YWAM Photos of Stephanie

Make a Smilebox postcard

A Personal Story From A World Vision Artist Associate - Flyleaf

Flyleaf With Rwanda Genocide Survivors

When rock band Flyleaf visited World Vision projects in Rwanda, it was a strange gig. They spent time with genocide survivors and children suffering from AIDS. Singer Lacey Mosley reflects on her experiences.

"I met a woman who is a caregiver for several people with AIDS. We got to listen to her story and meet her 10-year-old son, Eric, who stole my heart with his smile and the warmth of his embrace. I told them that my brother’s name is Eric, and the mother said, “Now my Eric is your brother, too.” Then his mother said something in her language, and the boy’s face fell dramatically. His sadness just radiated from his body, and he would no longer make eye contact. The interpreter said, “His mother says that Eric is HIV-positive.” Eric got up to leave, keeping his head down. I stood up and took his arm and pulled him to myself to hug him tightly. His countenance lifted and he would not let go. I tried so hard not to let him know that I was crying inside. The mother went on to explain she herself had contracted AIDS when she was raped during the genocide. This is something that World Vision is working to alleviate—the stigma that comes with AIDS."

Love Extravagantly

From Our Friends from Kenya, Isaac & Emily Mukwey - Please pray for the ministry they are doing and for the loss of Isaac's father recently. These are very special people.
-----------------------------
Dear Dennis & Wendy,

Thank you again for the loverly words and blessing words and also about my dad. Yes now things are quite,in town like Nakuru and Eldoret and others as well as Webuye but now we are experiencing more from the father.We rise up Oh warriors of God and declare this day the power of He who has risen and conquered death, hell, and the grave. Let us not be victims of what the news says, or allow our government to be dictated by the financial means of the politicians, but by the people of God who have been called by His name. Let us humble ourselves to come into the unity of His faith declaring, "through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear" (Heb. 11:3). Let us come out of our complacency and get passionate to be the ambassadors of our Heavenly Father taking back what the locusts have tried to rob from God's children. The earth belongs to our Heavenly Father, and the fullness of it. It is up to us to know who we are in Christ Jesus and allow the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts to be the voice of our Father that says it. and it is so.

We are praying for you that the lord will bring you to Kenya one day so that we share together the message of the kingdom not only I and you but I with your and you with your people. We are praying for these and we believe one day this day will come for us to meet face to face.

We don't yet see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won't be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We'll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us! But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love."And God said." (Genesis 1) and it was done.

Be blessed in Christ Jesus,
In his loveIsaac and Emily

Many Excuses Are No Excuse At All

There is only one reason and it is stated in the first paragraph of the article. The rest is smoke and mirrors. And yet homosexual behavior continues to be promoted more than ever as "normal and healthy". This disease is more than just a disease - it is an accurate real-life application of the end zone of where rebellion against God leads.

H.I.V. Diagnosis Rates Continue to Rise Among Young Men, African-Americans

By DAVID TULLER

Published: June 27, 2008

Diagnoses of H.I.V. and AIDS in men who have sex with men rose significantly between 2001 and 2006 while declining in other demographic groups, the federal Centers for Disease Control reported Thursday.

• Among African-American men of all ages who have sex with men, the annual increase in diagnoses was 1.9 percent.

Experts said yesterday that the new statistics were an ominous -- but not necessarily surprising -- indicator that the epidemic continues to flourish among gay men more than 25 years after it began.

“It’s a grim report,” said Dr. Ronald Stall, an epidemiologist and professor of public health at the University of Pittsburgh. “It means roughly speaking that about half of the American AIDS epidemic is occurring among a few percent of the adult population. And the terrible trends we’re seeing among white gay men are even amplified further among minority men.”

Sex between men accounted for more than 97,000 new diagnoses over the six years, almost half of the total number, according to the C.D.C. report.

In contrast, diagnoses attributed to high-risk heterosexual contact and injection-drug use declined annually by, respectively, 4.4 percent and 9.5 percent.

The findings were published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the C.D.C.’s widely read public health journal. The data were based on reporting from 33 states and did not include statistics from some with large gay and minority populations, including California, Illinois and Georgia.

The agency noted, however, that the racial disparities presented in the report generally reflected national trends in the epidemiology of AIDS.

The agency reported that some of the rise could stem from higher rates of H.I.V. testing among men who have sex with men but added that “available data suggest that these increases cannot be explained by increases in testing alone.”

The C.D.C. recently launched a new H.I.V. reporting system designed to differentiate between recent and older infections. Data from the new effort should become available later this year, according to the agency, and will help experts more accurately track the impact of H.I.V. prevention programs.

Jennifer Hecht, education director at the Stop AIDS Project in San Francisco, said that lack of access to information was a key factor in the increase in infection rates.

“In a lot of ways this is connected to the administration’s policy of emphasizing abstinence-only education,” she said. “And the high rates we see among black men and other minorities indicate that it’s very much connected to larger issues like poverty and racism.”

Dr. Richard Wolitski, acting director of the C.D.C.’s Division of H.I.V./AIDS Prevention, said that several factors could be fueling the increase in diagnoses, particularly among younger men.

“Because of the new treatments, some men perceive it to be a less severe disease than it once was,” he said. “And this is a new generation that hasn’t been personally affected in the same way that older men have been.”

H.I.V. Diagnosis Rates Continue to Rise Among Young Men, African-Americans - NYTimes.com

Food prices exact a harsh toll on hungry children worldwide

June 2008 - By Andrea Dearborn, World Vision U.S

( Blogger's Note: where evil abounds, grace can and should abound even more - we who know the truth must walk in it no matter if it costs us more. We aren't called to give less in hard times, we are called to give more. This shows the love and abounding grace on the earth of our Father in Heaven and is what separates us from the unbeliever. Perfect love casts out fear so that the spirit of fear doesn't rule us. We know that our Father will reward us for sharing the little we may have because of our own expenses rising.)

As food and fuel costs continue to climb, desperate families are resorting to extreme measures to cope. World Vision profiles five places where the crisis is particularly severe.

Fatima, 11, is engaged to a wealthy older man who gave her parents $6,000 in exchange. They had no other way to afford food.
Photo ©2008 Mary Kate MacIsaac/World Vision

Whether eliciting stunned eyebrow raises or horrified sobs, grocery bills and gas prices are taking their toll. People from Seattle to Miami and Afghanistan to Zambia are frantically trying to find ways to cope. Those already struggling to survive are falling deeper into poverty, and the previously self-sufficient are now begging for help.

Children are often the hardest hit, and impoverished communities are the first to suffer, as these stories illustrate.

Afghanistan: Girls sold for food

In Afghanistan, where more than half of all children under age 5 are chronically malnourished, some parents are forced to take extreme measures — selling their pre-teen daughters as wives for older, affluent men.

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat..."
—Matthew 25:35 (NIV)

"We didn't want to sell her," says the mother of 11-year-old Fatima. "We wanted to wait until she was 20. But we were forced to. There was no other way."
Fatima is now engaged to a man who gave her parents $6,000. "We have no money," her mother continues. "These days, the high price of food is affecting us in a bad way … we are borrowing money just to buy food."

Georgia: Abandoned to orphanages

In the nearby nation of Georgia, parents are abandoning their children to orphanages, institutions where some food is guaranteed. "I made the hardest decision of my life," says Marina, a mother of six. "Taking my children to the orphanage was the only solution for us; otherwise, they would die of hunger."

Chile: Living by bread alone

Berta, left, a 41-year-old mother in Chile, spends a quarter of her income just on bread.
Photo ©2008 Renato Hernandez/World Vision

In Chile, the price of bread has tripled since January. As a single mother, Berta spends a quarter of her income on bread alone. She cooks every other day to save on fuel and no longer buys chicken, only bones. "The children get hungry," she says. "Everything is so expensive, and I must give them something to eat."

Senegal: No food until October

In Senegal, after tear gas and riot gear dispersed protests against high food prices, people like Marie Diouf, mother of six, are left waiting. Last year's food production was poor, and the next harvest isn't until October. "There is a long way before the next harvest," says Marie. "This situation sinks us into deep poverty and misery."

Mongolia: Education suffers from hunger

On good days, Garangsuren, an 8-year-old girl in Mongolia, eats one cup of broth with flour for dinner. Other days, she only drinks tea or eats a fried piece of flour. She often goes hungry. As food prices increase, it's becoming harder for Garangsuren to stay in school. Her growling stomach makes concentration difficult, and though education is free, her family cannot afford school supplies.

World Vision: An urgent and long-term response

Watch a video featuring an interview with World Vision's Andrea Dearborn, who traveled to the impoverished nation of Haiti, where the food crisis is a source of misery for millions.

Today, for families whose cooking pots and stomachs are empty, World Vision is saving lives by providing essential provisions of food. With the future in mind, we are also helping farmers grow healthy, nutritious crops, and enabling entrepreneurs to establish and grow businesses.
Immediate food aid and long-term assistance are key tools to fight hunger and the food insecurity that causes chronic or emergency shortages of nutrition around the world.
But higher food prices mean World Vision can't help as many people this year. World Vision is asking the U.S. government to increase its response to the global food crisis to ensure that we are doing all we can to address the needs of the most hungry.
"Here in the U.S., we may feel the pinch on our budgets, too — but we can still put food on our tables. But the poorest families in the world live on $1 a day," says Robert Zachritz, World Vision's director of advocacy and government relations. "They have no safety net. When food prices rise by 50 percent, it is devastating.
"Congress is considering adding $850 million in funding for food in 2008, but it's still pending. In order to save lives, Congress needs to act quickly."

Learn more

>> Read an article about a mother in Haiti whose severely malnourished son was saved through interventions from World Vision.
>> Read more about the global food crisis and how World Vision is responding to it.

Four ways you can help

>> Pray for children and families around the world suffering from hunger and malnutrition, especially parents who are resorting to extreme measures to cope with the crisis. Pray also that aid agencies like World Vision would be equipped with the resources necessary to respond effectively to this global emergency.
>> Contact your members of Congress to support increased funding for food aid to respond to the global food crisis.
>> Donate now to help provide food and care to children suffering from the current food crisis. Your gift will multiple six times in impact to bring life-saving support to those who need it most.
>> Give monthly to help provide food and agricultural assistance to children suffering from hunger. For just $20 per month, you can help save lives.

Food prices exact a harsh toll on hungry children worldwide

Our Young People Need Us

 

Ephesians 6:4 “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”

More and more, we are seeing the devastating effects of our Post-Christian culture upon our young people.  We are now beginning to understand the horror that the Lord knows when people don't have knowledge of the truth.  Our kids have been left out in the mad rush to self-gratification that started with the "Woodstock" generation.  Could this be the "wormwood" that is spoken of in Revelation?  Our kids need us.  They need us to grow up and become adults that they can model themselves after, that they can depend upon to show unselfish and pure qualities.  Our kids need to see that we care about them.

Let's all please stop exasperating our children by making them live in a no-win expectancy.  Let's help them to know the truth that makes free by deciding to know the truth ourselves and to walk in it.  We want them to go through the door that leads to life.  We will have to go through ourselves in order to lead them.

Blessings,

Wendy & Dennis

Gotcha!

It seems that everything we do or say has become suspect. The most innocent remarks of political candidates and their supporters are the subject of endless conjecture by pundits and the pc speech police. We all are starting to feel the pressure of the looming GOTCHA! and it doesn't matter if we are prince or pauper. We listened to the media rants this week regarding John Hagee's beliefs in the second coming of Christ as if somehow that is just SOOOOO un-pc and un-kind, blah, blah, blah....

Why do we care what others say who don't believe what we believe? How can we even expect them to understand? Why should we be shocked that they don't understand? I think it is great that John Hagee gets to explain what he means when he said something 10 or 20 years ago. But the point is - the world is getting pretty touchy. But we shouldn't. I see a lot of folks in a perpetually bad mood and expecting everybody else to just fall into line and join them there.

We are to be salt and light. What does that mean? It means, bend a little, even a lot. Smile, Jesus loves you. Be open handed and friendly. Be very slow to take offense, if at all. Our daughter is in Master's Commission and is learning a lot about being humble and serving. I pray that she is also learning to be friendly and that her mentors are modeling love and friendliness because these two things are the hallmark of true humility. We get caught up in all the issues of our times and we don't want to make mistakes in our walk. But we need to remember that LOVE COVERS A MULTITUDE OF SINS. And love is patient, love is kind, it isn't puffed up, it forgives a wrong and it never fails.

So if you are looking at others through a microscope and second-guessing their motives and words. Stop it. There's way too much GOTCHA! going on the world. What the world needs is love, sweet love. And that Love is Jesus who died for each and every one of us while we were yet still sinners.

Blessings to all, Dennis & Wendy

Thank You For Standing Up For The Children Of This World

This came in and we wanted to share it because it really is great to hear from people about how this ministry affects their lives. It is such an encouragement to us when we receive them because these letters help us to continue amid all of the adversity we face to know that our commitment to ministry is making a difference in people's lives. These dear people are from Freedom Road Church in Springfield, OH a place we have had the privilege of ministering at for many years now.

Denny,

We just wanted to say thank you! We know what you do, you do for the Lord, not for personal thanks or recognition. But we still want to thank you.

Thank you for the magical way you bring God's Word to life. Thank you for being so willing to be used as His instrument. And thank you for standing up for the children of this world. In a time when so many are "me, me, me" and otherwise would push these children to the side without a second thought, you are willing to go out with God's Word and say "Look, look at them, this is what we are forgetting, God's precious children."

So thank you for opening eyes and hearts every where you go. We praise God that you came into our lives! You are in our prayers!

Love, Rick & Julie Gillespie
Freedom Road Church, Springfield, OH

God's Ways Show In God's People

This past couple of weeks we were blessed in so many ways that if felt as if the Lord just couldn't' hug us enough and we are left breathless and in awe of His greatness. The Lord sent His people into our lives to become ministering angels in such amazing and powerful ways that we knew that His hand of affirmation was upon us and the work He has given us to do.

One angel came last Friday until Tuesday in the guise of David Schmidt. A young Christian man who is traveling across the county meeting people, staying with who ever takes him in and sharing what God is doing in his life while delighting to hear all of the things the Lord is doing in the lives of his hosts. We were able to take David around and introduce him to several of our very good friends and take him to our wonderful church. The fellowship and breaking of bread was so incredibly sweet! David became a friend and a brother to us and we ask that you remember him in prayer as he goes here and there for the next 2 months. If you want to know more about David and his journey, visit http://american-journey.blogspot.com/. You will be blessed. Also, don't forget to drop him a line and encourage him on his way.

At the same time that David was with us, we met and had the blessing of fellowship with yet two more of God's angels, Carl Carmody of Australia and his friend Graham. Carl & Graham are traveling around the world to interest Christians and churches in the evangelistic newspaper, Challenge News, the good news newspaper. Challenge News has been around for 26 years and is distributed in many nations. The really neat thing about this paper is that churches and individuals can order copies of their country's editions and hand them out to friends and strangers alike. Carl puts its so wonderfully when he says "Long after you and I are gone, the paper will still be there to witness to the truth." Challenge receives 100’s of letters per month from people who have committed their lives to Christ. These men became great friends and brothers in a very short space of time and we are now pleased as can be to distribute papers where ever we go on our own travels. If you want to learn more, please visit http://challengenews.org and pray that Carl and Graham's ministry will be warmly and enthusiastically received and that they find many friends to partner with them in their quest to bring the Good News.

More blessings last weekend include Dennis' long desired trip to Hoffmantown Church's Kid Stuff children's ministry. He had so much fun and blessing being there. The fellowship with the workers and teachers was warm and fulfilling and he could see the Spirit of the Lord on each face as they most sincerely applied themselves to this precious ministry. He is gone so much that he hasn't had the opportunity to really know what the Lord is doing with the children in our own church. Please pray for all the teachers and staff at Kid Stuff . It is an area where constant prayer is needed so that discouragement doesn't come to swallow up the victory. He said "I know what they need that would really help them - they just need prayer."

Now, if that weren't enough, we were blessed by yet two more dear angels when we opened our paypal account online and saw that the Lord had impressed upon them to bless DCM with an incredibly generous love offering that truly couldn't have come at a more critical time! As you know, our ministry is to give a cold cup of water to all who are thirsty by giving Scripture in its pure form. We do this in drama. Dennis doesn't memorize Scripture, he internalizes it. What that means is he let's God's Word live in him and define his life and actions so that he may sincerely minister the Word of God to others. Free will love offerings are the only source of our funding and we are so blessed to know that the Lord is always insuring this work will continue.

Last weekend we were immersed in so many ways in Jesus' Sermon to His people. We want to encourage all who read this that God's Word is true and living and that it can be totally trusted. We don't know what God is going to do, but what we do know is that He is faithful and will always act kindly and lovingly toward us. He only asks that we do the same for others and that isn't too much to ask. In fact it is a serious blessing to be able to be kind to one another. Dear Friends, please pray for us, that we will continue faithfully without faltering in the work and witness He has asked of us. Pray that our venues will receive us warmly so that they can get the most out of the ministry that we bring and will in turn be able to share the wonderful things of God with others. We are blessed to be a blessing and those who want a blessing must be a blessing. God's economy is to let us both freely receive and freely give.

Oh yes, more blessings! Wendy's sister came to visit and they were blessed with a sweet time of fellowship. Our sweet little bird, Stephanie, called several times to chirp to us all the many blessings coming her way and we drank in her happiness and thanked the Lord for His mercy and kindness. Family is a blessing. We're so glad that we are a part of the family of God, just think of how wonderful is the eternity awaiting us!

Time and again the enemy goes after us with his favorite acronym, F.E.A.R (false evidence appearing real), to try to discourage us. Many times, in the midst of blessings and ministry, there he is, malevolent and sinister, cunning and false. But, having lots of experience of his tactics since we have been in ministry over 20 years,we are able to hold fast to the truth and comfort each other with Scripture and prayer. We need not fear, there are angels all around us.

Blessings & Love,
Dennis & Wendy

Two Traveling Angels

Have you had an experience lately that is unfair and undeserved? Have you tried your best, prayed your prayers, fulfilled your commitments and yet you have still seemed to receive only an unjust reward from fate, friends, family or employers? Read the parable below of the Two Traveling Angels. The Lord sees everything and He truly cares for and guards those who care for Him, and His brethren.

Two traveling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family. The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the mansion's guest room. Instead the angels were given a small space in the cold basement. As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it. When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied, 'Things aren't always what they seem.'

The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very hospitable farmer and his wife. After sharing what little food they had the couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night's rest. When the sun came up the next morning the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears. Their only cow, whose milk had been their sole income, lay dead in the field.

The younger angel was infuriated and asked the older angel how could you have let this happen? The first man had everything, yet you went out of your way to help him! The second family had little but was willing to share everything, and yet you let the cow die.

'Things aren't always what they seem,' the older angel replied. 'When we stayed in the basement of the mansion, I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall. Since the owner was so obsessed with greed and unwilling to share his good fortune, I sealed the wall so he wouldn't find it. ''Then last night as we slept in the farmers bed, the angel of death came for his wife. I gave him the cow instead.

Things aren't always what they seem.' No matter what things seem to be, if you have been faithful you can also have faith and trust that every outcome is always to your advantage. You just might not know it until some time later...

Some people come into our lives and quickly go..

Some people become friends and stay awhile.

...leaving beautiful footprints on our hearts...

and we are never quite the same

because we have made a good friend!!

Yesterday is history.Tomorrow a mystery. Today is a gift.

That's why it's called the present!

...live and savor every moment...

This is not a dress rehearsal!

Right Now..

somebody is thinking of you.

somebody is caring about you.

somebody misses you

somebody wants to talk to you.

somebody wants to be with you.

somebody hopes you aren't in trouble.

somebody is thankful for the support you have provided.

somebody wants to hold your hand.

somebody hopes everything turns out all right.

somebody wants you to be happy.

somebody is celebrating your successes.

somebody wants to give you a gift.

somebody thinks that you ARE a gift.

somebody admires your strength.

somebody is thinking of you and smiling.

somebody wants to be your shoulder to cry on.

somebody needs what you have to give

somebody loves you.

Remember - Never take away any one's hope. That may be all they have to see them through and all they have in the world to share with others.

We pray that this helps you and gives you hope and joy in spite of all your circumstances that may surround you.

Love & Blessings,

Dennis & Wendy

Following Where He Leads

We have been pretty busy since last post. Dennis took a trip to the Midwest in ministered in Northern Indiana and Michigan. The weather was terrible and he had some really interesting times driving in the snow on 80-90. Praise the Lord for his protection! He came home looking really haggard but has perked up a lot in the last couple of days, sort of like a flower who got some much needed water. On his trip he was able to minster to a group of 5 churches in South Bend, Indiana, another church in Indiana, the Portage Manor mental health facility in South Bend and a church in Michigan. He stayed for a few days at the Mennonite retreat center, Camp Amigo, in Sturgis, MI - Amish country! Though he didn't get as much writing done as he would have liked, still it was lovely he told me with all the fresh snow on the ground. This is a wonderful place if you even want a quiet pastoral place to go either alone or with a group.

While Dennis was away, God treated our home (and me!) to a 4 day visit from out of town people on their way to minister in India. This dear couple was such a blessing of fellowship to me. We became friends and Dennis was able to meet them on their last day here. We even had the privilege of praying for them and sending them on their way. When you meet people who have given it ALL up to the Lord and you have a chance to really get to know them, you feel a deep sense of God's favor and love. This young couple has given up comfort, home, family, career, possessions, native language, and even their pets to serve the Lord. And not only that, she gives up many of her personal freedoms as a woman as well in order to serve closely with a Muslim population. I am not allowed to name them on the Internet but you can email me if you are interested in praying for their ministry.

Dennis and I feel more and more led to travel to India and Africa as the Lord leads. We don't feel called to be full time in those countries but the Lord is burdening our hearts for those countries to train and raise up teams to minister there. His Word is so powerful and healing and freeing. We have received many requests now for both India and Africa to come and minister. Please pray about this. All we would need is money to travel because we would be taken care of once we get there. It is expensive to travel and our ministry is mostly a month to month provision from the Lord through gifts and love offerings. Pray that our ministry venues would be especially generous and that this ministry would be remembered in prayer and giving by many people.

May the Lord bless each of you with a joyous spring filled with beauty and grace.

Wendy & Dennis

Happy Resurrection Sunday

It came early this year. Who can figure the timing out? But the most important thing is that "He IS Risen!" This message is so present, so out of time and the closer we get to Him the more we understand and appreciate what He did that Holy week long ago. How can we thank Him for His glorious gift? We can drink from His saving cup, and call upon His Name.

This year we had the honor of visiting a congregation in the Jemez mountains on a reservation. It is a small Assemblies of God group. The pastor there and his wife are both 70+ years young and this is what they chose to do instead of retiring. They came from Modesto, CA. 4 years ago and lived until recently in the back of the church property in their mobile home. Now, thanks to a group of faithful friends back home, they have a manufactured home to live in. These were wealthy people in their previous life. They had a business they sold and then got their ministry credentials.

The Sunday we were there, Easter, there were about 20 people present. Out of 20 people 2 people received salvation and 2 families sponsored children. The word that comes to us is "mustard seed of faith". This is precisely why we go wherever the Lord opens the door. We can't know what He has in mind. We are servants and He is the Master. What we do know is that as long as He calls us we are blessed to be obedient. This tiny congregation were kind and hospitable and the fellowship was sweet. This is what the Christian life is all about. To go where He leads and to receive the blessing that comes from obediance.

The angel said to Mary Magdalene 2000 years ago "Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here!" Truly, there is life and all we need to do is seek Him to find that life. We can't always expect to get treated well, indeed sometimes we have been treated badly. But we don't need to feel badly because we know we have an enemy that tries to discourage God's people. What we can always expect is for the Lord to be with us as we choose to abide in Him. He always encourages us and lets us know that how we treat even the least of His brethren, so have we treated Him. We Christians are all recipients of His Grace and His Life as we understand that our blessing is to know these things - and to do them. The pastor and His wife at the Assemblies of God in the Jemez chose to go and make disciples instead of retire. They are both blessed and a blessing. We chose to go forth as the Lord leads, traveling and meeting new people, presenting the opportunity for salvation and the opportunity to sponsor through World Vision. It isn't easy. But it is Blessed.

May The Son Of Righteousness Rise In You Too!
Dennis & Wendy

NEW DCM site change!

NEW DCM site change! - DCM has a new updated website! Thanks to Wendy for all the hard work, it took about a year to get it together so tell us what you think. We haven't got the photos up but they are coming soon.

New projects and presentations are in the works. DCM's newest presentation, Acts I & II, is doing great! This is the telling from Luke all about the wonderful things of God and is a wonderful witness to the church today to become more enthusiastic about what God has done and is doing.

DCM is in the process of expanding its ministry to include more kinds of productions. We are also looking into getting a local company together. Dennis has been talking to Christian film makers and and is considering work on scripts. Our new board of directors is almost in place and will have its first meeting very soon. We have movies for sale on our table at a discounted rate from Rich and Dave Christiano of 5 & 2 productions and christianmovies.com. These are the same folks who produced "The Time Changers", a movie we HIGHLY recommend. Dave's new movie is coming to theaters Feb 15 "ME & YOU, US, FOREVER - ww.meyouusforever.com - and we recommend you all get out to see it and support the Christian film industry.

Our work with Faith Lutheran Church here in Albuquerque is going really well. The Marketplace VBS has worked incredibly well for their Sunday school program and it has been a real joy and blessing to work with these people and the kids.

Prayers needed for all of this, this goes without saying and thank you for blessing us with prayers and friendship.

On the home front, daughter Stephanie has joined Master's Commission, a young adult's discipleship program. She has the option of staying one, two or three years. Included in the program is a B.A. degree in 3 years in Bible. (if she chooses to stay). We HIGHLY recommend Master's Commission to people as a more than better alternative to attending college right out of highschool. The program builds Christian character and strengthens the faith of young people for the rigors of adult life. You can visit Masters Commission International on the web to find out more. There are dozens of programs to choose from and the age is 18 - 24. Stephanie is learning how to serve with real faith and how to rely on the Lord. It is a difficult program and requires up-front commitments to not date or be in a relationship and to give yourself fully to the program during your time. Some programs are for a full year at a time and some are for the school year. All of them include a mission trip somewhere and the tuition for all of them range in costs but include room and board as well as tuition costs.

We were blessed to be home for the entire month of December. Dennis had been traveling extensively throughout the summer and fall and he sorely needed the break (and so did Wendy). Stephanie came home for Christimas for a week and we had a wonderful reunion. It has been difficult for us to get used to our empty nest, especially for Wendy. But we talk often with Stephanie on the phone and its not too bad.

We pray you have a blessed winter and that 2008 has started well for you. Keep looking up, our hope is in Him and Him alone!

Dennis & Wendy