Controlled Chaos

 We had such a wonderful group of volunteers today that anyone walking in would have thought it may be a bit chaotic but thankfully it was all controlled chaos. Below are the pictures from today.

These two guys, Jerry and Bart came in unexpectedly to learn about how we do the program so they could set up something like it for Tazwel County Jail. 

Below Bart, Jerry and Chuck are catching up on visiting. 

The perfect people to help Jerry and Bart with the computers were also here, Karl and Benj. Amazing how God put that together.  

Stephanie stopped in also today. Below mom and Ray are stuffing studies.

Mark brought Lettie to help him on the main computer. Lettie's mom had just given birth to another little brother Isaac. We were glad for her help today and very glad for Isaac's safe birth. 

When we finished with the studies we went to work wrapping Bibles and were able to get more than 100 wrapped and ready for mailing.

When the Bibles were finished and the table cleaned off Leila served us all a delicious apple dessert.

We enjoyed our break with visiting and dessert so much that no one wanted to leave the table. What a blessing to be there today. What a blessing this program is not just for the prisoners but for us who get the chance to come together with like minded people while serving the Lord. I am so very thankful!

Deserve To Know

 When we arrived at the Berean office Marvin was out weeding around the air conditioner. Not that we needed air conditioning today we had to turn the heat on.

There was already a group working on the mail when we walked in.

We all sat right down to work. Ray was back and introduced himself to Aunt Jinnie. This was the last day Aunt Jinny could help as tomorrow she leaves for her home in New Jersey.

Benj and Karl came today. Both work at Caterpillar and that company gives their employees a day to volunteer so they chose to come help us! Marvin got Benj going on the second computer but it wasn't easy. The computer wouldn't turn on so Marv crawled under the table, pulled the plug, then plugged it back in and it worked.

Benj was put to work on the computer while Karl was put to work reading letters with Kathy, Marvin and Leila.

We had a good group of volunteers willing to help with a big mail day.

Shirley made coffee and when it was done Glenna came around offering coffee to everyone.

Once the studies were processed the volunteers went into the other room to start wrapping Bibles. 

Wayne stopped in to tell us the good news that his son, Chip's eyes were going to be fine.  We had been praying for Chip.

We were able to finish just before noon. I truly am thankful to all these volunteers who so willingly give of their time to come help with this program. There are many that think these people in prison probably deserve to be in prison but if they are never taught of the ONE who loves them and who died for them how are they to know how to be saved. Jesus desires that ALL would be saved. Don't they deserve to know?

Busy Day

 We had 73 Bible requests today and lots of studies come in. I was too busy to take many pictures but below are a few from today. 

We finished everything around noon, shared soup and brownies then headed home. It was a good day with plenty of help.

Romania News Sept 2020

 "The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD." Lam.3,24-26

Online Prison Ministry 

I would like to give you very good news. All activities are restarted through an online format. Praise God! Yesterday we had already online activities with two groups of inmates from Galati Prison. It is the first unit where the hall has already been arranged and the equipment necessary for running the programs has been installed. Next week we will receive the inmates' worksheets by email, we will have to print them, then correct them, after that we will scan them and send them back to the institution. Will be possible to share any digital materials through the computer screen. I have had various correspondences with other units where they are in the process of being ready for such activities. We had discussions with volunteers and they are all ready to resume the ministry. We pray that the Lord will bless the team of volunteers so that we can serve in these conditions as well. In the same way, we pray for you that the Lord will open the gates of the prisons in your country

With love in Christ,

Really Blessed

 We  had a lot of mail today at the Berean office and thankfully plenty of volunteers to help process this mail. Marvin was back from Gulf Shores where he and his family rode out Hurricane Sally. He told us a little about how that came to be and how he would never want to do that again. We did not expect to see Kathy as her mother in law passed away on Sunday. Marvin and Leila were thrilled when she arrived as there were so many request letters to be read.

Aunt Jinny, Shirley, Shirley and mom went right to work opening the mail. Just a side note today was Shirley L's birthday and no one thought to bring her a birthday cake to share.

Thankfully Mark's wife Cathy sent home baked delicious cinnamon rolls

 Mark's wife Cathy sent home baked delicious cinnamon rolls for our treat today.

Bill the director of Berean Prison Ministry arrived. We are always thankful when he comes. Bill takes all the Bibles and studies to the Peoria post office for mailing each week.

Chuck and Bruce were put to work applying labels for the studies.

There was a lot of mail and some of that mail brings a lot of questions.

We ran out of stamped envelopes so Bruce went to work running the postage meter machine. This is his last week here for a while as Bruce will be working on harvest for the next few weeks.

As soon as the mail was all opened and the labels finished mom and Shirley went out to the other room to work on stuffing the outgoing mail.

Joan arrived to take mom to her doctor appointment.

The other Joan arrived to pick up Bible studies for grading for her church. We are so thankful for graders and very very thankful other churches in our area are willing to help with this big job.

The last job of the day was to wrap Bibles. We sent out over 70 today and didn't have many left of the wrapped Bibles. With everyone working we were able to stuff and wrap another 100 Bibles.

Above Bruce is putting them back in the boxes. We do this job in an assembly line with some of us stuffing the first 4 lessons and a welcome letter in each Bible, someone else putting the stuffed Bible in a sleeve and sealing it, someone else applying the address labels, the next person applying the return address, someone else applying the postage stamp and the last person putting the Bible back in the box. It is amazing how quickly we can get this job done. After the last job is done for the day we sit down and enjoy coffee and if we are really blessed dessert by Cathy.

Many Hands Light Work

 We had extra helpers at the Berean office today. Those helpers stretched from very young to 91 and everyone pitched in to get it all done before 11:00 am, even wrapping 3 more boxes of Bibles for next week.

Mark and Lettie brought in our snack made by Mark's wife Cathy and her grand daughter Lettie. Those were delicious and served with coffee.  The mail was taken to the Peoria post office where a very nice lady helped fill all the paper work out. I as thankful for her help.

We really enjoy working together and then enjoy visiting with each other once done. Many hands really do make light work.