Hope for Nigeria

But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?  1 John 3:17


Here is another brotherhood grass roots charity I picked up on. To put it in a egg shell they are helping poor individual Nigerian farmers get started in the poultry business. Boilers and laying hens. Their goal is to portray Christ's love in this way.  Charles and Dennis Goossen are presently flying from Canada to check on the progress and give training on business management to the farmers already enrolled. They also are investigating the possibility of setting up a microcredit system for brethren in NA to personally assist in lending money to help these farmers and entrepreneurs in Nigeria and even other developing countries.  


They originally were pushing for boilers, (chickens primarily raised for meat), until they found it difficult to market without adequate freezer storage. One of the local processing plants in Fugar they were previously going to rely on had recently shut down. However the farmers are finding an open door to set up nesting in their barns and selling the eggs which have a shelf life of two weeks (If never chilled).


The project is looking for an additional $10,800 to jumpstart this seasons pullet (baby chickens) and feed expenses. The farmers are committed to give a portion of their earnings back into Hope for Nigeria to help the next farmers.
Administration, registration costs, etc. have already been paid for and all donated  monies go directly to the farmers' operating and capital loans.
They work alongside Christian Veterinary Missions of Canada  www.cvmcanada.org  which has experience with these sort of projects.



For more info: 
See their blog at  http://hopefornigeria.wordpress.com/2010/08/


Contact 
Charles Goossen (founder) ---Canada
306.547.3353


Dennis Goossen --- Canada
Ph: 204.548.4500

Fx: 204.548.4800

dennis@goossenaccounting.ca

Roger Ensz--- Center CO. USA

719.754.3270

Faith, Works, and Fruit

I hope in even some small way I can benefit the reader. These have been my latest inspirations. I have raced trying to type them done before I finish the "honey do's" around the house for my wife. She went to town so I will have to get a move on so she can see progress  :)  Anyways I have been to busy providing a living to write much justice in Op-Noah, but by and by you will see more material. Thanks and feel free to send me your inspirations. Thank-you. JLT




I just quoted the verses out of James 2


What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. What is the real fruits and works of a "True Christian life? 


 Our weakness is really our strength because it is then that we trust less in our flesh and more in Jesus Christ.


So too much doomesday is really getting on the nerves because we are not here to trust ourselves to increase. We are so pre-occupied with our own personal neediness to accept  the promises of God to give us the grace to over come. We are spending to much time thinking we are improving our worth in God's eyes by acts of righteousness and fruits when in reality we are running around naked thinking we are clothed. My point is that God is looking for broken contrite hearts that can look upon humanity and see themselves as vile and wretched as anyone else if it truly were not for the blood of Christ.  And even with the blood of Christ we bow our head before the Lord and say, "Be merciful to me a sinner" Out that soul will come forth fruit with power. From good Samaritans to widows casting mites, to people digging up fields looking for precious pearls. Fruits will be noticed from these "changed people" that will super cede and eclipse the fruits of texting, clothing lapses, hair styles, etc. I do not one minute say these things are not fruits in one sense or another or are not worthy to ponder, but the are consuming way too much time and effort, when real issues are building up.






What are fruits?
My question is that Galations 5 and Colossians 3 define worldlinesss and it's spirits and also the evidences of a Spirit born of God.








We try to avoid the real cross of Christ and getting out of our comfort zones by settling for human bench marks and keeping status quo for our righteousness. It makes us appear to others our righteousness and yet we are hiding from doing more. We hide behind our "circumcision" on "things" issues versus visiting the widows and the fatherless.


Galatians 6: 12-16
As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. 13For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh. 14But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. 15For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. 16And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.




Christ spent so much time warning us to "clean the inside of the cup first"


Matt 23: 25-28


Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. 26Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.


27Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. 28Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.




I have entered into a study of Colossians 2 and Galations 3 (and the book of James) as a result of Matthew 23
If you do not understand where I am coming from read those passages and ask yourself


1. What goals can I attain by human effort
2 What is the fulness of Christ in my life
3 Does it give me power
4 If not what hinders it


What is amazing is that God calls us often when we really did not know we needed him. We accept him and he changes us into a new creature. Instead of remaining in the potters hands we jump up and try to produce our own righteousness and our own personal rules to keep us "in bounds". As a result we loose power until we "wisk not that the spirit departed"


All the laws and the prophets hung on a few points. 
1 Love God with all thine heart
2 Love they neighbor as ourselves


A real Christian will also become a intercessor. Look at Moses, Abraham towards Lot, Joeseph and his brothers, Nabal's wife, Jonathon and David, the list would be an article in itself. That all points to Christ. And where does that leave us. Our famalies, our neighbors, the Church, the prodigals and how much time does that leave for self.....................txting.........cellphone problems.......internet...........To solve these problems is to replace them by looking towards the source of our power---Jesus Christ, the Resurrected. That is what is going to put the air into your boots to leap over the obstacles in your life. "Newness of Life" Rom. 6:4


For the Gospel came not unto you in Word only, but also in power and in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance 1 Thess. 1:5


  

GNFI Reports on Lasstic Canyon, Haiti and on Orphanage in Mexico

 
Hello to all that support and follow Good News Foundation International! The last month and a half or so have been very good for the organization. People are giving readily and we are happy with what’s going on, not just with how donations have poured in, but with the current projects in Haiti and Mexico.

First off, we'll update you about the Lastic Canyon project. Thanks to all your support we have paid off around $70,000 which was direct costs from the work done last winter. On top of that, there is another $21,000 that has been received for Lastic Canyon, with another $25,000 that has been pledged. So, you can see that the project is well on its way to being funded and completed, but we can’t stop quite yet! We still need people that can give us a monthly donation (see attached letter) that will make Good News a more solid organization. We have those that give $50 to $100 every month, we really appreciate it, and hope to see more ongoing support like it!

Next, the Mexico project... Agua de Vida Orphanage! This place is exciting to go see, the children there seem so happy! At first they are a little shy, but after awhile they will warm up to you, and you will have a new friend south of the border! The newspaper in Yuma had an article on the needs there and directed all those interested in donating to go through Good News. Here is the link to that article,http://www.yumasun.com/articles/andrews-64189-orphanage-yuma.html , please read it! We are gearing up to help them with the new dormitory electrical and plumbing once the building is framed. A Canadian crew plans to start framing the building around November 11th. We are still in need of more funding for our portion of this project, around $4,000 is still needed. If you are interested in helping these poor children have a better place to sleep, consider giving a donation of any amount with the memo "Agua de Vida" and we will put it towards their new building. Jim Victor(Livingston) and Benny Friesen(Yuma) are working together to manage the project. If you have any questions about the orphanage, email us and we'll answer as soon as we can.

Attached is a donation flyer, please use it as you feel lead to and pass it on to your friends that may be interested. Thanks again for your interest.

--
Good News Foundation International
Daniel Jantz
209.409.4597
Atwater, Ca

Orani Haiti Clinic Back On Track!

We are leaving for Haiti in 2 days! 

  Wow, is it ever hard to finish things up to go! We found a vehicle in Atlanta Georgia that looks like it will fit the bill. It’s a 2000 model Ford 4x4 Diesel. Our last SUV apparently is settled into the Bahaman sea floor. We are desperately hoping and praying that this one will be granted safe passage. We are excited that God has continued to lead us to go to Haiti. We are courageous and feel His nearness as we try to move ahead in faith, in many ways not knowing how things will yet work out. Kimmie the nurse is arriving Nov 14th and we hope to be able to have our house well on the way to livable by then. We are making a 9x28 addition onto it and putting a new tin roof on. Some local church brethren dug the hole for the new outhouse, so we’ll just have to cement a lid and build it now! The clinic is getting a wall built around the yard already and we are eager to get working on getting it ready for use!

Alot of you heard of Anthony and Darla’s baby Wade and his very close brush with death. Thanks for praying for my little nephew and continue to pray that he grows strong and healthy.  Please pray for the Oriani families too. In the little church there, the last 7 pregnancies have all produced 0 living children. Thats ZERO!  Can Confidence Health Center help change that ratio? By God’s help I hope and pray we can!

Many people say that life is cheap in Haiti, but can you imagine the pain that is forced upon them before the calluses develop that makes Haitians numb to these things? Pray for us that numbness will not come in to deaden our senses and we accept this as normal! In our developed countries we are so blessed with good health and good health care services that I become numb to how good we have it!
Good night and keep us in your prayers that we can be used only as instruments of God.                     

      —Keith and Candace Toews

Mystic Ship Sends Clinic to Bottom of Ocean

The Haitian clinic organized in St. Mary's Ontario to be overseen by Bro. Keith Toews has went to the bottom of Ocean for now. I hear they plan to go ahead with their plans however and make do with what  courage is left. May we remember them in prayer. You just can't imagine the shock this must have brought after all the effort put forth. Here is the e-mail of what they sent me for the details:

We are stunned and in disbelief.

We had so many interesting and “God moments” when it seemed like God was almost miraculously making things happen to be able to get this vehicle, and get it loaded with supplies, and actually across in the USA, that we were disappointed that after all that... it was delayed for almost 2 months leaving Miami docks to got to Haiti. But, the other day we heard it had left! and the ship was on it’s way!  We were so happy, and repeatedly thanked God in our family prayers that the timing was good that we would have it in Haiti by the time we go in a couple weeks.  (I haven’t bought the tickets yet)

Today... we hear this afternoon that the ship and all the cargo, is peacefully resting on the bottom of the ocean. This included a couple other vehicles that were being bought by some of our poor Haitian brethren. Which makes me very sad for them too.

Words fail to describe our disappointment and we have already cried our tears of frustration. The weeks and weeks of effort into rounding up the clinic and household supplies, equipment, extra parts, tools, propane freezer, schoolbooks, and all the effort involved in buying and equipping the Suburban for Haiti.... all finished.

Where do we go from here? We can only say the very common Haitian phrase “BonDye konnen” (God knows).  I know I am not feeling too chipper today, but I don’t feel we have the energy or the time to start buying and replacing it all here before we go. We already have Steve Greydanus’ looking after our chickens, I have quite my job, and we are working on renting out the house. So maybe we’ll have to just go, and figure out how to do without it all or buy what we can in the Dominican over the next yr (generally high priced).  Finding a suitable vehicle is the challenge right now.  

Forgive me for writing a blue letter, but we thank you our friends for listening and praying.

Keith and Candace

Mystic cries 'mayday'

Ten crew members and a dog have been rescued and flown to safety after their cargoship capsized and eventually sank near Damas Cay in the Cay Sal Bank on Thursday afternoon.

The ship sank in an area south of Florida.

The US Coast Guard says the drama began to unfold when the 1,131-dwt general cargoship Mystic (built 1976) "broke into pieces" after striking a submerged object shortly after leaving Miami on a voyage to Haiti.

Authorities received the first mayday call from the crew at 2:08 pm Wednesday afternoon.

When the USCG arrived on the scene, the ship was listing 15 degrees to starboard as water poured into a hole on the starboard side of the hull.

Efforts to control the ingress of water with a pump were not successful until a USCG helicopter dropped a second pump down to the crew.

While rescue boats were unable to approach the vessel, due to high waves and powerful wind, authorities established an hourly communications schedule with the ship.

Several hours later, the vessel began to stabilise, but the USCG maintained communication with the vessel as a precaution.

At 3:00 am, a day after the first mayday call was logged, the ship began listing 30 degrees to starboard.

An hour later, when pumping proved futile, the crew abandoned ship in a pair of life rafts.

It took a the USCG rescue team roughly 30 minutes to hoist the men, and their pet, into a nearby helicopter, just moments before the ship sank into the ocean.

No injuries have been reported, and the USCG says a salvage team has been despatched to the scene to assess damage and pollution.

http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local-beat/Dramatic-Rescue-for-Miami-to-Haiti-Ships-Crew-104578294.html 

and

http://www.tradewinds.no/casualties/568324/mystic-cries-mayday 

Farmer John's Power in the Barn

JOHN THE FARMER AND THE POWER IN THE BARN

A farmer inherited a great acreage and farm to be steward over and a good amount of credit to do whatever needed to be done.

He had a great shop built and bought the biggest and best tractor he could buy.

Everyday he would whistle, "There is power, There is power, wonder working power, in the barn, in the barn."

He would turn on the lights and think wow, what a farmer I am to have such a nice piece of equipment.

However he would be loathe, to take it out in the field and get it dirty.

Rather on special occasions he would take it out give it a wash job and drive it in a parade or where others could see it, but never out in the field. Sometimes when he felt down he would start it and sit in the cab till he felt better. 

One day his wife was peeved at him and told him, he was not getting enough of the farm work done.

It wasn't long and she seen him riding out of the barn with a garden tractor. He seen her shocked look on her face and said don't worry I am just going out to mow the lawn. --For they did have a nice place to behold.

The next day she approached him with concern and said he really needed to use the big tractor to help pay for its upkeep.

He finally got willing it hooked it up to his smallest disc to do some discing around some of his fields. He was very careful to not to get it too dirty or scratched or put to many hours on it.

His wife finally gave up on encouraging her husband in this area and let him be. Since he had credit and a nice place to keep up he hired more help and rented equipment to make up for what he didn't do with his tractor.

By and by the time came and the winds blew in such a way, that trouble came to the farm.

To save you the heart rending details that perhaps would distract from our narrative we will tell you that eventually it came to the fact that the farm failed, the man had to sell out to pay debts, and the bank repossessed the tractor.

All this happened when the man's kin whom he had inherited the estate came to see how he had proved as steward. They sent him and his family packing and gave the farm to the poor farmers to tenant on contract and that is the end of the sad story of Farmer John  Brown. If this was a parable what can we glean from this story? It came to me all at once this week. The Lord's spirit had been reproving me of the need to follow him with more compassion and to study hs life and pay more attention to what he was saying and living. The poor of the world marched before me , even harlots, pimps, publicans or who ever you may consider removed from your world or could we say  your respect or esteem---he (Jesus) said, not dead but sleeping and yet we laugh that such can be redeemed. Am I not willing to put my tractor to work. I thought perhaps I was just daydreaming when my phone rings and someone from town asks me to help someone in need. The evidence of God is too strong for me to ignore. Please tell me the meaning to this story......