This morning was my first opportunity to be a part of loading a container at Hands of Hope NW.  In the past I have always had to work and was not able to be a part of this special piece in sending a container.  Todd of course has loaded many containers in the 2 years as Executive Director.  For years our family had sorted and counted, and re-counted, and boxed many items at the ministry center, and that has been very rewarding for us, but this tops it all.  There is a special undercurrent of excitement along with the hard work of loading a container within a small window of time.  Knowing that we are putting the final touches on a load that will be opened and bless the people of the Ukraine is an awesome feeling.  If you live in the treasure valley and have not yet volunteered at Hands of Hope NW I would highly recommend it!  As my mother says, “Victory in life isn’t about personal success, it is about helping others who have a need that you can fill”.

The motto “pack no air” is very much a part of the way they load.  These guys and gals work really hard organizing and handing just the right size box to fit in the space that is open. And let me tell you – it is HOT inside that container! The water gets passed out several times to keep them all hydrated and cooled. They are a great team taking turns fitting the boxes in just the right spots, which includes a lot of lifting.

Hands of Hope NW had been blessed for several months being able to rent a warehouse with a truck dock, on the north side of the freeway, making the loading of containers much faster and easier on everyone’s backs.  They are hoping that the funds will come in to build a warehouse with truck docks on the property they own there at the ministry center on S. Powerline Rd. in Nampa.

The time away from the house and packing was good for us.  We have done so much but there is so much more to do.  Everything we pick up, we have to decide if it is going with us, if we are going to pack it to keep it for our return some day, if it will go to one of our kids or extended family, or if we will just sell it at a big garage sale. Not an easy task day after day.  It is amazing how much stuff one can collect living in a house for just a short time.

Connie Lou

We are just wrapping up the church planting seminar here at Asia Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary. As I was walking up to the library, I saw a display cabinet and stopped to look at the items.  I was so excited to see the item remembering the work of Peter Burkhart here in the Philippines.  Peter and his wife Meryle attend our home church, Karcher Church of the Nazarene and served as missionaries here in the Philippines.  Thank you guys for your tremendous legacy here on the Asia Pacific Region.

Article Written for Nazarene Communications Network

Manila, Philippines:  “Church planting does not take place by accident, it must be birthed from the heart of God and then must be planned!”  This is the theme that is being shared by presenter John Bond, from Australia, as he teaches a seminar this week to over 50 church planters from across the nation of the Philippines and the Asia Pacific Region.  The seminar, being held at Asia Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary April 3-5th, is entitled Dynamic Church Planting International (DCPI) and is a joint venture between the Philippine Field, Asia Pacific Regional Office, and the Jesus Film Program.  Participants have come from 11 Nazarene Districts, three of our Nazarene Colleges (Asia Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary,  Philippine Nazarene College, and Visayan Nazarene Bible College). In addition, 11 Jesus Film Team Leaders are present as well as Field Strategy Coordinators from Southeast Asia, Sea Lands, Melanesia/South Pacific, Philippine/Micronesia, Austrailia New Zealand and Creative Access Fields.

Asia Pacific Regional Director Mark Louw opened the conference by making clear that, “Every church has the mandate to start a new church that will start a new church! We need to be a church that is about the business of growing the Church…we are not as the Church of the Nazarene, independent planters or churches, but we are co-laborers working together as a team to make the greatest impact possible on our Region.
Collaborative effort of this type builds incredible synergy and results not just in the growth of the Church, but in the development of strong disciples of Christ.  Please continue to pray for the Asia Pacific Region as we move forward with this strategy in the days and years ahead!

Dear Friends and Family,

After 30+ hours of traveling, I have arrived safely in Manila.  The flight was absolutely without issue – thanks for your prayers.  I had a significant amount of time to read, reflect, study, and prepare for this week of meetings.  I will say that if you have to choose an International Airport in the Asia Pacific Region for a long layover -Incheon International in Seoul is tops!  Free showers, massage chairs, reclining chairs with blankets and pillows.  They go out of their way to make weary travelers feel welcome –  a real blessing.  I arrived at final destination refreshed, showered, shaved, and ready to tackle the tasks of the afternoon.  I will try to add a few photos daily of the events as they happen.

I want to say, God is so very good!  Yesterday somewhere over Russia, the magnitude of what we are undertaking finally really hit home.  The adrenaline was wearing off, the fatigue of the last month settling in, and a wave of, “what on earth are we getting ourselves into” started to wash over me.  I have found that it is in times like these where going to the Word is so vitally important.  As it was already Monday in this area of the world, I opened my Bible and Our Daily Bread, and began to spend some quality time with God.  I don’t know why I was absolutely blown away, as I have seen God speak through His word so many times that I shouldn’t be surprised, but here it was again, God speaking through His Word.  The assigned scripture reading for Monday, April 1, 2013 was Psalm 139:1-12.  Verse 9 leapt off the pages, “If I rise on the Wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me.”   Our Daily Bread is written and prepared by multiple writers months in advance, but yet on this day, when I had awoken in the early hours and literally taken wing to settle on the far side of the sea, God was reminding me that He would be with us.  Defying the odds of coincidence, showing up on the scene, speaking through His living word.  We serve a mighty God.  Thank you Lord for your living word, may we be ever sensitive to hear from you.

Yours and His,
Todd

The days really seem to be getting shorter.  Connie had a “going away” party at work today and we are both down to two more “official” work days.  I have been working long hours on the computer software, fixing minor glitches and making sure that the IT system is as solid as possible.  Thank the Lord for the internet and the ability to log into the Mission network from  remote locations, so that I can continue to create software patches for the Hands of Hope Management System.   Thank you all for your continued prayers and encouragement.  Connie and I are both blessed to have incredible teams to work with.  The Hands of Hope NW volunteers and staff are truly the very best!

Oh…and we are very excited that Courtney will be coming home from College tomorrow night!  The family will be together for the weekend!