JUNE 2007 NEWSLETTER AVAILABLE

If you would like to view my latest newletter online, send me an email at hereinks@yahoo.com and I'll send it back to you as an attachment.

Read and look from here to 4146 Irving (click below on Older Posts)

In just a few days I leave with my master carpenter buddy Kenny Smith for a three week construction trip to Carpina, Brazil. We are going to build kitchen cabinets for the World Renewal Brazil ministry home of Tele and Heather Moraes and family. Kenny is a guy you need to meet. The Lord Jesus Christ has delivered him from years of drug addiction and all that goes with it and given him a heart and a passion for service in the Kingdom of God. Last December he labored long and hard to build a playground for WRB's bilingual grade school.
Now he is taking the challenge of building cabinets not knowing what materials or tools will be available to us. And he's taking me as his number one helper! While there, I will also be able to plan our Dec 2007 worship and arts conference with the Brazilian leaders. Your prayers and dollars would both be appreciated. We have enough for travel and expenses, but could use some help with materials.

Call me right away (316-651-5873) or World Renewal after June 30 (317-467-9899) if you think you can help. Or just send a gift to World Renewal PO Box 399 Greenfield IN 46140. Make sure you write a seperate note designating it for the Moraes Kitchen.

HAITI MAY 2007

I spent a little over a week in Haiti in May. My main objective was to meet leaders, to learn about our ministries there and to observe a discipleship training conference for women. When I arrived, I discovered I was listed as the worship leader for 23 women! This was my first visit to Haiti, I didn't know one word of Creole, and the women spoke little if any English. But, God provided a way (and even a guitar!) Two young worship leaders helped me translate 2 songs into Creole, and in exchange I taught them some songs in English. We had a ball!

At the conference we sang a wonderful mixture of Creole and English hymns and choruses, worshipped, and danced, and shouted and clapped! They led me as much as I led them. What a blessing. They wanted me to promise I'd return for more of the same, along with training and teaching in music and worship. I told them, "you pray and I will pray, and if God wants me here, I will come back."

I took over 500 pictures in Haiti. I wish I could show them all, because most have a great "God story" to tell. I've settled instead on a top ten. I hope they give you a small idea of what I experienced. God is at work among these precious people, and they greatly appreciate everyone who made the conference possible (including the individual whose gift covered all the expenses for each of these women to attend).

Haiti Numbers 2, 3 and 4

Last year one of our ministry teams in Haiti went to an area where the poverty was so bad that people were selling children. The streets were overrun with homeless boys and girls. Pastor Luc did not know what else to do. So...Christ's Compassion Orphanage was started just months ago. It's always hard to describe places like this, and to discern how to best meet the needs you find there. Ours is not the only orphanage in Haiti, and there are many human needs all around in Haiti and elsewhere. But this is a ministry God has given to World Renewal and the leaders of our churches in Haiti. If the Lord speaks to your heart about helping us, please respond. Running an orphanage is not something we are equipped for, and it is a big challenge, so pray for us!

This is what they eat... This is where they sleep...

World Renewal’s Christ’s Compassion Orphanage in Haiti needs your help. We have 12-20 children who need beds to sleep on (rather than cardboard boxes), monthly sponsors to keep them fed and properly clothed, and more. For more information contact me or World Renewal International (PO Box 399 Greenfield, IN 46140 317-467-9899).

Haiti Numbers 5 and 6

At the village of Drouin, surrounded by rice plains, where Pastor Luc grew up I had my first experience of being around dozens of children who seldom, if ever see white people. Several in this group are homeless orphans. The church building you see here was put up by World Renewal volunteers several years ago to replace a small shack that was literally falling down around the congregation.

Haiti Number 7

Brandywine Community Church in Greenfield Indiana purchased 8 motorcycles last December to help pastors in the Gonaives area get around without having to walk many miles, or find some other transportation (including donkeys!). Max Wright is the World Renewal Field Representative I traveled with. He has made over 20 trips there in 14 years, and took me places to see things many people don't have the opportunity to experience. Thanks, Max - it was great!

Haiti Numbers 8 and 9

MacDonald and Jude are two young worship leaders who helped me learn Creole and translate songs. Jude's guitar is a 12 string, strung as a 6, with a broken and glued neck. One string is a bicycle break line wire. Maybe someday we can take some new guitars and some sets of strings. MacDonald plays a small keyboard, but doesn't have one to practice on. They are literally starving for music and worship training, and love to hear, learn and sing in English. Pray that I may be able to go back soon with others who can help.

Haiti Number 10

Pastor Luc and his lovely wife Rosanna. Most people I saw in Haiti didn't smile much. I observed countless blank stares, lifeless eyes and joyless faces. There is definitely deep spiritual, emotional and physical oppression all around. But look at these two...they are full of joy because of Jesus. And they are precious servants of the Lord who God uses in miraculous ways to deliver others from the darkness of sin to the light of Christ. World Renewal International exists in part to bring whatever encouragement, training and support we can to these faithful church planters and their fellow ministers. When they thank me for coming, they are also thanking you for sending me!

What about Janet??

Janet is currently slaving away 50-60 hours plus as a processor at Countrywide Home Loans. You can see from the picture when she is happiest. She also specializes in going to the airport early in the morning to say goodbye to yet another person leaving for a mission trip. During July three of us will be on three seperate continents. Pray for Janet and her sanity!

PENNA KIDS AND GRANDKIDS UPDATE

Joy is a stay at home mom with a dynamite blog (see http://www.xanga.com/greatandmighty). Chris is a graphics and promotions specialist with MORE Inc in Goesel, Kansas. And Grayson and Tate...well, what can a grandpa say that doesn't sound like bragging? If you really want to know how great they are, go to the Bergquist blog. Or ask their grandmother!
Julie is serving in Nepal this summer with a fellow Barclay College student as an intern with Evangelical Friends Mission. She left May 17 and will return August 3. She is doing well and learning a lot, but continues having stomach problems. Please pray for her. Jesse is leaving June 30 to lead a Mid-America Yearly Meeting short term mission trip (Saltshaker) with 13 other people.

Saturday, April 14, 2007

Jacob Penna and Jill Glanville were married at Northridge Friends Church

What a special day, and what a special couple. God is good!!

Jill is a third grade teacher and Jacob is in product development at Wiebe Tech.

They have a new house, a new dog named Cooper,

and lots and lots of new relatives!

Hemisemidemiquaver Man ??

Do you know what a hemisemidemiquaver is?*
This superhero appeared at Quaker Haven in Arkansas City during Kids and Junior Camp to lead music and teach a valuable lesson about God's power.
His motto was, "God's strength shows up best in weak people" (2 Cor 12:9). He went around saying things like, "Zeroes turn into Heroes with the Spirit of God inside" ( Zech 4:6), "God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things" (I Cor 1:27), "Little is much when God is in it" ( John 6:1-13) and his personal favorite "Every hemisemidemiquaver is a worthy note to the Master Musician!"
*Look it up in the dictionary. It's a real musical term!

In the garage at 4146 Irving

My dad had what started out as a medical emergency in May that ended up being a very small problem, and a huge blessing. One of the blessings was the amount of time my brother and sisters, some of their children and grandchildren and I were able to spend together in Denver during that week. My folks have lived in their home nearly 60 years. Mom is 89. Dad will be 87 in October.
Seen with them is my sister Joyce and her youngest grandchild Hucksley.