More from Honduras...Salvation Soccer Balls and Shoeboxes

February 28th, Today was another beautiful day in Honduras, with blue skies and a perfect cool breeze. 

This morning after devotions and breakfast, we all packed up and headed to the medical clinic to assemble more backpacks and organize shoeboxes. Then it was off to the home of Geronimo, a friend of Pastor Israel’s who helps with the clinic and shoebox projects, who invited us into his home for an authentic homemade lunch. We headed halfway up the mountain and parked and then hiked by foot from the road to his home, perched high up on the mountainside. Geronimo walks from his home down the mountain to the clinic every day.

We squeezed our tables and plastic chairs into their tiny home and had mantucas and corn on the cob, more food than they would normally eat in a week. There were roosters and chickens (even baby chicks!) roaming the property and fresh limes growing overhead. After we finished lunch, we headed back down to the clinic to load up for our trip to El Cerron. The village is about 3,400 feet up the mountain so the road up is long and windy. It’s quite the adventure making your way up the mountain, bouncing and going around hairpin turns with huge drops on either side. The little van I was riding in had to stop at the base of some of the bigger hills and get a “running start” to get all the way up!

Once we arrived at the clearing in El Cerron, we set up and the guys went about their routine of shooting their water guns and water balloons to get the children excited. The children are so excited at this village to get our little trinkets and candy, that some of them swarm us as we pass out our goodies. Dawn led the children in the story of Salvation using the “Salvation soccer ball” that uses various colors to represent sin (black), blood (red), forgiveness (white), heaven (yellow) and “go with God” (green).

When it came time for distribution, we started with baby bags that were assembled for mothers with small babies. The bags contained a blanket, a onesie, a couple washcloths, three cloth diapers, diaper pins, a Cove Church cup, candy, and either a book or a stuffed animal. Since this village is so high up in the mountains, supplies like these are very important. The women all lined up in a very quiet and orderly fashion, although their eyes showed their excitement.

The children weren’t quite as calm! After the songs and salvation story, Pastor Israel called out the different age groups and genders and sent the kids to the team members waiting at the shoebox stations. 

After our full day up in the mountains, we were invited to Lynda and Angel’s house for a delicious homemade dinner. We feasted on authentic tamales, barbequed chicken, rice and beans and potato salad. Seeing their home is interesting to see the difference between what upper middle class looks like here as compared to home. Their house is very nice but still not near what we are used to in America. After dinner, we all enjoyed an impromptu concert by Shayle in their living room. It was a wonderful end to a long day.

Today we are off to the top of the mountains for Bella & Buena Vista and Rio Bonito, where we will see about 900 children. Lots of love to pass out! Pray for us!

Blogged by Jenn Baxter

Shoeboxes delivered to 500 kids

Today, we welcomed just under 500 children to the soccer field at the Medical Clinic. Children walk from as far as 5 miles away to come see us and get their shoeboxes. God blessed us with absolutely beautiful weather with lots of sunshine, blue skies and a cool breeze all afternoon.

Once again, the children and their parents were very patient and polite, waiting at the edges of the field as we got out of our vehicles. Steve and Gary quickly got the kids out into the middle of the field with their trusty water guns and water balloon launcher, as us girls passed out bracelets, rings, stickers and candy. It’s amazing how happy these children are to receive such small “trinkets.” I decided I was going to give my ring (it looked like a massive huge diamond) to a special little girl… one that stood out from the crowd. It didn’t take long for God to point her out to me. She was a beautiful little girl with long dark hair and big brown eyes. When I saw her, she was standing quietly by herself so I pointed to the ring on my finger and asked if she’d like to have it and despite the obvious language barrier, a huge smile spread across her face as she shook her head “yes.” After I gave her the ring, she walked off to be with the other children, but every ten minutes or so, she’d come back to wherever I was standing and just stand with me.

After play time was over, the children neatly formed into groups by age and gender, and shoeboxes and backpacks were passed out to everyone. The backpacks, made from donated fabric, are made by local teenage girls who use the money they make to pay for college and support their families. Steve and Gary helped the adults get fitted for eyeglasses, allowing many to see clearly for the first time in years.

Other families were overjoyed just to get to take home our empty cardboard boxes at the end of the day.

God was at work in big ways not only with the families of Honduras, but with our team as well. After a powerful devotion meeting this morning with Dawn sharing her struggle with overcoming an addiction to smoking and another moving devotion meeting tonight with Mark telling about his experience with a little girl running up to hug him and that small motion showing him the meaning of love, it is obvious God is here with every one of us in Honduras, working His miracles big and small.

Blogged by Jenn Baxter who is part of the Honduras Team 

 

SOLACE for the Children, Fundraiser TODAY

What's for lunch /dinner?! Join us TODAY, Feb 28 at the Sports Page restaurant in Mooresville as we raise money for Solace for the Children LKN summer program. Sports Page will donate 20% of ALL ORDERS, ALL DAY to Solace for the Children (you must mention Solace for the Children) We'll be bringing 20 Afghan children over for medical treatment while helping to promote peace!

Pictures from the mission field

A few pictures from the Honduras Team sharing Jesus and handing out shoeboxes in Las Lajas, Las Sabanas, and surrounding villages.

Followed by a "little down" time... 

Please keep the team in your prayers they are headed to the village of El Cerron today. 

Honduras Shoebox Mission Trip 2012...First 48 hours

Blog entry from the Honduras Mission Team by Jenn Baxter

Nothing says Honduras more than waking up to the calls of a bunch of tropical birds outside your window. The sun is shining, Pastor Israel gave an inspiring message and now we’re off to our second day of handing out shoeboxes to the children of Honduras.

Language barrier not an issue when games, laughter and hugs are involved!

From the time we stepped into the airport at San Pedro Sula on Saturday afternoon, the excitement amongst the team was evident. We are humbled to be the hands and feet of Jesus this week and know that God has brought each one of us here to use the gifts He has blessed us with to spread His word and His love.

After departing the airport on Saturday, we headed out on the two hour drive toward our hotel in Siguatepeque. The countryside of Honduras is beautiful and modest. Hills covered with palm trees lead up to majestic mountains that climb straight into the sky. The houses that line the streets are small and simple, most without doors or running water. They are painted in bright, vibrant colors of pink, aqua and yellow that stand out in the brown, dry landscape. It’s not a rare sight to see a cow or a horse randomly grazing or laying in the grass. Dogs run loose and fend for themselves. People stand on the sides of the road, or even in the middle of traffic, and sell all kinds of things to make money – fruit, honey, coffee beans, pastries and bags of water.

As we got closer to the city, we occasionally saw some familiar things from home, a TGI Fridays, Church’s Chicken, Domino’s Pizza, even a Sam’s Club type membership store, where we stopped for supplies. The highways are a bit like a NASCAR track, where “safe traveling distance” is non-existent and double yellow lines seem to mean “sure, go ahead and pass!” The natives zip around the sharp turns and will pass each other in an instant. There is a strange unspoken courtesy though between the drivers that seems to work!

When we arrived at Granja D’Elia (our hotel) at about 6:30 on Saturday night, we were greeted by Pastor Israel, the local pastor that we work with on our mission trips. The hotel is part of a larger complex that includes a store, a bank, a restaurant and even a small zoo. The couple that owns the complex are a local success story, having started with just a roadside fruit stand. The rooms are very similar to American hotel rooms, with a flat screen TV, a small fridge and a private bath with shower. The differences lie in the details… the bird sounds outside the windows, the shower that’s not always hot and the trash can next to the toilet where you put the toilet paper instead of flushing it. After devotions and a brief orientation, we all were happy to end the long day and get some sleep before our first full day. 

On Sunday, after breakfast and our morning devotionals, we set out for the day and made a visit to the local market. It occurs every Sunday and is amazing to see how a normal street is turned into an extensive market, with everything from clothes and shoes to fruits and vegetables, meat and fish, household and paper products, CDs and videos, even vitamins and medicine. With not a lot of stores around, this seems to be the main place for locals to do their shopping. There are a few signs from home here too with clothes from Aeropostale, American Eagle Outfitters and Ecko. After browsing the market, we headed toward the medical clinic which serves as home base for the shoebox project. The clinic, which has been under construction for almost 10 years, is a project of the Cove Church that will provide both important medical care for locals, as well as housing for mission trip teams. The beautiful building fits in with the local landscape but also incorporates American design. The main floor has a reception area, exam rooms and a fully functional bathroom, as well as a large storage and work area for the shoeboxes. The extensive upstairs area will have several bedrooms with bunk beds and individual bathrooms, a recreation area and a large kitchen. Having this space will allow mission trip teams to have one central place to eat, sleep and work.

After loading up shoeboxes and backpacks full of school supplies, we headed out to the villages of Providencia and Rancho Allegro. The Rivas family, friends of Pastor Israel, joined us, with the mother Lynda and the daughter Shayle leading the children in songs and prayers. When we first arrived in the villages, I’m not sure who was more excited to see who, us or the children. Boys and girls came running out of their houses, grasping a small book about the Salvation Story that was given to them with their shoeboxes last year. Although they are bursting with excitement, they all stand together politely in a group and barely break a smile. It is a huge accomplishment for us to even be able to come into villages like this, as just a couple years ago, they didn’t want you to even enter to spray for disease. But as Pastor Israel has built and nurtured relationships with these villages and mission teams have come in with much needed supplies and gifts, their hearts have softened and they now will sing songs about Jesus.

The team breaks the ice with the children by passing out candy, beaded necklaces, balloons and shooting them with water guns.  The kids love it and start to come out of their shells, smiling and laughing. Although there is a language barrier, it doesn’t seem to affect the fun going on between the team and the children. It’s amazing how polite the children are, waiting patiently in line for their turn and even holding on to their shoeboxes without opening them. One of the team members compared it to a Christmas morning in America and how different it is with us being used to children tearing into a pile of presents in less than five minutes.

Our visits aren’t very long overall and the shoeboxes may seem small, but to the children of Honduras, it is huge. The content of those shoeboxes is more than they will get the whole year and the families are learning the love of Christ a little more day by day. The children are so grateful and we can feel the bond already as we drive out waving goodbye to the children and saying “Adios”.

Today, after more packing and organizing of shoeboxes and backpacks, we are off to more villages, more smiles and more sweet, brown eyes. You definitely are not the same after you’ve looked into them even just one time. It is a reminder of what is important, what is not, and what one person can do when you stop and listen to God’s voice. When you act as His hands and His feet, there is no limit to what you can do.
Until next time, keep sending us your love and prayers!

P.S. We heard your shout out to us at church yesterday! It was an awesome feeling to be with our Cove family all the way from another continent! 

Serving God with no geographical boundaries!

Honduras Team Sunday morning, watching a Cove service while in Honduras! How very cool is our God! One church multiple locations serving and pursing God with heart and soul!

Honduras Shoebox team in is Honduras!

Honduras Shoebox team arrives safely in Honduras! Please keep the team and the many families they will come in contact with in your prayers. Their commitment, to deliver hundreds of shoeboxes, divine assignment is to share the gospel with the families and children they come in contact with.

Cove "All In" at work in South Africa

With your support of the All In campaign, The Cove is building a new cinderblock house and bathroom for Angel and her family. Angel is young woman who is raising her three brothers, as well as her own daughter. The five of them are currently living in a dilapidated shack that's approximately 10ft x 8ft.

Shown above is a picture of Angel and her current bathroom. 

If you would like to join us on the mission field in South Africa there is still time!  Trip dates are May 17 - 30, 2012.  Trip cost is approx $3000, deadline to sign up is April 2, 2012.  E-mail Kris Lamb for additional information at ncgofer@aol.com

 

Starting a new chapter...Our SOLACE journey

Starting a new chapter in "Our Love Story”! To get you up to speed on the previous chapters Lane and I met at The Cove Church 4 years ago. He says he saw me praying with Rhonda Touchette at an Easter service but did not approach me till Christmas. You will have to ask him for the details on why he waited so long! I had seen him serving on the Greeting team and noticed he always seemed to “show up” near me when I walked into the auditorium. He asked me to lunch January of 2008, we dated on and off and after praying and seeking God’s will for our lives Lane asked me to marry him in December of 2010 and we married April 29th 2011.

Now that you’re up to speed on how we got to “us”, allow me continue with the story. Lane and I both have a tender spot for serving, the least of these in our community and world. Lane works with the seniors at Churchill, volunteers with the USO and facilitates Grief share. My heart tends to go the opposite way, overseas missions, children and the homeless. We each have our individual ministries we support and feel called to, but for the past year we have prayed about doing ministry together and what that may look like as a married couple.

Okay here’s the EXCITING news!

We have prayed and made the decision to participate in a program called “Solace for the Children”, (www.solaceforthechildren.org) which brings Afghan children to the Charlotte/Lake Norman area for six weeks of medical treatment and peace building during the summer. We were introduced to this program 2 years ago when our friends Eric and Asheli Thompson hosted a little girl, Sahar, through Solace. She is in the picture to the right driving our boat. Although our time with her was brief she forever changed our lives!

Lane and I are extremely excited about welcoming an Afghan child into our home, and feel privileged to be part of the work God is doing within Solace for the Children. We have received so much love and support during our first year of marriage and are grateful for that outpouring. We now feel the calling to open our hearts and our home to a child in need.

As you may or may not know, Lane and I do not have children of our own. So you can imagine the leap of faith and obedience to saying “Yes” to God’s known, and our unknown. We are excited to follow God on this journey, but also a bit nervous.

The local medical community has agreed to donate their services to treat these special children. The host family donates their home, their time, and the expense of caring for the child for six weeks. However, host families must raise $4500 for transportation costs for the children (including transportation to and from the airport of departure, overseas airfare, passport and visa costs), a portion of the group interpreter, and the accidental insurance policy covering the children.

Visit the Solace website at www.solaceforthechildren.org to find out additional information OR join us tonight at Williamson Chapel Church in Mooresville 7 – 8pm for a SOLACE Host meeting. If you think this may be something for you and your family to get involved in come join us and many others in the LKN area on this journey! 

If this is not the ministry you are called to we invite you to continue on the journey with us through your prayers! We are asking that you lift up all of the children who will be coming to the United States, their families back in Afghanistan, and the host families as we prepare for the summer.

Let the journey begin!

Inbound Sports Ministry, Mooresville

Love sports and want to get involved in serving those in our community through a game of basketball? Contact Dan Greenwell at greenwell200@aol.com or Jon Morrow at jonmorrow32@gmail.com to get involved in a growing ministry that works with middle and high school students in the Mooresville area. Love and Christ shown through spending time mentoring and coaching local youth in our area.

Cove students collect food for schools

Great job Cove Student ministries!

Because of the food drive CSM did, we were able to start a relationship with South Elementary. The food will be going to several families that are in need within that school. Currently, there is no food pantry in this school due to lack of space.

If you would like help provide food for our local area schools contact Brett Gray at bgray@covechurch.org Rhonda Touchette at rhondatouchette@covechurch.org

MCM Poverty Simulation, Volunteers Needed!

Monday, February 27th, 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM, Monday, March 5th, 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM. Mooresville Christian Mission has been invited to be a part of an exciting program at Mooresville Intermediate School. As a culmination of their studies of poverty this quarter, they will be providing several Poverty Simulation events for their middle school aged students.

The Poverty Simulation is an interactive event for participants to experience what it would be like to be living in poverty. Each student will be provided with a life situation and will visit "stations" to deal with the financial and emotional pressures of everyday life. It is an invaluable experience to be able to walk in someone else's shoes for the duration of the simulation.

If you are able to help with one, or both, date(s) please RSVP by Monday, February 20th to Suzanne Dewosky, e-mail address: volunteer@ourchristianmission.org (704) 664-2357 x. 50
TRAINING DATE before simulation: Friday, February 24th, 10:00-11:00 AM at MCM Educational Center, 100 Beam Drive

Free Sign Language Workshop

Have you ever wanted to learn sign language?

Saturday, 2/18 from 10:30am – 12:00pm at Armour Street Theater, 307 Armour Street, Davidson, NC 28036.  Davidson Community Players is offering a basic of ASL class.  The class will cover: simple phrases, finger spelling, numbers and color as well as valuable information about the deaf culture. 

The workshop will be led by Lyndi Potton Gura, a professional sign language interrupter, teacher and actress.  Lyndi is one of the featured shadow interrupters for the production of "Children of a Lesser God" which runs February 23 - March 11th. 

This free workshop will introduce attendees to the basics of sign language. If you plan to attend or if you have any questions, please call Davidson Community Players at 704-892-7953, to reserve your space.

Eye glass clinic in Honduras

This past November 7 folks from The Cove Church and 3 from Trinity Church joined together to put on a eye glass clinic for the folks in Honduras.  The team was part of a trip that the North Carolina Baptist Men had arranged.  Pictures and recap from the trip.

"NCBM have on-site missionaries, Mike & Ginger Greene, in Choluteca, Honduras. They host construction and medical teams for week long projects throughout the year. God opened the door for us to conduct 5 eyeglass clinics. We worked in 3 different villages and were blessed to see 734 patients. As part of the clinic process, the patients go through a "counseling" station where we are able to share Jesus and pray with them. 37 people accepted Christ and many re-dedicated their lives. We also met up with Pastor Israel at the airport when we arrived in Tegucigalpa. He stayed with us at the mission house for the week. Pastor Israel and the Greene's talked about who might benefit from receiving smokeless stoves and 2 were installed during the week. Since we had plenty of people on the team, we were able to take on some painting at one of the churches as well as put in a bathroom and shower for 2 different families."

ASK

I have heard it said one of the things that keeps folks from going on a mission trip is “No one asked, invited or told me”.

Well, today if you are reading this I AM ASKING, ACTUALLY INVITING you to go on a mission trip and or get involved in the work God is doing in our community and around our world. My disclaimer is it will be unknown, maybe scary at times, you will be out of your element, flexibility is key but it WILL also be one of the BEST and life changing experiences of your life. You will likely come back asking...no begging when’s the next one, how do I get more involved, let’s do it again!

Starting this weekend, February 11/12th, and for the next three weekends at all of The Cove Campus' and services we will have mission trip and local ministry leaders available to talk with you about how to GO and get involved. Stop by, visit, ask questions, and join with us in going on mission for Christ.

By the way, after reading this you can no longer say “well no one asked me”!  :-)

~Lori

South Africa Dates

Dates for the South Africa Mission trip are confirmed. South Africa Mission Trip: May 17 – 30, 2012. The Cove is partnering with local churches to help them reach more people for Christ and will working with orphans and child-headed households. In November of 2011 with the All In campaign The Cove Church committed to building and funding 3 homes for child headed families. We are on target to be part of it construction while the team is there. in May Trip cost is approximately $3000 and open to adults 18 and older. To apply, or for additional information, please e-mail trip leader Kris Lamb at ncgofer@aol.com.

The picture above is of the Cove Team with Pastor Alton, one of the pastors that we partner with and the Nkambule family. We helped build them a home and shared Christ with them.

Kisses from Katie

Kisses from Katie is likely the best book I have ever read. Katie Davis is a young woman with a passion to make a difference in the world. This former senior class president and homecoming queen left her home in Nashville TN at 18 for a short missions trip to Uganda. That experience grew into a overwhelming desire to do something more personal and more sacrificial than just giving up her Christmas vacation for Africa. Today at the age of 23, Katie lives in Uganda, where she is the adoptive mother of 14 little girls, some with special needs, and the head of Amazima, a ministry that reaches hundreds of other children in Africa.

Katie invites you on a journey of radical love down the red dirt roads of Uganda. You'll laugh, cry and stop dead in your tracks with Katie as she follows Jesus into the impossible and finds joy and beauty beneath the dust.

Below are a few of my favorite quotes from Kisses from Katie

 “individuals are extremely important; every life matters.”

 “…they (people who want to make a difference) don’t do anything to call attention to themselves, they simply pay attention to the everyday needs of others, even if it’s only one person…”

“…wants more than anything to obey God and say yes to whatever He asks of me…”

“…ordinary people who love an extraordinary God…”
"I will not change the world.“I Jesus will do that. I can, however, let Him use me to change the world for one person.”
 
“…I am more more terrified of living a comfortable life in a self-serving society and failing to follow Jesus than I am of any illness or tragedy.”

“I , as a person who grew up wealthy, put value in things. These children, having no things, put value in God.”
“They rejoiced in what the Lord had given them…”

“Share…without holding back, giving our all and believing that the Lord will provide more as needed...
“God did not make too many people and not enough resources to go around. Because we are living in His world, there HAS to be a solution.” (to poverty, hunger, thirst)

“Poverty is not a sin; it is a condition, a circumstance that allows God’s work to be displayed.”

“…care for those around you out of an overflow of love for Christ and the love that He has lavished upon you.”
“adoption is His heart.”

“When we stop to be kind when we don’t want to, that’s when the sacrifice becomes most rewarding.”

“If being a new mother taught me anything, it was just how inadequate I am and just how dependent I am on my father to give me strength and grace for each day.” (amen.)

“…a desire to be more, to be better, to be close to the One who made us…”
“I made peace with feeling inadequate because the Truth is, I was. I still am…”

“…147 million orphaned children in the world to each have a mommy who knows what they like for dinner.” (one of her prayers/desires)
“following God is an education of its own.”

“Obey and be faithful to only what He has asked of me, even when tangible earthly results or successes are not seen.”
“Often in an unideal situation, there is not an ideal solution this side of heaven.”

“As I do what I can, I am able to watch Him do what only He can.”

“I am not brave. I just believe in a God who will use me even though I am not.”

 “Lord, may we choose you every moment of every day.”

2012 Honduras Shoebox Team

With less than a month before they leave the 2012 Shoebox mission trip team is gathering to pray, prepare and Go to the people of Honduras and share the Gospel with them. However if you have ever been on mission for God you know plans do not always go as smoothly as we like...




Couple thoughts from team members as they prepare to go.

" I love going to Honduras! The people of Honduras have absolutely nothing but are the happiest people you will meet. They are so prideful of what they do have. They live off of the land". Kristie Morgan

"Just wanted to thank-you all for your prayers. Jan. 2, 2012 this trip was just a dream. One phone call and 31 days later, I sent in for a new birth certificate, followed by a new passport  and received the new passport today. Our GOD is AWESOME !!!! Again thanks and I look forward to serving our LORD beside all of you. To GOD be all the Glory". Mark Buchanan

Thank you from Fifth Street Ministeries in Statesville

Thursday January 26th, at The Volunteer Appreciation Dinner at Fifth Street Ministries, The Cove Church and it's volunteers were recognized for all the support in the Soup Kitchen. Steve Byrd, a volunteer at Fifth Street, Cove member, ministry leader and most recently Fifth Street board member, accepted the plaque and goblet on The Cove's behalf. 

The recognition is on behalf of a guy named Tim Morrison. The approx 20 year old story goes something like this.  Tim lost his life as a result of a testimony he was to give in court against the man that eventually murdered him. Tim was a resident of Fifth Street for a very short time and left one afternoon to get groceries. Foul play happened along the way and apparently the man he was to testify against murdered him and he never made it back to Fifth Street. Tim's life made such an impact during the short time he was at Fifth Street that the organization presents the community with a Thank you in honor of his life.

God's Timing, Answered Prayers and Behind the Scenes

I read this story about a mission trip leader from a local church and was encouraged by God’s perfect timing and how even though we don’t see how it will all work out God’s timing is PERFECT. I pray this encourages you in your own life and ministries. As you work through the unfinished puzzle of your life trust that God is orchestrating, events, people, resources, and finances on your behalf.

Trip leader Gary Welch was concerned. It was just weeks before a medical mission trip to Haiti. And he didn’t have any doctors signed up. None. So this faithful leader called on his team to pray.

At the very same time, Chris Neuman was lost and searching. Growing up Jewish, his wife and two boys had encouraged him to begin attending a local church six months prior.

Two weeks before the medical mission trip to Haiti– Chris committed his life to Jesus. An emergency room doctor, he decided he wanted to put his faith into action and serve on the medical mission trip to Haiti. That same day, five more medical professionals signed on (including Kristin Neuman, Chris’s wife, who had been attending bible studies and praying for years about her husband’s salvation).

God answered the prayers of dozens of people that one day. Bringing Chris to Christ, moving in him to serve on his first-ever mission trip, bringing other medical professionals to the team. But notice that God doesn’t force anybody to act. It takes obedience, an act of will to say “yes” to the work God wants to do in your life.
Hebrews 12 says, “let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us..”

We are part of God’s bigger plan, there is no plan B. God is working behind the scenes in your life. Answer Him with a YES and join Him on the journey and trust Him with the outcome!