RAYS OF HOPE
RAYS OF HOPE
Linda H.
Parker,
June 2005
www.newwaymissions.org
As I sit to write this update, my thoughts
aren’t quite together as this picture portrays me. Though effort is made to
keep these newsletters short, it is very difficult. Guess I'll just finish my
coffee and try to come up with some ideas. This will be our first newsletter to
be posted on the New Way Mission web site and we hope that it will help with
download time, will reach more people, and will lead to more frequent updates.
My thanks go to Brian Rubright for his help with the web and for his efforts to teach me a little more about the web and computers. Brian is a nice young man who is studying to be a paralegal and is just a whiz on the computer. He is a real blessing from God to me and New Way Missions. Brian does this as a volunteer to NWM and as a service unto God.
2005 started off very busy. There was much to do in January with tax reports due, getting out my newsletter, preparing for a February project in the Dominican Republic, and preparing for a Board Meeting on February 5th here in Brandon.
March was the So. Africa trip and then another big report for the IRS due in May.
Also, in January Diane and Francisco Sabado were here for a whirlwind visit. And my sister, Nancy and I met in Orlando for a weekend and went to The Holy Land Experience. Wow! We felt that we were in church all day. If you plan a trip to Orlando, it will be well worth your time to visit this very special place.
PROJECT REPORTS:
Dominican Republic, Feb.15- Mar 1
Below: The team from Canandaigua Baptist Church along with Mr. & Mrs. Wong, our host for an afternoon cook-out and relaxation at their place in the country. Deanna played several songs and the team sang along to thank the Wong’s for their gift of hospitality to us.
The green t-shirts are our first NWM shirts. If you would like one, let me know and we will be glad to get one to you. Cost: $ 11.00 each.
Below: Pastor Doug Allen delivers a message to the assembly of El Bethel in Higuey with the help of Pastor Francisco Sabado translating.
Pastor Allen also preached 2 times at the Sabado’s church in San Miguel.
Pastor Tony translates as Pastor Allen also ministered on the radio in
Higuey. New Way Missions helps to keep this weekly gospel broadcast on in
Higuey through our monthly support reaching an area of approximately ˝ million
people.
We also held a 2 day VBS at El Bethel while in Higuey. Around 140
children attended. Around 25 children prayed to receive Jesus as their Savior.
El Bethel is a new church that just opened in January of this year. Pastor Tony Mejia Diaz and his wife, Ruth, are leading this congregation. You have seen their picture in past newsletters.
While in Higuey, Pastor Tony, Dr. Mark Brown and I went to the local hospital, Nuestra Sonora de la Altagracia, for a presentation and acceptance program of some needed medical equipment, which had been arranged by Dr. Brown. Dr.Mark Brown is a missionary doctor from NY who is working to establish needed outreach medical clinics in the D.R.. It was my privilege to work with Dr. Brown at a medical outreach before the team arrived and to have him with us in Higuey.
Here Sue Groth is at work preparing the food table for the Lady’s Tea which was held at the Sabado’s church in San Miguel. The finger foods were prepared American style, so the Dominican ladies got to sample some of our culture. Sue not only helped with the Tea, but was part of the medical outreach team. She and Diane attended some patients in their homes, as well as, traveling to Hato Mayor to join a group for 2 days of medical outreaches in some Haitian bateys along with David & Hannah Hough.
The Tea was a huge success with the church packed. The local guest speaker received the center piece you see above as a thank you gift. Jim Hough (seen below serving) was the florist on the team, who made the centerpieces for each table. Each centerpiece was given to someone at each table. What a joy it was for us to see one lady accept Jesus Christ as her personal Savior.
On Friday night, 2/25, Pastor Francisco and the team men held a special Men’s Service. Below you see Karen & Hannah cooking the chicken & hotdogs. Again the church was packed. Many men in the neighborhood came who had not been in church for sometime.
Other ways the team served God and man was to do a number of just ordinary practical services.
1. For the church in San Miguel the team built a pulpit, painted a table stand & purchased a glass top ,installed a 20’ cinderblock & chain link security fence at the side of the church, making the building more secure, & purchased a water cooler for the church in San Miguel.
2. For our host missionary family, the Sabado’s, they painted & did some decorative remodeling of their intern office, which included having a new sliding door installed, recovered the cushions of a wicker sofa & chair, did some work in the back yard including reworking a flower bed, organized their work tools, and helped with some much needed plumbing repairs.
No doubt I have forgotten to mention something, but as you can see from this report our time was quite full.
Just in case you think that it was all work and no fun, then let me clear up that point. When you are working in the name of Lord Jesus, it is always fun, however, you can be pretty tired when the day is done. We did have a few hours at the beach one day and a wonderful Sunday afternoon with the Wong’s.
South Africa, Mar.27 – Apr. 9
South Africa was a different type mission trip for me. As a representative of New Way Missions, I was looking for ways that NWM could partner with Umbono (vision) and help fulfill their vision.
The Umbono property consist of a warehouse building, a building which will be used for education, and another building which may be the home of the Vaughan-Jones family (see below). At present, Nick, Claire, and their 3 children (Chris, Emily, & Tim) are staying in a very small camper.
Some
of the flowers in this yard are just like some in my yard.
Below: Meet the Vaughan-Jones family: Claire, Emily, Nick, Tim (in middle), and Chris. This family is a crucial part of the ministry of Umbono in So. Africa.
Below: People are waiting for the service on Sunday, Apr. 3, which was held in the warehouse building on the Umbono property. Evangelist Terrance Rose,
founder of Umbono, brought the message to the 200-300 people gathered for
the service.
Here:
The youth choir marches in while singing. That’s not my white head, but
Nancy’s, my sister. She was also taking a lot of pictures.
Our team traveled from Durbin to Tembe where the Umbono property is located. There we stayed in Tembe Elephant Park.
Above: Cecilia Ralls, Christy Linhart, and I shared this cabin at Tembe Elephant Park, which was quite adequate & our meals were very good. The team was well taken care of. I did not receive one mosquito bite. Praise God!!
Below: This young lady had extensive burns and was one of many of children at the local hospital in Tembe. Each child received prayer and a gift. We also visited the hospital in Hlabisa, where we prayed for the sick, talked with some doctors about future plans, and held a service in the chapel.
Below the team enjoys a few hours at the beach at Sodwana Bay on our way to St. Lucia.
Our team participated in the grand opening of the Mpembeni Health Station. Umbono was instrumental in building this clinic and a doctor from Virginia shipped equipment to help with the medical furnishing. The government has agreed to furnish nurses. This was an all day event with food, speeches, and even a parade (below). School was dismissed so the children could attend. An estimated 2000 people were in attendance.
The team
prepares to leave St. Lucia for our return to Durbin and our flight home. Our
team was made up of people from VA, NC, TN, FL, GA, as well as, the
Vaughan-Jones family from So. Africa.
Time and space won’t permit more pictures, but I must tell you that we did see some of those African animals. We had the opportunity to go on several safari drives at the Tembe Elephant Park and we drove through a reserve going to Mpembeni. The areas where we traveled in So. Africa were quite beautiful. I praise God for this opportunity.
New Way Missions receives many requests for help from all over the world. We receive invitations to participate in conferences and seminars. There are many invitations to come and help in ministry to the poor and hungry. There is much need to build orphanages in many countries. With the help of each person who receives this newsletter, we could build and operate and orphanage somewhere in the world. Let’s see what God has to say about some of these issues.
Jesus said in Matthew 28: 18-20. “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
Mark 16:18 Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”
Romans 10:14-15a says, “How can they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? How shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent?”
James 1:27 says, “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”
I John 3:17 But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?
It will take your prayer and financial support to make this possible. I am willing to go.
Are you willing to send me that’s the question?
This newsletter goes out to approximately 700-800 people. Just think how much good New Way Missions could do, if each one gave $ 5 - 10.00 per month.
What is your part in the plan of God? Are you a goer or are you a sender?
IT SO EASY!
If you shop at the Food Lion in your area, you can help the ministry of New Way Missions just by linking your MVP card to New Way Missions. Food Lion has this Share Program for non-profit organizations. There are 2 ways for you to do this. Have your MVP card in front of you, as they will want the numbers off the back.
Thanks to those who have taken time to link your MVP card to New Way Missions.
God bless each of you for your help.
THIS MUST BE DONE YEARLY, SO IF YOU HAVEN’T RENEWED FOR 2005, PLEASE DO
SO NOW!!!
Our thanks go out to each of you who have been supporting New Way Missions. May God reward you for your faithful service to Him. Amen.
|
Tax Deductible contributions can be sent to: |
|
New Way Missions |
|
c/o Linda H. Parker |
|
1501 Loretta Ct. |
|
Brandon, FL 33511 |
I am but one voice and I am singing, "Prepare ye the way of the LORD".