What If the Church congregations – in all their diversity – throughout the Kansas City community are banding together for the common purpose of making Jesus Christ famous in this city through love! We are gathering as one church to believe, pray and serve together.

OBC is honored to be part of What If the Church (WITC) Kansas City and will be involved in three distinct ways: 1) Teaching pastors will rotate on Sunday mornings (May 20, 27 and June 3) among the three churches in our triad - Olathe Bible Church, Heartland Community Church in Olathe and Crosspoint Community Church in Kansas City; 2) On Saturday, June 9, hundreds of people from across our community will become the hands and feet of Christ by serving where they are most needed; 3) On Friday, June 22, we will gather at Sheffield Family Life Center for a church worship rally featuring a gospel choir, an orchestra, an interpretive dance team and a special message from Dr. Tony Evans.

What If the Church Serve Day 2012 – Saturday, June 9

Volunteers Give Apartment a Fresh Coat of Paint

Last year nearly 150 people from Olathe Bible Church rose early on a Saturday morning in June and traveled to a variety of locations in the metro area to serve. Equipped with rakes, paint brushes, tools, task-specific materials and a willing heart, individuals, Life Groups and families reached out and made a lasting difference in the lives of many. This year we will be connecting with our local partners – Mission Southside, Tomahawk Elementary School, Salvation Army and Youthfront – to carry out the projects that have been identified as most important to these ministries; 200 volunteers from our church are needed to accomplish the work.

OBC Families “Dig In” Together

Please consider being part of this great day and help advance the Kingdom of God right here in our own “backyard.” You may review the list of projects and register online or you may sign up in the foyer at the WITC table on Sunday mornings through June 3. We guarantee that after serving in our community, you’ll return home full of joy, grateful that you have linked arms with fellow believers to help mend a broken world.

Makes Fixing the Sink Look Like Fun!

Since 1953, International Students, Inc., has been assisting foreign-born students and scholars adjust to life in the US and promoting cross-cultural friendships. A Christ-centered community service organization, ISI serves on over 500 college and university campuses across the US, including UMKC, Park and Avila in the greater Kansas City metro area.

OBC Volunteers with Students at Spring Picnic

Meet a Young Woman from China

Pat and Mike Sisk are among several volunteers who are involved with International Students, Inc. Pat first heard about ISI when its director, Carol Douglass, spoke at OBC during a missions conference several years ago. She and Mike were then re-introduced to the ministry during their Perspectives class. Since they have a daughter who has lived overseas for many years, they felt drawn to come alongside a young person who was in America as a foreigner.

Two years ago, they attended the ISI Welcome Picnic at UMKC in August. Not knowing what to expect, they were hoping they’d find a student who needed a friend and soon spotted  a young woman from China. She had been in the US just two days! Their initial conversation eventually led to a budding relationship. As friendship partners, Pat and Mike have taken her to the Asian Market, invited her to holiday dinners with their family and attended special ISI events together throughout the year. Once they even met her at the airport on a cold, snowy night when she had no way to get back to campus!  These outreach efforts are  establishing memories that will last a lifetime.

About six months ago, she shared with them that she had attended an event at the Chinese church on campus and had accepted Christ as her Savior! She was baptized, and Pat and Mike were honored to be able to attend. Pat said: “As she read her testimony before her baptism, she surprised us by saying that we had had a part in her conversion by showing her an example of a Christian couple. And all we did was love her!” Their prayer for her now is that she will be strong in her faith, so that when she returns to China she can continue to grow in Him. We have faith that God will continue what He has begun in her life!”

If you’d like to learn more, please contact jenniferm@olathebible.org and begin your international journey right here in our community!

The second half our team’s stay in Ethiopia proved to be every bit as exciting as the first few days! Pastor Mike Bickley, Pastor Rex Bonar, Scott Kelly, Jeff Parker and Paulos Assefa’ continued to serve, teach and celebrate with our Ethiopian brothers and sisters.

OBC’s Team

While in Mekelle, they visited a hospital and saw a young girl’s life light up when she received her first hearing aids. Before arriving at their hotel on foot, drenched by the hot African sun, they stopped at the Bible Society of Ethiopia and realized how difficult it is for lower end blue collar workers and students to afford a copy of the Scriptures in the Oromo language.

That evening, more teaching took place as students were trained in bible study, spiritual movements, and evangelism. Afterwards, the team gathered with young people at a traditional Ethiopian restaurant and then headed for bed, reflecting on the students’ hunger for the Word and dedication to prayer.

The Jesus Film

“Glorious” is the word Pastor Rex used after showing the Jesus Film at Dubancho Church just outside of Hossanna in the southern Ethiopia region near the end of their trip. Estimates of those watching were from 600 to 1,000. Children outside climbed to the windows to see. Others came in groups even after it started, until finally the church was packed with folks at the doors, as well. One pew bench even gave way with so many sitting on it!

Pastor Mike Introducing the Jesus Film

One of the most profound moments occurred during Christ’s scourging, stumbling on his way to the cross and his crucifixion. People showed sincere agony with loud crying, sniffling and outward signs of ‘expressioned’ pain. The team will never forget their emotion and the people’s reaction that night. Indeed, the church has been effective in their discipling and evangelism.

Final Comments from the Front

Students, who connect with FOCUS on campus, realize that God is preparing them for service. Many return with the gospel to their people. There are over 80 languages in Ethiopia. Some of these people groups are as high as 90% orality learners who do not read and write. Some are primitive to the point of wearing no clothing. Some are “harsh.” Militaristic. Hostile. Yet, God’s amazing work continues.

FOCUS Students

In closing, here’s a footnote from Pastor Rex, just before the team left for home on April 21: “Last night, we met a church planter who had one of his church buildings badly damaged by Muslim militants yesterday. It was 175 miles south and east of Addis. They tried to kill the pastor, but as they swung the sword he hid behind a tree and escaped. Amazing to us, this is not the first time they have tried to kill this good pastor, and he stays at his post. Pray for Ethiopia and thank you for praying for us these last 10 days.”

Tuesday morning, April 10, a team of highly motivated individuals, eager to help build God’s Kingdom and serve the unreached, left for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia! For ten days, they would disciple and equip young leaders of a campus ministry called FOCUS, which is on more than 190 campuses and has over 60,000 students involved in their ministries.

By Wednesday evening, following a 24+ hour journey half way around the world, Pastor Mike Bickley, Pastor Rex Bonar, Scott Kelly, Jeff Parker and Paulos Assefa’ were on the ground, ready to love and encourage these amazing college students. It didn’t take long for their work to begin, and blessings began to flow in abundance. In fact, one of the first men they met had been a Muslim sheik and is now a follower of Jesus helping with campus ministry. His family deserted him when he professed faith, and he would be in danger if he was found. But his faith is steadfast, and God is using him in mighty ways.

Students eager to learn!

After talking with FOCUS leadership about their vision for ministry, the team prepared for Friday’s first day of training, which exceeded all expectations! Instead of the anticipated 200 students, 550 spiritually hungry university students showed up to be trained in disciple making. In addition to being taught, worship is an integral part of all that happens. There are no spectators – ALL are singing, swaying, yipping and praising God with everything they have!

Following a better night’s sleep (roosters, yapping dogs and the 5:00 am Muslim call to prayer made for interesting background noise), a second day of teaching began, covering disciple-making principles, characteristics of disciples, and a very practical session on how to get employed in a difficult employment environment (53% unemployed). Though this went well, it is, once again, the worship that the team will soon not forget. They met in a tent made of leftover tarps from the United Nations Higher Commission for Refugees. The floor was dirt, the benches hard. But when the worship leader (he had been a secular singing star – now a believer in Jesus Christ) started them singing and dancing, the “tent of meeting” started to shake. As the joy and enthusiasm of these worshipers filled the place, the dust of the floor rose higher and higher. It was like the shekinah glory cloud, only tougher for allergic reaction. The team thought that these must be the happiest moments of these young lives; so deeply engaged in worshiping Jesus Christ with song and dance.

“Just behind us was one young girl who was joining in the dancing and singing. She was new to the family of worshipers. We had met her the day before. Her name is Winta. She had come to Christ just a month or so ago. Prior to coming to Christ she was a dancer of another sort. She had been a “traditional dancer.” Now she was learning the real dance; a dance that glorified her Savior, Jesus Christ. What a transformation!”

Pastor Rex teaching

The start of a new week found the team heading north near Eritrea. Traveling with Zerihun, the national leader of FOCUS, the team finally arrived in Mekelle and began to do training with the college students from Mekelle University. They focused on principles of discipleship, how to be a disciple, and how to make disciples.  About a third of the students had very good English skills and the rest were able to piece most things together even though the translation was in the national language, not the language of their region. They were very hungry and are very serious. These students will take the gospel back to many regions of the country that are unreached – with over 99% being Muslim or of the traditional religion.

“We met one man James who comes from South Sudan and he was very eager to make sure he was grasping what was taught about discipleship (we share mostly principles and tools like the Wheel and Hand illustrations to keep things reproducible). James was very intentional and there was no doubt he would be taking what he was learning and sharing it with others. What a joy it is to be with these committed and eager followers of Christ.”

Dinner with friends

Another important aspect of OBC’s work in Ethiopia is to help develop business opportunities. Paulos was able to negotiate a contract for the coffee house – an ordeal in Ethiopian business practices. He also met with a man who digs water wells. They discussed the possibility of drilling a bore hole in the south.

Stay tuned for more!

Sandy Ratterman just returned back from Honduras. Here is what she had to say about the trip…

“My trip to Honduras was from March 12 through the 16th. The very short trip didn’t mean that a lot wasn’t accomplished. We arrived late on the Monday night so pretty uneventful that day other than getting up around 3:45 am to make my connection in Miami.  Just made that a really long day. Our trip was through an organization based out of Coconut Creek, Florida called Food for the Poor and their in country partner CEPUDO. These organizations work very hard with the local residents to not only provide housing and meals but to train and teach the residents to be self-sufficient so that they can end the cycle of poverty.

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday we watched a marching band perform in our honor in Pimienta and then viewed a school in a little village nearby that used to be the goat shed and consisted of a roof and floor but no walls (we were able to hand out toys we had brought as well as some much needed school supplies here). We also viewed a “shack” that housed 12 family members that was no bigger than one of the classrooms at OBC (this community had no running water or electricity). We toured the CEPUDO training facility (all co-op participants are trained before being let loose on their self-sustaining project), visited one of those projects which was a tilapia/shrimp farm at El Bourboton, attended a graduation ceremony for women who had been trainied by CEPUDO to be beauticians so these women could support their families, heard a band performing with instruments provided by Food for the Poor (an endeavor to keep kids in school and away from drugs and gangs which has been very successful so far), attended an inauguration of a water sanitation project in El Derrumbo which is a town getting running water for the very first time thanks to Food for the Poor and CEPUDO and a lot of sweat equity by the residents, made our own tortillas at a restaurant, handed out care packages to a large group of women and kids at a clinic; toured a school, squatter’s village and the landfill where several people live and try to earn enough money to live on, and visited an orphanage for kids with HIV and the finale was a visit to another self-sustaining project run by a co-op of 12 women which was a goat farm. The women won a national competition for their farm last year and were so proud of their success. It was really great to see how empowered they were and to learn that the residents have started to gain weight as they were malnourished before the farm.

The peoples of Honduras are truly incredible people who really appreciate the hand up and are not looking for hand-outs. There was beauty to be found everywhere and God was very much present everywhere we looked. These people truly feel blessed and were a joy to be around. I have resolved to learn Spanish so I won’t need a translator next time, and I have already purchased my Rosetta Stone to begin my journey into this language. I will definitely be returning and continuing to help the peoples of this country.”

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Don’t forget the Go, OBC, Go Night on Friday, April 20 at 7pm in the Warehouse!!

Colton Tatham is back from Panama! Here he shares some of his trip with us…

“After our airplane landed in Panama City, we were warmly welcomed by Vince and Gretta Payne, OBC- supported and Panama Mission Foundation’s (PMF) long-term missionaries. The non-denominational organization is committed to church planting as well as training Panamanians and indigenous peoples in Biblical Christian leadership. Currently PMF is working to construct a preacher training school in a hard-to-reach village located deep in Panama’s mountainous jungles. The village is called Union Santeña. Due to the difficult terrain, most of the construction material can only be taken out to the village during Panama’s short, dry season before the dirt roads are washed out by powerful floods.

Since March is a part of Panama’s dry season, our group was able to take a couple of four-wheel-drive vehicles over the mountain roads to Union Santeña. We spent five days in this village of Panamanian farmers and ranchers ministering to the community. Although only two people in our group spoke Spanish, God definitely used all of us to help build relationships. We played with kids, visited families, and worked hard alongside Panamanians getting materials to the school construction site. Some of the land PMF owns in the village is used as a community farm for people in need. While we were there, a small forest fire broke out. Some of the crops were destroyed, but our group was able to contain the fire and save most of the fruits and vegetables. On our last night in the village, we lead a bilingual Bible study about the Parable of the Sower and the Fruits of the Spirit. Christian believers and unbelievers alike in the village joined us for an incredibly fruitful study. When we returned to Panama City, we spent a few hours at a nearby orphanage loving and playing with children.

God is definitely sowing seeds in Panama, and Lord willing, He will reap a massive harvest in the years to come. We definitely faced some challenges during our trip, but God overcame. Since the last OBC trip to Panama in February, the school’s construction has been moving rapidly. The steel beams for the second floor have all been welded into place and seismic shifters have been installed. Vince and Gretta’s story in Panama is a testament to God’s faithfulness to provide and His great love to reach the unreachable. They are still in need of dedicated financial partners and will always be in need of prayers to keep the work in Panama alive.”

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I am a trained Youth Friend. Even though it was easy and painless, still it feels like a good accomplishment. All I did was fill out an application, made a couple of hours available and sat attentively for a very helpful training. It opens the door for me to be a mentor and a lunch buddy. Once a week, I hope to be able to love a young guy that is struggling.  I’m told that he needs a male role model in his life. Probably so.

You see, my lunch buddy, whom I will meet for the first time next week, has been dealt a pretty rough hand in life. His dad is in jail. And his mom feels a bit overwhelmed as a single parent. So, he struggles with life. He struggles to keep up. Wouldn’t we all?

I don’t know what we will do. Not sure what he will want to talk about. He knows I am coming to meet him next week. He said he wanted a friend.

Yesterday when I got “matched” with my new friend, I said a prayer for him and I had a thought,“This is the first time I have prayed for him, but not the last.  I anticipate saying hundreds of prayers on his behalf as I wait to see what God will do in our friendship”.

~Pastor Rex

 

If you have any questions about how to get involved with Tomahawk Elementary as a mentor, please contact Jennifer Mellick at jenniferm@olathebible.org or call the church office at 913-764-8280.

 

Lifesong for Orphans is the organization that has made our adoption assistance fund possible here at OBC. They have been a tremendous resource and support to us. However, their ministries extend far beyond helping with the financial aspect of adoption. In fact, their ministries extend far beyond adoption in regard to the orphans all over the world.

Though we are not intimately connected to this work that they are doing in Zambia, it is such an easy concept and short-term commitment, we thought that we would share it for those of you whom God moves to be a part of it.

10 Days. 100 people. $20/month. 1 year.
All to build classrooms so that kids can continue their education past the 7th grade.

Impact Zambia 100 from Lifesong for Orphans on Vimeo.

For more information about Lifesong for Orphans visit their website.

Over the past weeks, we have been sharing the adventures of OBCers who are following God’s command to go to the ends of the earth, spreading His gospel. These journeys are not OBC mission trips with our regional mission teams. These journeys are self-initiated with other organizations or groups. They have been everywhere from India to Uganda, from Kenya to Panama.

On Friday, April 20 at 7pm in the Warehouse, our brave and obedient OBC friends will come together to share their adventures! Here’s who you will see…

Tyler Geisler – He has grown up at OBC. In 2011, we prayed over him right before he left he country for India, where he has been ever since. He will share what’s happening through his ministry there.

Chris Mathews – She will talk about her work in Uganda with The Global Orphan Project (GOP). The GOP has been a wonderful resource for our new OBC Orphan Reach ministry. Their work has been an inspiration all over the world.

Mike & Debbie Johnson – They will talk about the work they are doing in Kenya through Campus Crusade for Christ. For years they have been invested in this work.

The Tathams – They will talk about the work being done in Panama.

We hope to see you there! Please RSVP to Ed Simon at edjsimon@comcast.net.

For years, Mike and Debbie Johnson have been invested in the ministry work in Africa through Campus Crusade for Christ. Debbie recently traveled to Ethiopia to help with a conference for women. She left for Ethiopia on February 27 and returned home on March 7.

Here are some details about her trip, straight from Debbie. She shares special story about a woman whose life has been transformed by God.

 

“The trip to Ethiopia was a second conference for women. These two conferences are building on the 2009 “Home of the Leader.” That was a marriage conference.

Margo and I took scented lotions for the women. One woman from Hawassa put 50 Birr in the baggie the lotion was in and asked that the lotion and money be given to a paralyzed woman in Bahir Dar as an anointing lotion. Other ladies gave money to help her. Because we had extra lotions, we were able to give her another one.

She has had such a transformed life because of attending first retreat. She only came to the first conference because God told her to go. During the first conference, she sat in the back of the room with her arms crossed over her chest and a scowl on her face. But over the three days, Margo could see her change. God grabbed her life and she is a strong leader in her area and is helpful to her husband.

Before the first retreat, Solomon and his wife, Askala (Ethiopian leaders of The Transformational Leaders) went to her home (for mentoring). She did not stand to greet them; she did not enter into the conversation. She was rude for this culture. After the first retreat, when Solomon and Askale went to her house again, she greeted them and served them special food, entering into the conversation.

She is encouraging the young wives of pastors and evangelists to find a way to start a small business. She started making bread and selling it. She is making enough to run her house now. (Some of the poorest people in Ethiopia are pastors and evangelists. Their wives have to figure out how to feed company and keep the house running.)

She admonished the young single women not to look for a man with money because he may be stingy with it. It is no guarantee he will share his money for the running of the house. She told them to look for a man who was a strong follower of Jesus. Character is more important than money in a husband. She is proving to be an influential speaker, and women enjoy listening to her.”

As I type this, OBCer Sandy Ratterman is in Hondorus.
She is traveling with Food for the Poor.

They feed the poor and have self-sustaining projects. Their approach is along the line of “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”

Sandy’s trip is from March 12-16. After she returns we’ll get details on her trip.

For more information about Food for the Poor, visit their website.

Keep Colton Tatham in your prayers. He will be leaving for Panama on March 16 and return on March 25. This will be his 9th trip to Panama. 9th. Did I mention that he’s 20 years old?

Though this is not an OBC trip, the work will still be alongside OBC-supported missionaries, Vince & Gretta Payne. We will get the details of his trip when he returns.

Until then, this is a fun teaser video…emphasis on fun.

 

We have a slew of OBCers who are going all over the world on mission trips…with teams other than our OBC regional mission teams. We would love to share them with you over the coming weeks.

Our first to feature is Christine Mathews. She recently traveled to Uganda with The Global Orphan Project.

Here, Christine shares her some of experience with us:

“I said ‘yes’ to a second trip with The Global Orphan Project to Uganda without much hesitation. In August 2011, I felt God say, ‘go.’ In January 2012, I went with five other ladies from the USA. Our guiding friends were two women who work for The Global Orphan Project and are based in the capital city, Kampala. In a van navigated by our Ugandan driver, we went back to places I had been in January 2011, and we went to parts of the country I had not previously seen. A man who also works for GO Africa joined us the second week of our travel. The orphan setting closest to my heart is located in the SW corner of the country in Kabale. It was wonderful to reconnect with the children and the women who care for them. It was wonderful to reconnect with the leaders in the church and community who oversee this group of orphan homes called The Father’s House. Because we also spent time at several other orphan settings, they now tug at my heart. The three sewing centers in Uganda, which are connected with The Global Orphan Project, are of particular interest to me. Each is successfully supplying jobs, income, and increased self-esteem for adults who do the sewing. Each provides uniforms for children to be able to attend school…raising their self-worth, giving them hope of a better future.

God used this time to further increase my love, interest and admiration for His people in this country that has been called ‘the pearl of Africa.’”

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To learn more about The Global Orphan Project, visit their website.

Week one of the Discover your Mission class (part of the OBC Discover series) was a rewarding discussion of the Great Commandment. OBC’s corporate REACH ministry builds from this commandment laid down by Jesus, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.” We met to stimulate one another to Love God more. We got painfully practical by asking what does it mean to “love God”?  

• We obey His Word. That was first and most foundational. Jesus said it clearly, “If you love me, keep my commandments.”
• Then we said that we build personal relationships with a God who has revealed Himself as having emotions. Can you grasp that? God has real emotions regarding you that make relationship with Him real and rewarding. As a result, we spend time with Him, we sacrifice for Him, we devote our lives for His pleasure, we go through times of longing for the touch of His presence. It was encouraging to reflect on the relational aspects of loving God together.

This coming Sunday (March 4), we will go to the second commandment, “which is like unto the first: love your neighbor as yourself.” We will connect the two because Jesus did and unpack it in some very practical ways.

Hope to see you there.

- Pastor Rex Bonar

You don’t have to travel to Ethiopia or China to help orphans. There are two ways you can help right here at OBC.

The Family Support Team is comprised of people who have adopted or fostered and now offer to be an encouragement and resource for other families who are in the stages of adopting or fostering. This Team helps promote a community of support.

The Prayer Team is comprised of people who are very committed to pray for OBC families as well as the ministry and orphans we serve all over the world. Prayer should be at the root of all we do.

If you would like to learn more about the orphan ministry or get involved, visit the Orphan Reach page.

Johnson County Interfaith Hospitality Network, Inc. (IHN) is a nonprofit organization serving homeless families in Johnson County, Kansas. Their mission is to unite and enable the faith community to provide homeless families with emergency shelter and meals, as well as compassionate assistance with social services, and relationships with caring people in the faith community.  They hope to return the homeless families to a renewed sense of dignity and hope, and independent living in the shortest time possible.

In order to volunteer with IHN, you need to complete a training. This will enable you to serve in many capacities with IHN.

 

Volunteer Training: Wednesday, February 1, 2012, from 6:30 – 9:00 p.m. 
Training will be held at Overland Park Church of Christ, located at 13400 West 119th Street, in Overland Park. 
The church phone is 913-696-1516. 

For more information about IHN, visit their website at www.jocoihn.org.

 

The team of women who served in China have returned home! Praise God for their safe travels and the precious ministry they participated in. We will get an update on the trip at the Mission Recap Doubleheader on Friday, February 3 at 7pm in Room 217B. We will also get a printed version on the blog.

This message and came from Cassie Champagne while they were still there…

We had the truly humbling opportunity to share Chinese New Year dinner with a family who lives in one of the many migrant worker villages in China.  I wish I could have taken pictures there, but it was raining on our way in and out of the village.  This part of Xiamen was an entirely different side of the city then we have experienced thus far.  The humble home we crowded into made me feel such shame at my own unwillingness to open my home unless everything is “just so.”

Mickey and Minnie, as they are called by the English-speaking people at FH, are in the middle of the picture.  Their 20 year old son is behind them and their daughter (in the pink) they adopted after fostering her for several years. You will notice we all have our jackets on still.  Chinese houses really don’t have any heat for the most part.  Since it seldom gets below 50 degrees, they just bundle up.  Walls are cinder block and floors are tile.  The house was only the three rooms you see.  A kitchen the size of most small closets in the US, the bedroom had 2 beds in it (and that’s about all it could fit), and the bathroom space is the glass wall you see behind us!  The room we were in would act as the living room and dining room.  The son probably sleeps in that room as well.  Another interesting fact, the bathroom will usually be the only room with running water so it will also serve as additional kitchen space.  The kitchen itself usually only has one counter, two electric burners and shelves.  Many don’t even have refrigeration!

One tradition of the Chinese New Year is to place money in these little red envelopes and give them to the children of the homes you visit.  This was my gift for the kids.  I gave each of the kids 20qui.  That’s a little less than 5 US dollars.  Nothing for us…but a lot for them!

Dinner was AMAZING! Minnie is a wonderful cook.  We had rice noodles, fried chicken wings, baked chicken, pork and celery, dumplings, peanuts, broccoli, fried potatoes, sliced beef, cantaloupe, cucumbers, and rabbit.  What a feast!  And how generous this amazing family was for sharing it with their fellow brother and sisters in Christ.  This special family just seep Christ’s love! Oh and by the way, in traditional Chinese style…we ate our entire meal in one little bowl!

Tomorrow is our last full day in China.  We are planning to take it easy tomorrow.  Get our bags packed, maybe do some last minute shopping and then get some rest before our 5:30am trip to the airport.  After that it’s only a 25 hour trip home!

This will be my last post from China!  Thanks for your prayers.  I hope you’ve enjoyed my trip with me.

The ladies who went to China to serve at a special needs orphanage will return home tomorrow night (Tuesday the 24th). We will get a trip recap from them, but for now, here are some of their final adventures. All information and photos courtesy of Cassie Champagne.

Don’t forget the Mission Recap Doubleheader with the China team and the Ethiopian team on Friday, February 3 at 7pm in Room 217B. Please RSVP to Jennifer Mellick at jenniferm@olathebible.org or 913-764-8280.

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We left our hotel in Xiamen yesterday afternoon headed for Longyen on the mainland.  Everyone was tired from the long week but ready for a new adventure! Before we headed out, mom and I took a quick walk around the block near our hotel to get a few more pics. This orchid shop was about the most beautiful place I think we’ve seen thus far! After a 2 hour drive we arrived on Longyen.  It’s a much more rural area of China and much more typical of the China we’ve all seen on TV. After we got settled in our hotel, Kirk took some of us for a traditional Chinese dinner. After visiting the foster homes [the next morning], our host and interpreter took us to a Pagoda with a 3 mile walkway.  It had beautiful views of the city and it actually smelled good…like fresh air! For lunch we had another traditional Chinese meal.  It was very fancy and really really good! [That] evening we drove back to the city.  We [stayed] in a different part of Xiamen…more downtown.  We ate at Pizza Hut for dinner.

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This beautiful “Thank You” is from Beth Hought, school nurse, at Tomahawk Elementary in response to the Christmas gifts many of you gave to their students/families.

“I cannot thank you enough for all of your help with our Helping Hands! I was overwhelmed with the amazing generosity of your church family! While sorting through the gifts for the families, we found gift cards attached to items! There were extra items given beyond what was asked for. What a blessing all of you have been to so many children and their families! I have distributed most of the donated clothing and that was also greatly appreciated! Please pass on to whoever made that beautiful $500 contribution that we were again blown away! We used the donate money to pay down on several students lunch accounts! Thank you does not seem enough. I want you to know how blessed I have been in working with you and your church! If I didn’t have a church home, I would love to make OBC my home church!

May God richly bless you!
Beth Hought
on behalf of Helping Hands”

This update is from Denise Weller…

We’ve completed our shift, had breakfast and been able to see some of the city before heading to bed. Just one update to send out first.

Tuesday morning we finished our shift, had breakfast, then headed to Gulangyu Island (also known as the Garden of the Sea and Music Island) where we shopped. While there, Ina Kay and I were asked how we felt about possibly doing our shift for two nights by ourselves. This would allow Jessica (volunteer staff) to have 2 nights off before the next American team from Arkansas comes in and she then would have to work 10 days with them before getting a break. We said yes so tonight (Wednesday) and Thursday we will be working as a team to care for the babies. Pray for us and for the babies. It’s funny because early In the wee hours of Tuesday morning Ina Kat had mentioned in passing that 2 people could do the shift and that having 3 people didn’t seem necessary. God must have heard and agreed with her. We’ll see. Thankfully we had last night to ask Jessica all of our questions before having to go solo.

While working their shift, Cassie, Beth and Mindy got a chance to meet a friend of our China friends who is a doctor. She and Beth struck up a conversation (Beth is a nurse back home in Delaware). As a result, Beth was invited to visit the doctor’s hospital and say a few words through an interpreter and get a tour. Beth went after breakfast along with Cassie and Mindy. We are excited for them because this is a big honor.

Praises:

Jessica the team lead on the night shift had an easier time than expected at the Visa office and things look strongly positive that her visa will be extended fir the 30 days left in her stay in China and she won’t have to leave the country to do it.

Our littlest baby has gained weight over the last few days. She went from 5.17 lbs to 5.23 lbs. she also is eating more food and with less effort than ever before and enjoying more awake time. What a joy it is to look into her beautiful brown eyes as she drinks her bottle.

The little girl who went on Monday to have heart surgery has done well and now is in the process of recovery. Pray for her recovery from surgery and return to the Special Care Room.

Prayers are much appreciated for a sweet little girl who has a lot of health struggles. Her heart is too large, her liver is too small and her life expectancy is not long (2 years). Pray that all who care for her have an extra measure of grace and compassion. It is such a helpless feeling to see her distressed and often times not knowing how to help her feel better. This is one of those times when we are grateful that her Great Father knows her needs and gives her caregivers wisdom to care for her. It is comforting to know that He cares for her and is watching out for her in a way that no human could manage. Amen and amen.