Today I met with Brett Durbin with the Trash Mountain project to get to know him and the ministry better. This is a man and a ministry that I really like.
Brett is graduating from Asbury Seminary next weekend with a master’s degree in Christian Leadership. He has served most recently as the college pastor at a large church here in Lakeland. His passion, though, is The Trash Mountain Project.
We connected a couple of weeks ago as I heard him speak about the work among some of the most impoverished kids in the world; Kids that forage through mountains of trash for their daily subsistence. These kids are knee deep in decaying garbage, walk among used hypodermic needles laced with HIV/AIDS and other extremely communicable diseases while they search for anything that may be sold to provide for their family. Oftentimes, these kids are as young as 6 years old. The Trash Mountain Project is building homes for the families that live in shanties on city dumps.
Hope Church is partnering with the Trash Mountain Project as our global mission. We have agreed to provide whatever leadership we can to help them accomplish their mission. At the same time, we are connecting with people who are looking for a new church in Lakeland who have also been touched by this global ministry.
Please pass the link around to your friends and family members. Let’s make this viral. If you could, please also pass this link around to anyone who has an organization or a trust who helps fund caring for the most impoverished kids around the world.
http://TrashMountainProject.com/Media.asp
Finally, if you would, please post the link above to the videos of this vital ministry as your Facebook status.
Sincerely,
Paul
Friday, December 4, 2009
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
And God says, "Jim Peters, my servant, come home. Be healed"
Today, a dear friend and an unbelievable servant of the Lord, has been healed in eternity.
Jim Peters closed his eyes on this side of eternity and now STANDS in the presence of God. You see, Jim Peters has lived with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig ’s Disease) for 20 years or so. I had the pleasure to serve Jim as his pastor at Woodbine and also count that time as “serving together.” Jim compiled computer graphics, created forms and was often a sounding board for my off-the-wall ideas.
Recently, Jim was ordained as a pastor and together with his wife, Pastor Deborah Peters, founded the Sozo ministry . Jim never let his disease stop his activity, though it limited his ability. Jim attended Promise Keepers conferences, served on many ministry teams and prayed for people, often times for their healing. Jim’s greatest gift was his unquenchable encouraging spirit.
Jim will be sorely missed, but not forever. We will be reunited with Jim when we are blessed to be where he now stands.
Paul Malson
ps..... Jim was the only person who I allowed to bite my fingers as I fed him McDonald French Fies.
Jim Peters closed his eyes on this side of eternity and now STANDS in the presence of God. You see, Jim Peters has lived with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig ’s Disease) for 20 years or so. I had the pleasure to serve Jim as his pastor at Woodbine and also count that time as “serving together.” Jim compiled computer graphics, created forms and was often a sounding board for my off-the-wall ideas.
Recently, Jim was ordained as a pastor and together with his wife, Pastor Deborah Peters, founded the Sozo ministry . Jim never let his disease stop his activity, though it limited his ability. Jim attended Promise Keepers conferences, served on many ministry teams and prayed for people, often times for their healing. Jim’s greatest gift was his unquenchable encouraging spirit.
Jim will be sorely missed, but not forever. We will be reunited with Jim when we are blessed to be where he now stands.
Paul Malson
ps..... Jim was the only person who I allowed to bite my fingers as I fed him McDonald French Fies.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Giving Thanks for the Body
2050 Thanksgiving Meals
Thanksgiving Day, Vivian, Amber, Robby and I took the morning and early afternoon to serve. It is a tradition that we started many years ago. This year, we partnered with eight churches to serve 2050 meals to families in the greater area. This is our first year but not the first year of this ministry.
Four years ago, a small group of Christ followers discovered that a local meals-on-wheels agency provided no meals for Thanksgiving. This is totally understandable when they serve 200 meals per day for 364 days (by the way, that is 72,800 meals per year). These individuals decided to stand in the gap and provide meals for those 200individuals.
A few years later, this ministry has blossomed to include 60 volunteers and 2050 Thanksgiving meals. Volunteers smoked and carved 180 turkeys, heated 100 gallons of corn and green beans and made cornbread dressing with 350 loaves of seasoned bread. Four people compiled 2100 containers of cranberry sauce. Drivers and assistants completed 50 routes to deliver all 2050 meals. Needless to say, it is a huge undertaking and growing every year.
The recipients include those alone and unable to provide for themselves or their family, as well as a group of migrant farm workers. Drivers met families in homes who, literally, were in tears of…well….thanksgiving.
We arrived home at 1:30pm and Robby and I quickly lit the grill to smoke our Turkey breast. Vivian and Amber prepared all the side dishes. Later for supper, we enjoyed our feast.
More importantly, though, we were thankful for the body of Christ doing what the body of Christ should do – taking care of others.
http://www.HopeChurchLakeland.org
Thanksgiving Day, Vivian, Amber, Robby and I took the morning and early afternoon to serve. It is a tradition that we started many years ago. This year, we partnered with eight churches to serve 2050 meals to families in the greater area. This is our first year but not the first year of this ministry.
Four years ago, a small group of Christ followers discovered that a local meals-on-wheels agency provided no meals for Thanksgiving. This is totally understandable when they serve 200 meals per day for 364 days (by the way, that is 72,800 meals per year). These individuals decided to stand in the gap and provide meals for those 200individuals.
A few years later, this ministry has blossomed to include 60 volunteers and 2050 Thanksgiving meals. Volunteers smoked and carved 180 turkeys, heated 100 gallons of corn and green beans and made cornbread dressing with 350 loaves of seasoned bread. Four people compiled 2100 containers of cranberry sauce. Drivers and assistants completed 50 routes to deliver all 2050 meals. Needless to say, it is a huge undertaking and growing every year.
The recipients include those alone and unable to provide for themselves or their family, as well as a group of migrant farm workers. Drivers met families in homes who, literally, were in tears of…well….thanksgiving.
We arrived home at 1:30pm and Robby and I quickly lit the grill to smoke our Turkey breast. Vivian and Amber prepared all the side dishes. Later for supper, we enjoyed our feast.
More importantly, though, we were thankful for the body of Christ doing what the body of Christ should do – taking care of others.
http://www.HopeChurchLakeland.org
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