Young Philanthropist

A young philanthropist was in the house last week week I discussed the Africa trip to a group of K through second grade Challenge Students last Friday morning. They are kids who have tested into an accelerated program in the Washington, Missouri schools.

I left them with a challenge to make them think and get their creative juices flowing. Many of the picture from Africa were about the river (creek) next to our work site. The general public was walking past our work site to take a bath, do dishes and laundry in the river. The ironic thing is that there was a government owned well just 100 yards from the river. Why could they not get clean water from the well? How could we get better water to these people?

One second grade student went home and set up a table in her yard, sat out in the cold (it is February!) with a sign that asked for money to go to clean water in Africa. Today her teachers called em to let me know she had raised $50 and some change.

I met with her and her mother today and we talked about the best way to use that money to help people who need clean water. I am excited to see if this goes any where else. It has a ton of promise. I am excited to see all the ways this mission trip is glorifying Jesus.

How Will We Live Then? What Lies Ahead After This Life?

It is finally finished! I have edited it over and over and will likely find more mistakes. I could edit these 117 pages forever, but then it would do no good and serve no purpose or person. This is my freshman project and I will do many things different on future projects.

If you would like a copy visit Lulu.com. You can get a copy paperback or hard cover.

Most Pastors who may read this book will realize that the book is based on a seven week sermon series. If you would like more information on how we did this as a sermon series let me know and I will get more information to you and some helps if you like.

My prayer has been that people will be blessed by this book and its message. I specifically hope that it will motivate Christians to serve the Lord, because heaven and all that God has planned for us is a great reward! I hope that the truths in this book and the thoughts from Scripture about heaven will cross your path in life at a time when you need to hear them.

A.t.t.i.c. Youth

I am really excited to be speaking to the youth Wednesday night. I don't get to do this often, but it is always a treat.

Next week Keith Tyler will be teaching in the Wednesday night Bible study and I will be starting the membership class. If you have questions about membership class please let me know. Several people have already indicated that they will be there. There is room for more.

Night Shift

Tonight Brent and I are working on the mission trip report for Sunday. I have several great reports about visitors who are coming Sunday. There are more invitation cards in the foyer now. You can pick some up tomorrow to invite friends.

Equatorial Guinea Report

Sunday February 28th Brent and I will be giving a pictorial report on our trip to the congregation in both morning services. This would be a very interesting service to invite your friends to attend. Invitation cards will be available on Sunday.

Second Sunday of 2010 Mission Convention

Sunday will be our second Sunday of Mission Convention. David Godzwa will be speaking on Sunday morning. Bryan Ames will be in our Small Groups Friday and Sunday. Jane Zickafoose will be with us Sunday morning also.

We will be making our faith-promises on Sunday morning so please be praying about the Lord's direction for your involvement in our monthly support of missionaries in 2010. We will also take an offering for the missionaries who will be with us this weekend. We will take two other special offerings for missionaries who are visiting our church in 2010, one in May and one in September, so come prepared for these opportunities to give.

Still Catching Up

As most of you know I returned from Africa last week. We were able to build all four buildings that will encircle the central portion of the Bible School in Malabo. We also had opportunity to visit and minister in the Bible School and two churches last Sunday. Since then life is almost all catching up. Yesterday and today are the first days that I really feel like I am moving ahead well.

Today I given the opportunity to talk about the Africa trip to first graders at Washington West. It was like a civic lesson. They paid full attention for 55 minutes which is a lot for first grade kids. I had lots of pictures, some souvenirs and currency for them to see. Tomorrow I will give a similar presentation to the Challenge Students.

Our kids (and adults for that matter) take so much of what we have for granted. Clean water at a faucet, food at the grocery store, and electricity in our homes. Not all places in the world have these consistently supplied. Let's not take God's blessings in our lives for granted. Then, let's consider how we can help others!

Wednesday Thursday Pictures

The bottom picture is the four buildings we have built. Two now have roof material on them.

Thursday Report

I have been unable to post for two days. I was overheated Tuesday and went to bed early. Wednesday there was no electricity (no air, no fan). It was so hot at 9:00 p.m. Wednesday that I laid on the tile floor to be cool and woke up at 12:30 a.m.

We have four buildings up and have put the roofing on two of them today. Tomorrow we will do the other two. I am not sure what is wrong with my cell phone, but it is not handling audio correctly.

Monday Pictures

This is the completed work today.

This is Fred from Nebraska, he is 74 years old and 22 feet in the air!

It is dry season at the equator! These cracks are about 18 inches deep and an inch wide.

This is a long shot of the mountain in the middle of the island. It is about 8,500 Ft. up. Moka is a town close to the top. We will go there Wednesday to work on that church and maybe climb to the top to see the volcanic lake.

Sunday

Sunday we went to church. There were about 245 people there. Thirty five had been filled with the Holy Spirit the night before. Seven were saved in the morning service. The church had just finished 30 days of fasting.

A guest evangelist spoke and took up an offering for the churches uncompleted building project. They received over pledges for somewhere around $100,000 that was committed to be given before June! Not a huge church. In a poor country. The minister said that sometimes we give cheerfully, but sometimes we give tearfully, and God need both. Eight people pledged $2 million E.G. Franks ($2,000). All pledges were made publicly and they made them write down the names in a book.

Brent was asked to pray over a group who had made pledges. I was asked to pray over a group who responded to an altar call in the middle of the sermon. It was for anyone who was living with a person they were not married to, or having extra-marital sex. About 30 responded!

Church let out at 1:15.