During our years of ministry one of our greatest blessings has been the Godly men and women the Lord has placed around us. Anointed servants, strong in their faith, bold in their witness, clothed in His wisdom, and filled with grace, mercy, and love. Some were just passing through, here for only a short season, others have walked beside us for decades.
William Kennith Hooper was one of those in for the long haul. Ken (80) graduated from this imperfect world into the presence of the Lord of Lords, December 17th. We grieve mightily for our loss. But rejoice for his reward knowing that he is now completely healed.
For nearly 30 years we’ve had the great honor of having Ken as a valued friend and mentor. He was a man of few words. A man whose actions spoke volumes. He was one of those rare individuals who was smart, wise, and humble. Perhaps the most humble man I’ve ever known. He loved the Lord and loved serving the Lord by serving others.
We served with Ken on multiple foreign mission trips and hundreds of local mission projects over the years. It was Ken that took the bull by the horns and incorporated our mission team, Here I Am. And Ken who took on the task of gaining the 501 c 3 non-profit status. He was among the first to encourage Kendra to obey God’s calling and follow the vision He had given her for the Care Mission. And it was Ken who first suggested that Here I Am, Inc. embrace and support Kendra’s vision for the Care Mission. He was a founding member of the Here I Am, Inc. / Care Mission Board, serving until his passing.
I will forever be grateful for Ken’s friendship and influence on my life. But, I think the thing I will miss most will be the times we spent just talking. I enjoyed hearing him laugh. Some folks don’t appreciate my sense of humor, but he did. He was a serious man, but not so serious he couldn’t enjoy life. He lived life well, as a servant, as a man of character, as a beloved man of God. Knowing him was a blessing.
We said good-bye to my Uncle Phillip Helton this past year as well. He too was a strong man of faith who loved serving the Lord. Phillip encouraged us in many ways and often at just the right time. He was very much a kid at heart. Part of his charm was his quick smile and hardy laugh. He had the great gift of listening and then asking excellent questions. Questions to make you think without feeling you’re being judged. He always pointed to Christ and constantly looked for opportunities to bless others.
I consider myself doubly blessed. He supported our mission work and he was my uncle. He taught me how to drive a straight shift in his ‘70 something Volkswagen Beetle. My grandson, Zander (20), has one like it. And he bought me my first camera, a Polaroid. Photography became my hobby for many years. I passed the love of this art form to my daughter, Kelsey. It’s no hobby for her, she makes her living in media today. Phillip loved to fellowship, loved people, loved to tell tall tales. Whatever he did, he did as unto the Lord. He was deeply loved and he loved deeply.
If the COVID chaos of the past two years has done anything, it has reinforced the need for us all to never take those we love for granted. Especially those God has placed around us for our good.
We have not yet fully put together all the facts and figures from 2021, we’ll have those for you in our next newsletter. But, we can share that in 2021 God used the Care Mission, our volunteers, and our supporters to provide food assistance, and personal hygiene items and cleaning supplies when available, to 25,025 individuals within 7,767 households. Approx. 90% of those individuals were children, senior citizens, or disabled adults. These individuals are the most likely to be “at-risk” in our community.
The least among us, if you will.
Thank you for allowing God to use you to serve and/or support the work He is doing here through the Care Mission. We give God all the glory for what He has done. But we know and fully appreciate that He often uses everyday folks to bless others and their efforts. And we also understand that these individuals must be willing to be used by God. Today especially it is so easy to find an excuse to ignore God, to justify not being obedient. Trust me, I’ve been there. It’s a tough place to be. But I’ve learned that it is impossible to out give God. When we are submissive to His direction we will be blessed even greater than the amount He has required from us. So, thank you. Sincerely.
Second Sunday Fellowship at the Care Mission. We have started back our time of fellowship at the Care Mission. On the 2nd Sunday of each month at 5:00 we are joining together for a time of Praise and Worship through song, prayer, and the Word of God. All are welcomed.
Please keep in your prayers; our Board of Directors, our volunteers and supporters, our clients, our national and local leaders, the Believers that are the Body of Christ, those who do not know Christ, all those who serve others, especially care givers, members of the military, and first responders. And for discernment, wisdom, and protection for us as we lead this ministry that God has entrusted us with.
Food for thought;
“They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things, rather than the Creator, who is forever praised.”
Romans 1:25
Christ or chaos? Really that’s what it boils down to. Do you choose Christ or chaos? Life or death? Light or darkness? Love or hate? Freedom or fear? Peace or turmoil? Creator or creation?
No matter how you frame it, ultimately we must choose life with Christ or life without Christ. In this life we will have troubles, that’s guaranteed. But life with Christ as your Lord and Savior means you will not be overcome by those troubles.
Even in a world of total chaos, especially in a world of total chaos, through Christ we can have a peace that is beyond understanding, a comfort that cannot be stolen, and a foundation of faith that cannot be shaken. Trusting political parties, social justice, or any worldly thing will in the end be a life of chaos.
Chaos, after all, is not the exception in life. It is the rule. Christ is the exception. Christ and those who have accepted Him as Lord and Savior are set apart. We are the exception, not the norm. In this new year I encourage you to seek out Christ in every area of your life. Make an intentional effort to grow in your faith. Trust in Him alone. Cling to Him for He is good. Amen.
Thanks and Be Blessed,
Deon and Kendra