Dear Prayer Leaders,

Thank you for praying !!!!!!!!!!!!!

We are with a  great Family Team in Franklinton, Louisiana and....it's HOT
!!!!!  Hot.... Hot !!!!! with normal weather for this time of year...and
HOT with God's power and presence.  God's Holy Spirit is reigning down
blessing upon blessing !

Each day we have had the weather forcast of heavey rain.  So far...we have
had our heavey rain but at night and early in the morning...no problem for
our service projects.  We have started our work day early to beat the heat
of the day !!!!!

We have prayed for people in the local community
We have assisted with a local Bible School for children
We have helped the poor, and the elderly and the widow
We have encourahed a local pastor who needed a boost
We have blessed a local youth pastor needing ministry direction
We have seen the power of God's protection in travel
We have assisted a local Head Start program get ready for the new school
year which begins in 2 weeks.
We have provided home made quilts and blankets to a local nursing home

We have seen God work in and through our lives...to God be the glory !!!

Gotta run but THANK YOU FOR PRAYING !!!!!!!!

Glory !!!!!

Dave
Ps 95
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Dear Prayer Partners, Thank you for your prayers for our Loiusiana Mission Service Team. It is very wet and humid and our team from Michigan ,who arrived yesterday, is hard at work in our project community. We had a great Sunday evening service at church and then refreshments with our team and community hosts at Pizza Inn following church. We are doing yard clean-up, electrical & plumbing work and painting. Some are visiting local senior citizens who just need encouragement and a friendly visit. Also, a group from our team are cleaning and sorting clothing items for the local "clothing pantry" operated by our host church. A few from our team are working at the local Head Start Program, getting things ready for the new school year which begins mid August. Tomorrow this smae group will assist a local church with their Summer VBS program. Monday's are always a bit challenging and eventful, getting our team organized and out to work. Today has been every bit of that, but blessed in outcomes !!!!! Yes, we have had our precious "God Moment's already !!!! We'll do our best to provide a daily up-date, depending on our work load. It's great to have Pastor Lenny with us , from our project site in Kentucky, to observe and help Impact with the Service Project team in Louisiana. It's a first for Pastor Lenny. Glory ! Dave Pb 3:5-6 <><

Dear Prayer Leaders & friends,

What a beautiful & wonderful and God-blessed Mission in Franklinton, LA !

We have been invited for lunches and dinners at homes of community members
were we have served...a local mechanic repaired the team's van at no cost,
last evening (Thursday ) we had our evening gathering over at Leo &
Phyllis's home and let's just say, "WE had a time"!!!!  Leo & Phyllis
remind us all, in temperment and voice, ( not in mindset ) of Archie &
Edith from TV ( in action but not mindset )  So funny !!!!

Leo can cook and he makes so many different wodden crafts with his
hands...WOW !!!!!

We have been show hospitality and thanks in so many ways. YES....all of us
feel as if we have been blessed by others so much more than we have been
able to offer to others.   We have been shown unbridled, Christian welcome
and hospitality in Franklinton.

God bless Pastor Stan & Pastor's Jacob & Thomas and Jeremy and Mr. Jo &
Sharon & Mr. George & Miss Kathy and Micha.

This week we have....

Moved a family to a new home,...painted...constructed a covered area for a
gathering place and walkway at a local service agency, cleared and cleaned
grounds around homes... we had a team do jail ministry at the Parrish (
County ) jail...we repaired a local basketball court so a Pastor Coleman
could host a community outreach Basketball Tourney for the children and
youth in Bogalusa...we were able to show Christ's love by just visiting
with some folk who need to know they matter to someone and they are loved
by God...we had a team do work with wheelchair bound folk who needed
assistance and we visited so many who have lost so much.

Best of all, 2 folk surrendered their lives to Christ thhis week !!!!
Glory !!!!!!!!

As always, we feel as if we were blessed so much more than we could give
through our serving !!!!

Today,( Friday ) will be a hard day as we begin to say our goodbyes.
We all ahve come to loves these people and what can I say...it's just so
hard come the end of our mission week to say goodbye.  But so our
Christian friends, It's really just saying, "See you in a little
bit"...know what I mean ????  Glory !!!!!

Thank you so much for praying for our Mission week in Louisiana !  As the
sun is beginning to rise right now, I'm reminded of the songs..."Great Is
They Faithfulness" , "Amazing Grace" and Our God Is An Awesome God".
Glory...GLORY !!!!!!

Gotta run and shut this computer down...Morning prayer and devotions are
just aboout to begin.

Please pay for our final day today ( Friday ) and our long journey home
tomorrow.

We still have a lot to accomplish in our remaining hours in Franklinton.

Glory and Praise the Lord...God Is SO GOOD..ALL THE TIME!!!!!!!!

God bless you  !!!!!!!

Dave
Pb 3:5-6
Ps 96:1-2

Where do I start...how about with the drive to LA.  I've gotta say that I
was never
tired the entire way.  I drove to AL the first day on the road and
completed the
last 5 hours of the journey on Saturday. Praise you Lord !  The team arrived
Saturday evening.

Church on Sunday...was a meeting !!!!!! GLORY !!!!  We sang all familiar
worship
songs like, " God Is Good..all the Time", "Somebody's Praying For You",
"You Are My
All In All", Come Holy Spirit We Need Thee", "Holy Spirit You Are Welcome
In This
Place","What A Mighty God We Serve" and others. Special Music was
presented by
Pastor Ron & Carole ( our friends from the team ) and they sang
together..."Joy
Comes In The Morning"  It is their testimony song from a life experience (
 auto
accident ) just 4 years ago.....WOW...what a ministry in music we had !!!!

Pastor spoke on, Requirements For God's Service"...1. Compassion,
Commitment &
Courage.  It was powerful and life-giving for me, our team and congregation.

Yesterday, we had workers doing construction at the locally, Christian
run, Head
Start Program.  Our team met Doyle & Doris ( They Sang for Us ).
They blessed us !!!!!!  They met Miss Dora...and she blessed ALL of us.
We moved Miss Bernice from one "VERY HUMBLE SHACK" in to another VERY,
VERY HUMBLE
Shack",, of a home. SOOOOO  SAD to see this poverty and living and health
conditions, especially for the small children in the family.  Our team
bless them.

After the all day move and lunch and dinner, we went back to Miss
Bernices's home to
pray for the family and annoint their doorpost with oil as a symbol of God's
presence and power...now that was a blessing time for sure !!!!!! It just
was a
powerful witness and act of faith !!!!!

Today, Tuesday, some of the team will go to Bogalusa and repair an outside
basketball court that a small local church owns and will be hosting a
"Youth- 3 on 3
Communitywide Outreach Tourney.  Some will be cleaning yards, others doing
home,
encouragement visits, for the elderly, yard cleaning, painting etc.

It feels like Thursday, we have experiencced God so much already. I'm so
blessed to
watch God use his people exercise their gifts and motivations to serve
others in the
name of Jesus !

Coming to Franklinton ( 5 times now with project teams ) it seems like a
little bit
of Heaven.  I've made GREAT freindships here.  It the size of town where
you see
alot of folk just running around town and in the stores.
It's GREAT !!!!

This Mission week is off to a very, very good start and I know it's
because you all
are praying for us !  We KNOW & EXPERIENCE the power and answer to you
prayers....like...the team van had major issues with brakes and alignment
when thwy
arrive in Franklinton from MI.  A member of their church...a
Mechanic...asked for
the van keys after Sunday's service and told the team he would repair their
problems...he did...with no charge !!!
A very specual God-Moment & experience all because folks are supporting
our project
with prayer.

Our Project & Theme for this week is simply, "OTHERS and SERVING in Jesus
Name"

Dear Prayer Leaders,

We came to Franklinton, LA a little less than a week ago. We leave
Franklinton for home in a little less than 5 hours.

We bring home more joy and more excitement for serving Christ and we bring
home memories and friendships and with new ways we have grown closer to
one another and to Christ.

Our first project on arrival was cleaning a park area for a neighborhood
church.  We were laughing and carrying on.  Our final project was the
toughest...saying our goodbyes to one another and our "God Bless You's til
we meet again" Its worth the pain of separation  and worth the life lessons
learned and worth the close friendship we made. It's precious !!!!
It's life-changing and life-giving.

It's been "the best" being with my son Mike and sharing in ministry
together.  No words to say it right...just PUREJOY AND THANKS TO GOD !!!!
God blesses faithful "generations" dedicated to Christ.  Praise Him.

It's off to sleep for  a few hours then leave for home.  Please pray as we
drive back up north. We'll be traveling all day and into Friday night.

We leave Franklinton saying, Now Glory be to God, by His wondrous power
working inside of us, He has accomplished more than we can think, or ask
or dream of.  God God be all glory , now and forever --- GLORY !

Thank you for your prayers and your e-mails along the way that have
brought physical and spiritual strength and great encouragement !!!!

Glory !

Dave
Heb !2:2
<><

Wednesday, March 21, 07
Impact Franklinton,LA

Busy, busy day !  Lot's of yard clean up projects for Senior citizens and
lot's of visiting making them know that they are precious people and loved
by God.

We were all blessed when we visited Miss Dora and Miss Janet.  Both have
stories to tell.

Today was a great day filled with significant God Moments...even when
presenting Pastor Jacob with a special blessing from our team.  Ask Pastor
Mike about the red dot and being discovered while trying his best to hide
and capture a special experience on video.

Thank you for praying.  Our team from Oklahoma have given their very, very
best...every day !

Glory !!!!

What a fun day !!!!  PERFECT weather and the students are keeping their energy
level on "overdrive".  Franklinton, LA loves thihs team and the work they are
doing in the community.

I wish you could see the leaders of this Mission Service Team work in such an
encouraging way with their young people. Words can't express my joy and thanks
to God !!!!!  Our team is seeing God with fresh eyes and open hearts to helping
people in need.

We did our projects yesterday and had fun with painting housings and each other.
We did projects around Pastor Jacob's home ( a surprise to him...he's taking
Seminary exams this week ) so we were able to bless Jacob by getting some Spring
work done so he and his wife Kim can spend some enjoyable time together.
Don't ask about the horse story...not pretty....pretty sad but part of our
team's experience.

Last's nights run to the local Wal-Mart was a lot of fun.  "Little things you
know...done in God's love make all the difference"

I wish you all could meet Miss Mary, Miss Lynette, Miss Ida and Dora and Katasha
and Doyle & Doris and Sharon & Joe .  OH I wish you could meet Ed & Rachel !!!
One day you will and know why they are soooooooooooooooo precious !!!!!!!!!

Glory from Franklinton.   God is working as you pray !  Thanks !!!!

Dave
I Cor 4:20
2Thes 3:16
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Franklinton, LA Project Blog
Monday, March 19

Good night's sleep and the youthfl energy of our Oklahoma Team and great
leaders made our day fun, productive and God's ways growing in us.

The staff at Trinity Church are so willing show us christian
hospitality...glory !  A real testimony of God's love and servant heart
!!!

Finished cleaning yard for 82 year old Misss Jerri.
Painted and interacted with children at local Head Start program
Began painying Miss Lizzy's Mobile Home
Help Mr. Johnny clean up this property

Had a very good team devotional meeting last night followed by a Chocolate
Smore's Building Campfire.

The team is being challenged to see things with Jesus eyes and to watch
for ways that God is providing for the needs of others through their
service.  They are being taught the value of serving in the name and
witness of Jesus Christ.

It was a great Monday with Tuesday, coming on pretty quick !

Glory !!!!!

 

Glory !!!!  We are having a time already !!!!!!!!

It's real Spring time in Franklinton.  We have not experienced weather
like this since...can't recall !!!!

Yesterday, Sunday we attended great morning services at Trinity Church.
Wow...worship and praise and teaching from the Scriptures were ALIVE and
loaded with Holy Spirit blessing and instruction.

Another group is staying with us at Trinity Church, not connected directly
to Impact Missions , but connected in Christ through God's Family Tree.
Our Impact team this week is from Oklahoma and the other team is from
Mayflower Christian Reformemed Church out of Grand Rapids, MI.  SMALL
WORLD !!!!!
High School and Calvin College students and adults.  It's fun mixing and
"carrying on" between our teams.

We are on the project sities this morning ( Monday ) doing paint up and
clean up type work in the community. Doyle & Doris are cooking our evening
meals and Trinity Church is doing Breakfast & Lunch.

Thanks for your thoughts and prayers !

God Moments...so far....

Doing miistry together with my son Mike, and his team from Oklahoma, as
well as having my friend and ministry partner Ken with us, assisting with
project leadership !!!!!

Yesterday's Worship Service at Trinity Church

Meeting Ed & Rachel & Joe & Sharon...missionary's serving in thhis area for
Hurricane Relief efforts connected with Trinity.

Visiting Doyle & Doris at their home yesterday and enjoying dinner with
them last night.

Mission Team sharing and devotional meeting last night...these students
with us are right in step with God and with each other.  Great Leaders and
great Students !  Fun group !!!!!

What does God have in store for us today ????  We want to light our world
for Christ !

Glory...fom Franklinton, Louisiana