Dear Family and Friends,
 

Happy Valentines Day!  Every year at this time we honor those we love.  It’s good to remember that “We love, because God first loved us” I John 4:19.  One way we can demonstrate our love for God is found in James 1:27 “Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction …”

IF YOU WERE MINE ...

Last month was the official launch of Hope For 100, a campaign promoted by our local church to find loving Christian homes for 100 orphans and foster children.  We began the launch with a powerful message on caring for the fatherless by Dr. David Dykes.  To view this message, click here.  Dr. Dykes gave our church an “A” in caring for widows … but an “F” in caring for orphans and promised that is going to change.  Our Hope For 100 leadership team prayed and planned for the launch of this campaign for most of 2008.  Each Sunday in January we hosted an informative display table.  We also visited 36 Sunday Morning Bible Study classes to tell people in person about the “If You Were Mine” adoption conference held on January 31.  We had hoped for 200 people to attend.  We were overjoyed when nearly 300 people showed up to learn how to be involved in caring for the fatherless!  Carol and I led one of the sessions “Completing Your Home Study and Discovering Your Child.”  Additionally, Carol helped out with hospitality and providing food and snacks for everyone.  My job included raising awareness for the conference locally, and we received tremendously favorable free coverage via newspaper, TV and radio.

THE LAST SHALL BE FIRST …

What nation is last in the alphabetical listing of nations?  Do you know?  It is Zimbabwe.  It seems Zimbabwe is last in many other respects as well.  The unemployment rate is 94%.  The inflation rate is a mind blowing 231 million percent.  Just this week the government dropped 12 zeroes from its currency!  Over 65,000 people have been infected in a severe outbreak of cholera and people are dying of starvation -- in the hospitals!  We are sending a YWAM MercyWorks team to Zimbabwe at the end of this month.  I am working to help raise awareness and $20,000 for much needed medicines.  To read more about the situation in Zimbabwe and how YWAM is responding, click here.  Please join us in praying for the effectiveness of the MercyWorks medical team we are sending to Zimbabwe this month.

Thank you for standing with us with your prayers and support.  We need you in our lives.

Glenn and Carol