Monthly Newsletter
September 2019
Storm to Action
Action. This word is defined as the fact or process of doing something, typically to achieve an aim; to take steps, take measures, take the initiative, move, or react. When we talk about Christian action, however, the meaning of this word suddenly plunges deeper than any of the world’s oceans. When paired with the desire to always glorify God, acting and walking out what He has called us to do is the very evidence of our faith. In last month’s newsletter we presented several needs and initiatives that would enrich our program and the lives of the children we serve, essentially a call to action. The overwhelming response to these needs testifies to the evidence of YOUR faith...yes, YOU, our faithful supporters and coworkers with Christ. We received very generous donations for our school supply drive, as well as 32 pairs of new shoes!! This brings us about halfway to our goal, so keep ‘em coming! Delivering over 75 backpacks filled with tools for success was such a blessing for us, but we were even more blessed to see how relieved and thankful the children were to receive them. We also asked for our supporters to help us buy new projectors, screens, stands, and workbooks through our Amazon wishlist… and our need was met within a week! Absolutely amazing! But if you can believe it, it gets even better. We hadn’t even had the opportunity to present this next need to all of you, but the Lord knew we needed it taken care of sooner. Our yellow bus needed a A/C repair originally estimated around $1200, and not soon after finding out we were given a designated contribution for $1500 to handle the repairs! Even more, our original estimate ended up costing much less, but our white bus ended up needing new batteries, so God provided enough to cover all the repairs we needed. It is truly incredible when we get to just watch God handle everything! He knew exactly what COC needed and provided it all. Special thanks to all of those who extended themselves in these ways, for, “If you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded.” (Matthew 10:42)
And the action and praise for August doesn’t stop there. I had been working very hard to study and take the CDL Class-B tests so that I can drive the yellow bus, and I passed the written tests to earn the CDL learner’s permit! I have been practicing driving the vehicles with Mr. Steve and am hoping to complete the driving tests in the coming weeks, so please keep me in your prayers. I am so thankful to Mr. Steve for taking all the time for driving lessons!
As I write to you this Labor Day weekend, we are in the midst of waiting to see the path of Hurricane Dorian. Although it was a painful decision, we decided it was best to have the children stay at home with their families on September 3rd to ensure their safety and peace of mind. It is in times like these where we often find Christians and unbelievers alike prone to stress and panic when faced with the uncertainty of a storm this size. Even if the storm is predicted to turn early and continue offshore, it is just a prediction and our only certainty is that only God knows its true path. I sure am thankful that my husband and Co-Director is not like most people and truly lives to walk out his Christian action. Justin saw an opportunity to serve the community and represent Christ in a time of need, a need shared by believers and unbelievers, and organized 15 volunteers and students on short notice to fill sandbags at Walsingham Park for people in the community. On Saturday morning they filled over 600 sandbags! I heard story after story about how people were moved to tears because they were so blown away by this selfless act…. “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28) We are privileged to model our faith in the face of the storm, and as a result storm to action when confronted with this adversity. This was hard, manual labor—a living sacrifice—offered to our neighbors, and several of our students worked extremely hard to serve in this way, and did it with joy.
We wanted to do an outing this month with the kids before they went back to school, and we decided to go bowling because many of the kids let us know how much they loved going in the past. We had a great time and have to send out a special thank you to Liberty Lanes in Seminole for their incredible hospitality (and pizza)!
We are so thankful to be in the trenches doing battle with a body of believers that doesn’t hesitate to act when called upon. We always write that we can’t do this without you, and it is true. Looking forward to sharing what God will do next! Blessings!
Prayers: Please continue to pray God’s peace, love, and mercy over the Bahamas and any other victims of Hurricane Dorian. May any hardship and suffering open the door for Christ to make himself known!
In His Service,
Justin & Shannon Tellez