Read John and Becki Rusk's latest newsletter from South Africa here.
More information about their ongoing work in Africa can be found at their website - Maniac 4 Missions.
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The Foursquare Church is poised to respond with relief supplies and financial resources. Many pastors in the U.S. have already contacted Foursquare Missions International looking for ways to help. We are currently assessing the needs and our available resources. As contact is made with our leaders in Haiti and additional needs are identified, we will develop a long-term plan to minister to people, bring relief to communities, and rebuild our churches.
Haiti's prime minister has speculated that casualties following the earthquake could top more than 100,000 people following the most powerful earthquake to hit the country in more than 200 years. The national palace is a crumbled ruin and tens of thousands of people are homeless. In public squares thousands of people are comforting each other and singing hymns together.
Details about the U.S. response of The Foursquare Church to the Haiti earthquake will be available through the communication venues listed below and through your District Missions Representatives. In addition, Foursquare Missions Press is offering free tracts and Bible literature in Haiti's language of Creole for all Foursquare church teams. To request tracts, contact Bob Hunt.
The nation as a whole and the churches of Haiti will need our ongoing prayer and support.
Here is how you can give immediate help:
1. Pray for protection, miraculous healings, restoration and acceleration of the kingdom for Haiti. Let's contend for a total turnaround from this quake into a shaking of a nation unto salvation.
2. Take an offering. Our long-term plan of relief will require large financial resources.
You can give online at https://give.foursquare.org/relief
You can mail a check payable to:Foursquare Missions International
PO Box 26776
Los Angeles, CA 900263. Consider planning or joining a team to aid in the rebuilding and restoration of this nation. Contact David Wheeler by email for more information.
Click here for additional resources and to watch a video message from Jonathan Hall, Director of Foursquare Missions International, regarding Foursquare relief in Haiti.
]]>Our job is to provide one twin-size (or larger) blanket for each of the 42 children at Esperanza para los Ninos.
You can do more if you like. Click here for a list of the other items they need.
We need the blankets and any other items you want to donate at the church building on or before December 20.
]]>Greetings in the wonderful name of our Mighty Savior, Christ Jesus our Lord! Once again too much time has passed since we've sent out a news letter. I want to begin by thanking you for your continued prayers and notes/emails. What a blessing it is to have friends that care. Since our last letter we have received a few special offerings to help with ministry expenses - what an answer to prayer you have been - thank you so much for your generous giving and your continued faithfulness to obey the voice of the Lord.
]]>Just to fill you in a little... we have been diligently trying to rent a certain cane house in the barrio for our ministry program with children and young people. However, it seems the owner is not that interested in renting to us. So the Lord is showing us other possibilities. We will check into renting other properties, as well as the possibility of purchasing a small lot to construct a cane building to be used as a church. Please pray that the Lord would open the right doors and that we will make the right contacts and that soon this situation will be resolved.
We are still searching for a location for the Manta Church. Now with the Christmas season full underway we are really hoping to have a place by the end of the year so we can celebrate the coming in of the New Year together with our small congregation - in "our church."
God is good and His mercy endures forever! Leo has been diligently working, preparing for the upcoming graduation of the Bible Seminaries. There are many pastors that have not completed the necessary education in order to continue with the "higher education" now required by the government. Leo has been holding intensive studies for these pastors (going to three different cities twice a month to teach). These pastors will also be graduating and then they will begin their "university studies" with those that are already studying in this program. Please pray for the Seminary Graduation taking place Saturday, December 12th at 10am (and the graduations in Machala, Quevedo, and the Peninsula during the following week).
Meri has found herself in an interesting situation. . . .
See them all here.
]]>At Foursquare’s convention in Houston last month, an offering was taken to aid in the relief efforts in China and Myanmar. The contribution totaled $31,000 in cash and $154,000 in pledged gifts. Although local contacts in China are limited, Foursquare Missions International (FMI) staff have been able to assist with the relief work thanks to local contacts. As churches follow through with their commitment to ongoing relief assistance in Myanmar, their offerings will be used in the following ways:
Recent reports from leadership in this country indicate that courageous efforts are being made in response to Cyclone Nargis relief efforts. The current numbers circulating estimate that more than 147,000 have died and more than 2.5 million have been left homeless in the Irawaddy division of Myanmar.
“People and churches have given and are continuing to assist financially as we carry out a long-term project in Myanmar,” said George Butron, FMI regional representative to Asia. “We are so grateful for their partnership.”
Prophetic Message
While many lives were lost through this disaster, locals have still seen God work. Days prior to the destruction of Cyclone Nargis in southern Myanmar, the national leader of Foursquare Myanmar prayed on a rooftop in Yangon.
God spoke to him clearly and said: “There is going to be a famine. It will be like the time of Joseph. You need to prepare.”
The following Sunday, he went to his congregation and brought them the word he had received. He also told the people to withdraw all of their money out of their banks. The congregation initially treated the “word” as suspect, but many ultimately complied and retrieved their assets from the bank. Four days later all of the banks in the country closed due to the cyclone.
The people also responded to the prophecy by stocking their homes with rice, canned foods, cooking oil and other staple supplies. Immediately after the storm, everyone understood how God had prepared them for this disaster and they immediately began to help those in need in the city of Yangon and beyond.
Relief efforts are continuing in many ways. According to Tom Hinton, Global Connect coordinator for FMI, there is also an ongoing discussion for the purchase of land for rice development, a training center and an orphanage. Continued prayers and financial gifts from the Foursquare family are needed to assist those in Myanmar. If you would like to give financially to assist in this Foursquare relief effort, please send contributions to Foursquare Missions International. Make your check out to ICFG, and write "Relief Fund" on the memo line. Mail checks to:
Foursquare Missions
ATTN: Paulette McCammon
P.O. Box 26902
Los Angeles, CA 90026
Iowa District Supervisor Jim Machen and Regional Supervisor Cliff Hanes are actively engaged in assessing the needs of our churches and the communities affected by the flooding. Assistant General Supervisor Jim Scott is also in the region, helping to mobilize Foursquare’s response as people determine how to clean up and rebuild their homes and their lives.
Two semi trailer-loads of supplies have been shipped to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, one of the hardest-hit areas to date. Cedar Rapids Christian Center, a Foursquare church pastored by Barry Foster, was flooded with nearly four feet of water. Jim Machen, who accompanied Pastor Barry as he walked through his church building, writes: “We had to wear boots and masks to go through the church building once the water receded. The four-and-a-half feet of water that was in the church many days did major damage.”
Other areas in Iowa impacted by the rising water include:
Several Iowa churches, while not directly affected by flooding, have strongly participated in local relief efforts. Foursquare congregants from both Living Hope Community Church in Davenport, pastored by Renee Holm, and Burlington Foursquare Church, pastored by Sam Fratt, are providing meals for relief workers. The city of Davenport alone received one initial damage estimate of $4.5 million. Cleanup and restoration of the damaged region could take four years or more to complete.
The Foursquare church family across the U.S. is encouraged to pray diligently for our pastors and fellow Christians, especially those serving the needs of people affected by the flooding, as well as those volunteers who are working tirelessly to help with cleanup and restoration.
The National Church Office released initial funding for flood relief in several communities in Iowa, and is accepting donations to assist as additional needs are identified and assessed.
Ways to help
1. Monetary donations may be made payable to The Foursquare Church and mailed to:
Disaster Relief
The Foursquare Church
1910 W. Sunset Blvd., Suite 200
Los Angeles, CA 90026
Please clearly mark “Disaster Relief” on the memo line of each check.
2. The Iowa District office currently is establishing a process for coordination of work teams. Teams wishing to assist with cleanup and recovery should contact the Iowa District office by calling 563.243.0701.
3. Pray for God's grace to embrace those that mourn, “to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.” Isaiah 61:2-4 (NKJV).
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Read John and Becki Rusk's latest newsletter from South Africa here.
More information about their ongoing work in Africa can be found at their website - Maniac 4 Missions.
]]>Over the weekend Cyclone Nargis struck the Southeast Asian country of Myanmar--also known as Burma--with 120 mph winds and caused widespread devastation. As of Wednesday, the death toll may exceed 100,000 people, with more than 70,000 missing and 1 million homeless. This disaster is already being compared to the 2004 tsunami that hit south Asia.
Foursquare global connect coordinator, Tom Hinton, is assessing the situation with the help of Regional Representative George Butron and National Leader Philip Ahone. Together they are initiating a relief response action plan. Foursquare Myanmar has 112 churches in this predominately Buddhist nation and is involved in evangelizing and training church planters to reach the harvest.
George Butron writes: "Pastor Philip contacted me to say that the roofing was blown off our Bible college there, as well as several leaders' homes and several church buildings. There is no power or drinking water. Food, fuel and other essentials have tripled in price overnight. Large numbers of people are at risk in the days ahead."
Jonathan Hall, director of Foursquare Missions has noted three prayer points for the Foursquare family:
Foursquare Missions
ATTN: Paulette McCammon
P.O. Box 26902
Los Angeles, CA 90026
View more pictures from Pastor Becky's trip to Cambodia here
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