Late July praise report

"But those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint." -- Isaiah 40-31

The Lord's blessings this week have been like the stars in the sky -- only He can number them and know them by name!

A missionaries' son is continuing a miraculous recovery from a car accident and hopes to be driving soon. The accident happened on the night of a Bible study. The following Sunday, one of the lambs said she was so impressed that one of the parents showed up for the study and had other volunteers bring the food -- then had everyone pray for the injured youth.

"Most people would have just called it off," she said. "It made me feel good to know we are important to you too. And I am not the only one who noticed."

Please continue to pray for this woman, who is living in a broken-down van. She has been told to leave the spot where the van is parked and is praying for a way to get the van repaired.

The lamb who agreed to go into alcohol detox is doing so well despite several bureaucratic problems getting him a bed. He has contacted several missionaries and says he will stick out the 14 days of treatment. He is also telling everyone he knows to see "The Second Chance," a movie about faith-based outreach to the homeless, which he saw at a missionary's home before going to the Alcohol Treatment Center. We are thanking all the people who provided a support circle for this lamb for several weeks!!

Two lambs who are in an apartment called a missionary to get a prescription refilled last week, as their monthly check was exhausted. They later went to the hospital, she for injuries suffered in a fall and he for a lung infection that at first seemed like a possible heart attack. Please keep them in your prayers. They are also looking for a crock pot to help with cooking, as their apartment has no real stove or oven.

Another lamb at Raleigh Rescue Mission had been thinking of going out on his own, but came the realization he is not yet read to make good decisions. Please pray the programs at the mission help equip him not only to be independent in a worldly sense, but to be dependent on God and his Christian support circle!

God continues to work miracles behind the scenes. Sometimes missionaries don't even know about them until later!

One lamb -- who stayed with missionaries two nights so he could work -- told about a "chance" meeting with a church pastor while he was trying to get money in front of a Walmart. The pastor recognized the lamb from visits to his church and asked him to help bring in some furniture he was returning to the store. He gave the lamb some money for his assistance, then checked on him when he went to a restaurant to get lunch.

This lamb has been substance-free for 49 days. Please pray that as his girlfriend is released from jail, both are able to stay off drugs and alcohol.

The Lord has also provided Hispanic church services and Bible studies in an area where Church in the Woods has been praying for more help. Please pray that the non-Hispanics in that area, some of whom have been complaining about too much drinking at the Thursday outreach, will consider attending a non-alcohol Bible study soon.

Alcohol is such a recurring theme through this community. We are seeing more and more people trying to stop drinking as they see its impact on friends -- some hit by cars, others with severe liver damage.

On Thursday, the youngest missionary was walking in a circle at the Bible study, sitting on the laps of drunken men, touching their heads and faces, then moving on. Each man had such peaceful expressions as they received this blessing.

On Sunday, a lamb who has been detoxing himself and his girlfriend encouraged her to come to church for the first time. She agreed, but it was uncomfortable for both of them to not drink for several hours. Please pray that they continue to cut down on drinking and that they rely on the Lord for the strength.

A Hispanic lamb who once came to church regularly and who was sober for many weeks is fighting not only addiction but also his best friend these days. The friend is always there with a beer when this man wants to stop drinking, not wanting to lose his drinking buddy. He tells him lies about the missionaries and the church, even accusing them of poisoning him with the food they give him. Please pray that God touch both of these men and bring them face-to-face with Jesus!

The Lord is also providing more ways for the lambs to minister to others! One lamb recently met a handicapped homeless man and is helping him get organized in the woods and find a church. Another will be house sitting for some missionaries while they are at the beach for a few days. One more paid his own cab fare to serve the homeless at a downtown Raleigh outreach where once THEY were served.

MORE PRAISES!

A lamb who has been in a house for several months has finished driving classes and can apply to get her license back in two weeks. She then hopes to get a donated car insured and running.

Missionaries have received free tickets for a new Christian movie being released August 8th. They planned to bring homeless to the movie, but wanted to be able to feed them bag lunches on the way. That day, missionaries received enough ham and rolls to make 108 sandwiches -- enough to feed people Thursday night and still have leftovers to freeze for the movie night!

The Moore Square outreach needed side dishes. With two days to spare, the Lord provided three huge trays of donated fruit and bottled water!

A lamb who has been living in a dilapidated trailer for many years could be moving into an apartment next month. He is also to receive a long-awaited hearing aid. Please pray he finds furniture and other things to make this apartment a home.

Missionaries have received 169 first-aid kits from a prayer chain at SAS. Please pray these will bless many as a medical team visits the homeless on July 27th.

One final prayer request -- We need people to help with an Apex/Cary homeless outreach.

Sending lots of love and prayers.

Cindy and Al Boyce

Praises for July 9-13

Sending thanks and love to all as we celebrate another week in the service of God.

This week we were blessed to have the Lord's lion-turned-lamb return to church with two friends. The newest lamb was touched that he was "allowed" to come to church and to missionaries' home for lunch.

Another lamb was selected to enter a drug treatment house after an interview. He is now working, saving money and paying child support. Please pray for healing as his wife is filing for divorce and he is trying to restore his relationship with his daughter.

Two lambs who were married this year at a missionary's home have renewed their commitment to getting off drugs and alcohol -- with the help of the man's boss (a former drug abuser). They are moving into a three-bedroom house and are hoping to return to church if transportation can be arranged.

Once again, the Lord provided food for the Thursday night Bible study through an area church. It was such a blessing to have chicken, beans and potatoes. In addition, two lambs were celebrating this week, and TWO ice cream cakes were available from the grocery pickup.

We want to specially thank the missionary who shopped for birthday gifts for the two lambs. They were so touched. One man may enter alcohol rehab partly because of the love and acceptance he felt in receiving the gifts and well-wishes for his birthday.

Also Thursday, the son of two missionaries was in an automobile accident -- by God's timing it happened while the missionaries were just about to leave home so they received his phone call. One missionary went with him to the hospital, where prayer warriors met her, prayed and helped move food to the Thursday outreach.

The Lord's lambs joined hands to pray for the young man's healing. His injuries were painful but not too serious. He will not be able to eat solid food due to some lacerations inside his mouth, but the Lord provided again, as the missionaries have a case of liquid Ensure on hand.

The study of Nehemiah 4 continued Thursday, with discussions about those who fought against the Jews rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. The Lord's lambs saw in the scripture what they often see in life -- people around them who don't want them to "build" their way out of drug addiction and homelessness. There are people in all our lives who make fun of efforts to do God's will instead of following worldly passions.

In Nehemiah, the answer was to have God's people station themselves at every gap in the wall, each defending his own home and family -- but in God's strength. Then they agreed to sound a trumpet whenever an attack came, so they could come to one another's aid and never be caught alone.

The lambs also observed that those rebuilding Jerusalem were mainly ordinary people -- not governments or nobles or agencies or even people with special gifts -- ordinary people with the extraordinary power of God.

One other prayer request: A woman who has been living in her van has been told she must move within the week. The van is not driveable because it is in need of about $500 in repairs, plus $250 in insurance. The woman has been offered help, but it would involved losing the van entirely as well as her dog. She is praying that the Lord will provide another option. Meanwhile, she is quietly moving her belongings to a hidden location in the woods in case she must go there.
Because the woman has no children and is not a substance abuser, she has few options available.

We are thanking the Lord for your prayers and support.

Al and Cindy Boyce

It has been another awesome week in service of the Lord!

The "lion" from last Thursday met missionaries Sunday asking to go to church. During the service he asked for prayer. Men prayed with him through the praise and worship time. After the sermon, he asked to be led to Christ. The associate pastor and a missionary did. The newly found lamb cried and prayed.

During that time another missionary called believing she may be in labor and was going to the hospital. After the wonderful lunch prepared by an area ministry, the newly found lamb became sick with severe side pain. When asked to go to the emergency room the response was "no!" When asked to visit the missionary in labor, the answer was "yes!". The pain increased and the missionaries and the lamb stopped by ER first. The missionary mother-to-be visited the group in ER. The lamb was admitted to the hospital to undergo alcohol treatment. The Lord was so good, while under treatment the lamb was able to remember everything, the tremors, the severe pain and cramping, the upset stomach... all from DT's. He was released from the hospital back into the woods a changed man because of Jesus.

We are praying he remains off drugs and alcohol and can find work.

Also on Sunday, missionaries came home to a meal prepared by an area outreach and a freezer filled with food for other CitW outreaches. God is the Lord of provisions! In addition, a couple at church took one of the lambs out to lunch with them.

This week, a lamb who has been working for many months helped another with transportation to work on his moped. He also has offered him a place to stay in case bad weather strikes while they are working in downtown Raleigh. This lamb is hoping to move out of an old trailer and into an apartment within a month with the help of Social Services.

The lamb who suffered the aneurysm has been admitted into a treatment program. Another lamb is getting close to completing classes so she can get her driver's license.

On Thursday night, a man who has refused to come to the Bible study for years not only showed up but agreed to eat dinner with us. This is a short time after he agreed to receive prayer from a missionary for the first time. God is working in this lamb!

Another woman who has been living in the woods for 15 years was so filled with joy and sorrow as she listened to worship music and heard the words "God believes in you" over and over.

During discussions of Nehemiah 3 (the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem), there was discussion about how God brought so many different people together to do His work -- priests, goldsmiths, perfume-makers all working together rather than saying, "building walls isn't my gift."

Also discussed was the name and order of the gates as described in http://www.jesusplusnothing.com/studies/online/nehem3.htm
The woman pointed to a map of the city, in a gap between the Horse Gate (symbolizing spiritual warfare) and the Water Gate (symbolizing cleansing through baptism) and said she is ready to be baptized.

"I know Jesus, but maybe it's time for blessings to start flowing OUT of me instead of just in," the lamb said.

Missionaries promised to let her know when the next baptism is scheduled at their church.

Please continue praying for the lamb who is trying to get a place in the Oxford House with an interview on Sunday. We also ask for prayers that lambs find work, that they learn to be responsible with their money and that more come to Jesus to live under His reign rather than the reign of the World.

Thanking you for all your prayer and support!