A Few Words from our Prayer Teams

The Israel Mission Trip was not only a wonderful experience for the participants, but also for those who stayed behind and prayed faithfully for the trip.  Staci Roth and Debbie Boedeker were both part of our 24-Hour Prayer Team, and their comments reflect the sentiments of many of these prayer partners:

Staci Roth:

God blessed me with the most amazing prayer time.  I felt as though He had given me a front row seat to the journey!  Tiff [Cobb] and I texted every other morning, and what God had placed on my heart at midnight to pray was exactly what was taking place that day!  Hallelujah!

Debbie Boedeker:

It was one of the most profound spiritual experiences of my life.  I have kept my alarm on my cell [phone] set for 10 AM and am continuing the practice of stopping whatever and wherever I am and praying.  I have been on mission trips before and have prayed for mission trips before, but never like this.  The guide Heather [Bell] wrote was incredible; it meant so much to pray so specifically for events, places, activities, and people.

What was your experience like?  Did God work in your life?  Did God reveal something new to you?  We welcome your comments or e-mails.  On personal note, it was a significant spiritual experience for me as well.  I loved being able to pray for specific people and events, knowing that often they were occurring as I was praying.  I enjoyed the personal connection, and it made my prayers more genuine and meaningful.  I echo Debbie’s gratitude to Heather Bell for an incredible prayer guide, and look forward to the opportunity to do something like this again in the future.

It Fits!

It was a pleasure yesterday morning to load our U-Haul truck full of donated items destined for the Galveston Mission Center.  Eddy and I were there with several members of the Galveston Mission Team, and together we moved the items from their two storage rooms into the 20-foot truck we had rented.  Midway through we weren’t sure the truck was going to be big enough, but after some careful packing by Eddy we managed to fit it all in with a little room to spare.  I took some video of the process, so sometime soon you’ll be able to see just how much stuff we put into that truck.  All of us were overwhelmed at the sight of so much generosity.  Thanks again!

Where To Next?

So where is Worship in Action headed next?  That’s a question we’ve been asking ourselves a lot lately.  We began the year with a good idea of where we wanted to head with Worship in Action, but God has steadily been closing doors.  We believe strongly that He is directing us and guiding us and we continue to pray for His leadership and the open door that He is preparing us to walk through.  Please pray with us as we seek God’s guidance in faith.  Where is Worship in Action headed next?  We’ll all find out soon!

Worship in Action: Kenya Update

Thank you all for your gifts up to this point.  We are getting close to each of our goals.  Here are our current numbers:

• We asked you to give 250 spiral notebooks and 250 boxes of #2 pencils.  To date you have given 199 notebooks and 15 boxes of pencils.
• We asked you to give $5000 for projects at the compound for street children.  To date you have given $4472!
• We asked you to give enough to purchase 1000 mosquito nets to help prevent malaria.  Each mosquito net costs only $6.  To date you have given enough to purchase 760!

We are almost there!  Keep giving and continue to pray about going on our mission trip to Kenya, February 19-28, 2009.  It’s going to be an incredible experience and an invaluable opportunity to reach Kenyans with the Gospel.  Stay tuned!

Worship in Action Kenya

Since July 2007, Worship in Action has taken us around the world, serving and meeting the needs of people in Honduras, Myanmar, Houston, and Brazil. Along the way we’ve been reminded that worship cannot be reduced to one hour each weekend. Instead it is a lifestyle of obedience to Christ’s leadership.

This fall, Worship in Action will take us across the Atlantic to the country of Kenya. Located in East Africa, Kenya is a country of 34.7 million people. 23% of the population lives on less than one dollar per day, and the government is one of the most corrupt in the world according to the Corruption Perceptions Index. We will be focusing on three of the biggest challenges facing Kenya today – the devastation of a widespread malaria epidemic, the incredible poverty of overcrowded slums, and the tragedy of countless numbers of orphans and street children.

Around the world, malaria causes almost 3 million deaths per year, yet is easily preventable. Ninety percent of the world’s malaria cases occur in Africa and in Kenya, malaria is found in all areas of the country outside Nairobi, and each year kills twice as many people as AIDS. We will be partnering with HIS Nets to provide insecticide-treated mosquito nets to the people of Kenya. These nets can reduce the occurrence of Malaria by almost 70%. The cost to purchase each net is only $6. Over the next three months, our goal is to purchase 1000 nets.

Kenya has some of the largest slums in the world. In Nairobi, home to Kibera, the second largest slum in Africa, as much as half of the population lives in only five percent of the land area. This problem has been exacerbated in recent years by the influx of refugees from neighboring countries in crisis like Rwanda and Somalia. One missionary has established a school for Rwandan refugees that gives them an education and one hot meal each day. But school supplies are almost non-existent. We want to provide the basic necessities they need to continue their education. Over the next three months, our goal is to collect 250 notebooks and 250 boxes of pencils for these children.

Kenya is also facing a catastrophic orphans crisis. In a country with an average life expectancy of less than 49 years, with countless impoverished families, and the constant threat of diseases like malaria and HIV/AIDS, the number of orphans in Kenya has climbed to 1.5 million, with 100,000 living on the streets of Nairobi alone. With no place to go during Kenya’s cold nights, many of these street children become addicted to sniffing glue because of its numbing effect. Some of the missionaries in Kenya have begun a project to reclaim the lives of some of these street children and return them to society. Using their own funds a group of missionaries has purchased land outside Nairobi and is using it to build a compound for street children. A local pastor lives with the children, and provides discipleship training and job training. The compound still has many needs including additional housing and other facilities, furniture, and tools and animals for farming. Over the next three months our goal is to collect $5000 to help with these projects.

Perhaps these tragic truths stir in you not only a desire to give, but a desire to go and minister to the people of Kenya. If so we invite you to come with us as we go to Nairobi from February 19-February 28, 2009. There, we will be handing out malaria nets and school supplies and assisting with the improvement of the compound for street children. Meeting each of these needs will provide us with an incredible opportunity to tell people about the life-changing love of Jesus Christ. If you are interested in learning more, fill out one of our mission trip interest forms at the Re:Action Center or online, or simply contact Eddy Hallock at ehallock@tallowood.org.

As always you can bring your donations to the Re:Action Center located in the Tallowood Center lobby on Saturdays and just outside the gym on Sundays. There you can find out more information about Kenya, our projects, and our upcoming mission trip. Stayed tuned to www.worshipinaction.net for more opportunities and information. Join us as we bring Christ’s love and provision to the people of Kenya. This is Worship in Action!

Brazil Mission Trip Report

The medical mission team that travelled to Fortaleza, Brazil and was supported by your gifts through Worship in Action returned in early June with full hearts at what God has done.  Here are some thoughts on the trip from our Minister of Missions and Evangelism, Eddy Hallock:

No one could believe the results!  During our trip to Brazil over 700 people prayed to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.  This was the fulfillment of Brenda Hallock’s dream, and the astounding result is a testament to the faithfulness of our God.  He called a medical/evangelism team of 28, many from Tallowood, who left their safe environment to go to Fortaleza, Brazil and minister to one of the poorest communities in that country.

The people from the area came in droves.  Many slept in lines that almost circled an entire block and were there as the team arrived each morning. The doctors, dentist, nurses, pediatrician and those trained to give out eyeglasses were at their posts.  First, numbers were passed out to as many people as the clinic could handle in one day.  The patients would proceed to triage who would send them to the various doctors to be helped. Kathy Kite and Hannah Kaminsky from Tallowood worked in Triage. After visiting the doctor they would wait to receive free medicine from the team’s pharmacist, Dorinda Williams.  As they waited they would be seen by a team of evangelists and would hear the good news of Jesus Christ.  Many left that place with help for their physical bodies and were also surprised by joy leaving the building with the Savior of their souls. Bill Wood from Tallowood was on the evangelism team and led many to Christ.

 

In order to accomplish the daunting task at the clinic, much prayer happened first.  You, Tallowood, prayed.  They prayed.  We all prayed.  Then an amazing “army” of church members from children to teenagers to adults helped in the tiny details of taking people from triage to the doctor to the dentist from New York, where Leanne Walker helped.  Every ounce of help was needed and was very important.  Behind the scenes ladies from the church cooked lunch for over 100 workers each day.  The pharmacy dispensed over one thousand prescriptions daily.  Bad teeth were extracted.  A television station came and one lady from the community who was treated by Dr. Greg Walker from Tallowood shared these words: “These Americans are wonderful. The doctors treat us as human beings and are very kind. Then they give us medicines for free. Thank you so much!”

 

Glasses were the most-desired item.  Marluce and Gary Matlock, Bob Barrus, Elizabeth Kite and Marlene Grant helped in this venue.  Marlene helped a mute and deaf young man find the glasses he needed!  It was a true miracle from God.  With Tallowood’s investment a few people will be helped overcome major eye problems because Brazilian doctors are willing to perform some much-needed surgeries for free on a few of those destitute individuals who need help.  The only cost will be for the basic equipment needed for the surgeries.

 

The church we partnered with in Fortaleza, Igreja Batista Nova Vida (New Life Baptist Church), is growing in amazing  numbers.  The building is not able to contain the people.  Close to 100 people have to stay outside at each service.  They need to build another building but funds are not available.  The Pastor wants to have a library for the community because in order for the children to be able to move forward in life they must have an education.  The Church ministers in a marvelous way and yet there are so many problems in the neighborhood: drug and alcohol abuse, physical abuse, families issues and many other challenges.  Pray for Pastor Etevaldo as he heads this growing church.     

 

Thank you for praying and giving. God heard and many are now in His kingdom because you invested your time seeking the Lord on our behalf.

 

God bless you,        

Eddy Hallock

We Have Met All Our Goals!

It seems like everytime I sit down to write an update I’m learning about more gifts that we are receiving from individuals and Sunday School classes!  Finally I decided to just write an update and not worry if it is outdated by the time it gets posted.  And lo and behold even as I was writing this update I learned about another monetary gift from one of our Sunday School classes and Cliff Lusk, our Associate Minister of Missions, walked into my office with another box of donated reading glasses.  Suffice it to say we have been overwhelmed by your response and are humbled by your generosity toward the people of Fortaleza, Brazil.  It is truly amazing to see our whole church get involved in this project, young and old, rich and poor, Saturday and Sunday, contemporary and traditional – it is an encouraging reminder that the love of Christ crosses all boundary lines.  Thank you for letting that love be expressed through your gifts. 

And now the update: we have met and surpassed each of our goals by a long shot!  Once we passed 1,000 toothbrushes we were pretty sure that our original goal of 300 was a bit low.  But it didn’t stop there.  Every Monday I walk into my office and there are another 50, 100, 150 toothbrushes waiting for me!  Currently we have 1,661 standard toothbrushes, as well as some toothpaste, some flossers, and one Barbie-themed electric toothbrush!  We also asked you to give money to help us purchase 400 pairs of glasses at $10 per pair.  So far you have given $8,339, enough to purchase over 830 pairs of glasses.  However, instead of simply purchasing more glasses we are going to use the extra money to fund cataract surgeries for those who cannot be helped by corrective lenses.  Finally, we asked you to give $5,000 to help purchase medications for the trip.  So far you have given $7,561.  What an incredible blessing!  These items will help meet the physical needs of the people of Fortaleza and provide an open door for us to tell them about the saving grace of Jesus Christ.  Thank you for your generosity!

There is still time to give, but all gifts must be received by this weekend, May 17-18.  Please continue to pray for the team that God will give them safety in travel and wisdom as they care for medical needs, and that the Holy Spirit would move among the people of Fortaleza, Brazil and many would be reconciled to God.

Pray for Myanmar

Pray for the citizens of Myanmar as they cope with the effects of the latest disaster to befall them, a deadly cyclone that may have left as many as 22,000 dead, 41,000 missing and perhaps as many as one million homeless.  Pray that God would direct the resources needed to rebuild infrastructure.  Pray that God would bring peace to grieving families and friends.  There may also be ways that you can be involved by giving to various international aid organizations like the Red Cross and the U.N. World Food Program.  Click here to read more about the devastating cyclone.

What To Do, What Not To Do

Here’s a funny look at how you can help with Worship in Action: Brazil.

Myanmar Mission Trip Report

On March 11 our team returned from Myanmar (Burma) where they conducted a training conference for pastors and distributed the money you raised for malaria medication to people that needed it most.  Our Minister of Missions, Eddy Hallock, wrote the following report:

After a long trip of forty hours, we arrived in Myanmar in the city of Mandalay.  This predominantly Buddhist nation was first introduced to the Gospel by Baptist missionary Adoniram Judson in the nineteenth century.  He translated the Bible into the Burmese language and consequently many have believed in Christ as Savior and Lord.

Our group of four pastors went to lead a “continuing education renewal” conference for Burmese pastors.  Through Worship in Action, Tallowood made it possible for over fifty pastors to travel to Mandalay from their towns in the countryside.  Of the fifty-plus pastors that attended, more than thirty of them rode a boat for two days and three nights to arrive in time for the seminars.  Most of the pastors were Baptists, but they invited their friends, so we had pastors from other denominations including Methodist, Brethren Church, Church of Christ, and Assembly of God.  The fellowship among them was wonderful.

During the day we taught Pastoral Care/Discipleship, Evangelism, Homiletics, and Church Administration.  The Burmese people are reserved and much slower to ask questions, but they eventually warmed up and seemed to enjoy the week very much.  On Friday night there was a fellowship time and they shared some glowing testimonies of what the week meant to them.

As I talked and listened to the pastors and leaders in Burma, we came to the conclusion that the best way to use the funds you provided for malaria medication was for three different groups to divide the blessing.  A boarding school started by Pastor Thong (the pastor of Tallowood’s Burmese congregation) made up of orphans and non-Christian families received 1.1 millian chats, equal to $1000 (US).  Last year they only had the equivalent of $100 (US) to pay for medication.  The seminary students in Mandalay are also very poor and cannot pay for treatment.  They also received 1 million chats.  Finally, two associations received the balance of the funds to help pastors and their families when in physical distress.

At our hotel we were able to make friends with some of the young people that work there.  Apparently they were not used to being treated with courtesy and they seemed to really like our team since we talked with them, taught them English and asked questions.  As a result of establishing a friendship with them I began talking about the possibility of studying and comparing Christianity and Buddhism.  By the end of the week we were able to give out four Bibles to various staff members.

We visited some of the pagodas in the city where the people go to pray in front of a statue of Buddha.  The pagodas are everywhere, as are Buddhist monks, who go out twice a day to beg for food.  Some ethnic groups in this country, primarily in the north and northwest have been greatly touched by t he Gospel.  Ethnic minorities like the Chin, Karin, and others are almost totally Christian.  However, the ethnic Burmese majority is Buddhist, so the challenge is before the Christian community to reach out, be friends, share the Gospel, and offer eternal life through Christ.

Thank you for making it possible for many pastors from Myanmar to attend the conference, and for your generous gifts that will provide life-saving medication to many families.