Update from Don

We had a great mission in Key West. We found many people there receptive to our out reach. We went into many homes inviting them to the "Super Saturday" VBS and to worship with us the following day.
Our main goal as we went on this mission trip was to strengthen the new brethren which we had baptized in the previous years. This we worked at with due diligence. We were pleased however at the efforts the church is making in out reaching to the community. They wanted us to develop a program and plan to involve the church with the community. We developed another "Super Saturday" . For three days leading up to Sat., many of us went door to door with fliers telling about the "Super Saturday" We offered transportation to those who needed it. Many of us worked hard. When Sat. arrived we didn't know if anyone would show up. The teachers were very well prepared, but would the people come? THEY DID COME. We had 52 for VBS that morning. Around half of them came back for services Sunday morning and some of them brought their parents. Who said people are not interested in church anymore? The church has names and addresses to do future follow up. Due to all of our efforts there, there have been 5 baptisms. It was a good mission. Thank you so much for your prayerful support of this mission.
In our future reports, we will be reviewing our efforts at the lectureship at the Florida School of Preaching. Don

Disaster Assistance Gustav/Ike Mission Recap

Thanks to you, the first "Disaster Assistance" mission was a tremendous success. This mission started Sept.5th with Hurricane Gustav in Baton Rouge, and ended Dec.9th on the Bolivar Peninsula with the results of Hurricane Ike. There were 39083 meals prepared and served. There were just over 500 people signed up for bible study. We helped unload and distribute 10 semi- truck loads of supplies such as food boxes, cleaning supplies, mattresses and appliances, furnished by "Churches of Christ Disaster Relief" of Nashville and other churches. We would like to especially thank the Churches of Christ at Goodwood, Lake Jackson, El Campo, Broadway, Cox Blvd, Whites Ferry Road and many of the Churches of Christ in the Houston area. not only for their financial support, but also for providing volunteers to help in serving and bible studies. Now we have singled out these churches, but truly churches from all over the country sacrificially donated and continued to donate the funds that were so necessary to accomplish this great mission. God was glorified, Christ was magnified and the local churches were edified.

Now for some more good news. Quite frankly, when we started this mission under the oversight of the elders of the Alachua Church of Christ. Our hope was that we would receive enough donations to at least help people close to home. Gainesville, Fl. Boy were we surprised!!! You made it possible for us to minister to people well over 800 miles away. Churches from all over the U.S. were so helpful, that now we can say we are prepared to go almost anywhere, anytime in the whole country to help in most disasters. Everywhere we go people see our "Orange Shirts" which tells them, "the Church of Christ is here helping." Thank you so much for making this possible.

As you may wish to continue supporting this mission, a special separate Sunday contribution, ear marked "Disaster Assistance", will enable us to be "ready to roll" at a moments notice. We found that this was an excellent way for each person to give if able and as they see fit.

Remember you and we together are "Combating Natural Disasters with Acts of God"

Donations should be mailed to Disaster Assistance, Alachua Church of Christ, 14505 NW 145 Ave,
Alachua FL 32615

Below two photos are Gene Burgett and Don Hudson speaking at Lectureships

Disaster Assistance at Florida School of Preaching Lectureships

Florida School of Preaching Lectureships Jan 19-22

I will be setting up a booth for Disaster Assistance at this 34 annual lectureship. My good friend and Disaster Assistance coordinator Don Hudson will be speaking. This years topic is "Do You Understand Restoring the Erring?" Please stop by and talk with us between the sessions. Here is the link to their web site if you would like to view the schedule and speakers. www.fsop.net

Update from Hilltop Rescue and Relief

Hilltop Rescue volunteers spent the month of November working on the Bolivar Peninsula. Conditions there are very bad. The landscape is bleak. Parts of the area look like a giant hand has come down and smashed all the buildings flat. Part looks like that giant hand just swept everything away. Other areas look like "normal" flood-damaged land--ruined homes with a bizarre variety of debris littering house and yard. The water is not safe to drink. Electricity is still out in many neighborhoods. The only aid available on the peninsula has been at the Port Bolivar Volunteer Fire Department, where three volunteers from other states have been giving out cooked meals, bottled water, and any other donated supplies on hand. They have spent time not only cooking and running the distribution center, but also sitting and talking with anyone who came in, letting people cry out their despair, and sometimes offering to help with clean up. Mike and Eva 1 and Eva 2(Disaster Assistance), thank you. Thank you for the example you set for everyone who crossed your path. Thank you for your servants' hearts. Thank you for feeding the Hilltop Rescue volunteers hot lunches. We will miss you as you pack up and leave for home. The volunteer camp has been quiet for a few weeks. In a few days we will be gearing up for another week of work. We will be closed for Christmas. If we get volunteers who have committed to come and serve between Christmas and January 2, we will work during that time and then close the camp. God has truly blessed us with the people we have met and worked with over the past three months. The Clear Lake church of Christ and the church staff have been amazing, and we have been privileged to partner with them. To all of you who have worked side by side with us, cooked us meals, helped with paperwork, made donations, offered up prayers for this ministry . . . thank you. May God bless you all for the love you have shown and the seeds you have planted.

New Years in Cambodia’09

On the week-end after Christmas we had the privilege of participating in seven baptisms. Four were on Saturday at Toul Trails and involved an 86 year old Lady. She was bent and hardly could walk, needing to be lifted in and out of the four foot diameter well casing used as a baptistery. Such is the condition of most of the older women of Cambodia. There is a calcium deficiency in the Cambodian diet that causes a weakening and distortion of the bones as people, especially women, grow older. There is no dairy industry in Cambodia and I believe milking cows would help solve that problem. Maybe someday, in connection with some of the orphans that seem to be accumulating at the Lord’s various congregations, we might be able to begin such an industry.

Semoun, a Cambodian youth we have been taking care of and training at our Kampoung Cham facility, traveled with us and visited his mother who lives behind the Buddhist Temple at Toul Trails. He has three sisters there and brought each a new change of clothes he purchased with money he was rewarded for memorizing a large number of Bible verses. He won the $10 in a memorization contest held on Christmas Day at Kampoung Cham. Semoun has no father that he remembers and his mother is struggling caring for his three sisters. During the time there he visited with a Buddhist monk who asked about the possibilities of coming and studying with us at Kampoung Cham. We will see how that develops.

On Sunday we visited Chan-un-Date where three were baptized after services. An eighty year old lady was among those baptized. She too had to be lifted in and out of the baptistery. Both of the older ladies mentioned in this report, were baptized with family members. That is good as it normally indicates a family decision to embrace the Christian Faith.

One of the four officials required to give permission for the Medical Mission scheduled to come to Kampong Cham on the 20th of January has refused to sign. Pauley says he may want a bribe, but we don’t do that. So we are making arrangements to take the mission with its free medical services and medicine to Koh Dach. The facility and access is better at Kampoung Cham, but at least Koh Dach has restroom facilities for the doctors. Pray for that official to repent. He is hurting the poor of his area and causing us some inconvience. Pray God to continue to bless us with the increase and thank him for the blessings he has given.

In Christ's service.......... Bill Singleton