HELP US {BELIEVE}

In Mark 9, when a demon possessed boy is taken by his father to Jesus...

"but if you can do anything, have compassion on us & help us." And Jesus said to him" 'if I CAN'! ALL things are possible for one who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out & said "I BELIEVE; help my UNBELIEF."

Jesus CAN do all things, but how often do we not believe, trust or have faith that HE CAN! It's our unbelief that cripples us from experiencing the fullness of the Lord!

benefit{STIR-FRY}meal@NMC

{JOIN US...}

Chicken Stir-Fry Meal by donation

Following church on Sunday April 3rd (11:30ish)

@ Neffsville Mennonite Church

Served family style, so no long lines!

Fruit salad, rolls & dessert buffet!

Hope to see you there!!

{youthAUCTION}

Last Saturday we had a benefit auction at our church for the youth. We are going along with the youth to the youth convention this summer in Pittsburgh. It was so encouraging seeing the congregation support the youth. Over $11,000 was raised!! 

some of the items up for auction

lovely gift baskets

auctioneers working the crowd: thanks Bernie!

the "clerks" not skipping a beat!

{visaAPPROVED}

Our visa was APPROVED!!! Woo hooo! No medical examinations were required- PTL!!! We are so grateful it went through so quickly and with out any problems. Thank you all for your prayers!!

{get to know AUSTRALIA}

Here are some facts, praises, and ways to pray for Australia from "Operation World". They have a great website and also produce an updated book(I think every 10 years) on each countries statistics and how to be praying for them! 

Check it! www.operationworld.org

Australia

Commonwealth of Australia

Pacific

See Prayer Information

Geography

Area: 7,682,300 sq km

This island continent is the world’s driest, but better watered in the east, southeast and southwest coastal regions, where most live in highly concentrated urban areas. There are three permanently inhabited dependent territories: Norfolk Island (35 sq km; 2,037 pop), Christmas Is. (135 sq km; 1,408 pop), Cocos Is. (14 sq km; 591 pop).

Population: 21,507,384    Annual Growth: 1.07%

Capital: Canberra

Urbanites: 89.1%

HDI Rank: 2 of 182 (UN Human Development Reports 2009)

Peoples

Peoples: 143 (8% unreached) All peoples
Unreached Peoples Prayer Card

Official language: English. 20% of the population use English as a second language    Languages: 207 All languages

Religion

Largest Religion: Christian

Religion		Pop %	Ann Gr
Christians	14,947,632	69.50	0.5
Evangelicals	3,106,949	14.4	1.1

Answer to Prayer

Australia’s Christians, particularly evangelicals, are facing the challenges of a post-Christian and multicultural nation with faith, dynamism and considered strategies. Recognizing social change and relative Christian decline, small but growing numbers of ministries and congregations are adapting to become more dynamic in reaching out to the majority population and to become more strategic and missiologically astute in reaching the immigrant minorities, who often come from other faith backgrounds. There is a long way to go, but a transition is becoming visible in Australian Christianity.

Challenge for Prayer

Australia is undergoing many changes, all of which place greater strains and tensions on the nation. Some examples for prayer are:

a) Increasing pluralism and aggressive secularization have taken greater hold of Australia’s public life. A traditionally Christian country, Australia is now characterized more by its diversity of religions under a secular rubric, with increasingly secular laws – especially regarding issues of sexuality, religion and the sanctity of life. Pray that Christian values might not be driven into the margins, but that believers might engage secular society in a productive and relevant manner.

b) Sustained immigration has created a multicultural country – at least in the larger cities – and introduced fast-growing religious and ethnic minorities, with all the attending tensions. These changes enrich the nation in many ways, but they also place clear challenges before those wishing to retain its Christian and/or Anglo-Saxon heritage.

c) Australia’s role as regional peacekeeper and stable democracy is a blessing to many Pacific and Asian countries (Timor, Bougainville, Solomon Islands, others). Thank God for the wherewithal and willpower to save lives abroad, and pray that this role would bond Australians together and establish stability overseas. Attitudes toward refugees and asylum seekers are strained by the constant inflow of people.

d) The precarious ecology is overexploited, in urban settings as much as in rural ones. Australia’s ecology is possibly the most fragile of any continent, and with the years-long drought and increasing use of land and water, serious ramifications for the future must be addressed. It may be that the land itself fails, even if Australian society succeeds. Government and grassroots efforts to preserve Australia’s environment are, however, admirable in their scope and commitment. Pray for wisdom in conservation and stewardship.

More Information

The Operation World book, CD-ROM, and DVD-ROM provide far more information and fuel for prayer for the people of Australia.

{visaUPDATE}

Our Immigration Officer has requested local police criminal checks. We obviously won't be getting those from the "Paradise Police"!!!! so we've sent in Pennsylvania State record clearances. Pray that these are accepted and things continue to move along smoothly!

{prayforJAPAN}

Pray for the people effected by the earthquake & tsunami in Japan.

In times like these you realize how easily earthly things can be destroyed. We're grateful that the kingdom of God can not be shaken!

"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our "God is a consuming fire."  Hebrews 12:28-29

{USAtoAustralia}

We thought this was interesting. See how the USA & Australia are about the same size!

{Colorado}

We are currently siting in the Denver Aiport in Colorado, awaiting our departure back to PA. We've spent a long weekend here skiing & snow boarding with our great friends Jade & Jamie Brubaker. Ashlee was fortunate enough to be able to come out a few days early and spend some time with one of her best friends from YWAM, Kelly. Our time here has reminded us that good friends... great friends are truly a blessing from the Lord!!

Ashlee & Kelly... our only picture together and it's at the car rental place!

skiing Winter Park, CO

the cabriolet from our hotel to the lifts

{guys&DOLLS}

We (the girls) at NMC had a girls night sleepover last weekend. We enjoyed a progressive dinner and then headed back to the Journey House for crafts, games & a movie. Meanwhile we aren't sure exactly what the boys(including Jeremy) were doing but they did in fact sneak in to the Journey House and turn off the power. Unbeknownst to them the emergency, battery operated lights come on when the power goes out. We new instantly it was them.  They returned an hour later and secretly Saran wrapped our cars and cover them with pads(we want to know who the brave soul was that bought them!!).

{make your own burrito at our house}

{STARBURST jelly beans are the best!}

{unfortunately these are the only pictures I have from the night :( }