NEWSLETTER:  DEC. 07

"HAPPY HOLIDAYS"

GOD'S GIFTS:  up to this date God has allowed Westside Ministries, Ashburn, Georgia and CENA Lilzapa, Honduras, to be a part of the following: (conservative estimates)

Salvations= 9,100             Medical/Dental Brigades= 52         Eyeglass Brigades=52                                               Shoe Brigades= 6             Soccer Clinics= 3                   Baptisms= 30              

                                                                  Pastoral Training Graduates= 300

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Front & Center News!

   'AVA Alene Smith' born to Jeffrey and Nickie Smith on Friday, October 26th                                                           at 11:02 PM .  She weighed 7 pounds 13 ounces and was 20 1/2 inches long    

Needless to say Roger & Linda are some happy grandparents!

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                       The FIRST Honduran wedding at CENA will take place Dec. 1st, 2007.                                                     The lovely couple is Carlos Sevilla and Jacquelyn Flores

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Roger and Linda ask you to continue to remember to pray for his mother, Lavaine. Pray for wisdom as decisions are made concerning her wellbeing and care.

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Letter from Roger's Desk:

Acts 10:4B

 In the book of Acts chapter 10 the gospel of Grace was extended to the Gentiles. This was a marvelous event at which most of us

should certainly rejoice, since this means we are recipients. This door was opened through a man named Cornelius; Cornelius was not exposed to Christianity prior to this, obviously he was not an apostle, or disciple, nor had he been acquainted with any. As a matter of fact He was a Military Man, A Roman centurion in Italy. However, there were some things about him that caught the attention of the Lord. In verse 4 it says specifically that his prayers and his alms giving were a memorial before God. Talk about double honor first to be memorialized before God, and then to be chosen as a vessel to spread the Gospel to the Gentiles. I don't know about you, but I want to find that guy when I join the cloud of witnesses.

 What I want to focus on for just a minute is the alms giving, and that this is such a significant thing to God in the new testament. Webster's definition of the word alms is "Anything given gratuitously to relieve the poor, as money, food or clothing, otherwise called charity." In the Old Testament alms giving was something that was attributed as justice and righteousness in a man’s life. We know that new testament righteousness is only gained by faith in the finished work of the cross. And yet here is a man who was about to become a recipient of the gospel of grace, but his alms giving was significant enough in God’s eyes to become a memorial before Him. When you look at the promises in scripture toward those who consider the poor, you can't help but relate the abundant favor of the Lord on Cornelius's life to his heart for the poor and his giving in response to their cry.

  The dynamics of the society we live in present a challenge to us as Christians, I believe that if we are to be individuals who are generous in our alms, we must be intentional and strategic. Hectic schedules, demands of family life, church life, work, and so on will render us spent, when it comes to responding to the cry of the poor. There are Ministries like Westside Ministries that are taking care of the poor and broken day in and day out. I believe the best way to insure your active involvement in this area is to partner with us. First of all in the area of finances, because we are ministering to the poor we are dependant on the body at large to support these efforts. Along with your involvement in prayer, giving and going can greatly help us to minister to the poor in Honduras. Over the last several years we have been 80% self-supported through our Board of Directors, our Pastoral Board, Churches that we network with and other sources. I believe those days have changed. Greatly in part to God's desire to include you, and give you an opportunity to build a memorial before Him as you extends your heart to the poor and broken. Our projected budget for 2008 could be 50% covered if we had 500 partners that would sow $50.00 a month. Many of you can do more and some could do less, but no gift is insignificant. I'm asking you to pray about partnering with us now and in this coming year by sending a monthly gift, a one time year end gift, or what ever God might impress upon you heart.  As you pray I want to challenge you to revisit the scripture and be encouraged by God's promises to those who consider the poor. Wouldn't it be great to enter eternity and find that one of our treasures is a memorial before God because of our giving to the poor?

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