Traveling Season is Here

As I sit down to write this month, the most pertinent thing on my mind is traveling.  If you could take one look at our calendar, you would see that we are beginning the season of traveling.

     During August, we will travel to the Midwest for a two week trip which will include both itineration and vacation.  We are looking forward to connecting with supporting churches in Iowa, as well as meeting with sewing groups and spending time with family and friends.  It may seem like two weeks is a long trip, but I have a feeling the time will go by way too quickly.

     In September, Lance and I will travel to Haiti for a 5 day trip.  We have been invited to travel with the regional director of the Assemblies of God World Missions to meet with  missionaries and the national church leadership of Haiti.  We are very excited about this  opportunity to learn more about their ministries and how Haiti Care Mission can help to meet their needs.  We have prayed for God to bring us more connections and more open doors to serve, and we believe God is answering those prayers through this opportunity.

     In October, Lance will travel back to Iowa on a  weekend trip for church’s mission conference.  In addition during November, we will be taking a team to Haiti to work on a construction project along with Haiti Care Mission work. 

     Each of these trips has a specific purpose.  We are praying that we will see God fulfill the purpose of each trip and we will see God’s hand at work during the trips.  We covet the prayers of our supporters and prayer warriors so would you please pray with us for each of these trips. 

     We need prayer for our divine connections, traveling safety, physical protection and our favorite prayer is for God’s favor.

     God’s favor is so powerful.  When I looked up what it meant to experience God’s favor, I found something that really made me smile.  According to the website, Learn the Bible, “God’s favor means to give special regard to; to treat with goodwill; to show exceptional kindness to someone.  Sometimes, it means to show extra kindness in comparison to the treatment of others; that is, preferential treatment.” 

      When I think of the number of hours we will be spending traveling in cars, planes, and trucks, I can’t help but pray that we experience the “preferential treatment” in that description.

     We believe that when you seek to walk with integrity before God and others, God causes others to see us through His eyes of favor.  We are praying that as we seek to honor God with every aspect of our lives, we will experience God’s favor during each trip.

    Thank you, in advance, for all of your prayers.  We appreciate your support and blessings.

 

Living victoriously in Christ,

Pastors Lance and Lynn Anderson

 

 

 

Never let loyalty and kindness get away from you! Wear them like a necklace: write them deep within your hearts,  Then you will find favor with both God and people, and you will gain a good reputation.

Proverbs 3:3-4 NLT

 

For surely, O Lord, you bless the righteous, you surround them with your favor as with a shield.

Psalm 5:12

 

 

 

May God be merciful and bless us.

May His face smile with favor on us.

May your ways be known throughout the earth, your saving power among people everywhere.

Psalms 67:1-2 NLT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Obstacles and Roadblock

     Have you ever thought of the difference between an obstacle and a roadblock?  When you are driving down the street and you see an obstacle, you swerve and go around it, then continue on your way.  Obstacles are annoying, and sometimes dangerous, but they can be maneuvered around. 

     With every one of our missions trips, we have had our share of obstacles.  There are many kinds of obstacles.  Obstacles like illnesses on the day before we leave, delays in flights or delays in the deliveries of items we need to pack.  All of these have been annoying and we believe were sent to us to distract us from the purpose of the trip.  We believe the enemy was attempting to frustrate our plans by placing obstacles in our path.  Thankfully, when these obstacles came, we have been able to maneuver around them and accomplish all that needed to get done and the trips have been successful despite these annoyances.

    A roadblock is definitely different than an obstacle.  A roadblock means that this path is temporarily closed.  It means that if you choose to go around it, you will be putting yourself in danger.  Roadblocks are signs that you need to change your direction or wait until the road is open again.

     As many of you know, we were supposed to be in Haiti this week.  But this week, we experienced a roadblock.  As we made the final preparations for this trip, we felt very strongly that the Lord was prompting us that we needed to change the plans for this trip.  We know that God has not closed the pathway for us to Haiti.  He is simply telling us that this trip needed to be changed.  We believe that when the Holy Spirit guides us, that we need to be obedient.  That is the main reason we chose to change our plans.

     Being able to discern the difference between an obstacle and a roadblock can be very hard to do.  With this trip, we looked very closely at the circumstances, sought trusted counsel, and made a tough decision.  We trust that with God’s help we have made the right choice and God will continue to open up pathways in the future for our next trips.   Of course, we are disappointed that we are not with the people we love and doing the work we have been called to do, but with expectation, we look forward to what we will do in the future.

     Thank you for all of the wonderful gifts and items you have sent for the people of Haiti.  We can assure you that these items will get to Haiti during our next trip or through alternative pathways.  Thank you for your generous giving and for helping us touch the hearts of children in Haiti for Jesus.

 

 

 

 

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 

Romans 8:28 NLT

  

I am satisfied that when the Almighty wants me to do or not to do any particular thing, he finds a way of letting me know.

Abraham Lincoln

 

Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left.

Isaiah 30:21 NKJV

 

 

 

 Praises and Prayer requests

· Thank God for His leading and direction.  We are grateful that He gives us the pathways and His timing is always perfect.

· Praise God for all of the wonderful, hard working sewing groups.  Many will be blessed through the labor of your hands.

· Please pray for God to continue to lead Haiti Care Mission in every way. 

· Please pray for the people of Haiti.  Pray for God’s hand of protection over them and His provision to meet all of their needs.

· Please pray for open doors and new pathways in Haiti.  We are always looking for more ways to serve His children.

 

 

Blessings, Lance and Lynn Anderson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preparing for the Next Journey

This month we are focusing our time and energy on preparing for our trip at the end of the month.   There is always much to do with planning and packing, so it is a busy time around here.

     Our trip plans include a visit to a school or two on the countryside of Haiti as well as a visit to a street ministry in Port au Prince.  In addition, we have a large project planned at the mission headquarters.  One room of the main building has become a storage area and it is overflowing with donations.  We are going to attempt to reorganize and distribute as much as possible from the room in order to help the missionary regain that space.

    This month we are also working to complete another book project for our missionary partner.  It is really rewarding for me (Lynn) to be able to help provide materials for their Bible teachers. This book is on salvation and we will be bringing twenty-five copies of the revised book with us on the trip.

   We are also pleased to report that in addition to the jeans and clothing which was sent to Ukraine, there was also clothing sent to Siberia from that project.  It is really awesome to see how God opens doors and provides pathways. 

     Since we will be in Haiti at the end of this month and the first week of May, you can expect our next newsletter to be a little late.  We promise to fill it with first hand reports from the trip and pictures of the children being blessed with all of your great gifts. 

Please keep us in prayer for this trip.

Summer Ideas

     If your church is like ours, you may be thinking about Vacation Bible School and summer projects for the kids.   Over the past two summers, some of our supporting churches have been very successful in coordinating collection drives for Haiti Care Mission during their VBS or summer events.  We would love to talk with you if you are interested in having your kids (or big kids/adults) collect items for Haiti this summer.

    Some of the easiest to collect and very necessary items are toothbrushes and small toothpastes.  These are cheap and easy to find at a dollar store.  Other items that are important are small size bars of soap and solid deodorant (no gels or liquids).  Although shampoo and lotions are nice, they are too difficult to transport.  Liquid soaps and shampoos are less desirable because of the weight involved to ship and TSA restrictions.

     Flip flops are another easy item to collect.  The sizes needed are kids and adults.  Baby and toddler shoes are not utilized in Haiti as we do in America, so these sizes are not necessary.

     In addition to these items, we are also able to use new t-shirts that are left over from your event.  If you have a surplus of t-shirts after you are done, we would love to bless the children of Haiti with your overruns.  

     If you have additional projects or ideas, we would love to hear about it.  Email us or call us if you need any help with your projects.  We can provide you with material and information as needed.

     Thank you for partnering with Haiti Care Mission.  We look forward to hearing your ideas and seeing how you can help us connect your kids to the kids in Haiti.

 

 

 

Prayer requests and Praises

· Praise God for a wonderful month of donations of items for Haiti.  We love watching how God always provides for each trip. 

· Praise the Lord for a quick turn around on the girls passports.  We delayed our spring trip so we could get them processed and they were back in our hands in just a few weeks.  God is interested in every detail of our work.

· Please pray for our trip at the end of the month.  Pray for protection, safety and God’s direction for everything we do in Haiti.

· Please pray for the people of Haiti.  Pray that their hearts and eyes will be opened to the love of God. 

 Living victoriously in Christ, Lynn and Lance

 

Here are a few pictures of the jeans and clothing arriving in Ukraine.

 

 

 

 

 

Haiti Care Mission goes to Ukraine and South Africa

This month, Haiti Care Mission had two unique opportunities to help God’s people in new destinations.  Through a series of God-ordained connections, we were able to send gifts of love to the Ukraine and South Africa.

     Over Christmas break while we were visiting family in Green Bay, WI, we were contacted by Spring Lake Church.  The church is close to our hearts since we have several key relationships at this church, and we were married at SLC. The missions team called us to see if we would be interested in approximately 400 pairs of jeans and denim shorts that they had acquired.  They had no connections to get them to the mission field and hoped that we could help put them in the hands of people who needed them. 

     Upon first seeing the jeans, we were certain that they would be too warm for the people of Haiti to wear but our hearts quickly shifted to the people of the Ukraine.  Through our church, we have several locations in the Ukraine that are in need of warm clothing and shipping methods were already established.  To make a long story short, we packed up 16 pieces of luggage with the jeans in and returned to Florida with the items.  They were shipped to the Ukraine just one week later and this week, we received confirmation that they are in Ukraine and are being used in an outreach ministry and given to refugees from the war.  (Pictures will be available for next month’s newsletter.)

     We also left 100 pair of shorts in Wisconsin with the ladies of Green Bay Mission Support.  They are currently making backpacks and hand bags from the denim material.  The creativity of these ladies amazes us and we are so blessed to have them working for us.  We are looking forward to bringing these bags to Haiti in April.

     A second new opportunity for Haiti Care Mission came this month as we had a chance to send gifts of love to South Africa.  A wonderful servant of the Lord, Marie Smith, from Feed My Lambs ministry, traveled to South Africa this month.  HCM was able to provide her and her team with over 200 items to bring to the children at an orphanage that they visited.  She expressed her deepest gratitude for these items and reports that they were an incredible blessing to the children.  (We hope to have pictures of the trip for next month.)  

     We are always excited when God opens up new avenues for us to share His love and the gifts He has given us.  We feel very blessed to have so many items that we can give away.  We truly know that we can never out give God.  The more we give away, the more times He restocks the shelves.  What a mighty God we serve!

     Thank you to each of you for your ongoing support of Haiti Care Mission.  You can be certain that your gifts are serving the people of Haiti and beyond.  Your gifts help us share God’s love wherever He leads us. 

 

 

Praises and Prayer requests

· Praise God for God ordained connections to take Haiti Care Mission’s items to people who need it all over the world.

· Praise the Lord for a safe trip for Lance during the beginning of February.  The trip involved one major transportation failure but God provided a way for it to be repaired in the same day.

· Praise God for divine connections that He continues to bring to us.  His timing and appointments are perfect.

· Please pray for the seeds of love that have been planted in the Ukraine and South Africa through the gifts of love that were sent.  Pray that they would be instruments that draw people closer to God.

· Please pray for the country of Haiti as it faced a tragic accident during the Mardi Gras celebration. Eighteen lives were lost in the accident.

Pictures from the team in South Africa. 

 

 

Living victoriously in Christ, Lynn and Lance

 

 

 

February 2015 updates

This month,  I (Lynn) have the pleasure of introducing my husband by his newest title, Pastor Lance Anderson.  Yesterday, Lance was officially received as a licensed pastor with the Assemblies of God fellowship.  Lance has been taking classes for two years and completed two sessions of internships leading up to this new title.  He also had to complete a licensing exam in November. 

     I am extremely proud of him, as this required countless hours of reading, studying and report writing.  He has worked very hard and he has put in many extra hours to complete all of the requirements. 

     Becoming a licensed pastor will really help us as we continue to serve as the Mission Directors for Haiti Care Mission.  With the title of pastor, more churches and schools in Haiti will be accessible to us.  Most people in leadership appreciate knowing that the people who are coming in to speak with their congregation and children are well prepared and trained.  It is our prayer that this will open up more doors in Haiti.

    It is also our prayer that this will help us to broaden our scope of churches in the United States.  We hope this will bring increased opportunities at churches to share about the mission of Haiti Care Mission and increase awareness of how others can get involved.

     We are very pleased to make this announcement as we feel there will be great increase brought to Haiti Care Mission through this accomplishment.   Although, Lance’s holds a license through the Assemblies of God, Haiti Care Mission will continue to operate as a non-denominational ministry.       

 

Upcoming Trips

 

    This spring we are already planning for two trips to Haiti.  Lance will be leaving for Haiti during the first week of February.  He will be serving alongside of Pastor Tom Brumbley and completing projects for their ministry.  Lance will also be helping to prepare the connections and projects for our next trip.

     In April, we will travel to Haiti as a family and spend 5 days serving.  We are not sure of all of the details yet but we will keep you posted as they develop.  Please pray for both of these trips as we long to get back on the ground and get back with the people we love.

    If you have any items prepared that you would like us to bring to Haiti on the April trip, please mail them to us prior to March 30th so we have ample time to prepare and pack the items.  Thank you very much for your service and hard work.

 

 

Praises

 

· Praise God for faithful supporters who share in the work of Haiti Care.

· Praise the Lord for His provision and direction for this ministry.

· Praise God for divine connections that He continues to bring to us.

Prayer requests

· Please pray for Lance’s February trip to Haiti. Please pray for favor, divine connections and safety.

· Please pray for the people of Haiti.  Pray for safety, protection and peace.

 

 

Living victoriously in Christ, The Andersons

 

 

 

December updates

Our Fall Trip

     As I type this letter and reflect on our most recent trip to Haiti, I am filled with gratitude.  We are so grateful for all of the opportunities we have to serve the people of Haiti and we are extremely grateful for all of you that contribute faithfully to Haiti Care Mission.  Many times during this trip, I was caught up with the thoughts and praises to God for all that He allows us to do and all of the lives that He brings into our paths.  At times, I was simply overwhelmed as I considered all of the people who have poured resources and labor into making these trips happen.  It is not just a phrase, it is the truth...“We could not do this without you.”

     During this trip, we were able to minister to over 1200 kids in five schools.  We traveled many hours of back roads but God protected us on every turn.  We were able to distribute over 2500 items to the children and young adults at the schools.  With every school, we saw their faces light up with the message from God’s Word and with appreciation for the new items.  

     In addition to completing the distributions, we also ministered on Sunday night in the evening service, where Lance and I preached together. When we were not on the road, we assembled countless number of Bible booklets, which the children call their “Bib” (Bible), for a chapel program.  Lance also did many of the jobs from the “to do” list while the girls made more friends and shared God’s love to the children.

     We are astounded at the fact that God allows us to go to Haiti and serve these wonderful people.  We are grateful to each of you for your support and prayers.  Thank you for partnering with us and believing in Gods’ call for our lives.

 

Here are some pictures from the trip.

 

 

Praises

· Praise the Lord for a very successful and safe trip to Haiti.  God provided for us and protected us in every way.

· Praise God for the way He supplies for the needs of each trip.

· Praise the Lord for the blessing of our financial partners, sewing groups and prayer warriors.

Prayer requests

· Please pray for the children that we ministered to during this trip.  Pray that the Word spoken to them will grow and deepen their relationship with Christ.

· Please pray for our missionary partners in Haiti.  We are honored to serve alongside these faithful servants.  We pray God’s richest blessings into their lives and ministries.

We pray that you all have a blessed Christmas and prosperous New Year.

With much love and appreciation,

 Lynn, Lance, Grace and Hope

Haiti Care Mission