The Partnership by Mike Jones Back to Normal by

Transcription

The Partnership by Mike Jones Back to Normal by
Building Whatever it Takes
August 2013
PO Box 1653
Kitty Hawk, NC 27949
www.noahministries.org noahministries@gmail.com
The Partnership by Mike Jones
Our classroom in Bulawayo this
month was cold and windy. After an
all night bus trip and sleeping on my
1/4" thick foam mattress, I didn’t
much notice the weather. Prayers
were lifted everyday for the upcoming elections. As the designated class
reader started reading a passage of
scripture, a familiar silence fell over
the students. The reader stopped mid
-sentence. He opened his mouth
again and struggled to form a question. After what seemed like a long
time he said, “From Genesis to Revelation we find missions.” Another
pastor said, “The Bible is a missions
book!” “Every Christian should involve themselves in Missions,” came
from another pastor. When the student with a trembling voice and tears
streaming down her face said, “We
didn’t know,” spontaneous prayer
filled the classroom for “a good
while”. I shared with the class what
mation where God used you? When
the Lord just reconfirmed in me.
we share about our children (caring
God is in the process of uniquely
for orphans), its not just about beautipreparing Zambians, Zimbabweans,
ful buildings built very economically
and other Africans for missions. Preand children loved and cared for inexdominantly Muslim countries in Afri- pensively. The close relationship we
ca would be very hard for me to
have with almost every orphan’s relalegally reside in, but Africans could.
tives opened hearts for you to shine in
They know how to live through diffiJesus. Very soon, lives you touched
cult times, learn languages easily,
with the gospel will be missionaries all
and know first hand mistakes of
over Africa, and around the world. As
missionaries over the years. For the
we read in Philippians, the great and
students in Bulawayo, missions is an
miraculous happenings we have witimpossibility. Yet, having been in the nessed in Africa are confirmation of
class where the Holy Spirit “fell” on
God’s hand in the partnership, not just
us, God is again doing the impossithe Jones’. Let’s keep the anointed
ble.
fires of this partnership burning hot
and spreading faster through faithful
The overwhelming question as I
prayers and support. We desperately
write this newsletter is, do our partneed each other to complete God’s
ners know? When we tell of seeing
mission.
new church buildings going up almost every week, are we painting a
Remain Faithful,
picture of bona-fide transforGetting electricity at House of Hope
Back to Normal by Linda Jones
Teams have departed and my back
to normal has started. Normal here is
always very interesting. Every 3
months I do bulk shopping for food
and supplies for both children’s
homes and sometimes it is not so
FUN finding all that is needed.
I was on site at House of Hope
several days this month for the power connection we’ve waited over a
year for and to get to know the children there.
We received 2 older children this
month at House of Faith. Home visits
showed there was a true need for
medical care and food. They are both
sweet and kind 10 year old children.
They have settled into mama
Benita’s home. We are at 56
children at House of Faith,
just 4 beds left until we will
need to open the 6th house.
Final touches of ceiling
boards and paint will start on
that house next month. I also
need another House mom
who is called to do the work
of loving and caring for orphans.
I was asked to care for 5 more
babies this year that I sent to another baby orphanage in Kalomo because our mom’s already had babies. I’m praying for wisdom on how
to open the next house so it can care
for more babies or younger children.
Please pray with me on how this will
all work and for the Lord to provide
just what we need to serve HIS children.
August 2013
Building a Community of Hope by Sheri Jones
The kids have kept me busy this
month. We’ve been working on learning activities, gardening, spiritual principles, and having plenty of fun. We
received a new child in July named
Jubec. His mother passed away and
he had no place to go. He is 9 years
old, but weighs less than our 7 year
olds and has never been to school a
day in his life. It has been difficult to
support him as he is grieving, but God
has been with him and with us.
I received requests to take in many
other children at House of Hope.
When I spoke with the relatives caring
for the orphans and asked what was
most difficult for them as care takers I
always got the same answer- school
fees. After talking with the children
and their relatives it seemed like we
could find a way for all of us to work
together to care for orphans. So I’m
busy trying to create a program to
sponsor orphans through school in
our community. I want to do more
than just pay school fees. I want to
work with the schools and get to
know the kids. I want to do chapel
services and teach the kids spiritual
Children’s Ministry
things also. I want
the House of Hope to
build a community of
hope where more
kids can be reached.
The school year begins in January in
Zambia, so I am still
busy working out the
details, but I hope
things will come together.
Exildah, one of our
employees, asked me if I would
teach her how to read so she could
read the Bible. I’ve never taught
literacy, and I don’t even really
speak Tonga, but her request pulled
at my heart so I agreed. Somehow
that turned into having over 40
women ranging from their late teens
to early 60’s from our community in
2 classes. Every single one of them
wants to learn how to read so she
can read the Bible for herself. With
some help from friends both in Zambia and America, and with our amazing housemother Loveness assisting
they are all making incredible progress. I
have lists
of people
who are
begging
to get
into the
next
group of
students
after these gradu-
Prayer
A volunteer to help from January to March 2014
For wisdom on where to start our next MOT MOT classes
For more supporters in these hard times financially
Literacy Class
ate. Some times it is outside of our
comfort zone and area of expertise,
but where there is a need God is asking us to do our best to fill it. He is
always faithful to help. Few things
have brought me more joy than
watching these women write an A for
the very first time or surprise herself
as she sounds out a word for the very
first time.
I’ve continued to teach the children at our local church. They come
in large numbers and with great excitement. We’re currently learning
about the fruits of the spirit and what
is means to be a new creation in
Christ Jesus. The children happily
spout off their memory verses and
examples of how they lived out each
particular fruit within the week.
I love the House of Hope, but I
know that God is calling us to reach
out and build a community of hope
around us. Please continue to pray for
open doors and the leading of the
spirit as we continue to bring hope to
those around us both through the
orphanage and other means.
Praises
That power has been connected at House of Hope
For the desire of Africans to do missions
Our Lorry is running again
Contact Us in Zambia
Contact Our US Office
PO Box 620063
noahofficeus@gmail.com
Kalomo, Zambia
Africa
252-441-7976
919-581-6817 Visit us on facebook
Designated Giving
Mike and Linda NM58
Sheri Jones NM64