It's Been a While

Sorry everyone, I should have been updating this more regularly with all that is going on, but with all that is going on it has been difficult to find the time! Our first service was April 11th and it went very well. Richard Iderosa is our senior pastor and is a very gifted speaker while his wife Barbara is heading up worship. I am working with the youth and Carol is doing Children's Church for now. Please pray for Rich as he has a busy full-time position for a global company and is in the midst of moving out to Pahokee from the coast as well. We spent a lot of time prior to our first service getting the church part of the building ready. We have had two more services since then and our attendance is about 10 (for now). Then again, churches aren't about numbers or buildings, but about individual lives. Last week we had one profession of faith - so God is already working through our church!

This week we are preparing for our first mission team, headed by Jason Repsher, to come and help us complete the pantry and community center parts of the building. If all goes well, the interior of the building will be completely renovated when they leave. Pinelands Community Church is holding a food/clothing drive for us too. We are so thankful to all that Pinelands has been to us, and what they do for us as well! The 15-passenger van that the mission team is driving down here will be donated to our church and my twin brother Dave is driving down to pick the team up and bring them back to Pennsylvania. He will also be delivering the proceeds of the food/clothing drive. The van is an answer to prayer as we have many in our community that cannot get to church on their own.

Please continue to pray for us as we continue to reach out and show the love of Christ to everyone in the community. Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is (Ephesians 5:15-17). Last week was our biggest week for the food pantry. We gave out 123 bags of food over the two days. We are beginning to run low on food once we are halfway through the second day, so please pray for more food sources to come available to us. Barbara has had pantries open in many different buildings around Pahokee for the last 10 years and works diligently at the pantry, applying for grants and counseling women at both our location and others. So we are all very busy seeking God's wisdom for balance.

We hope to have more mission teams down here in the future to help us reach out into the community in different ways. Isn't it amazing how God gives us the wisdom of His will and the perseverence to carry it out and the blessings for doing so?

Peace through Grace,

Doug & Family