lord, more of you” ways of living and a complete surrender to “I must decrease so that you, Lord, can increase.” This was not a campaign or a short-term response to a natural disaster or a need, but a way of life. Not a compassionate reaction in the immediate, but an enduring, daily, long term, all in, committed life. Living love, selfless love, without thought or regard of receiving, or a what’s-in-it-for-me mentality, simply, not thinking of self at all. In most cases, you needed to be close enough to catch them! Glory–what beauty to behold.

I thank God for the examples He gave:

• Like the small number of leaders in Molo, who began a feeding program for orphans and vulnerable children with food from their own family tables.
• I marveled at a precious friend in Segera, who is raising seven children who she did not give birth to. With her love of God and love for those orphans, she has created one of the most loving homes and a family of sweet children who know Jesus and love one another.
• I got to see a nun in Maralal light up as she explained how their baby home is a haven for babies who have been abandoned and were in need of rescue.
• I sat there grateful for the stern, but compassionate, clinical officer who saw a very young Turkana mom and her six month old baby girl, diagnosed the infant’s problem, gave meds, and treated the baby and mom.

Simple and profound example after example of selfless love:

• Like the child we handed a slice of bread to in the slums who did not eat it but handed it to his baby brother who he was carrying on his back.
• The act of slipping a few dollars to a teen who needs some supplies to complete his last year of secondary school.
• To watch a young women moved to buy baby toys and books for an orphanage that has zero.
• Witnessing a friend giving some shillings so two young girls could get their hair braided and feel a bit better about themselves.

I also got to see and hear testimonies, of what selflessness has produced in others:

• A Compassion International sponsored child who has grown into a bright, highly motivate and wise young man. An adult now, who is not only providing for his family and his extended family, but also is working with US AID, Kenya office, and using his first-hand experience and formal education to influence a change of how NGO’s and relief is given throughout Kenya.
• To see how a very young woman who has gone through the tragic death of her own baby boy articulate that, “I still have hope.” And because of selfless people that rallied around her in prayer and wise counsel, she has a shine about her that only comes from hope in the Father.

Absolutely amazing to watch; example after example of selflessness. Not one of these mentioned were looking for a pat on the back or someone to notice them. Each one praised God for the love they receive and the example of Christ that had been shown to them by someone else. Selfless.

With the examples I shared, some were small acts of love and some were huge, but all caused impact–none were fleeting, and all came from people who loved with their lives, with little or no regard of self.

So, what now? You and I could chat, and I am sure we would come around to our excuses, like the ones I give and the excuses I hear most frequently: the one that expresses that poverty and its issues are too big; “I can’t make a difference or how economically uncertain the present times are, so I must be safe with my spending of money and time”; and about time–well, there simply isn’t any or enough. “I could never (go, live, allow … ). I don’t have time for that.” Or how you are too young, or you are too old. Or you just don’t know what to do, where to begin, or how to get involved. Our conversation could be diverted from discussing steps to living selflessly to discussing the interpretation of scriptures like, “the poor will always be among us,” or it’s not my calling, or my spiritual gift, or I have not heard God, or I am not sure that is God’s will for me, etc., but, enough! Stop, please. None of this is about me or you.

Satan is winning–or, in the very least, wiggling his way into our thoughts that somehow we are the priority. I want to be clear, it is not about me and it is not about you.

Andrew Murray says this in his writings on humility:

Self is the whole evil of fallen nature; self-denial is our capacity of being saved…

And from God’s Word we are reminded:

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.
-Philippians 2:3

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.”
-Romans 13:7-9

And Psalm 82:3 says:

Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.

Witnessing selfless love is a beautiful thing; receiving it is unexplainable. Giving it–well, it is supernatural. Pray. Take steps to die to self-thinking, self-preservation, self. Place someone else before yourself and do something!

Sponsor a child, feed a homeless person, pray without ceasing for someone else, fill a backpack with food, give up a vacation week for an “others-focused” week. Send, give, spend yourself on something or on someone who cannot pay you back, or may not even be able to thank you. Do a random act of kindness, pay it forward–call it whatever you like. But, clearly, it is God’s will, call, desire, mandate, and heart for us to be His and to be selfless.

Gaylyn Kelly

Romania.

That generation experienced many changes in their beloved country. Not all of them were good as we consider the compromised infrastructure, the people’s loss of communist oversight and programs leaving them less able to cope, and the sad estate of many of their children. While many surrounding, formerly communist, countries have adopted a more current way of life, Romania’s return to contemporary living has been slow.

Mt. Bethel’s team entered the city of Timisoara to visit Deborah House, a home for girls who have been rescued from the very brink of disaster––a lost life. Deborah House was created to give Christ’s hope and love to girls as young as seven who have been physically and sexually abused. Their stories are very sad.

But, sadness is not what we experienced! Laughter! Family! This is what we saw! Young lives, while still bearing the deep scars of a former life, are able to interact with each other in love! Yes, there is a long journey ahead of each of these precious girls, but with the help of Jesus’ hands and feet (those whose lives are committed and dedicated to them) they have been given opportunities for education, careers, marriage, and families of their own!

Mt. Bethel’s team of eight became wrapped up in these girls’ lives while we were there! Some of the team members have been to Deborah House before. They came back after making a promise to do so. The girls grow quickly, changing from children to young women in the blink of an eye, and a kept promise is special to them. We did much of what we might do here in the states with girls of this age like crafts, games, songs, nail polishing, etc. But, what struck me as different was the closeness of the girls to each other and their ability to instantly become close with each of us! The hugs flew generously during the five days that we were there! Expressions of love were spoken over and over! Kisses were peppered throughout our day as a reminder of the tender, gentle Christ that is in each of us.

By: Cathy Franks

For further information about the trip next summer, please contact Chris Sweitzer or Chris Duncan.

The Garden is a home for women and children seven nights a week. Currently, they house 65 women and 35 children that come from all walks of life but are all in need of Spiritual Recovery. A service or Bible study is offered nightly in the Sanctuary for the women. It is always open to the public and welcome volunteers to help drive, cook, serve meals, and teach. Additionally, volunteers are needed to supply dinner on the second Saturday or third Monday of the month. To learn more, visit 7BridgesToRecovery.org.

Johnna Bain
Director of Communications

Habitat Road Race participants run for different reasons. This participant ran the race to help with the build of the Habitat homes as well as to honor his late step-sister.

Mary Louise Bain

I’ve already shed some tears at the thought of leaving Kandaria, but God willing I will be back here next summer and/or after I graduate! We leave tomorrow to meet up with the Mt. Bethel team in Molo tomorrow, and I cannot wait to hear all about their trip thus far! (AND I get to meet up with Amanda- one of my best friends since 6th grade!!!) On Sunday Emily and I leave to go to Segera where we will be for the last month of our trip. (Look at my link to Emily’s blog for better details about Segera!)

Please continue to be praying for the people of Kandaria (all of the last prayer requests are still very relevant). And please be praying for Emily and I with the new challenges we will face at Segera- Pray that we constantly remember to seek first the Kingdom of God because then all else will fall into place.

I cannot thank you all again for your prayers and love and support! I truly feel your love and prayers, and will never be able to thank you all enough! May God bless you all abundantly!

Caroline Blanchard
International Intern