Spring Meadows helps ‘Stamp Out Hunger’
May 27, 2010
by Dale Jenkins, Spring Meadows evangelist
SPRING HILL, Tenn (BNc) – The Spring Meadows congregation participated in the annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive with our local post office.
Members Kelly Estabrooks and Teri Moore led in the effort. Over 125 joyful members were a part of the huge effort visiting every house in the Spring Hill postal area, sorting and helping to put up the food. Read more
A Hand Up for flood victims
May 17, 2010
by Jonathan Pettus, Involvement Minister
MT. JULIET, Tenn., (BNc) – The recent Nashville flood has left many homeless and hurting. Many are brothers and sisters in Christ.
Are you able to help? The Mt. Juliet Church of Christ is organizing relief to those who have been affected. We are dedicated to helping financially, physically, spiritually, and emotionally. Many millions of dollars are needed to rebuild lives. But just as the church in Jerusalem needed extra help from other congregations so long ago, we need your help. Can you be a Macedonian church (2 Corinthians 8:1-2) for a congregation here in Tennessee? Read more
Haiti relief continues with good results
April 19, 2010
by John L. Kachelman. Jr.
JUDSONIA, Ark. (BNc) – Our early planning is paying off exceptionally well. Every container has arrived smoothly and food has been distributed without problems. Thanks to the cooperation and planning of Rang Hee, Erin Long and Counterpart International and thanks to the efforts of USAID and others involved in the government, we have had no problems with Haitian Customs.
It is the careful planning, immediate cooperation and close organization that has allowed us to see the the Lord’s Church glorified. We received this note from Pacius: “Erin Long (Counterpart) was great by helping me to get the paper quickly. People in the Customs office were so helpful to us last week. They told us what to do to get the Container out.”
Within the last seven days we have loaded and shipped seven containers with 291,500 pounds of food and relief supplies for distribution in Haiti.
We are receiving a number of reports that are providing us the means to communicate to the government how effective our distribution system is in Haiti. It is significant to point out that we are getting food delivered and distributed to areas where many of the big organizations have never touched. This is due to the fantastic cooperation and planning of our Haitian brethren.
Listen to this comment, “I lost my wife, I lost my house, I lost everything. But I find a new Family in you, because you have done a lot for me and many people in Haiti. I am happy to load this Container to help our brethren, our friends and so many others, in Port-au-Prince. You are in the States and also you are in Haiti — because in every devotion I ask for a special prayer for you. You are first in our minds.”
Thank you for your involvement in the Haiti Relief efforts. You have made it possible for the Lord’s compassion to be known by thousands!
Spreading the good news with a bucket
March 18, 2010
by Barbara A. Oliver, managing editor
IVANO-FRANKIVSK, Ukraine (BNc) – One congregation does its benevolent work by the bucketful.
The Judsonia, Ark., church, together with other congregations, is involved in benevolent aid to Sudan, Ukraine, Nigeria, India, Honduras and a number of other nations. With the shipments of aid, they include “family buckets,” five-gallon plastic buckets filled with a variety of household items.
The brainchild of Kathy Cadden in Columbus, MS., the buckets are contributed by numerous congregations in Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, Kentucky and Missouri.
“These have really been an excellent way of getting urgently needed commodities to those in great need,” said John Kachelman, Jr., preacher with the Judsonia congregation. Read more
Haitian aid shifts gears
February 27, 2010
by Barbara A. Oliver, managing editor
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (BNc) – The earthquake that hit Haiti Jan. 12 took more than 230,000 lives, injured approximately 300,000 and left an estimated one million people homeless.
An update from Roberta Edwards, of the Son-Light Orphanage in Haiti, appeared in an email Feb. 24 from the Estes church in Henderson, Tenn.
Edwards reported, “Things are very hard in Haiti. Those that had jobs have lost them. Those that are working are not getting paid. Medical needs are growing as infections and sickness grow from overcrowded tent camps. Aftershocks have been hitting pretty regularly the last 24 hours. The kids are having a difficult time sleeping. We continue to pray and reassure.” Read more
Elder sews blankets for Amerindian babies
February 21, 2010
by Glenda Williams
SUMMERDALE, Ala. (BNc) — Ralph Adams, elder for eight years at the Summerdale church, Summerdale, Ala., is a maker of baby blankets.
“I heard Jerry Davidson say he needed baby blankets for Guyana. My wife had crocheted for years, and I asked Jerry if he needed cloth blankets and he said he did. I knew that was something I could do. I came from a family of four boys and our mother always sewed,” stated Adams.
He buys good quality sheets at yard sales for $2-3 dollars each, or at stores with good discounts. People also give him material they aren’t going to use. One bedroom is so full of material that they can’t use the bed, he said. Adams cuts the material into strips 4″ x 39″ and alternating prints, or prints with solids, sews them together for his finished blankets, 36″ x 42″ or 42″ x 48.”
“They don’t have to be exact, and all the same size,” Adams stated.
Sometimes he cuts out rectangles 5 ½” x 7 ½” and sews them together, so all the blankets won’t look the same.
When asked what kind of machine he has, he quickly replied, “Oh, I have five machines.” Read more
Women sew for Guyana children
January 29, 2010
by Glenda Williams
GENEVA, Ala., (BNc) – Six ladies in three different parts of the country, who may never meet this side of heaven, all share common goals.
“It’s wonderful. I don’t want to quit. My favorite pasttime is making dresses,” says Lona Cantrell, pictured.
All the ladies are using what they have, not what they wish they had, to make little dresses, or outfits, for the children in the Amerindian villages of Guyana. Lona Cantrell holds the record of the most dresses made thus far.
“I have made over 350,” she said. “I cut out 6-7 at a time and sew 2-3 dresses a day. Every other Wednesday I take in a new batch of dresses and hang them up in the back of the church building for others to see, hoping it will encourage them.” Read more
Update of Haitian relief efforts by Judsonia church
January 23, 2010
Editor’s Note: The Judsonia, Ark. church has been instrumental in launching an extensive relief effort to Haiti. The following is part of a 12-page compilation of communications regarding that effort. For more information see the Judsonia church site.
by John L. Kachelman, Jr.
JUDSONIA, Ark. (BNc) — The old spiritual songs about one not having “time to die” certainly applies to events from the past two weeks. During this time we have been going non-stop in fifteen different directions.
Obviously Haiti has consumed an enormous amount of each day as communications have been non-stop. But during this time we also loaded containers for Ukraine and Tajikistan!
We have three collection sites at this point: Henderson, Tenn., Columbus, Miss., and Judsonia, Ark. Read more
Brazil orphanage gets government nod
January 22, 2010
OLINDA, Brazil (BNc) – A new children’s home in northeastern Brazil has gotten approval from the government to take in children.
Executive Director Maciel Viera emailed BNc yesterday that on Jan. 15 the Olinda Rights Council for Children and Adolescents granted the Mannah Chidren’s Home its registration, which now permits it to receive and care for needy children.
“We have already finished the first house and have a family ready, Miguel and Ednea, living in the house, as they wait for the first children to be received,” wrote Maciel.
Son Light Orphanage unharmed by aftershock
January 21, 2010
Editor’s Note: Roberta Edwards and children at the Son Light Orphanage in Haiti felt yesterday’s aftershock, but were unharmed. As of today, the orphanage has distributed over 2000 lbs. of rice, as well as other food. The following is a note from Roberta posted on the Son Light Orphanage group on Facebook.
Today, Richard and I took a turn around the city. Not very long but very sad. People are doing their best to leave the city and go out to the country. Wounded are on the side of the road not far from the dead. People are begging every motorist to please give them a free ride “somewhere.” They don’t care where you are going, they just want to get out of town. Read more