“And my God will supply every need of yours according to HIS riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:19
As promised this newsletter includes a few examples of how God has provided for and worked through the ministry of the Care Mission during 2021. Last year God used the Care Mission, its volunteer servants and supporters, to distribute 450 TONS of food to 25,025 individuals within 7,767 households. That’s enough food to prepare approx. 750,350 meals.
The estimated retail dollar value of the food distributed is $2,701,260.00. We also distributed personal hygiene items and household cleaning supplies with an estimated retail dollar value of $244,527.00. In addition we distributed well over 1,000 Bibles. Their value? Priceless.
The overall operational cost of the Care Mission in 2021 was just short of $138,000, which was approx. $7,000 more than the amount of monetary support we received. But GOD cannot be defeated! We were blessed with a surplus in 2020 which carried over into 2021 and covered the shortfall.
Each year God amazes in the manner HE provides. In 2021 about 6% of our monetary support came from area businesses and civic groups, 17% came from church and church groups, and about 24% came in the form of grants, mostly “one time only COVID relief” grants. But, year in, year out, the majority of our support comes from the individuals who make up the Body of Christ. Last year 53% of our support came from folks just giving what they can, when they can, in Christ’s Name. Praise God and Amen.
We expect 2022 to be a Banner Year for the glory of God. As the general cost of living, and the cost of food in particular, continues to go up and as false teaching continues to spread more chaos in this world, we are seeing more and more first time clients. Many come to us saying they’ve never been in this situation. They are broken, concerned, and uncertain. Providing food assistance to them opens the door to a conversation about the One who is greater than these uncertain times, their brokenness, or their concerns. The One who offers grace, mercy, hope, and forgiveness and gives it freely. The One who is found by those who seek Him. The Son of God, Christ Jesus. We just point them to Him.
Our Second Sunday Fellowship at the Care Mission is a way those who are seeking can hear more about the God we serve. At 5:00 on the second Sunday of each month we gather at the mission to praise and worship our Lord through prayer, music, and the Word. All are welcomed.
The NGEMC Foundation recently awarded the Care Mission a $10,000 Operation Round-Up Grant.
In addition one of our longtime supporters remembered the Care Mission in his will. These both are huge blessings and yet more examples of how God provides in ways you can’t foresee. God is good!
This June 25th will be the 17th anniversary of the Care Mission. We will celebrate all God has done over these years with our 17th Annual Day of Praise to beheld at Gospel Light Christian Fellowship Church on Saturday, July 23rd. We will begin at 5:00 in their fellowship hall with food and fellowship. Then we will gather in the church for a time of praise and worship lead by Pastor Chris and Hope Spears. Please join us as we give honor to God. The church is located at 36 Fortune Street, Lafayette, GA.
Please keep in your prayers; our volunteers, board members, clients, and supporters. Pray that we and our volunteers will feel the presence of the Lord as we work, that we will be encouraged, that we will have even more opportunities for evangelism, that we will be emboldened to share the gospel, that we will mature in our faith, that God will grant us wisdom, that we will be filled with the joy of the Lord even as the enemy works against us, that we will dig deeply into the Word, and for our health and protection as we know the evil one will attack any who stand for Christ.
Food for thought;
“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God”
Luke 1:34, 35
Nothing better illustrates the value of motherhood more than God the Son stepping off His throne to join us in human flesh by passing through His mother, the Virgin Mary. God could have chosen any manner to fulfill His plan to place His Son, as a man without sin, into our midst to bear our sins. Thereby giving whosoever an avenue for salvation. Yet He chose to use a woman. He chose motherhood.
True Followers of Christ understand the enormous worth placed on women and motherhood by the One who created man and woman. But those who worship self or man-made religion insist that motherhood devalues women since it does not allow them to reach their full potential as women. In fact you don’t even have to be born a woman to be a woman or a mother they insist. The enemy has deceived them. The enemy is at his most vile, most evil, most wicked when he dehumanizes the unborn by devaluing motherhood itself. Too many in our society have been convinced that unless a woman is “successful” by worldly standards, they are not successful at all. The truth is no matter how much “worldly success” a woman may have, it will never be as important as being a mother. And a Godly mother even more.
“Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her. Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all. Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; But a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”
Proverbs 31: 28-30
As children of God, let us appreciate and honor our mothers every day, not just one weekend a year. And let us encourage young women, young mothers whenever we can. The enemy wishes to destroy women since he knows all life flows through them. Keep them in our prayers and go beyond that, be a servant of the Lord and assist them when God gives us the opportunity to do so.
Thanks and Be Blessed,
Deon and Kendra