Ghana Christmas Deaf Camp 2011

January 11th, 2012 - Ministry Updates
Author: Larry Lamina

Ghana

To begin 2012, I am delighted to share my reflections on a very successful Christmas Deaf Camp 2011. Participants in our active ministry continue to flourish each year. We had 236 campers, from various villages and towns, mostly students, between the ages of 2-50 years old.

We are very fortunate to have our dedicated staff and long standing deaf campers now in leadership roles helping with Bible classes and chapel hours providing high-quality much needed services to our campers.

In one of our chapel hours, our Board Chairman – Rev. Yeboah Gaisie, spoke to an audience of 200 campers on Ephesians 2:8, “A Gift Sent By God”, which was our theme message.  Campers were reminded that Jesus was God in the human flesh, a “GIFT” sent by God to be the Saviour of everyone who believes this, repents of sin and receives Jesus in to their lives. After his message, an invitation was given. Have you done this?

  • Six deaf persons accepted Christ, on the 24th of December morning chapel.
  • After the Christmas Bible Lesson on the “GIFT SENT BY GOD”, several deaf young adults responded to the invitation to receive Christ as their Personal Saviour.
  • Forty campers indicated that they wanted to accept Christ.

I asked Thomas Marfo, a pastor of one of the largest deaf churches in Accra, to come and talk to those who indicated they wanted to be saved. Each day after Bible lessons/Chapel Services, Brother Marfo met with 2-4 deaf campers. Some of these deaf campers do not attend church at all and mostly first-time campers. Pray for the follow-up of these deaf campers.

See pictures from the 2011 Ghana Christmas Deaf Camp.

Read more about the Ghana ministry in the Laminas’ newsletter.

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Time is an Opportunity

January 6th, 2012 - Ministry Updates
Author: Tim Sheetz

It’s so hard to believe we’re already in 2012! It seems like only yesterday we were wondering if all the world’s computers would crash as we came to the year 2000. Time has a way of slipping away, doesn’t it?

Most would say it’s what we do with the time that really counts. However, another way of seeing it would be, “how have I seen God at work in the time He’s given me?”

When I see the challenges H*VMI went through over this past year (and there were many), do I see them from His perspective or mine? One leads to rejoicing the latter to despair. It’s all a matter of choice. Will I choose to see the Lord’s provision, protection and wisdom through the difficulties and trials He brings or cling tenaciously to the hurt, frustration and anger over the loss of my “rights”? I guess it comes down to whether or not I really trust in the sovereignty of God. For if you and I do, we can look forward to 2012 and beyond with great hope and expectation. Time, no matter how short or long it seems then becomes a gift, an opportunity to demonstrate His loving control in our trust no matter what to a watching, hurting world.

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Newness

January 5th, 2012 - BASIS Comfort
Author: Judy Blore

It is a new year. You might be saying – oh, good, a new year. Do you hear the difference between that and Oh, Good! A New Year! There is a “yippee” after this second quote but not after the first. The first is said with a flat tone of voice. As a grieving parent, you might be speaking like the first quote.

It is a new year. For many, there is pain just turning over the calendar to a new number for the year. It means this is a year in which your child has not lived. I’m sorry for that extra dose of pain for you. You have probably heard it said that you have to seek and establish a “new normal” for your life now that he or she has died.

I want to share a couple verses from Ezekiel about newness that I have been pondering:
I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God. (Ezekiel 36:24-28)

Our God wants to bless you and me with a new heart! He wants to cleanse us. Since none of us is perfect yet, I am not shy about saying you, and I for sure, need to be cleansed from all our sin and idols. I/we need a softer heart, not a stony one.

Now, I want to be clear about this: I DO NOT believe that your stony heart is what motivated God to take your child! NO. But since we’re not perfect yet, there is bound to be some hardness of heart that needs to be softened and can be softened here in the grief that you’re experiencing. It’s not BECAUSE of hardness of heart that you’re here, but SINCE you’re here, God has intentions to cleanse and give you a new heart.

God’s work in your life is much bigger than the calendar. He wants to transform you into someone who is more and more like Jesus. The reason for His work in your life is for His reputation.

It is not for your sake, people of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name. (Ezekiel 36:22 partial)

I know, it’s not about us. It’s about Him. But I take that to be a greater guarantee that this thing He has planned will, in fact, be done. Since it’s about Him and He will do it.

So, my greeting to you at the beginning of a new year is: Happy New Heart in the new year.
Blessings to you, in His grace.

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God is in the Details

January 1st, 2012 - Devotionals
Author: Patti Nell

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?  Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.  And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  (Matt. 10:29)

If you were to list your favorite snack foods would Pepperidge Farm Goldfish crackers make it on the list?  I know these crunchy little fish shaped crackers would make it onto the snack list of many toddler and preschool age children.  In fact just the other day while I was taking care of two year old twin boys they both asked me for some of these Goldfish crackers.  Did you know that these Goldfish crackers now come in four different colors?  When I gave each child some of these colored Goldfish crackers I neglected to make sure they each got some “green” Goldfish.  Upon their request I went fishing back into the container for some “green” Goldfish.  Later that day I came across an advertisement for these colored Goldfish crackers that read, “God is in the details.”  Those words really caught my attention.  When I looked closer and read more slowly I realized the add said, “Good is in the details.”  Pepperidge Farm is right.  There is good in the details of their crackers like the fish shape with an eye and a mouth, the colors from natural sources and the real cheese they use.  All of which my little friends have discovered and take great delight in.  But I was also right when I misread their advertisement.  GOD IS IN THE DETAILS.  Matthew 10:30 tells us that God even knows how many hairs are on our heads.  Isn’t it comforting to know that our God is intimately acquainted with the details of our lives? Every single detail that concerns you concerns God.  We have a God who cares about everything. Are there any details of your life that you have neglected to bring before God in prayer because you have assumed that they were too small?  You might want to grab a handful of those Pepperidge Farm Goldfish colored crackers so you can taste and experience the good in the details for yourself.  As you are munching away take some time to talk with God about the details of your life and the concerns of your heart. Remember, God cares about it ALL, not just if it’s big but also if it’s small.

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