02-01-08

DOERS OF THE WORD

God bless you dear brothers and sisters. Interesting facts: did you know that the current world population is over 6 billion men women and little children, and that 800 million (200 million shy of 1 billion) of these people will not eat today? 300 million of these non-eaters are children, and every 2 seconds someone dies from starvation. By way of a related comparison, it would cost 20 billion dollars to provide health care for the entire world, and Americans spend 20 billion dollars a year on ice cream alone.

FREE READING GLASSES… AND A BIBLE

Reading glasses are a seemingly small thing that has great impact, particularly if you are without them. In our heavily industrialized society, the ability to read the printed word is almost a necessity for survival. Take a moment for reflection and imagine how the circumstances of your life would immediately change if you could not afford to purchase a pair of reading glasses. For example: let us say that you were desperately poor, and trying to fill out an application for work, and cannot read the print of the questions? How horribly ironically frustrating could that be? And what kind of work does not require the ability to read print? Some of you may not know that the Rescue Mission gives away free reading glasses to our thousands of needy family patrons and homeless persons. We purchase the glasses wholesale by the hundreds in the full range of size magnifications, and let the people try on various sizes to see what works best for them.

Last month we initiated a new program to distribute free reading glasses and Bibles (what better place to use your new glasses) once a month to the approximately 250 residents of Pinellas Hope (tent city). This is a repeating monthly program for our Rescue Mission because of the turnover of the homeless residents who enter into Pinellas Hope broke and hungry, and happily leave Pinellas Hope as they acquire jobs and housing. And you are part of this. We need your help in Bible donations. It was very satisfying to observe a long line of people anxiously waiting to receive their reading glasses, and those who were already at the table trying on different sizes, and then moving along in an orderly fashion to the end of the table to gratefully receive their Bible. J God bless God. Thank you Lord!   

ANNUAL HOMELESS SURVEY

Also last month, our Rescue Mission participated in the annual countywide homeless survey conducted by The Pinellas County Homeless Coalition. About a dozen or so volunteers, including myself and all of our staff, met a little before 5:00am at the Rescue Mission for coffee and donuts, were briefed by a Homeless Coalition leader (who is also a member of our Board of Directors), and departed to various mid-county day-labor business sites where our Rescue Mission provides daily bag lunch meals (currently, 8,000 bag lunch meals per month – we need your help in this as well). Once on location, we passed out the bag lunch meals and filled out Homeless Coalition paperwork (not using any last names) that collected information relating to the causes and effects of homelessness. The Homeless Coalition will study that information and publish an annual report in the coming months.

OTHER GENERAL NEWS

(1). Some of you may have heard our Rescue Mission being interviewed on Sunday 01-20-07 by host Bill Carl for an hour on Salem Communications Tampa Bay am 570 & 910 Christian radio. (2). A noteworthy article written by Editor Thomas Michalski was published on 01-29-07 in the Tampa Bay Newspapers that you may still read at the following website: www.tbnweekly.com/editorial/viewpoints/content_articles/012908_vpt-02.txt. (3). We have not received a single motor vehicle donation (a tax deduction for you) in over a year (blessings for you and blessings for us). Depending upon the need, motor vehicle donations help very poor families with essential transportation, and/or help our Rescue Mission keep its doors open (pay our bills). (4). May I make special mention of Teresa Chappell, CPA (Certified Public Accountant), who has for many years freely assisted our Rescue Mission with our taxes and accounting. By cheerfully accepting this burden, Teresa is doing a most excellent service for our Rescue Mission and the Kingdom of God. God bless you Teresa. J

THE CROSS MINISTRY

May I most joyfully mention that through a dedicated donation that includes a continuing monthly commitment, our Rescue Mission has reinstated the aluminum Cross Ministry and purchased several thousand pocket sized (about 1 ½” by ¾”) aluminum crosses for distribution; each cross is imprinted with the declaration “Jesus Christ Is Lord.” The Cross Ministry, as we effect it, is analogous to what the legendary Johnny Appleseed did when he sowed apple seed all across this country to generate little apple trees (fruit). We (staff, patrons, and volunteers) sow small pocket crosses which have imprinted upon them “Jesus Christ Is Lord” (Phil 2:11), to generate Little Christians. The crosses are silver in appearance (a biblical type of redemption), and are made of aluminum metal which (fact) does not rust nor corrupt (we are sowing “treasures in heaven” Mat 6:20). We either directly hand a cross to someone, or leave a cross in a highly trafficked location such as a convenience store telephone booth, or any doorway, or virtually anywhere in a mall, etc. etc. Wherever I go in this world, I always sow crosses because I have been called by God to be a sower, and sowers sow seed, and “The seed is the word of God.” (Luke 8:11). Please join us. 

It is very interesting to sow the seed-cross and then inconspicuously stand aside, and observe the reaction of someone who sees a small silver cross laying in their path. Most commonly, they stop, and bend down and pick up their cross. Then, while elevating the cross upright in front of their face with their right hand, they either stand still to read the inscription, or continue to walk slowly forward while reading the inscription. Then they look up and around, place the cross in their pocket (receive the seed), and continue their walk.

Over the years, my previous ministry and this Rescue Mission ministry have jointly sown well over 260,000 non-corruptible little silver crosses into the heart of the earth, and our Rescue Mission is now back on schedule to sow approximately 1000 silver crosses per month. Just a thought, but perhaps 100 years from now, the Lord willing, someone will bend down and pick up a little silver cross that we sowed. Praise God. How many people, do you suppose, have received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior in heart-felt response to the small aluminum cross that they found on their path one day, and kneeled down, and picked it up? “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” (Mat 16:24).

Thank you for your loving prayers, and sacrificial financial donations; thank you for being “doers of the word, and not hearers only” (James 1:22). God bless you.

Sincerely,

Rev. Lionel

And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament;
and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. (Dan 12:3)