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!

FAULKNER COUNTY, Ark. (BNc) – A couple of months ago my friend Dickie Harris approached me about doing a gospel meeting for a house church that he started in his home last year.

Dickie has been a professional musician, playing in several places including Nashville. He has friends in all walks of life.  Some of his friends who he wanted to reach with the gospel felt very uncomfortable going to a typical church building, so he started to hold services in his home and they came.

I believe that Dickie is doing a great thing and might be an avenue of evangelism that most of us have not looked into.  It is great that right here in Faulkner County, Ark., two new congregations of the Lord’s church (the Vilonia congregation and this house church) have been established in the past two years.

If there was a congregation at every intersection it still would not be enough to reach all of the lost!

He asked if I would be willing to hold their first meeting and, of course, I said yes.

He told me not to dress up and to pick lessons that would evangelize and encourage. I tried to do that.

Throughout the four-day meeting we had between 14 and 17 each night. The singing and fellowship were great.

I was surprised by the number of visitors from the community who came.

This little church has already had two baptisms since the summer.

If you are interested in having a meeting at your congregation, feel free to call!

JUDSONIA, Ark. (BNc) – Minister John Kachelman will keynote for two U.S. government humanitarian conferences in the Ukraine and Tajikistan and speak about the Lord’s church.

Kachelman, minister with the Judsonia church, will be the keynote speaker at the Small/Medium Transportation Program (SMTP) conference.  SMTP is funded by the U. S. Department of State Office of the Coordinator for U.S. Assistance to Europe and Eurasia.

Kachelman will speak on the topic, “Who are the churches of Christ that care for Tajikistan?”

He is scheduled for Kiev, Ukraine on May 22 and for Dushanbe, Tajikistan, May 29.

The population of Tajikistan is over 90% Islam.

The program supports small to medium sized U.S. non-profit organizations with transportation assistance to deliver critically-needed humanitarian aid commodities to their overseas recipients in 40 foot sea containers.

The congregation has earned a well-deserved reputation as being deeply involved in humanitarian aid around the world.

The congregation has sent aid into Ukraine, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Sri Lanka, Honduras, El Salvador, India, Sudan, Zambia, Nigeria, Somalia and Georgia.

It continues efforts in these countries as well as developing efforts to send aid into Ghana, Uganda, Afghanistan, Romania, Kenya and Tanzania.

Kachelman says that the relationship with the Ukraine, which was the catalyst for their other many works, began in 1999 when the congregation shipped over a ton of medicines into the country.

The work was so successful that it made a dramatic impression on Washington and in turn grew relationships with many members of Congress.

Another project that caused the work to be noticed was the collecting, loading and simultaneous sending of 10 containers into Ukraine in the fall of 2004. The shipment arrived at the outbreak of the Orange Revolution, a series of nationwide protests fueled by Ukraine’s presidential election and alleged political corruption.

Christians around the world, such as Erlindo Nunez in Honduras, Vladimir Paziy in Kramatorsk, Ukraine, and Vijay Rao in Ibrahimpatnam, India, keeps the Judsonia church informed through reports and photos.

For additional information on the good work of the Judsonia church or to sign up for Kachelman’s newsletter, visit www.kachelman.com

The CTP was created to provide Hispanic Christians with deeper Bible knowledge. Classes began on Saturday, Oct. 18, with 21 students from various congregations in central Arkansas.

The students meet at the Geyer Springs church building once every three months for class, where they are provided with materials and assignments.

They are studying under such respected teachers as Jorge Pineda and Enrique Martorell, professors at the Alpha and Omega Bible Institute in Geyer Springs.

The effort is called the Programa de Entrenamiento Congregacional in Spanish.

The project leaders asked for prayers for God’s guidance.

Ribbon-cutting ceremonyJorge Pineda and Elders.

The theme of the Sunday-Wednesday lectureship is “Major Lessons from the Minor Prophets.”

Lectureship classes are scheduled Monday-Wednesday at 9 a.m., 10 a.m., 1 p.m., and 2 p.m.. Chapel services are at 11 am each day.

A keynote session will be held each evening at 7 pm.

The Sunday night keynote session speaker will be Michael Meredith on the topic “Forty more days.”

The Monday night speaker, Spencer Furby, will address the topic, “And What Does the Lord Require of You?”

Steve Reeves will address the Tuesday night gathering with “Let Justice Roll on Like a River.”

John Simpson will speak Wednesday evening, “Give careful thought to your ways.”

CRC is a two-year junior Christian college in transition to a four-year program.

The Sylvan Hills church in Sherwood and the Levy and Somers Avenue congregations in North Little Rock joined hands to collect aluminum cans in their “We Can” fund.

Fifteen different projects were funded in 2007. Checks were sent to buy Bibles for the Eastern European Mission, Nigeria Christian Hospital, Tanzania Christian Clinic, a deaf ministry in Ghana, and other efforts in Cambodia, Antigua and Honduras.

School children were helped in Cambodia, Honduras and Ghana. Bible study material was provided for Rio Bravo and Progresso, Mexico. The fund helped to purchase a portable baptistery unit for the church in Burnt Corn, Ariz.

Over $3,000 were collected last year, and $2,895 disbursed around the world.

Already in 2008, several projects have been targeted, such as printing a training booklet for leading in worship in Brazil.

A committee is set up with an elder/wife and deacon/wife team serving from each of the three congregations, Linetta McDonald, Somers Avenue secretary, said. They submit requests and needs as they are aware of viable projects within their normal $200-250 range.

The three congregations each have their own collection area, she said. The Somers Avenue congregation has a large garbage can inside the multi-purpose building and another one outside, so folks can drive by and drop off their cans.

“George and I take ours to the Sylvan Hills building when we get a good amount. They have a chain-link fenced area behind their mission building as the collection point for all three churches,” Linetta wrote. “Whenever it gets full, Ron Cook, Sylvan Hills deacon, and one of their men take the cans in a trailer to the recycle plant, which pays 75 cents/lb for them.”

Ron and a couple of others came up with the plan years ago for Sylvan Hills. However, since all three congregations work together on an annual mission trip, they expanded the “We Can” project to include the sister congregations.

Ideas and suggestions are submitted to committee members, who in turn put them before the committee. The committee members approve or disapprove the use of funds for that particular project, as funds become available.

For more information, contact George McDonald.

The women’s social club Zeta Rho will host a dress sale to raise money for Steve and Elizabeth Rose of Searcy (formerly of Bald Knob).

A December car accident near Joy Mountain in Rose Bud seriously injured the couple and killed their two young children.

Zeta Rho has collected more than 125 formal and semi-formal dresses and gowns donated by students and community members and will sell them for $20-30. Purses and shoes will sell for $5-10. Many of the dresses are new or have only been worn once.

The goal is to raise $5,000, and all proceeds will go directly to the Rose family to help cover medical expenses.

The public is invited to the sale March 15 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. in Harding’s Hammon Room (Student Center 236).

Those who would like to donate dresses to the fund-raiser may drop them off at the same place March 14 from 2:30-5:30 p.m.

For more information or to donate items or funds, contact: Claire Dunnagan, Zeta Rho service director at (832) 465-6926 or by email: cdunnaga@harding.edu.

Editor’s note: We’d like to hear feedback from readers about the appropriateness of this story and others like it for the news site.

CLARKSVILLE, Ark. (BNc)- A minister with the Clarksville church of Christ has pleaded not guilty to raping children under his care.

According to a story by Mary Kinsey Benefield in the Russellville, Ark.-based Courier-News, Jose Banda, 48, was arrested in late December for the alleged rape of five girls under the age of 14 who were members of the local body at Clarksville.

Banda, a Mexico native and resident alien in the US, was employed by the Clarksville congregation as a Hispanic minister from July 2002 until the charges surfaced in November 2007.

According to the newspaper, police were summoned to the Johnson Regional Medical Center where they met with two girls under 14 who alleged that Banda had raped them. The next day, Arkansas State Police Investigator Stacie Rhoads conducted interviews with five girls–including the original two victims.

All claim to have been raped by the suspect, police stated.

On October 3, 2007, church leaders placed Banda on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. He was relieved of all ministerial duties at that time, church leaders told the newspaper.

Banda, known as “Emano” to the girls, often took groups of children on outings to McDonalds and a local park on what was known as “Girls’ Night.” The outings were apparently done without the knowledge or consent of the church leaders, the newspaper stated.

The girls told police the incidents allegedly took place on church outings and in an office at the church building.

Banda remains in custody at the Johnson County Detention Center under a $500,000 bond. Trial is set for May 29.

According to Churches of Christ in the United States, the Clarksville congregation averages around 260 members.