Mustard Seed Canada - Monday, January 30, 2012
A friend of Mustard Seed sent a
gift for a Mustard Seed school’s Orchid Club as a Christmas gift to her
husband. She might have imagined her gift as a bunch of garden tools.
But there were few details with the thank you…until today when this note
arrived. Please pass on some information about the money that was sent for
the orchid club last Christmas. We gave the funds in rupiahs to the
Science Club coordinator to work together with the students on a project.
I have a complete breakdown of expenses plus all of the receipts.
They bought two gardening tools, a book about orchids, pots, trays, and
twenty orchids, which they distributed to the classrooms. They have been
teaching the students how to care for the orchids, and if one of the orchids
dies, the class that was taking care of it replaces it. Every single one
of the twenty orchids is a different variety.
Not only is this Christmas gift still
blooming with life, but in a country where half of the population is involved
in agriculture, knowing how to care for orchids could lead to gainful
employment.
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Mustard Seed Canada - Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Invest in the Kingdom!
If you are looking for a guaranteed return on your money, then there is no better investment than in the Kingdom of God:
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV)
One of best Kingdom investments is with Mustard Seed Canada. We bring the love of Christ to the people in Indonesia and focus on providing children with better opportunities. Many have received not only the basic necessities of life but the skills needed to have a new career and become a productive member of their city or village plus they have started a relationship with Christ. Thousands have turned from destructive behaviors and beliefs and have come to faith in Christ.
"What does December 31st have to do with April 30th?"
The answer is both dates are very important for your taxes. December 31st is the last date that you can make a charitable contribution and be allowed to deduct it on your 2010 tax-return. Charitable giving could lower your tax burden — lowering your tax bill or give you a bigger refund.
If you are able, please consider Mustard Seed Canada beyond your regular commitment to your church. In the midst of the uncertainty and upheaval in the world today, the collective body of Christ needs to stand firm and continue to provide a strong voice of hope to those that need it.
Please see your tax accountant or professional to determine if you or your company can benefit from additional charitable giving at this time. If so, please think of us! All gifts to Mustard Seed Canada are tax deductible to the maximum extent allowed under law and we also participate in the CCCC Seal of Accountability Program.
You may place your gift in the mail to us or donate online at CanadaHelps.org before midnight on December 31st and give with your credit card.
T H A N K Y O U ! ! !
On behalf of the Mustard Seed team in Indonesia and the lives that have been transformed through this ministry, thank you very much! Because of your gifts this year, people have come to faith in Christ, children have been given the opportunity to learn new skills and better their communities in Indonesia for the better. We are so thankful and humbled that God has chosen us for this work. May God Bless You! You are literally changing the world with your support of Mustard Seed Canada!
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Mustard Seed Canada - Friday, December 24, 2010
what do you believe?
With the Christmas season comes the obvious hustle and bustle of gift purchasing, Christmas parties and family gatherings around the dinner table to celebrate the birth of Christ or the descending of a jolly man in a red suit down your chimney, depending on your preference. Indeed, it is quite the time of year. For us, Christmas is a very special time of year and it reminds us of "why we do what we do".
Of course, many churches will be filled with Christmas sermons this season and most will talk about the virgin birth, the prophecies of old and the gifts brought to the feet of the newly born king. But let me make one suggestion that doesn’t quite get the attention it deserves. When God became man he came to make all things new which should beg the question: what do we see that isn’t new? What isn’t right?
I’m reminded of that famous Christmas hymn and echo sentiment that indeed, ‘the weary soul rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn’. With the birth of Christ a new era has begun, one in which the weary rejoice because God has become man and changed everything. The weary understand that everything needs to change because things are not right; things are not as they should be. But a new and glorious morn has come!
Our hope at Mustard Seed Canada is to continually remember that because of Jesus, everything is being made new. We’re simply playing our part in the kingdom by loving Indonesian children and their families and journeying with them as they escape the cycle of poverty through education! Our hope is that they will experience that newness of life for now and for eternity!
Merry Christmas from all of us at Mustard Seed Canada!
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Mustard Seed Canada - Tuesday, December 07, 2010
Seasons of Giving All Year Round: Mount Merapi Mission of Hope
December is known as the season for giving and we wanted to highlight some stories of how some Mustard Seed Canada workers have given during the past year. Our goal is to share with you stories about why we do what we do in Indonesia and the work we have been able to accomplish. We start off with the recent disaster at Mount Merapi. Above is a photo from this article in The Epoch Times. According to the article, villages near Mount Merapi were devastated after the Mount Merapi volcano erupted repeatedly beginning October 26, 2010. The article states "[i]n some places, no trace of life remains. Villages...have been completely wiped out in the disaster."
This began our Mission of Hope.
We will post some journal entries from the Mustard Seed Canada workers who raised funds to go to Mount Merapi to provide provisions, aid and most importantly, HOPE:
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“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field.” Matthew 9:37-38
God in his majesty, love, mercy and grace has a way of bringing His creation to a point of hopelessness and despair for His glory. In late October Mt. Merapi, in Central Java, erupted causing the people to flee their villages leaving everything behind. The Government stepped in to help by setting up refugee camps scattered throughout the province to provide shelter, food and water.
Five weeks later, the media is gone, many have returned to their villages, yet there are thousands still displaced and traumatized by the Mt. Merapi eruption. We were part of a team that took advantage of this fresh opportunity to serve and share truth with these precious people. Our goal was to provide counsel, entertainment, provisions and hope.
It was encouraging to watch the Body of Christ come together in unity using their individual gifts to make this possible. Team members began communicating with potential donors for financial support. Others went out shopping for supplies. Others organized the daily activities. Students sorted and packed all of the supplies. It was amazing! The Lord used our Team leader to keep everything moving smoothly.
Tuesday November 23rd at 10:00pm we were ready to head out. The Charis bus was loaded with team members and supplies as well as an additional van. The bulk of the supplies had to be carried on a large truck that led the way. Our bed that evening was a bus or van seat.
After sleeping on the bus through the night we arrived in Yogjarkarta bright and early. Breakfast was prepared and waiting for us by a local missionary. This host family made arrangements for our entire team to stay in their home. What a blessing!
Day 1 began with a team meeting where we were given the method we would be using to counsel and share the gospel with the people. We were instructed to work in pairs and were given 5 questions to ask the refuges:
- What happened?
- How did you feel then?
- How do you feel now?
- Can we pray with you?
- Can we share our story (testimony) with you?
Then we headed off to a large soccer stadium, housing about 9,000 refugees. At one time the number was at 36,000. The remaining families lived closest to the volcano and had lost everything. They may never go back to their villages. We were instructed to walk around and share with as many people as possible. We were accompanied by several native workers including a counselor. At one point, we shared with an older couple. The woman was unable to answer any questions because her eyes kept filling up with tears. All we could do was pray and cry with her. Another man shared his hopelessness which could be seen in his eyes. We were able to share about our hopelessness without Christ, even when we had plenty. The students shared games, songs, and activities which brought smiles to many children as well as adults. There was one person that professed Christ and many seeds were planted and watered that day.
Read more about Day 2 in our next post.
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Mustard Seed Canada - Wednesday, November 17, 2010
I knew I had the perfect gift idea when letters arrived from an orphanage and many of the children were writing about the long walk to school. I’d save up enough to send money for bicycles, maybe even one for each of the children. And I was so happy when the day came to forward my donation. But the children’s reply contained a mixed message: “Thank you for the bicycles. They are a big help. But really we’d like a toilet. Really now, just what were they thinking, an American standard? Well, I soon found out. The orphanage's toilet was a hole in the ground sheltered by a tarpaulin to offer some privacy. When the torrential rains came, their toilet became a nasty mess. It turned out they were really just asking for something more permanent, an outhouse raised up off the ground and a properly dug septic bed.
A telling moment; even though I don't consider myself a technocrat, I realized that the simplicity of the children's real needs was far more basic than an ordinary Canadian could imagine. We have so much, and they have so little.
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Mustard Seed Canada - Wednesday, June 16, 2010
We often receive letters and bits of news from Mustard Seed's schools in East Asia but it takes time for us to to through everything and translate before we can share them with you. This is what we are accomplishing overseas with your generous support. Here is an encouraging update sent to us from a 14 year old Mustard Seed student named Iruni.
Hi, my name is Iruni. I’m fourteen and I’m in the eighth class.
I give thanks to God because I can study and live here in this Children’s Home. I am an only child. I don’t have a mommy because she passed away when I was born so I never saw her. I need to study and be a success in my life. Ideally, I’d like to become a nurse.
My day is spent studying at school from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. everyday, Monday to Saturday. We have community prayer here every morning and evening. We study English with Uncle Bema three hours a week.
I just want to say thank you for all of this.
May God bless you all.
Iruni
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Mustard Seed Canada - Thursday, June 10, 2010
Bible Passage: 1 Kings 21:1-21a
Pray that Paul’s stories will move people to action for Christ. May they be encouraged as they demonstrate and share the Good News.
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Mustard Seed Canada - Tuesday, June 08, 2010
Bible Passage: Psalms 5:1-12
Pray that the girls would feel encouraged by Shari and their sponsors to give themselves entirely to pursing God.
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