Asia
Missions
TSUNAMI RELIEF - Earthquake Relief - Poverty
Relief
Lighthouse
Ministries
DETAILS ON PLAN OF ACTION
After
much communication and prayer with our church in Antioch
and our brothers and sisters in Thailand, we have formulated
a plan to help those recently devastated by the tsunami in
Phuket and the surrounding villages.
Our
church has been ministering in Eastern Thailand for over
a decade. We currently have a fully staffed mission station,
including a thriving church, orphanage, Christian school,
seminary, and a fully trained and outfitted construction
crew within a day’s journey of the tsunami’s
destruction. We believe the Lord is leading us to take
these resources He has provided and use them to further
His kingdom in Phuket and Western Thailand.
Our
plan is to select an area of desperate need, lease and
or purchase land or a building that can serve as a “base
of operations,” and begin to help in whatever way
we can. Our goals are to provide relief for those in the
villages in whatever form(s) it is most needed – food,
water, shelter, light medical care, clearing debris, etc.
and to establish a permanent presence in the area with
a full time staff (brothers or sisters in the Lord who
know how to care for others) able to minister long-term
to those whose inner and eternal needs will still be devastating
long after the rubble is cleared away.
In
mid-January, a team from the mission station visited damaged
areas and targeted villages in great need of assistance.
In early February, a team comprised of Americans and native
believers will re-visit those sites and begin making preparations.
Our construction crew and believers from the mission station
will then begin moving into the area and beginning the
work. Lighthouse Ministries in Antioch will continue to
visit and support the work, as we have the mission station
on the Mekong for almost 13 years.
Obviously
monies are needed to underwrite these projects of compassion.
The more monies that are received, the greater the impact
we will have in that region. Any gift will be greatly valued.
We have a unique opportunity that most others do not have
because we have had a presence in this area for 13 years.
Thus we have the committed and trained personnel already
in place. Thank you for your thoughtful consideration. For
further information call 615-331-6241 ext 261, Email
Us or Mail in Donations to: Lighthouse
Baptist Church, 5115 Blue Hole Road,
Antioch, TN. 37013 I
heard on CNN the most remarkable report about American
born
Dayalan Sanders, who sold his townhome to fund a move
to Sri Lanka to found the Samaritan Children's Home.
He shared his testimony of seeing the 30 ft wall of
water heading straight for them, knowing they would
all perish, the Lord quickened the verse from Isaiah
to him, "When the
enemy comes in like a flood, the spirit of the
Lord shall
raise up a standard against it." He thought
their only chance of survival was to get all 28 orphans
and staff in their small boat and head right into the
wave. He commanded the wave to stop in the name of
Jesus and the wave held suspended while they drove
into it and were all saved. When they returned to shore
over 2000 people had perished.
Full
Story
Dec.
31st, A
forwarded letter from a brother in Chennai, to
Richard, beginning with Richard's response to
them.
Our
dear Warren and Helen, thanks
for the update. Christine and
I had just left the brothers
in Mumbai, India and were in
Thailand when the earthquake
and subsequent devastation
began. We are now safely in
Sydney, and hope to connect
with Al Knoch and hopefully
others in Orange County the
last of January. If you hear
from Al there may be a way
to gather together. We are
so enjoying the Lord's grace
in many ways. If you can take
the time, Andrea is keeping
up some communications posted
for us in Nashville on my website,
www.mstarpublishing.com Thanks,
Richard (Dick), with Christine
Nelson
-------------- Original message --------------
Dear
Ones, Most of you know that Warren and I (Helen) have been
to India twice sharing the Lord with those who don't know Him
and encouraging saints to press on in Him.
Brother Joseph Kodivakanti and his family are in Ongole a city north of Madras/Chennai.
Below is his report about the earthquake and tsunami.
Dear Saints
Many of our friends have been inquiring about the fatal Sunami Tidal wave that
made
smashing disaster in our area taking thousands of lives and much loss to the
property.Thank you for your loving concerns about us. The situation can not be
described in words it is so pathetic.There is not much loss to the property but
many people lost their lives before the eyes of their kith and kin. Today morning
I visited the tidal wave affected areas and just returned. We are only 8
miles from the affected area. All the places where we have our ministry is hit
by this tidal wave but by God’s grace we don’t have any casualties
this area. But other places thousands of people died. The sea came gashing two
miles into the land smashing and washing out many houses (huts) and taking thousands
of lives. No wind, no rain and it is unexpected so people are not aware of this.
It happened at 8am people are awake and at work so many escaped if it would happened
in the night millions might have perished in the sea. All the people living on
the coastal area vacated their houses and taking shelter in near by towns. Most
of our believers who are in the coastal area lost every thing and taking shelter
in our churches. Day by day the number of refugees in our campus is increasing.
We are feeding these victims and also providing the primary needs.It is announced
by the Govt authorities that we are not out of danger as it is expected again
so all are in fear,please pray for us Any form of help to this ill fated people
is well appreciated God bless you
Thank you once again, With love
Joseph.K
You have been richly blessed in Christ Jesus our Lord,
Warren and Helen Peterson learning to be servants
Nancy & I, like
many others,
were just devestated at the news and the death toll
that continues to rise into unbelievable numbers. May
the Lord have mercy on those who remain to believe
into Him. Man thinks he is so much, but in the context
of God he almost disappears. All things are held together
by the word of His power. He simply moves His hand
and thousands are swept into eternity. May the church
function as one man to pray for God's interests and
desire and take His view of this event. May He have
his way. Amen Michael
Some
of us can Go, Some of us can
Give, but We ALL Can Pray. There
is only One lasting help for
the hundreds of thousands of
deeply anguished and suffering
souls at loss in this calamity,
The One, True and Living God,
who is Jesus Christ. Pray that
His Life would be imparted and
found by so many thousands, who
void of this great calamity,
may never have turned their hearts
to Him. Pray for the gospel to
go out in a mightier flood, than
the one that took so many lives.
We have a part, by beseeching
the Lord of the Harvest, to thrust
out the workers! We are standing
together in prayer for the Lord
Jesus Christ to be gained by
so many, through this terrible
and awesome event. Jesus Christ
is Lord, The Earth is His, and
the Fullness Thereof.
"Pray
ye therefore the Lord of
the harvest, that He
will send forth labourers
into His harvest." Matt.
9:38
It
is my feeling that
most of the world has been deeply
affected by this devastation. I
hope, enough to write a check.
I don't
think it's important whether it
be a small amount or large it's
as reference
to the story Stephen read......
One dollar is better than none.
The whole
world needs to come together in
this terrible time. And yet, in
the middle
of this, one of the Asian countries
has asked Israel not to send the
people they were going to send.
Even in times of need we can be
so stiffed
necked. We are all children of
God, even the ones that don't know
they
are! How little we have come in
the thousands of years we have
been here.
They said on the radio this morning
that some people were convincing
others that the tsunami was going
to return and so they fled and
those criminals looted their homes.
May
God have mercy on us all and give
strength to those trying to help
with the horrendous sights that
they are going to see and comfort
to those
loved ones left at home wondering
and waiting. Love you,
June
(CNN)
-- International aid organizations are accepting donations
to help victims of the powerful earthquake and resulting
tsunamis that caused widespread destruction in parts of
Asia and Africa. The groups include:
Unicef
Mercy
Corps
International
Federation of Red Cross
Doctors
Without Borders
CARE
AmeriCares
Action
Against Hunger
Christian
Children's Fund
Church
World Service
Direct
Relief International
Save
The Children
|
