Newsletter

In Hebrew, hevel literally refers to “vapor” or “smoke”.

I’ve recently been reading Ecclesiastes and realized that 2019 was a year of hevel. It was a year that described for me how life is temporary and fleeting, like a wisp of smoke, but also how life is an enigma or paradox. Smoke appears solid, but when you try to grab it, it’s like nothing is there. Shortly after sending my last enewsletter in October 2018 my father passed away, just 11 months after my mother. My son and his family, after 12 years of service separated from the Air Force and moved in with us 2 weeks later, I broke my ankle 3 weeks after that, and then my husbands mother passed away 2 months later. Hevel, hevel everything is literally hevel. During that time my life was engulfed with unexpected distractions and responsibilities.
From this I experienced first hand what the teacher in Ecclesiastes was describing, that life is constantly unpredictable and unstable, like “chasing the wind”.
But just as the wind shifts so did my year. My son and his family found their perfect home, my ankle healed, estate business was coming to a close and summer was my opportunity to recalibrate and focus on something that was not hevel, helping myself and others realize that what gives life true meaning is hope.

Recalibration

As the smoke lifted, there was hope

Summer brought with it hope. Statistically we traveled over 7,030 miles, spent countless hours in preparation, invested over $8000 in playground equipment and ministry materials, were actively engaged in ministry for over 280 hours, resulting in 52 salvations, 13 water baptisms and an immeasurable number of life changing experiences. Was all of this hevel? It certainly was not! What happened in the lives of so many people is all that matters in the end. Lives were changed and drawn closer to the love of Jesus. We tend to find meaning in all of the statistics but there is no meaning and purpose apart from God.

What more can we do to reach the lost children in the United States?

There are over 24 million children in the United States that lack the hope and the joy that comes with knowing Jesus as their friend and savior. Only 32% of those between ages 8 and 12 that hear about Jesus’ love will make a personal commitment to Him. This number is too low. This number can only rise if we better equip people to do the works of ministry so that they are more effective in their call to reach the lost.
Since my commissioning in March, my face as a Children’s Missionary has been ever changing. Each different venue brought with it an opportunity to reach kids that have not yet committed themselves to a relationship with Jesus.

As Chef Tera Masu I hit the streets again as I traveled to Potomac District Kids Camp. My goal… to bring about a missions awareness and the need for shelters in Togo Africa. Along with Head Chef Ramsey and the 2,500 campers that attended this years camp over $8,000 was raised to help build 12 shelters, protecting over 2500 children from the harsh elements in Africa so that they can attend Sunday School.

Hiking the “Friendship Trail” became my next adventure as I acted as a missionary consultant over a 3 month period in a large church in my district. We journeyed with kids as they discovered the many exciting aspects that come along with a friendship with Jesus Christ. Filling the gap between children’s pastors, I was privileged to help maintain the momentum until a full-time pastor had been located.

Plowing along as Harvester Harriet I made my way across the county helping to bring in the harvest. This was not a harvest of corn, wheat or even hay but this was a harvest of people. Equipped to bring in a harvest, I was able to help kids realize the need to reach the lost in their schools, neighborhoods and communities. ‚Äúthe harvest is plentiful but the workers are few”. We must train our children to reach the harvest field around them and become one of the much needed workers that Jesus is calling us to be.
surgeon

Convoy of Hope provided the backdrop to see kids and adults alike give their lives and their hearts to Jesus. This time I portrayed a frantic heart surgeon and helped kids realize their need for a pure heart. A heart in need of the good things that only Christ can give. As a surgeon, I was able to challenge kids to ask for the forgiveness that only Jesus can give so that their hearts, currently filled with the ugliness of sin, could be instantly changed and made pure by Christ himself. Then and only then could they live a life that honors God. That day I had the privilege of leading over 75 children and adults to the Lord.

Although I was able to reach out to a number of children over the past few months, it wasn’t anywhere close to the 24 million that need to hear about Jesus’ love.
Let’s keep the children of the United States in our prayers and ask that God provide opportunities for us to share the gospel message with as many as possible.