March 2, 2007

We are thanking you for your prayers and support as the Lord continues to provide abundantly for this ministry! More and more people are being drawn into communion with one another through the homeless and so many blessings are being shared!

Community Awareness – Meetings and missions

Medical mobile mission, Thursday, March 29, 2007 at With Love From Jesus from 6:30 until. The team is always in need of doctors, dentists and hygienists. There is an attending physician with the needed liability insurance. Contact Alice McGee at 772-7050, if you are interested in serving.

The 10th Annual Homeless Conference is scheduled for April 10-11 at the McKimmon Center in Raleigh, NC. Sessions will include HUD, Housing Finance Agency, the Key Program, the SOAR initiative, Re-Entry Initiatives, Community Voice Mail, Carolina Homeless Information Network and the Housing First initiative.

The NC Coalition to End Homelessness will host a dessert reception to kick off the conference on Monday, April 9, 7:00 PM – 9:30 PM at Vintage 21, 209 Oberlin Road, Raleigh (Suggested donation at the door.)

Legislative AfternoonWednesday, April 11, 2:00 PM - 5:00 PMThe NC Coalition to End Homelessness (NCCEH) will host an afternoon at theState Legislature. Assistance is also available in scheduling your meetings.For more information, feel free to contact, Martha Are, Homeless Policy Specialist, 919-733-4534

Creating a House of Worship (CHOW) conference (with ZHOP) workshop will be today at Perkins Restaurant (2657 Appliance Ct. Raleigh 27604 – right off the beltline at Capital Blvd.) at about 1:30pm. We will discuss any updates, including, volunteer sign-ups, housing, the "street team" promotion strategy, and present the flier and possibly a few other mentionables. This is a planning meeting; you don’t need to attend to volunteer and/or participate. Info on volunteer positions and needs still to be filled will be forthcoming, and you will be able to sign up by emailing chow.rdu@gmail.com .

The Raleigh/Wake 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness and Catholic Charities invite you to attend a Community Information Session on Saturday, March 17th from 9:00am - 1:00pm at The Healing Place for Men, 1251 Goode Street, Raleigh, NC. The purpose of this session is to provide information on forming a Faith Support Circle team with members of your congregation that will partner with a local individual or family who is living in a shelter or transitional housing program to support them in moving out of the shelter and into a permanent apartment. You may contact Roberta Macauley at 790-8533 ext. 32 if you have questions or via e-mail at roberta.macauley@raldioc.org

A Homeless article has been posted on CNN at
http://www.cnn.com:80/2007/US/02/28/homeless.report.reut/index.html

Prayer and Praise!
· A former area lamb called with a prayer request. Their granddaughter was born this week and is in neo-ICU with complications. Please keep the family in prayers, especially baby Cheyenne.
· Two months ago a lamb was attacked, called EMS because her arm might be broken. She came to the medical mission and was told it was a compound fracture. Her x-rays show a splintered wrist as well as a broken bone. She is waiting for a referral from an orthopedic for surgery.
· The lamb who received antibiotics last week for an infection on his face in improving. He was to stay on antibiotics for an additional two weeks and then be rechecked. Surgery may be required to remove the possible cyst. This is the week for his recheck.
· Praise God! He is now sober and working again!!!A lamb had been sober for almost two months. He returned home late from an area shelter, losing his job. He began to drink for a week, but then stopped and asked for prayers that he continue to stay sober.
· Please keep a lamb couple in your prayers. They are at risk of losing their home. Please pray for the man to take a job opportunity given him.
· This lamb went back to the streets for 2 days missing work. His boss had mercy and he has returned to work. He is looking for affordable housing, under $400 per month, that will allow his dog. Pray that he is reminded he is a child of God. Please pray for a group of men to open their hearts and welcome him into the Body of Christ.
· Another lamb is looking for affordable housing.
· A lamb was referred to Wake Med by the physician who serves the homeless this week for a severe fungus infection of his feet and legs (jungle rot). He was taken to the ER 10 AM and waited until 4 PM to be seen. He finally left without being seen. The reason for the ER visit is the medication the doctor has prescribed isn’t working and only the hospital can prescribe the stronger prescription needed.
· Please continue to pray for the much needed transitional home in the Cary/Apex area.
· Please continue to pray for support circles as these lambs readjust to society and are welcomed into the Body of Christ.
· Praise God for the existing support circle as the Body of Christ encircles a lamb with the love of Jesus!
· Please continue to keep the director of Church in the Woods’s directors premature twin grandsons in your prayers.
· Please keep in pray one of the white flag shelter missionaries who has gone into pre-term labor and is on bed rest.
· Please pray for a much needed storage unit.

Missionary Testimonials
· The mission continued its study of Acts 4, especially the part where the followers of Christ were told not to talk about Him any more. “But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard." Everyone was talking about how they can speak about what Christ means to them in their daily lives.
· A lamb who has been working but staying in a shelter faced a Superior Court hearing on drug-related charges Monday. He was joined by two men from separate churches who prayed with him, stood with him during sentencing and offered him support including housing, drug rehabilitation, transportation, help managing his finances and a Bible study group/support circle.The court-appointed attorney was so amazed and pleased to have someone there with alternatives she could present the judge. The judge told the lamb several times how lucky he was to have this support. She reduced fines, spread them over an entire year and put the lamb on supervised probation so he will have even more accountability.The lamb has met with the probation officer, who prayed with him! Praise God.

Fishing Trip!
· The next trip will be March 10th leaving Hope Chapel at 1:00. The team will be collecting bug spray, sunscreen, lip balm, poison ivy creams, first aid items, and white socks. We will be leaving Hope Chapel at 1:00. Please contact Alice Ligon at appraisalnet@nc.rr.com or Al Boyce at aboyce@nc.rr.com for more information.

New Area White Flag Shelters!
· A White Flag shelter is opening in Garner. Volunteers and supplies are needed! Contact Carlene at Clucas01@msn.com or 779-3654 for more information.

God’s Provision – Donations of Time & Finances
· Donated blankets and food were distributed by the donors this week in the Cary/Apex area. Praise God!!!!
· A missionary met with an Apex church this week who is donating $500 of food and toiletries. The church youth also want to be involved with collections for the fishing trips. The women may be interested in preparing meals for a Saturday.
· An area church youth group contacted missionaries about the youth attending the May fishing trip as a prerequisite to their summer mission trip.
· An area orthopedist contacted missionaries. He is happy to see the woman for a second opinion but the hospitals and surgery centers used would not let her have surgery without the ability to pay.
· A retired DA is attending court with one of the Lord’s lambs on March 9th as a “friend of the court”. He suggested as many friends from his support circle as possible attend as well. One member of the support circle also suggested his pastor.
· Thank the Lord for the showers each week from the Garner church.
· Thank you Jesus for all the food donated by area grocery stores, churches, Kairos prison team, and caterers! Thank you Lord for all the donations of clothing, camping equipment, blankets, candles, and toiletries donated this week.

We thank you, Jesus, for those who have donated time showing the love of Jesus through relationships and support circles.