South Africa 2004 (Scroll down for updates in order)
Posted July 20, 2004
Dearest Friends,
We are safely home from Africa and amazed at all that the Lord did. Our last show was at a squatter camp and gave us the blessing of sharing with 500 Venda, Zulu, and English speaking children. Despite two ladies that heckled the translator, the children responded to the Gospel.
AFRICAN PRAYER AND PRAISE !
- We praise God for James and Lynn Grant and their vision for reaching the children of South Africa for Christ. James says that he is too busy to die! At a time in their lives when many of their peers would be seeking retirement and rest, they are doing more. Please pray for their strength.
- Please pray for Helen, Lucas, and Sunet Scheepers as they lead a new team in Pretoria. Ask God to raise up others to work with them that have the same heart!
- Please ask God to send Christo and Ingeborg Botes more puppeteers to work in the Karoo. They are very enthusiastic about the opportunities that exist in an area where there is little Gospel witness.
- Please ask God to continue to grow the puppet ministry at Matroose Fontain. They even did a puppet show at a wedding. The bride was late and so the pastor said to go ahead and share with the children! This is a wonderful team.
STREET MINISTRY
Since we came home, we have been doing many street shows, working in the inner city areas of Atlanta, Nashville, and even Florence Alabama. Every town or city has some place that people do not want to live or visit. These are our favorite places!
We always look forward to working with Dr. Ben Wilkinson, Mark Gaston and Robert Miller in Atlanta. Salama ministries, of Christ Presbyterian Church, does an incredible work in inner city Nashville. Even in Florence, Alabama, while attending the annual PEF conference, God opened doors to work with hurting children. The following is a small part of what we saw God do.
HURTING CHILDREN
- A little boy came to a show and reminded me that he had prayed to receive Christ with me last summer. That day, he brought his little sister.
- A small 4-year-old boy prayed out loud at a street show, asking Jesus to be his Savior. His friends hit him and told him to stop, but he kept praying. Pray that we all have his courage!
- Gang members, young single mothers, adults and many children gathered to hear about the new life that Jesus gives in Atlanta.
- Working with the Boys and Girls clubs in Florence, we were all moved by the way that the children listened and responded to every part of the program. You could look into their eyes and see deep hurt and you could see hope growing as they put their trust in Jesus.
- We are working with children who have seen too much and had many terrible things done to them. They are so hungry to have someone love them, so desperate for a Father. It is the most wonderful thing to hear children in such dark places, like where we were yesterday, asking God to be their Father.
- We were amazes at a mother who brought her children to a show and then prayed out loud, asking Jesus to be her Savior.
- At a YMCA, I told the story of Jonah to children and how he wanted to run away from God. As a little boy was leaving the show, he asked me, “How can I run to God?”
- Many times, in the time since we have been home, we have heard children praying out loud, asking Jesus to be their Savior. We also heard one little boy praying, ‘God, get me out of this place.” Our Father keeps us humble!
PEF FAMILY EVANGELISM CONFERENCE
All of us were challenged by the PEF Family Evangelism Conference. Seeing our Irish Puppet Director, Sam Shaw commissioned, was a great blessing. Years ago, he was one that we trained and now, he is very much our partner in ministry with us. Praise God for His faithfulness in Sam’s life and ask the Lord to teach Luke Rodgers, Sam’s Irish puppeteer, all that he needs to know as he travels with us this summer.
Praise God for David Thomson, our English puppeteer who shared the following during our mission report at PEF. “I grew up in a Christian home. My Father was a pastor and evangelist, with real passion for God, but when I was growing up, I did not have my Father’s faith. I made a lot of mistakes. Then I met and began to work with the Agape Puppets and I found my Father’s faith.” He shared about his recent ministry in South Africa with us and concluded by begging the pastors, evangelists, and missionaries present, to reach and teach the young people, so that they could grow up to be men of God. It was awesome!
PRAYER REQUESTS
Finally, please ask God to provide the needed funds to equip and resupply the teams around the world. Ask Him to raise up churches and individuals that would adopt us a their missionaries and give us monthly support.
In Jesus,
Mike and Linda for Sam, Luke, Jesse, David, Hadia, Brittany, Katy, and Heather
Posted June 29, 2004
Dearest Friends,
WHAT A GREAT BLESSING
What a great blessing! 13,000 children, young people, and adults have watched puppet shows during the past 2 1/2 weeks. Tomorrow, Tuesday, (Monday night for you) we begin our trip home. We are all changed by what we have seen God do. None of us can forget their faces or the sound of their prayers.
When our friend, Denise, heard that we were doing a youth meeting, she was very concerned that it would not work. Last night, as she watched their response, she was stunned. All of us were amazed at God’s faithfulness as 200 young people and adults laughed, clapped, and cried during the puppet show. Praise Jesus!
Sunday morning many older people responded with enthusiasm to the puppet show. One dear lady rushed to hug us afterwards, thanking us and praising God for what she had seen and heard.
OUR LAST PROGRAM
Our last program was at a squatter camp, one that the government has improved with roads and houses built of brick. They are one room buildings that measure 10 feet by 10 feet.
A baby began to cry and Helen held her, trying to comfort her. She said that her diaper was soaked, but no one offered to change her. Her little 4-year-old sister was in charge of watching her.
The Pastor asked if we had any food for the children. We gave them everything in the car, all of our left over lunches, and snacks but it was nothing against their needs. He was so grateful and told us that now the children could have a treat. No one had told us to bring food.
During the show, two women heckled the translator and making it difficult to tell the story. Despite many problems, God made it possible for the children to hear Him. As we closed, I heard them praying out loud in Sotho asking Jesus to be their Savior.
Pray for us as we travel home.
Pray for Luke (12 years old, I think, Mike) as he travels alone from N. Ireland, his first time out of his home country. He is part of Sam’s puppet team in N. Ireland and he will join the USA team for the summer. He arrives in Atlanta, two hours after we do on Wednesday. Please pray that we are all able to locate each other in the Atlanta Airport on Wednesday.
In Jesus, Linda for James, Sam, David, Jesse, Daniel and Ellery
Posted June 27, 2004
Dearest Friends,
PRAISES
We have been very, very busy and wonderfully blessed. Your prayers have pushed open doors that we had thought to be shut. The children have listened attentively despite all obstacles because you were praying. The following is a list of praises and prayer requests. Hundreds of children prayed loudly at one school asking Jesus to be their Savior. These children were desperately poor and many were orphans asking God to be their Father. By God’s grace we have seen this many times over these past few days.
A Friday evening program in a nice church where people are very comfortable, reminded all of us, that hunger for God is the same for a rich or a poor child. Only Jesus fills our emptiness.
At a shelter filled with street children, we spoke of God who cares when no one else cares. The place felt dark and dirty. The younger children are physically and sexually abused by the older children and as soon as they are old enough this is what they do. Pray that Jesus will heal the children at this place in downtown Pretoria.
We laughed as children guessed where I was from. They heard me speak and shouted China and Russia. Then one child pointed at me and shouted “You’re a puppet”. Pray that they remember not us, but the stories about Jesus.
As we finished the program, a teacher asked a couple of us to stand at the door. “Please”, she said, “All the children would like a hug.” Time and again, even the older children run up to us after a show. Some ask for a balloon, but most come with one purpose. They want to say thank you and hug us, touch us, tell us with their eyes and smiles what we cannot understand in their words. We are rich in their love and gratitude. Pray that they will know all of the riches of Christ Jesus in their lives.
Training for the Pretoria team is complete and we rejoice in what God will do through Helen and Lucas Scheepers and their daughter Sunet. Pray for them with passion.
Finally, tomorrow is Monday, and we will triple translate our last program at a squatter camp. Beg our Father to pour out his Spirit on this our last program. This place is desperately poor and the children will suffer from many diseases, hunger, cold, abuse, and neglect. Pray that we can show them His love! Pray also for the safety of our equipment and for the team’s safety.
We want to finish well.
Love in Jesus, Linda for Sam, James, David, Daniel, Ellery, and Jesse
Posted June 24, 2004
Dearest Friends,
Zulu, Venda, Xhosa, and Tswana children whose parents are in the defense forces attended a puppet show this morning. Three five year old children told me they had prayed to receive Jesus as their Savior when Sam gave the invitation. Awesome!
We had an empty place in our schedule today and all of us were praying for another program. If you were praying for God to open doors, He answered your prayers. A school of 800 gave us a last minute invitation in a very poor area. James and I had several problems with translation, and we had many other small difficulties. Also, the lights in the gym would not work and it was very dark. Our Father showed us His mighty power as hundreds of voices prayed out loud, whispering, asking Jesus to be their Savior. In spite of everything, the children heard the truth. God is so good!
The day finished at a soup kitchen. Picture white and black children, with no shoes, standing in the cold, waiting for a small plastic cup to be half filled with soup. Picture them as they crowded around me, hugging me, thanking me for the Bible story, the puppets, the Gospel bracelets. When have we ever been so grateful?
There was one last opening in our schedule Sunday night. When the Pastor announced this at a minister’s meeting, they all began shouting that they wanted us to come. He said that the Pastor who shouted the loudest could have us, so we will be at a Methodist youth meeting Sunday night. This is the first time that we ever were scheduled in this way!
Tomorrow, Thursday, we have 5 shows. Pray for strength as we want to finish well.
Our last show in South Africa will be at a squatter camp. Please ask God to have all the children hear His words.
Love in Jesus, Linda for Sam, James, Jesse, Daniel, Ellery, and David
Posted June 23, 2004
Dearest Friends,
THE CHILDREN ARE WONDERFUL
We are seeing precious movings of God’s spirit among the children. After we finished an evening program, 9 Tswane children crowded around me. They were crying and begging us not to leave. That night we had given a missionary report about what the Lord is doing among children around the world. This is not the kind of program that children usually attend, but they came and listened to every story. They all hugged me and we promised to pray for each other. Around the room others sensed that something was happening. Everyone became quiet as Sam prayed for the children. When I knew that they had left, I wept. Their love for Jesus broke my heart.
Today we had three shows in Pretoria and they were just as sweet. The first show was at a pre-school and the teachers were amazed that the children listened so intently. The children rushed to thank us as we left the school.
Our second program was at a Christian school where we talked with the children about personal faith. James saw a little girl bowing her head and praying, asking Jesus to be her Savior. Praise God!
DAVI D AND DANIEL’S TESTIMONIES
One of the teachers was so impressed with what David and Daniel shared in their testimonies that he asked if he could bring their senior highs back and have them share in more detail their stories. What followed was one of those rare and special times when you know that Gods Holy Spirit is present.
I listened with delight and joy to their testimonies, imagining how God will use these young men in the future. Both shared how God had used their work with the puppet ministry to change them. More, every young person was listening every word they said.
At the end of the day, we finished at a soup kitchen, where adults and children gathered to watch the puppet show. I would love for you to see what we saw in their faces. Poor black and white people were working together to feed poorer white and black friends. Danville is a very poor area, with a high unemployment rate. The children suffer and the parents suffer because they cannot even provide food for their children. An old man watched the show and told us, ” It was great! It was just great”. Some of the adults were crying.
STRANGE AND WONDERFUL FOOD
The food is different, but wonderful! Gronfboonjiebutter is Afrikaanese for peanut butter and is pronounced Gront Boinkie botter. Tonight we ate baby marrow surprise with mielies. Can you guess what that is?
Children are so much fun… even when they ask me if I’ve just left the old age home. They weren’t kidding.
Hold us in your prayers. Ask God to give the children open hearts.
In Jesus, Linda for Sam, Jesse, Ellery, David, Daniel, and James
Posted June 20, 2004
Dearest Friends,
CAN YOU SPEAK TSWANA?
” Jesu wa go rata”. In the language of Tswana, this says “Jesus loves you”. Last night, God answered our prayers and gave us a show in Potchefstroum. There was a hole in our schedule that God dramatically filled. Some of the children saw our puppet show at the school and told their parents, who later brought them to a program the church. They had asked us to come to a church in a township some 40km away. We were thrilled!
Some of the children had been waiting for hours because they had heard we were coming. As we drove in, the smoke from the cooking fires hung in the air. (NOTE: Linda is having trouble with her asthma because of the smoke from the outdoor cooking fires. Please pray for her health. Mike)
The children sang and danced as we set up the puppet stage and equipment. When the puppets sang, the children danced with the puppets. At this village, we translated the story into Tswana, with the help of Tembeka, an amazing storyteller that God sent to us. This is the language of the North Western people and this show on Saturday night was our first opportunity to share with Tswana children.
TRAINING SESSIONS
Saturday morning we had the opportunity to do more training. All of us loved these times as this is the hope for the future work.
In a sunday school program, this morning, we heard the children praying out loud, asking Jesus to be their Savior. It was a precious time! James preached on Psalm 2 and challenged us to love Jesus with a passion.
The children of the sunday school sang a song for Fathers Day. They were all young black children in an all white church. Sadly, none of the white children had any interest in Bible stories, so the church has reached out to the little ones who wanted to come. (Reminds me of the story of the wedding feast, Mike) Most of these children do not have an earthly father but they love their Heavenly father. They sang to us, “My Dad is the King of the universe”.
Tonight, they came to say goodbye to us. One young boy of twelve gave me a very precious gift. He said to me, “I came back tonight to see you. You inspire me”. We pray that he is inspired to be a missionary to the Tswana children. Pray for the children of Stilfontein Baptist church to impact their generation for Jesus Christ.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN……
Tomorrow, we drive to Pretoria, so please pray for our travels. We have seen God do amazing things and we beg you to ask Him to show us His mighty power. We have been blessed to share Gods love with over 8000 children, so far. Ask that Gods word will be rooted deep in their hearts as the workers continue to share with them after we leave.
Love in Jesus, Linda for Sam, David, Ellery, James, Daniel, and Jesse.
Posted June 18, 2004
Dearest Friends,
Each day is more special and more wonderful than the day before. Today, as you prayed, you stood with us at a school and heard hundreds of voices praying out loud asking Jesus to be their Savior. This was the first time that we had seen this happen on this trip. The sound was precious to our ears.
Today, we were in two schools where most of these children have nothing, as you and I think of possessions. They live in very small homes and their families struggle with alcohol abuse and gambling problems along with physical and sexual abuse being common. Some have decent jobs, but they often make bad decisions with the money that they have. Think about the lives that these children led and then think about the song that they sang to us, so sweetly. At one school, over five hundred voices sang loud and clear, “Take the world, but give me Jesus. I won’t complain. I won’t complain.”
The principal told us that his was the first school in the area to open their doors to black and colored children. Because he was Afrikaans he received many death threats, but he told us that he had no regrets. Again and again, he thanked us for coming and sharing Christ with the children.
At another school, a teacher said, in front of the entire student body. “If any of you would like to receive Jesus as your Savior, go to the church this afternoon for another puppet program”. Also, she had the children sing wonderful choruses about the love of God. We were so blessed!
A little girl came up to James after a puppet show. He asked, “Do you love Jesus?” She smiled and replied, “Yes, He’s the light of my life”.
Bokki and Clare Petzer are hosting us in Stilfontein. He Pastors a small church there where they have lots of older retired people and lots of young black and colored children. They love Jesus and have been so excited to see what God is doing during our time together. I am staying with Dawn and Don and their favorite cat. We are all well cared for.
We have enjoyed curry bunnies and eaten a pot of potjie. It is getting colder and yes we are still in South Africa, with nighttime temperatures down to freezing.
Please continue to hold us in your prayers.
Love in Jesus, Linda for Sam, Jesse, David, Ellery, James and Daniel
Posted June 16, 2004
Dearest Friends,
HE COMMUNITY OF NELSPOORT
Today we traveled to the community of Nelspoort, which really is in the middle of nowhere. On a school holiday, 275 children crowded into the school hall to see the puppet show. Almost half of them were from distant farms and they can only go home one weekend a month. About 50 of children live on the streets of Beaufort West and are brought to the school to give them a chance to have a place to sleep, eat regular meals and an receive an education. Many of the rest were children who were in dangerous homes and they needed a safe place to live.
They loved the puppets, and then they clapped for the Bible story and again as the puppet team members shared their testimonies. It was a wonderful time of ministry working with the team from Beaufort West. At the end, we tied. “Flying Rat”, balloons for everyone and each child left wearing a Gospel bracelet. (A Special note of thanks to the youth and children of our home church, Highlands, for making 10s of thousands of Gospel Bracelets for us to give away on our travels.)
Please pray for these children and for the team from Beaufort West. When we finished the principal said “It would be good if every child in the school knew Jesus and accepted Him as Savior”. Islam is growing here, but consistently God sends us Christian teachers and principals.
As a special thank you, he took us to a mountain where only recently carvings in the rocks were found. The Bushmen, the hunters, painted animals on the rocks, but the Khoi, the farmers, made the carvings. It was a very steep climb with many large rocks to climb over. At the top, Jesse joined our guide and played music on something they called a rock gong. It sounded beautiful.
Our guide, Tommy, announced to me, “You made history today. You are the first “OLD WOMAN” to make this climb”. When David asked him how old he thought I was, he guessed that I was 120 years old.
TRAINING SESSION
Tonight, we held a wonderful training session. Everyone was amazed as whites, coloureds, and blacks (these are the three ethnic groups here, in the language of South Africa) gathered from different churches to receive training child evangelism. This was a big surprise for our friends. Praise God!
Tomorrow, we head towards the diamond mining area of Kimberly and on to an expected drive of 8 hours. Please continue to pray.
Love in Jesus, Linda for Sam, James, David, Daniel, Jesse, and Ellery
Posted June 15, 2004
Dearest Friends,
THE SCHOOLS OF KAROO
The first school greeted us by singing “Because He Lives”; keep in mind that this is a public school. James and I told the story of Zacchaeus and the children sang a song about him in Afrikaans. They finished by singing a final thank you song for us. They sang, with great big smiles, “I can see in you the glory of my King. I love you with the love of the Lord”. Ask God to make their song truth in our lives.
At the second school, a teacher said, “Can we have more, please?” as she begged for us to extend the program.
David gave his testimony and told the children how he had not liked school. He confessed to being a bit naughty and told the children how God never gave up on him. Every sentence that he spoke, a teacher shouted, “Amen That’s true.” There are many true believers among the teachers, at all of the schools where we have been, who have promised to follow up with the children.
At the last school, the principal spoke after we finished the program. He said “I’m sure that message reached someone’s heart today.” Another teacher told me that our words were exactly what the children needed.
Please pray for the 1,700 children and teachers who heard the gospel today. Ask God to grow His word in their hearts.
A DRIVE INTO THE MOUNTAINS
We have had an incredible day. The Lord has blessed us wonderfully well. We finished a great day of ministry with a drive into the mountains of the Karoo. There we saw Springbuck, Ostriches, and an Eland along with an unbelievable view of deep red, rocky mountains. Christo and Ingeborg have been so very kind to us.
A GOOD ENDING TO A GREAT DAY
We are finishing up our evening, gathered around a fire and eating warm soup. It is so cold here. Are we really in Africa? (NOTE: The temps are mid to low 30s F at night and mid 60s F during the day. Sure beats the 96F we had at home last Saturday)
TOMMORROW NELSPOORT
Tomorrow, we will be in the community of Nelspoort, which is a very poor place with hardly any jobs. Pray as the entire town is expected to come to the puppet show. Please pray for receptive hearts.
Love in Jesus, Linda, Sam, James (Granddad), David, Daniel, Ellery, Jesse
Posted June 14, 2004
Dearest Friends,
KAROO, SOUTH AFRICA
We are in the Karoo in the town of Beaufort West. This is a very peaceful little town, but it has big problems. The town is a trucker’s rest stop as they travel between Capetown and Johannesburg. Unemployment is very high, so women and even young girls of 12 and 13 sell themselves. The Aids infection rate is very high, so many children are raising younger brothers and sisters and there is so much poverty.
THANK YOU TO OUR HOSTS
Christo and Ingeborg Botes are hosting our entire team at their home, which was built as a missionary retreat, 100 years ago. They have an enormous passion for Christ and they have a real vision for reaching the children of the Karoo for Christ. James and Lynne Grant, our puppet directors form Capetown, planted this team. When they received the new puppets and the other supplies that we had brought them, they were full of joy and compared it to Christmas. Their enthusiasm and the stories of their ministry reinforce my strong belief that the investments we make in nationals will return real eternal rewards.
COMMUNITY MEETING
When we arrived in the town, after hours of driving, we went to the agricultural show grounds to attend a meeting of believers from many different churches in the area. The believers were black and white, rich and poor, their church is the way churches must look if the church is to survive here.
SCHOOLS AND MORE CHILDREN
Today, we shared in 5 puppet shows in 3 different schools. At one school, a teacher helped us translate. So that the children could best understand, we told the story in English, Africanse, and Xhosa. She was amazing and the children responded wonderfully to her words. After the show, Rosalie told us that she had asked God to make her a “weapon of love” in the school. By God’s grace, we have now shared with over 4,500 children and adults in the first 6 days of ministry.
PRAY FOR US AS WE CONTINUE
Please, stay on your knees. Please ask God, that all the wonders we have seen so far will pale in comparison to what we see God do during the next two weeks as we travel through South Africa.
In Jesus, Linda, Sam, David, Daniel, Jesse, James (granddad), Ellery
Posted June 13, 2004
Dearest Friends,
WE STAND WITH OUR FEET IN TWO WORLDS
Friday night and Saturday we worked with children whose parents were attending an “Experiencing God” workshop. Most were comfortable and hunger was not a problem for them. We had nine hours with these children where we were shared with them two important truths. Our hope was that they would put their trust in Jesus and second, share that relationship with others.
God answered our prayers! Children told us that they had come to faith. Many prayed in soft, barely audible whispers. Three of them talked to me about becoming a missionary. They thanked us and begged us not to leave. They wanted to know when we would come again. Since we saw it as a mission’s conference for children, we pray that some of them will be the next generation of missionaries in Africa.
The other children, that we spend most of our time with, live very differently. The first two and a half days IN South Africa, we worked with children who live in some of the worst places. Ironically, the children from the worst neighborhood were better behaved and more grateful.
Their teachers told us that they live in very small homes with many adults and children sharing a single small room. Child sexual abuse and physical abuse is common. Drug abuse is a big problem and there is lots of theft so that people can pay for their drugs. Many 11 and 12 year olds are using a new drug called Tuk-Tuk that is destroying these children. Their bodies waste away to skeletons and many die from using it. Most children have no one to care for them. In the midst of all this pain and hurt, they loved the puppets.
I watched their eyes as we told them about Jesus, His love, and His peace. You could see how hurt they were and you could see hope come into some of their lives as they listened to the story of Jesus.
THE FARM SCHOOL
We love all that we are allowed to do, but one show was especially dear. Very early one morning, we drove way out into the countryside to a farm school. The children were from 60 different farms, many walking more than a kilometer to reach the bus. When we arrived, you could feel the children and the teacher’s excitement. The principal was thrilled that we were going to tell the children about Jesus. He told us that we did not need to worry about the time.
Most of these children had never seen a puppet or people from other countries. Sam’s juggling awed them and David used a furry little stuffed raccoon to scare the teachers as they all screamed!!! Daniel’s Spanish was received as good music and Jesse told how God took his fear away. After each testimony, they applauded. At the end, James used balloons to present the Gospel and Ellery helped us to tie balloons for hundreds of children, then the teachers served us tea and delicious pastries. It truly felt like a big, long wonderful party.
TRAVEL TO THE NORTH
Today, we begin traveling toward Johannesburg, about 800 miles to the northeast. We will be stopping in many small villages, teaching children’s workers and presenting puppet shows. We will not be in one place for more than a few days for the rest of the time that we are in South Africa.
Please pray and ask God:
- to enable us to think clearly as we pack this morning so we forget nothing. We have to take everything for the shows and plus our personal luggage with us, because we are not going back to Cape Town. Seven of us and all of our luggage, in a kombi (minibus) and a small trailer.
- that the kombi not have mechanical problems. We only have one vehicle and no other way to get to the villages or to the airport at the end.
- to give James and Sam special strength, as we will be driving long distances, sometimes over poor roads.
- most of all, to make the children receptive to the Gospel.
Love in Jesus, Linda ….for Sam, Ellery, David, Jesse and Daniel
Posted June 6, 2004
Dearest Friends,
Tomorrow, June 7th, we leave for South Africa. Because of work commitments, Mike will not be able to come, even though we had hoped that we would be together on this trip. Please pray for the work in South Africa and please pray for us as it is very difficult for us to be so far apart. I will have the company of five young men: Samuel Shaw (Northern Ireland), David Thomson (England), Daniel Cruz (Mexico), Jesse Southerland (U.S.A.), and Ellery Durgin (U.S.A.). We will be working with out dear friends, James and Lynn Grant, who lead all of the puppet ministries for us in South Africa.
Especially, we need you to pray that the airline will not loose our bags. Lufthansa does not have a very good record with keeping up with luggage. However, they were willing to give us an extra bag per person at no charge to us. We are very grateful for their kindness, but we need your prayers for the safe arrival of our 21 bags of equipment and gifts. Also, ask God to give us an easy passage through customs with no extra charges.
Some of you have been writing and asking how you can help with these trips. The following is a list of things that we need for upcoming trips. These things will be used in many different countries around the world. Some are requested gift items and some are equipment needs. Please make sure that all items are “new” or “like new”. When you read this list, you may wonder why we need certain things. If you call me, I will answer all of your questions. So, please involve the people in your church, your friends and your family and gather these supplies. You may mail them to our address which is at the bottom of this e-mail.
Gratefully Serving,
Linda and Mike…for the team
THE LIST:
- small metal cars
- Beanie Babies
- name brand “yo-yo’s” (the others do not “yo-yo”)
- feather boas-all colors (found at craft stores)
- Indian feather head dresses
- winter toboggans (all sizes)
- winter gloves (all sizes)
- books by Max Lucado
- books by John Piper
- books by John McArthur
- copies of “The Children’s Ministry Resource Bible” (available at Amazon.com)
- Christian music cds of “Third Day” and “DC Talk”
- Christian t-shirts in English (all sizes)
- the Bible on cd (new and/or old testaments)
- vice grip pliers (good quality)
- pocket knives (Swiss army)
- leatherman multi-purpose tools (brand name only)
- small LED flash lights (they use less batteries and are available at Wal-Mart for around $12.00.)
- non-prescription reading glasses
- old prescription glasses (must be in good condition)
- bags of flavored coffee beans
- classical music cds
- bright colored jump ropes
- Mexican sombreros
- angel
- sequin fabric-all colors (1 yard or more)
- nice ties for pastors
- a case of 260Q qualatex balloons in traditional colors (can be ordered by calling 1-800-777-5544, estimated cost is $170.00)
- set of metric wrenches (very good quality)