Our last day...

This is the last morning we'll be at the Home of Hope. In a few months all of us will fill up the three HOH vehicles and travel to a Fijian restarant to eat, followed up with one final opportunity to shop for our families. Next will be an hour bus ride to a small resort where we'll spend the night and decompress ... Our need to process all that we've seen is great. The Lord has exposed our COC team to His heart for not only the Fijian people, but for the World. I liken this experience to being apart of a mission team 10-15 years ago in Africa being exposed to the Aids epidemic in its full scope ... knowing that no one in the World knows or cares, but has to see immediately. Home of Hope is literally the only credible ministry in the World that is attacking this issue head on. Because the awareness factor is just becoming awakened worldwide, there is very little emphasis being paid here.

This is Ground zero for the Sexual exploitation and Trafficking issue. It's happening worldwide. It's happening in our state. It's probably happening in our neighborhood.

If you or someone you know has ever viewed pornography, they and us have at one time or another been part of the problem. This issue is HUGE. Pray for us as we process this! This issue is not just our Mission Teams'. It's not just Fiji's. It's not just Vision Abolition's. It's the churches problem...mission...job...purpose. It's apart of the Gospel.

We're in this together. Love you!!! Isaiah 61:1-3

-mat

August 31th

Since we have been here I and a few Fijians have been working hard to finish several projects. Its a remarkable thing they are doing in regard to development. Its really quite a vision. Yesterday Solo, the national missionary here, and I looked over the land of future development. Hesaid to me this is where we will build 40 more burry's(houses). It was thick jungle with steep grades. I was overwhelmed to think of the great work left to do here. When we first arrived Mark, the missionary here, took me up to the school house and then the burry's as everyone else was on tour to show me what they were needing accomplished. They have some paid carpenter's on campus but they are still learning. So I built stairs in a burry and stairs at the school house. It was very satisfying for me to do this and they so appreciated it! On of the girl's burry's is almost finished and I really wanted to accomplish a few things in it. The girl is very sweet her name is Solote. The first day we talked about her counter top and she was very excited about the vision for it. I really wanted to bless her by doing it before we left, but I was taken off that job to build much needed stairs on the schoolhouse. We built a large platform and stairs with a large hip roof over both. It involved four very large and heavy telephone like posts 25 feet tall. As we went to get them we quickly realised we were not moving them without more help so the men on the team pitched in to help set them in place. We got to a point on the roof were the local carpenter's could finish it. I ended up telling Solote I was sorry I could not do her counter tops for her. She said it was okay because the schoolhouse was more important. Anyway today I was able to set up some lights up in the burry and finish the counter tops. It will be a surprise to Solote. They are all so appreciative of everything we do here.
-Rob

Thursday, August 28th

Today we had the privilage to go to a primitave village in the middle of the jungle. This village has not had a white person in their village for more than 20 years. When we got there, they were all staring at us thru the windows of their homes. We went to one of the homes to have lunch with them. After lunch we got a tour of the village and got an opportunity to clime up a huge tree. We then went back to the home for tea. By then, a bunch of the children started to gather around to watch what we were doing. They loved having thier pictures taken and looking at themselves in the camera screen. After having tea and praying with the family, we got together for a group photo. We left the village and went to a man made waterfall where we swam for about an hour. Then we went back to Homes of Hope to eat, change clothes, and get ready to go into Suva to talk to some of the prostitutes on the street to share Jesus with them. We broke up in groups, 2 of us with 2 of the girls from HOH. It was an incredible night as we led a couple of them to Christ. Please pray for Paul and Sugar as they try to change their lives from prostitution to following Christ. I also had the opportunity to personally pray for a street boy named Jeremy. He said he knew the Lord, but did not have a relationship with him. Please pray that he would be able to make the commitment to follow Christ. Thank you all for your continued prayers.

-Brad Dandurand

Today we ask God to show us how to be a "good samaritan" to the girls of Homes of Hope.
Luke 10:25-37 gives a beautiful picture of the relationship between mercy and faith. The product of faith in Jesus is demonstrating his character to the world. Please pray that we do that for the girls here.
Rob has been working vigorously on the house for Salote. She is one of the girls who completed the program and has purchased a home to be built on campus. Josh and Mat taught a bible class today and we are so blessed by the girls openess. I painted and worked side by side with some of the girls on one of the homes. It was a true blessing to be in their presence. The attitude of complete thankfulness the girls show is humbling. We heard some of their stories and our hearts break even more each time. The vulnerability and sweet spirit of the girls is an amazing gift. -Amber Dolson

Day One in Suva Fiji at Home of Hope

Where do I begin? It's going to be difficult for me to truly capture all that we are experiencing so...

Let's begin with this... go to http://www.visionabolition.com/

This will help you get a feel for what we're involved in here.

Then, when you have a fair chunk of time read Isaiah 1:1-17. Then read Micah 6:1-8.

These are some of the questions we're fielding this morning in light of these passages.

• What is bothering God about their worship?
• What corrective steps does God want them to take?
• What does this tell you about the connection between justice and worship?

Now... on to Geography... we are now staying at the home of hope mission which is located on a 43 acre hillside in the suburb Wailoku just 2 miles north of the Capital City Suva in Fiji.

It's about 70 degrees this morning, cloudy, with a light constant mist that, when walked through, leaves a thin cool coat of water on your arms and face. Right now I'm sitting at a kitchen counter in our cabin looking North out the window at a hillside dotted with burries (small homes) a chicken coop, lush trees and groundcover teeming with all sorts of life. The sun is just beginning to burn through the morning fog. There are sounds of tropical birds all around ... children's voices ... laughing. I can hear some of the women working in the kitchen, someone trimming back bushes just outside of our cabin down by the road, and the short interrupting bursts of a hammer cracking away at the roof of the educational center, and the burrows further up.

Our morning began at 6 am, with coffee, bananas, and, yes, beef jerky. (Thanks Mom!) After our morning devotion and discussion, our teams all split up into their various responsibilities. Amber, is on the hillside today digging holes in the mud helping build another tiered garden where the women will grow food for everyone here. Josh is down helping fence in a new chicken coop that provides most of the protein for the mission. Rob and Brad are back up at the new double burrow putting in a set of stairs as well as finishing trimming up siding to protect the interior from weather. I will be joining whoever will have me when I'm done here.

I'm full of emotion today. This is such a beautiful place and yet there's an apparent darkness that permeates the island. The reality is that this place is a "city on a hill"; and a "light in the darkness". It's a refuge. It's the only ministry like it for over 300 islands and 800,000 people. Some of the women here, as young as 13, are victims of sexual abuse within their homes, some are have been raped and become pregnant, and in turn, a disgrace to their families. Some are victims of the sex trade industry. Some of the women have been sold to other family members at the age of 5 where they were tied to a tree and abused sexually for months. Last night we worshipped with over 20 of these women and their kids. They've all been devastated by unimaginable atrocities and yet what satan had intended for evil, God has brought around for good. What God is doing here is amazing! I can't wait to bring the team back with stories and pictures revealing all of our experiences.

Please pray for us to remember all that we'll experience here. Our responsibility is to come back and communicate what we've seen and experienced first hand to you so that you may have the same opportunity to be exposed to it. I believe God wants us to join Him here in some way. Pray for our wisdom in that.

Please pray for our kids and families as we're away.

justice ... humility ... mercy ...

The night before

Tomorrow at 3:30 we pull out of Maricopa for Sky Harbor. Our flight will take us to LAX and then at just after 11pm we fly over the Pacific Ocean. It's around a 12 hour flight before we land in Nadi.

Our Fiji team met Thursday night and fielded the same 2 questions.

• What are my expectations?
• What am I asking God to do?

All of our answers were similar ... God, speak to us, break our hearts for your people, allow us to see the world as You do, stretch our Faith...

All of us expect to see God at work; we want to join Him. We want to be apart of something that makes God smile!

My time tonight was spent on a date with Misty talking about babies, our girls and eachother. When we got home Rylin and Emmy and daddy talked about the trinity, why we can't see other planets from here, and why girls in Fiji aren't treated very well. Rylin prayed for daddy's safety and for him to do a good job for Jesus. Emmy prayed for dadda to help the little girls. I prayed that God would help daddy to show Jesus love to the Fijian people, and to show the ladies and men I come into contact with my love for my family. I also prayed for mommy. I am truly blessed! My family is blessed! We have a rich life in the palm of God's hand.

Celebrate Recovery

Celebrate Recovery is an incredible ministry to and for COC. If you're like me when you hear the word "recovery", you automatically think of Alcohol and Drug use, right?

Did you know ...

• statistics show that 80% of men in evangelical churches struggle with pornography
• statistics show nearly all adults will deal with depression
• statistics show codependency runs rampant in church people

Ever struggle with Anger, Workaholism, Food, Relationships, Finances, Trust etc.?

We all do. We all struggle with sin, and sin has scarred and marred us all; some more than others. Celebrate Recovery is a "sin" recovery ministry. It's a ministry aimed directly at someone who wants to get Drastic with their sin.

If you're tired of fighting ... surrender to Jesus!

Come hang out with us on Friday nights @ the office...7pm. (Childcare provided)

PLEASE PARTICIPATE IN THE NEW POLL

Our poll results were very interesting regarding how equipped the respondents felt to talk about Jesus. It was about half and half.

The new poll deals with a differnt angle on sharing your faith. Thanks for participating!

Reach Class

Reach class... 4:30-6:30pm Sunday September 7th. Church office.
Childcare will be provided at Rob and Christy Day's home.
There is no cost involved outside of your time and commitment.

NSA

NSA will be hosting a repair day on Saturday September 13th. This event really blessed several families last time around. If you need repairs, sign up!

Trick or Treat 2008

Trick or Treat is just around the corner. Please begin preparing!!! If you're able to take the day off, do so.

There will be need for volunteers in the following areas...

• Set up / break down/ clean-up
• Production Team
• Carnival Games
• Bouncer Zone
• Trunk or Treat
• Hay Maze
• Registration

The hours of the event are 5-10 pm. All volunteers will need to expect to be there early. Some earlier than others.

One last thing...PRAY!!!!!!

More will be coming this Sunday!!!

Fiji

Please pray for us as we are leaving for Fiji Monday August 25th. Our team is very excited!!!

Mexico still has room!!!

We still have a limited amount of room available for the Mexico trip.

If you're interested, e-mail me immediately!!!

Mexico

Hey guys. We had a great meeting on Saturday! Here’s some of the things we accomplished…

We determined who our trip coordinators were:

Rob Day … Building coordinator … job descriptions due 9/20
Emily Arellano … Meal Coordinator … Making a daily meal schedule due 9/20
Joseph Hillsman … Lead Driver / Camp coordinator ... Trailer/Vehicles due 9/20
Courtney Jones … First Aid … Putting a First Aid kit together due 9/20

We still need …
· Help for each of the coordinators.
· Two back up vehicles that carry 5 or more people.

We established 3 hard meeting dates; Saturday’s from 10-11 am

· September 20th Job reports due / $50 deposits due / Prayer
· October 18th Paperwork / Full Payment due / Prayer
· November 2nd Final paperwork / Prayer

If we unable to attend the meeting, e-mail me and let me know that you’re still “in” and I’ll forward you any additional information you need. Right now I have room for 30 total people.

So far I have …
· Mat and Misty Balgaard
· Gary and Nicole Shackleton
· Nick Shackleton
· Scott and Kim Cowden
· Chris and Emily Arellano
· Courtney Jones
· Rob Day
· Elmer Hill
· Joseph Hillsman
· Theresa Farley

This is 14 people so far. This isn’t including 8 spots reserved for minors. Tha means we have some spots left to fill for this trip.

People I’m still waiting to hear from …

· JoAnn Vitiello
· Matt Alvey
· Dana and Tony Campbell

If you have any questions, let me know. Take care!!!! For JESUS!!!!