Many thanks to everyone that donates the cans that these kids get to crush and recycle to help vulnerable children in Africa. After crushing the cans, Dale helped the kids play a new game spelling words of faith by moving tiles on the floor “without using their hands”. Lot’s of fun. Afterwards, the kids counted their change and had enough money ($22) to purchase 2 more mosquito nets for the orphans that live at the Nalidi Grace primary school in eastern Uganda.  George wore one of the aprons that our friend, Bonnie, had made the kids for the cooking projects they are involved with. Reggie Hunter shared about how he finds the wood and makes walking sticks, cutting off branches, sanding and sculpting each one before he seals the stick with varnish. We were able to relate all this to the story that Jesus told in John 15 about the vine and branches. The kids read the scripture verse and answered  the questions. Who was the gardener? Who was the vine? Who were the branches? What is the fruit? What did Jesus mean when He said, ‘Fruit that last?’ We paused for a bit to celebrate birthdays for the month, had lunch that Grandma Linda had prepared and then celebrated with truffles that Pr. Lee Johnson had given us for the kids. After lunch, it was time for coloring different sheets related to the vine and the branches while the kids picked out sticks that Reggie had donated and used saws, files, sand paper and drills to shape their own walking sticks before applying the varnish. Thanks to all the adults that visited and spent time encouraging these young people. A special thanks to Pr. David and Faye Nichols for joining us. Everyone is excited about tonight’s Family Outreach at the Children’s Museum in Burlington and we hope to see many new families with children that we haven’t met yet.     

While Jesus hung on the cross, most of the disciples had chosen to not follow Him – but – “Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for His needs.” (Matthew 27:55)

to women of faith that even today have to carry much more in meeting the needs of Jesus because many men are caught up in the things of the world.

We are privileged to be friends with a wonderful elderly Christian lady in our community named Carolyn who has opened up her heart to the children in her neighborhood. What started with bringing some kids into her trailer to share Jesus with them has now evolved into 4 days of Kids’ Club every week. She has put a cover outside her trailer to provide a game room for the now 22 children from age 3-12. We would like to help her when she feels called to take them as a group outside her home when the Lord directs, but she doesn’t have access to enough booster and car seats.

If you have any seats or would like to start reaching out to children we would love to help and encourage you. If you can help Carolyn with the booster or car seats, you can drop them off at the Harvest Home, 9467 Pierce Lane in Sedro Woolley. We are in the “Harvest Home” part of our home on Tue-Fri from 10am-4pm. If we aren’t there, just come to the door of our residence. Or call us at 360-421-8811 or 360-421-8812. We have all been called to be “conformed to the likeness of Jesus” (Roman 8:29) who said, “Let the little children come to Me.” (Matthew 19:14). Please pray for those that are sacrificing to care for His needs.

Consider this. Children and youth can legally share their faith with others in their school, which is their mission field. We have the legal authority to come alongside them after school using that facility to encourage and strengthen them. Sadly, Child’s Evangelism Fellowship only has volunteers to stand with these young people at 2 of the 30 public schools in Skagit and Island county? Where are you, men and women of God?

For information contact Lynn Griffin at 360-333-7025.

     We had a new game to play today. The kids had scrambled letter tiles on the floor and had to spell a word they were given by pulling the tiles onto a circle drawn on the floor without using their hands. The words were from these phrases: We live by faith. We hope in Jesus. We give Him glory. We were excited to share that the final work on the primary school they helped build in NW Uganda was complete and the kids were in school. We started a new project to replace the mosquito nets for the orphans that live at the Nalidi Grace Primary orphan school in E Uganda. We will need 25 nets for the girls and 29 nets for the boys that costs $11 each in Uganda. We will also be trying to raise money for 21 sets of sheets to cover some of the foam mattresses that don’t have them. They now have $92 and are collecting their change to get them all. You are welcome to drop your change and empty aluminum cans off at the Harvest Home, 9467 Pierce Lane, in Sedro Woolley. We were again blessed to have Lynn and Christine from Child’s Evangelism Fellowship come and share their inter-active ministry which is always entertaining and brings the truth of God’s love to everyone.  Today’s focus was on “God’s plans are good!” and “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6) We will be meeting again on Saturday, Jan 25th, from 10am-12:30pm. Later that same day, we will have a family night at the Children’s Museum at the Outlet Mall in Burlington from 6-8pm. Please contact us for more information. 360-982-8159 or 360-421-8811.     

  What a beautiful day that the Lord provided for our last Harvest Kids fellowship of the year. After crushing cans that had been donated, these young people counted out their donated change and had $86 that will finish paying the money for the Comfort Africa ministry to orphans in Uganda and to pay the teachers of the Wambuti pygmy tribe in the DRCongo. Their next project will be replacing the mosquito nets for the orphans that attend and live at the Nalidi Grace Primary School in northeast Uganda. It was great to have Wayne and his mother-in-law, Stanny from Canada, and his wonder dog, Walker with us at Harvest Kids. Lynn, from Child’s Evangelism Fellowship, shared the story of Jesus, from birth to death and resurrection to the kids and they were able to help with the lesson. The “Word Up” for the day was, “God keeps His promises”. We are praying that our young people can be built up in God’s Word and strengthened before they enter their mission field in the public school at the first of the year.

   “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and strength. These commandments that I give your today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” (Deuteronomy 6:5-9)

   Thank you to everyone that prays and support these young people as they become true disciples of Jesus Christ and agents of change in their families, schools, communities and around the world.    
 

“Belay” – The securing of a person or a safety rope to an anchor point (as during mountain climbing); to make fast; to fasten down.

     Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

     “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” (Deuteronomy 6:4-9)

      “God is our refuge and strength, and ever-present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)

What a wonderful time of year when people begin to think about giving and helping others. Over 2,000 years ago, we were given a gift. A baby named Jesus. The gift was not unwrapped until He died on the Cross for the forgiveness of the sin of all mankind and we were given the opportunity to receive the gift of eternal life. Jesus spent His whole life on earth with an eternal perspective. This was not His home and it isn’t really ours when we accept Jesus and His promise. How much of our giving today has an eternal perspective? Jesus said, “Rejoice with Me; I have found My lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” We just received testimonies from 3 coordinators in Uganda, Burundi and the DRCongo. They coordinated 12 outreaches in November, 785 sheep came to the Shepherd and 150 have been baptized. What rejoicing! We have 6 coordinators in central Africa, El Salvador and Australia that are working to reach the lost in their areas and can reach even more if they have additional equipment. Please consider whether you would like to help them give the gift that truly keeps on giving.

   If you would like to make a donation, they can be made on line at www.myegiving/hvm or the “electronic giving” on the home page of the www.harvestvisionministries.org website or through PayPal to harvestvision21@msn.com or send to Harvest Vision Ministries, PO Box 733, Sedro Woolley, WA, 98284.