Posts

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weather forecast

77 degrees with elevated humidity, chance of rain.

Sounds like a chance of elevated humility as well

There was a chance we would be working on framing, but with the rain, who knows?

And as much as  we’re sure that Paul and Denise are used to the weather that is a little warm. 🙂

If you want to see off, we will be at American Airlines at 8 o’clock tonight LAX

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Kuleana: A few days before departure, a note from Pam

Of this year’s two married couples on the team, Art and Pam are both returning team members. (We look forward to the opportunity of Steve and Shirley serving together, hopefully side by side)


Here’s a note that Pam wrote to some of her supporters, that we’d like to share with you..

Pam F

Dear Friends and Family,

It’s been two weeks since Art and I returned from a wonderful, relaxing 10 days in Kauai and Oahu. I’m loving the islands more and more.  It is paradise on earth but true paradise will be at Jesus’ side.

And here we are getting ready to leave for MS on Sunday to work with Habitat.

Listening to Hawaiian songs would bring tears to my eyes even though I have no clue what they’re saying.   I just learned of a Hawaiian word, although not while we were on the islands. Kuleana.  Unlike English, the Hawaiian language can say many different things in one word.  Kuleana is path, posse, responsibility, privilege, concern, cause, reason…Kuleana may be those to whom or for whom you are responsible.  They are your accountability system.  So you are my Kuleana…I am responsible to you who are sending me out.

It is also my Kuleana, responsibility, to take the Word and love of God out to the people in MS or whoever I may meet along the way.

Kuleana can also speak of a value or way of thinking.  Then the perspective changes to “what an honor and privilege it is for me to have the responsibility to take the Word and love of God out to the people.”  It adds an expression of gratitude that is sometimes lacking in taking on a responsibility.  If I adjust my perspective to include honor and privilege, then the responsibility takes on a new meaning.  That is Kuleana.  Maybe I’m totally off base.  But it sounds good.

So what is your Kuleana?

Mahalo and Christ’s love,Pam

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2013 Kids Church

Evergreen’s a multi-generational church. We’ve got newborns to their grandparents.

We like to include everyone in all aspects of our church. You’ll see octogenarians volunteering a kids’ events, teenagers helping young adults, and in this case, an exchange of blessings between our team and some of the young ones of our church.

Shirley, assisted by Heang, Jeff and Steve, taught a simple lesson to some of our kids, asking them to remember to pray for us.

In turn, the kids took the time to pray for us. It’s always a powerful and humbling thing.

Thanks to (not in our photos) team member Chris for taking pics!

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A week to go, Commissioning and a Prayer Update

Prayer Update: We’ve secured our housing, and the plan is we’ll be staying at a familiar place.. Praise God! We continue to pray to prepare our workplaces, studies and families for our absence in the coming week. Recently there have been airport delays in excess of three hours, and in some cases, cancellations. We hope that won’t affect our flight, especially because there is a layover. We depart on Sunday Evening, the 28th Church Commissioning It’s always an honor to be representing our church and our God. Our church, www.evergreensgv.org, takes the time to publicly bless us during our Sunday service. It keeps us grounded in our goals, not just to build and rebuild housing to those in the Mississippi Gulf Coast, but to try and have a spiritual impact as well. Supportive friends and church members come forward and place their hands on us, praying for us during service.

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2013 EvergreenSGV SGVHabitat Children’s Message

Video of the Children’s Message, presented by Millie and Steve

Concept was developed after a few of the members with families had to deal with the separation anxiety that some of the kids felt when the team member went away on mission…

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2013 – A prayer request at our last meeting before we go.

Now everything starts happening. Fast

Team in prayer regarding our housing


We had our last team meeting before we leave on the weekend of the 28th. This weekend, we found out that our planned housing has experienced some complications with our reservations, and we’d appreciate your prayers. At this time, our housing may have to be adjusted, but we’ll know more in the weeks to come.


In the meantime, could you keep these dates in mind?


4/14, we will be presenting a Children’s message during our church service. Steve and Millie did a dry run of it today, was informative and amusing.


4/21, we will be commissioned/prayed for by our church during the 11am service. If you’re able, please attend, we’d appreciate your support. We’ll also be doing a small lesson for some of the kids during their Church School hour


4/28, we leave, and will be flying out of LAX. We’ll have more flight information, but currently we’re planning to be at the airport at 8pm



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2013 Team begins

This year, in the literal wake of Superstorm Sandy, we decided to split our efforts. We’d send two teams, one to the East Coast to help the Sandy Recovery, and another team to return to Mississippi.


Unfortunately, due to the planned timing of our trip, and coordinating with Samaritan’s Purse, we were unable to secure a slot with the effort on the East Coast. Our volunteer team was composed mostly of Mississippi Alumni, and they were sadly disappointed. Our hearts go out to them, but most of all, to our fellow citizens still rebuilding from the distruction and disruption that Sandy caused.


In the meantime, we prepare to return to Mississippi. It’ll be the last week of April, going into May. We’ll be there for one week. 


If you would like to download a copy of our Prayer Support letter.. click here..


In the meantime, we have two newbies on the team. One of them, a spouse of one of our gone-every-time-team members, Steve




We’d like to introduce you to Shirley Ogata




The most important reason for my decision to go on the Mississippi Relief Team is because I love Jesus and I want to serve Him on a mission.  I believe He can use me, as I try to demonstrate His love by serving others.

 

Have a wonderfully blessed day!