click to enlarge

Welcome to the 
ZM Online Newsletter 
September/October 2007

 Open House A Great Success!

The ZM open house was so much fun!!  There were about 50 friends and neighbours that came and ate, fellowshipped, played music and just had a great time.  We are so blessed to have such wonderful people in our lives!   Thank you for you prayers and your support.

~~~~~~~~~~

Snowdrops

Despite their country's tremendous oil riches, almost a third of Russians live below the poverty line.  It is estimated that one million of them are so poor that they are forced to live on the streets.  Each year, thousands of people die in Russia from the cold.

As I mentioned in the last article, Moscow has only four 'disinfection centers', the only places where the homeless can go to bathe and wash their clothes. The centers' main purpose is to get rid of infections and parasites.   As they prepare to shower, some are caked in their own faeces.  Their skin is covered in sores and bruises.  Some have scabies and lice and worse, tuberculosis.  There's no dignity there, but the visit could mean the difference between life and death.

People survive any way that they can, the weak ones die, the strong ones survive.  In the winter, thousands of Russian's homeless never wake up.  They literally freeze to death in their sleep.  Many of the bodies aren't discovered until the spring thaw, they're called snowdrops.

I have been called by God to help these people by providing them with one million coats.  I know it seems like an unreachable goal but I know that I can do it with your help.  Please help me help these people in Russia by making a donation to the Zephaniah Ministry Coat Fund.  One hundred percent of these funds will be sent to a missionary in Russia to buy the coats there. - 
Pastor Don Johnson

~~~~~~~~~~

Thank You

My church, Faith Family Center Church of God was having a youth rally for back to school.  I asked my mom (Carra) if Zephaniah Ministries could help with school supplies to give to each child at the rally.  She said that Trecy and Don agreed and ZM donated $75.00 for supplies.  We had a great time with the youth.  There was praise and worship, two dance interpretations, and everyone ate hotdogs, chips and deserts.  Each of the 40 students received a bag with school supplies.  Thank you, Zephaniah Ministries for making the youth rally a success.
God Bless, Brandi Arnold

 ~~~~~~~~~~

Bus Stop or Bus Station?

On August 10th about 6:00pm I was reading my Bible and getting ready to have a quite evening at home after a busy week at work.  While I was reading I heard God say; "Go to the bus station."  I continued to read and again, only stronger I heard God say; "Go to the bus station."   So I decided to go check my mail and walk down to the closest bus stop, which I was sure the Lord really meant, since the bus station down town Dallas is not a great place to be.
The bus stop, which is usually busy, was deserted.  There was no one there and no cars on the street.  I returned home and started reading my Bible, and again I heard God say; "Go to the bus station."  This time I didn't hesitate.  I called Trecy to see if she and Don would ride with me.  Trecy said the she could go.  I told her I would be right there.  I picked her up and she asked me why we were going to the bus station.  I told her that I had no idea, but that God told me to go.  I told her I thought that maybe Malachi (an old friend) was there, she said she thought the same thing when I first called her.
We made it to the bus station and looked for Malachi, fully expecting to see him. Malachi wasn't there but while we looking for him a young man named Mike Bolz approaced us and told us he was diabetic and that he had  just gotten out of the hospital.  He told us he didn't have the money for a bus ticket home.  A lady at the hospital had given him a list of shelters to call.  He had called several of them trying to find a place to stay until he could get the money for a ticket home.  I used the list of shelters he had and tried calling some of them too, but no one had a place for him.  He told us he had not eaten since 7:00am that morning and that he needed to take his insulin. 
I called our friend, Pastor Karen and she said he could stay at the Dallas International Street Chruch.  As we were taking him to the church we asked him how much the ticket would be.  He said around $24.00.  When we realized the ticket was only $24.00 we turned around and took him back to the bus station and Zephainah Ministries was able to buy his supper and a ticket home.
I was glad for the experience and glad I listened to God.  It reminds me that God can use anyone or anything He chooses to.   If you hear from the Lord, I hope you answer Him so you can have an experience with Him and watch your faith grow. 
Thanks to your faithful giving we are able to help others as God leads us.
Pastor Carra Berry

 ~~~~~~~~~~

They Will Know We Are Christians By Our Love

We are one in the Spirit.  We are one in the Lord.  We are one in the Spirit.  We are one in the Lord.  And we pray that our unity may one day be restored.  And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love. 

They will know we are Christians by our love...

About a month ago, Carra and I were in the Wal-Mart Market buying groceries.  As we were checking out the lady in front of us was asking the cashier if she could help her buy or direct her to someone who could help her to buy some food for her family.  She said she only needed a few things just to get by for a couple of days.  She told the cashier that she was getting her check on Monday but that it was Saturday and she needed just enough to make it.  The cashier was polite but said she was unable to help her.  Carra and I overheard the conversation and felt the Lord speak to us...they will know you are Christians by your love...so thanks to all of you who support this ministry we had the money in the ZM account to buy this woman and her family food for a couple of days. 

We called her to the side and told her to go and buy the things she needed to get by until she got her check.  The smile that went across her face was unbelievable!  She took off running to collect the things she needed. She was gone about 10 minutes and came back with bare necessities to make a few meals.  We were so happy to help her and make her life a little bit better!  Thanks to you and your giving you helped her too.  They will know we are Christians by our love...by our love. Trecy

~~~~~~~~~~

Ministry Needs

• Bibles with Large Print
  
• Freezers for Angle Food Ministry
  
• Donations for Coats for Russia
  
• Training Literature
  
• Office Supplies
  
• Donations for Overhead and for "By Our Love..."
  (funds on hand to help others) 

~~~~~~~~~~