Prayers and praises

We are thanking the Lord for you and your prayers. Through many of the Lord's generous hands and hearts your prayers are being answered.

You can do what I can't do. I can do what you can't do. Together we can do something beautiful for God. - Mother Theresa

And it seems God depends on each of us "doing our part." What might that be for you this day?

A missionary’s son wrote a paper titled “Effects on Addictive Behavior With the Homeless” for his psychology class. This is from his high school senior’s paper. The paper used studies evaluating self-esteem and substance abuse. The study concluded there wasn't a correlation. The student's conclusion based on his findings with the 7 homeless people he knows was:

"...I have not gotten the impression that any of them have particularly low self-esteem either, because as is supported by the data collected during this experiment, it does not seem to me that having high self-esteem would help them to overcome their addictions any easier. In fact, when I talk with them, they are remarkably upbeat considering their situation and when I consider my experiences I believe that encouragement, patience, and support are of much greater benefit than many of the programs described in the article."

Out of the mouths of babes - thank you Jesus!

The Lord has blessed this mission with the formation of a large support network of missions in Wake County, The Body of Christ. The members from the Body of Christ were blessed with meeting with missionaries who have a Support Circle program. The minutes from the Support Circle meeting can be read at http://body-of-christ.blogspot.com/ . Please pray about becoming involved with Support Circles, whether it is with refugees, the homeless, ex-cons, migrant workers… Jesus’ list can be found in Matthew 25:35-36.

The Lord continued to stretch missionaries. A lamb from a sister mission died this week. We are thanking the Lord to be able to contact family in FL. The family saw him last week for the first time in years. The lamb died while listening to his sister on the phone. Please keep his family in your prayers. Pray for the Lord’s provision of a rental car for them to attend his memorial service next week.

While attending church Sunday, a pregnant, exhausted lamb had a seizure. Missionaries accompanied her and her husband to the hospital. Pray for her and the baby.

Another lamb had a stroke this week. She is in N-ICU. She also has an aneurysm. She is heavily sedated and in restraints while the aneurysm is being repaired. Please keep her, her boyfriend and her family in your prayers. This was another blessed opportunity to obtain family contact information. God uses everything to His glory.

We are praising the Lord for the successful shunt surgery of the Lord’s lamb in CA. He is out of the hospital. When missionaries called, he was out riding his bike. Thank you Jesus!

God is so amazing. The Lord brought to the Mobile Unit meeting someone who does medical records, an RN, an ER/trauma nurse who works with the Red Cross as a field nurse and her small group wants to participate, an FNP who works with someone who treats the working uninsured, an orthopedic doctor, a nurse working with medical mobile mission units and a local field nurse, a non-practicing mission mobile doctor, an NP working at the ATC. A mission statement was developed, resources and recruits are needed. It was suggested everyone ask his/her doctor and church body for recruits. The next meeting is May 23rd, 7 PM in Cary.

The Lord has answered the prayers of so many with work. There is a job through May 12th in Fuquay. Transportation is needed. Please contact Alice at 772-7050, if you are able to provide transportation even one direction. Without transportation this job can not be extended to those who are so willing to work.

The business offering seasonal positions contacted missionaries concerning another contract the business has received. He is in need of more workers. For this contract, the workers must be clean shaven and have stylist haircuts. Contact 466-9001 if you know of someone needing a job. Thank you Jesus for your continual blessing of this business!

Lambs who moved to WV have also found work. God is good!

Last night at the study when asked for prayer requests and praise reports, so many of the Hispanic lambs were praising the Lord for WORK! Everyone who was able to work had worked this past week for at least 2 days. God is good and answering your prayers!

Another lamb just out of prison said his first thought was to return to the Bible study group where he had been blessed in the past. As he waited for missionaries to show up, shivering in just a T-shirt, he was confronted by police. After he explained he was waiting in the parking lot for the bible study, an officer gave him a jacket from the back of the police cruiser. God is our mighty provider!

While in prison, this lamb was blessed to be able to take classes studying the Old and New Testament. He wants to contact family. He has accepted Jesus as his Savior. He now wants to glorify God in what he does. Please pray for this lamb, as he is struggling to put together the very basics of a life on the streets and hoping for so much more!

The Lord is also answering prayers for the beginnings of financial planning. Several of the lambs were asking about help saving money for housing and/or transportation. A missionary is willing to open saving accounts for each lamb, receiving their money Thursday evening, and helping each save for an apartment and/or a moped. Please continue to pray for the Lord’s use of His blessings.

The Lord has blessed the ministry with housing grants for 30 homeless. The need of low cost housing is a prayer request. Please prayfully consider becoming a low cost housing hunter. When you find low cost housing in Cary, Apex, Raleigh, Fuquay, Wake Forest… please contact a Church in the Woods missionary with the information.

The Thursday night study was well attended. Many of the Lord’s lambs had prayer requests and praises of how the Lord is working in his/her life. The group was blessed when a missionary from Germany was in town and once again was “drawn to the group." She was so blessed to hear that so many were working and in housing. She can’t wait to tell her husband. The group completed the study on humility and servanthood. With the cool, damp evenings, blankets and sleeping bags are needed.

The group was blessed yesterday by a Cary caterer. He contacted Church in the Woods missionaries with leftover food. He has offered the catering leftovers daily if missionaries are able to get them. The offer has been sent to the Body of Christ group as well. Please pray that the Lord blesses this business as the business blesses His kingdom.

Gospel Meditation - by Don Schwager: The feeding of the five thousand shows the remarkable generosity of God and his great kindness towards us. When God gives, he gives abundantly. He gives more than we need for ourselves that we may have something to share with others, especially those who lack what they need. God takes the little we have and multiplies it for the good of others. Do you trust in God's provision for you and do you share freely with others, especially those who lack?
"Lord, you satisfy the deepest longings of our hearts and you feed us with the finest of wheat (Ps 81:16). Fill me with gratitude and give me a generous heart that I may freely share with others what you have given to me."

Father, thank you for encouraging us to step out in faith. When we do, we often experience the leftovers of your mighty provision. We believe you can move mountains, heal diseases, and perform works that we neither can comprehend nor imagine. Dear Father, we are always happy to pick up the leftovers from such an event! Show us the leftovers. In Jesus name we pray. Amen

The Wedding

We are thanking the Lord for everyone who prayed for and assisted with the first Church in the Woods wedding. What a blessed day!

The director of Church in the Woods officiated the ceremony, missionaries opened their home for the wedding and reception, which was catered by missionaries and mission leaders. In addition, an area church mission leader did the bride’s hair and makeup. Flowers were donated as well. The bride and groom’s families were present to witness the joining of this family, as well as his boss and family. The bride was walked down the aisle by their oldest son and the couple was given in marriage to each other by their three children. The couple was blessed by missionaries and parents during the ceremony. Photographs were taken by all, with a missionary video taping the ceremony.

The ceremony included the white dress, representing the forgiveness of sins; the two candles joining into one in the body of Christ; the exchanging of the rings, an eternal life; communion and a blessing from all.

What a witness of the love of Jesus! The lambs have been a couple for over 20 years and have 3 children together and to see this family united and blessed is a gift.

We are thanking the Lord

We are thanking the Lord for you and your prayers.

The Eliza Park Easter service was such a blessed time with prayer, testimonies, scripture, communion, lunch and the début of the Mobile Unit.

This week the Church in the Woods ministry had His lamb’s memorial service. Many arrived wanting to say their “goodbyes” to Alfonso. There was disappointment by some when they were told his body wasn’t there. Tears flowed as those who were present were blessed with opportunities to talk about Alfonso in his/her life. A stranger had read about Alfonso’s accident in the paper the day before he died and mailed to the hospital a letter (that was forwarded to missionaries’ home) and the Gospel of John. The author of the letter asked if Alfonso had accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior. If not, the letter advised that he read Chapter 3, especially 3:16 and 14 and then read the back cover of the booklet which contained the sinner’s and salvation prayers.

The memorial service had a special blessing with a visit from a lamb who brought the child of missionaries into the Church in the Woods ministry. A couple of years ago, a drunken lamb in the woods wanted to hold a missionary’s son. The lamb hadn’t seen his family in 10 years. When he left his family for work elsewhere, his son was 9. The child went to the lamb without hesitation and the mother let him go of ALL reservations. An N&O photographer captured a moment of unconditional love.

The lamb came to Jesus that day, turned his substance abuse problem over to Jesus, and returned to his family in Minnesota. When the lamb saw the child on Thursday, he said, “Yes, I remember him. He got so big.” He then began talking about his children and grandchildren. If this lamb can’t locate a Hispanic church, he plans to attend church with the missionary family on Sunday.

One of our newly baptized lambs is going through a difficult time. His camp was burned out a few weeks ago, he went to jail for outstanding trespassing charges, came out of jail to receive news that his brain cancer is progressing. He has tried to contact a church support circle to little avail and has returned to substances to deaden his pain. Missionaries are in contact with him, but he does need a support circle. Please keep him in your prayers as he copes with the trials placed before him. Please pray that he realizes Jesus is the only perfect one and should be his source of comfort, not man.

Please pray for our lamb who has joined his family in CA. He underwent a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt procedure on Tuesday. He is having heart irregularity and some fluid accumulation. He has been moved from ICU into critical care. Praise God!

Another lamb who moved home underwent surgery Wednesday. She called last night leaving a message that she is doing well. Keep her in your prayers. More information should be obtained today.

Seasonal jobs are available with an area company. The boss is ever gracious, giving job opportunities to all who want one. Several begin work today. Please continue to pray for jobs and the responsibility that comes with having a job and a paycheck. This boss has given a lamb another chance, offering him a fulltime daytime job in Raleigh. Pray the lamb can be comfortable with the job, asking Jesus to help him instead of worldly comforts.

Tomorrow is a day of joy. A couple after 20+ years are getting married at a missionary's home and by the Church in the Woods pastor. The bride-to-be called her mother last weekend so thrilled to know she and sisters are attending their wedding. Please keep the wedding in your prayers as well as this blessed marriage. Thank you Jesus!

This week missionaries were blessed to be asked to meet with a pastor at a church wanting to know what the church could do for Church in the Woods. Missionaries asked for support circles to build relationships with people unlike oneself. As the Lord would have it, the next day missionaries were able to contact a local group through Lutheran Family Services. There will be a meeting for all are interested in Support Circles, Wednesday, April 26th at 10 AM on Cox Ave in Raleigh. God is so good!

Church in the Woods missionaries were blessed Monday evening meeting with other missionaries from 17 organizations and missions. Each missionary was able to discuss his/her passion, the purpose of the mission, what resources were available, and what resources were needed. The group is being called "The Body of Christ" and will meet again Tuesday May 16th, 7 PM again at 1616 Evans Road in Cary. All are welcome to attend. After the minutes are approved they will be available on the Least of These blog.

There will be a mobile unit meeting April 24th at the home of Alice McGee at 7:30.

Share what God has done in your life with someone today. It may be the possession they need most in their life.

More praises and prayers

We are thanking the Lord for all your prayers and support! What a busy week it has been!

Last Sunday, we were so blessed that an area church lifted the entire congregation in prayer for the lamb who was hit by a car and was in the hospital. A member of the church healing team joined us to visit this man and many others prayed not only for his healing, but that he find his place with the Father, if that is God's will.

Alfonzo's gentle spirit was released to the Lord late this week, but only after many of his friends had time to visit him in the hospital. Please continue praying that his relatives in Mexico may be found and notified.

Later in the week, word reached missionaries that another Hispanic man had been hit by a car. It turned out just to be a confusion of names, but this second man was indeed at the hospital seeking antibiotics for an infection when a missionary found him. How amazed he was to see God's love during such an inconsequential hospital visit! This also gave the missionary time to visit Alfonzo one last time as he was in the same hospital.

Thursday night many of the Lord's lambs were distressed to know their brother in Christ had died. Some were angry, others drunk, others crying. Please keep them in your prayers as they deal with the grief, especially the lamb who was feels responsible for not protecting him.

There were praise reports as well. A lamb who went to alcohol rehab has gone two weeks without drinking and has been blessed to get her job back. She is so excited to serve a God who gave her "many, many, many chances" to get her life back together. Another lamb was surprised when a trucker honked his horn at him and motioned him over. It was the lamb's brother, who he hadn't seen in 21 years, returned to the Raleigh area! Praise God. They exchanged information. Please pray this opens doors for both of them!

Please continue to pray for the lamb in jail on assault charges and for the lamb with cancer who is struggling to forgive the person who burned his camp in addition to news that his cancer may be coming back.

Please pray for all of those with substance abuse problems. These problems always seem worse as warm weather comes around and fewer are able to come to Bible studies and church. Please pray also that the weather brings more jobs and a sense of responsibility to employers and to each other.

We serve an awesome God!

Blessings
Al and Cindy

Church in the Woods

We are thanking the Lord for you and your prayers.

"Write upon my heart, O Lord, the lessons of your holy word, and grant that I may be a doer of your word, and not a forgetful hearer only." James 3:22-23

The Church in the Woods' mobile unit makes it debut for the Easter service at Eliza Park. All those wishing to bless others feel free to attend, set-up is 9:30. Food and praise music are needed.

The Lord is preparing the way for the mobile unit with an article from Readers Digest "Street Medicine". It can be read at the following web site: http://www.rd.com/content/openContent.do?contentId=26498 . The mobile unit meeting is April 24th at Alice McGee's home at 7:30 PM.

An area church with trained and volunteer counselors is planning to open a private Christian practice in September. If it is God's Will and goes according to plan, they will donate several hours a month to serve clients of Church in the Woods ministry.

The Church in the Woods ministry has been so blessed with abundance this week. Area churches donated so much food, the CitW ministry was able to pass food on to other area ministries serving area migrant workers. When the Lord provided CitW ministry a job in Durham, it was given to another ministry's lamb. There are still seasonal jobs available to in the Raleigh area. Contact Cindy, cboyce@nc.rr.com for more information.


Twelve to fourteen Cary/Apex area ministries plan to gather Monday April 17th at 7 PM to discuss what each ministry is called to do, what resources each has available, what resources are needed, and how the body of Christ can unite to glorify Jesus. This meeting will take place at 1616 Evans Road, Cary, at the Worship Faculty Magazine office. All ministries or organizations called to serve the "least of these" of Wake County are welcome to attend.

Continue to keep the Lord's lamb with liver complications in your prayers. He has pre-op Monday the 17th. If things go well with his pre-op, a needed procedure will be done on Tuesday. Jesus' lamb is tired. He is on new medication and watching what he eats.

The Lord has blessed one of His lambs with a full-time job opportunity. Pray that the lamb chooses to take this opportunity and not sabotage it.

An area church contacted Church in the Woods ministry wanting to know how these lambs being displaced by construction can be helped. Thank you Jesus for this blessing and pray for wisdom and discernment for aide with God's children.

One of the Lord's lambs planned to visit the lamb hit by the car Thursday and a missionary suggest she go earlier. She went Wednesday, returning Thursday to find he had died. She was so thankful to have seen him before he died. The doctors decided to turn-off life support Wednesday night and Jesus' lamb died. The following web site shows more information (http://www.newsobserver.com/928/story/428138.html).

Several of you serve with Hispanic ministries and may know someone who knows how to contact his family. If so please contact the police, so they can contact his family. There will be a memorial service at With Love From Jesus Thursday evening, April 20th. We are thanking the Lord for all those who visited Jesus' lamb and all the prayers during the week. What a blessing for this lamb to know he was loved!

Thank you for allowing us to share how the Lord is working in so many lives.

We are thanking the Lord for you.

The Southern Pounding was such a blessing for the couple who moved into a house last month. The Lord's lambs couldn't believe how loved they are. God is so good!

One of the Lord's lost lambs fell asleep with a cigarette in the lamb's mouth and was burned. The lamb is doing well. The burns are around the mouth and neck. Praise the Lord no one else was injured and these injuries were minor. All of the lamb's belongings were lost including the Bible given for the lamb's birthday.

One of the Lord's lambs was searching for a roommate this week. A missionary from another homeless ministry contacted missionaries from CitW asking for a roommate for one of the Lord's lambs. "Ask and ye shall receive" The two met, but found separate places to stay temporarily. God is so good!

Several of the Lord's lambs went to work orientations this week. Seasonal jobs begin this month. There will be another orientation next week for those who might be interested in a seasonal job. Praise the Lord for the opportunity for those to work.

The Church in the Woods director attended a meeting this week with social services. For the next two weeks, social services, with the proper information, will pay one month's rent or one's utility bill. This is such a blessing with so many lambs finding housing this month. With this the Lord has opened the doors for so many. Please keep those seeking a home in your prayers.

Please continue to keep one of the Lord' lambs in your prayers, as well as his family. The lamb was hospitalized Wednesday for liver complications.

Wednesday morning one of our Thursday evening lambs was hit by a car. We are thanking the Lord that missionaries had given the lamb their address. It was the only information the lamb had. The police came to the home to inform the missionaries and obtain any information they might have. Last night the lamb appeared close to death, only alive through life support. Missionaries prayed with the lamb multiple times yesterday. Today the lamb continues to improve and was stable enough to undergo surgery for his broken leg. Please pray the Lord will continue to reduce the swelling on the brain. The next 48 hours are crucial. The lamb is legally blind from a head injury ~ two years ago. Please pray for healing from both injuries. Please pray for the Lord to find the lamb's next-of-kin.

Tonight the Lord's lambs were told of their friend who was hit by the car. So many had seen the news report, not realizing the person was their friend. The news was taken so many different ways - some cried, others lashed out, and still others just shook their heads. One lamb was so enraged; the lamb left the study, to return at the end for prayers and the pouring of love and comfort. Please keep these friends lifted in prayer as they learn to lean on the Lord in times of despair.

We were able to celebrate the release of two of the Lord's lambs from jail today. When they went into jail there was much anger for what seemed to be an injustice, but came out with the Peace of the Lord.

The group began a study on humility and servanthood tonight. After the study a pair of lambs bought Easter Eggs and candy. The group filled the eggs for an area church's Easter Egg Hunt.

Someone read the article in the Cary paper months ago and is doing spring cleaning. She called a missionary to donate men's clothing. What a gift for so many!

An area church contacted missionaries with food to donate. What a gift! The two area churches that donate food had no leftovers this week. God and His perfect timing and provision!

Missionaries were told tonight that the ministry has use of a building in Apex with two other ministries. The ministries plan to get together to see how they can utilize the building best to glorify the Lord. God is so good!

A missionary was asked to read an article in the Holly Springs Sun, not be able to find the article the missionary read of a church is starting a monthly Soup Kitchen. Praise the Lord. The church was contacted and wants to participate in the April 17th meeting.

The staff from the Cary YMCA contacted missionaries with Church in the Woods ministry this week. The YMCA is interested in serving the homeless of Wake County after attending a service project with the homeless in DC. They plan to participate in the April 17th meeting, as does the Carying Place. God is so good!

Volunteer needed:
The Church in the Woods ministry is asking the Lord for a volunteer to work with the city of Raleigh property list. The mayor has told the ministry it can have a building from the city property list. One just has to be selected. The volunteer would be asked to narrow the list to 3 pieces of property so the ministry could select one.

Services or meetings:
Celebrate Jesus' resurrection with an Easter service at Eliza Park, April 16th. Set-up begins at 9:30. The Church in the Woods ministry asks people to bring food to share. Contact Alice, 772-7050, or Al and Cindy Boyce, 387-0921 or cboyce@nc.rr.com, for more information.

Representatives from eight (possibly ten) Cary/Apex ministries are asking to unify as the Body of Christ serving the homeless and the poor of Wake County. These representatives are asking others to attend this meeting, April 17th, at Hope Community at 7 PM. If your ministry is interested or your church has a local social concern type program, please feel free to attend. The group feels lead to utilize the gifts and talents the Lord has given to each ministry to bring Him the most glory. Other ministries are encouraged to attend.

Church in the Woods is having its first wedding April 22. Missionaries are getting together with the bride-to-be this weekend with a wish list. If you feel the Lord's calling to donate wedding items or wedding planning expertise please contact Cindy Boyce, cboyce@nc.rr.com .

There will be a Mobile Unit Meeting April 24th, 7:30 PM, at 4701 Forestdale Rd, Raleigh, NC 27603. Contact Alice at 772-7050, for more information.

Thank you for allowing us to share how the Lord is working in so many lives.