Partners on Mission

Greetings Friends!

Martie and I trust this update finds you well and walking in the power of the One who redeemed us.

We just returned from a brief sabbatical .... well sort of. We took some time away to draw close to the Lord and get some rest. It was accented with some doctor appointments and meetings. But only lightly accented :o) Robert and Sue Lumpkin tended to the camp while we are gone. We are glad we went but are also glad to be back home ...

As you know, Hurricane Dean has come and gone. Folks here were watching it closely .... This is the first time that Martie and I have been on the preparation end of things ... there are many who are ill-prepared for evacuation even after their encounter with Katrina... One couple told us that they did not know where they would go if they had to evacuate ... I suspect there are many who share the same worry. Most of these folks don't have the money to stay in hotels. Shelters can be very difficult places especially for older folks and children.

If anyone who is reading this would be interested in hosting someone who is evacuating the Gulf Coast because of a storm, please let us know. Also if there are limitations - pets or no pets - children - special needs - This fits in with the virtual volunteers ministry that we have talked about in the past. Practically speaking, hosting someone who is evacuating would most likely mean you live in Mississippi, Alabama, or Georgia ... a place that is within one day's driving distance. They would be people that we have helped in some way so we could give you some background on them. Anyway if that resonates with your heart ... let us know.

A Word for You

If you have been reading these updates for any time at all you know that I will always use the opportunity to "beat the drum" for volunteering on the Gulf. Not everyone feels called to come here ... the Lord will call those whom He calls .... our challenge is to hear Him and then to obey Him.

In the study Experiencing God (some of you may remember this study), Henry Blackaby talked about seven principles ...

God is always at work around you.

God pursues a continuing love relationship with you that is real and personal.

God invites you to become involved with Him in His work.

God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church to reveal Himself, His purposes, and His ways.

God's invitation for you to work with Him always leads you to a crisis of belief that requires faith and action.

You must make major adjustments in your life to join God in what He is doing.

You come to know God by experience as you obey Him and He accomplishes His work through you.

I have been thinking about the many volunteers that have joined God in the what He is doing on the Gulf Coast. ( Notice I used the present tense because He is not done) The really cool thing is that when the Holy Spirit is leading and we yield to that leading, there is joy and even a feeling of freedom. You don't feel obligated ... you feel privileged. And I have those very words from so many of you ...

I was reading in Acts, 4:32 - 37 the other day about how the people had compassion toward one another ... those who "had the resources" were meeting the needs of those who did not have. I think the lesson for us is not so much about what we give or how much we give, but about the way we live. Living in relationship with the Lord and living in the power of the Spirit and not gratifying our flesh. (Romans 12:1,2)

Jesus said if we love Him we will obey His commands John 14;15. And what is His command? That we love one another .. John 15:17 And there is no greater love than this ... laying down your life for your friend ..... John 15:13 .... In Matthew 25 ... both the sheep and the goats asked "Lord when did we see you?" The answer, "When you did it to the least of them" ... .

There have been incredible sacrifices made by many volunteers who have come to Mississippi .... you have given up what was precious to you ... time .. money ... being away from your family .... in .... or maybe it was a combination of those things,,, whatever the sacrifice .. it was done to the Glory of God and in the name of His Son, Jesus.

What got me thinking about this was that next Wednesday I have been asked to be one of the speakers at the Waveland - Katrina 2 year commemoration service. They asked me to speak briefly about volunteers coming to Waveland and share some scripture. The mayor, Tommy Longo, wants the people of Waveland to know that after two years, they are not forgotten. It won't be difficult to share with the people about the great affection and commitment volunteers from around the country still have for the people on the Gulf Coast ... the outpouring of love that I have witnessed for the past two years has been amazing.

I understand that some of you reading this may not return to Mississippi ... but frankly, I am not the one who orders your steps .... It is Jehovah God who does that (Prov 16:9)... If that is the case I still want to encourage you to continue to run after God .... to be a living sacrifice .... to let your light shine ... And if the Lord IS urging you to return to Mississippi, I want to add my encouragement to once again let your light shine in Mississippi. Jesus said ....

let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:14-16)

Oh, one last point. I was watching 20/20 and they had a feature on volunteering. (Click on the link to read the transcript) But the short version is "science (I assume they mean scientific studies) shows giving -- money or time -- not only feels just as good as getting, but can actually improve your health. "Giving is as good for the giver as it is for the receiver. We'll be happier, healthier, and even -- odds are -- live a little longer if we're generous, Public health isn't just about bugs and staying away from lead. It's about doing unto others, and at the right dose, science says it's very good for you, There's evidence that it helps people with their asthma, in cardiovascular disease, weight loss, insomnia. When people have a lot of happiness, they do a lot better in their health as well."

What else can I say ... even "science" says you need to serve others ... I wonder if the scientists know God already said that? :o)

Matthew 25 : Rebuilding

This is an excerpt from an recent article in a local paper - The Gulf Coast News (emphasis added) : "One of the major issues since Katrina has been the realization of the high numbers of poor, and fixed-income elderly residents on the Coast who lived in mobile homes or small family homes that had long been paid for but no longer exist. These people are having a hard time recovering from the hurricane. Hardly any program so far outlined has addressed the problem. Many volunteers have noted this problem as well and are alarmed that programs to help the poor, lower middle class, and elderly, have failed to materialize. " -- end of article

The recovery problems here are persistent and complex ... and the resources are becoming more scarce .... for example, the Red Cross has just ended their grant program. And two years after the storm there are still so many who our need help. As a side note, there are about 18,000 FEMA trailers still in use in Mississippi as of July 31st.

During July, the camp was humming. The families that we are helping were moved closer to getting back into their homes... Funds continue to be a problem but August has been very sparse with respect to volunteers ... not just for Pathfinder but for all of the volunteer camps. We experienced the same thing last year. We just received word that our first group in September has cancelled out, so right now we are not scheduled to have volunteers until the 16th of September. we have work on hold until we have volunteers.

Matthew 28 : Making Disciples

We have been teaching the Truth Project study for the past 5 weeks. It is awesome. Sponsored by Focus on the Family, it is a teaching about having a Christian World View. I have read works by Francis Schaeffer and Chuck Colson, but this is by far the most understandable and retainable material I have seen. The folks here really like it. I talked with George and Barbara Barnes and plan to start a class in Pearlington soon.

The computer lab in the large tent is re-assembled thanks to Steve Thomas from Westend in Clanton. We will be teaching an Excel class sometime in September ....

Mission House

The Mission House has the electric roughed in, the roof patched, the back porch re-attached and the exterior doors and windows installed. But, to be ready for the rough in inspection, we need the rough in plumbing finished and the HVAC installed then we can insulate and hang sheet rock. We must raise more funds before we can proceed so I will be sending out an update specifically for what we need in a few days.

Prayer Requests

In general. pray for the people on the Gulf Coast. as they deal with fear, anxiety, depression ... loss of hope.

Specifically, these are the folks that we are ministering to and praying for. Please pray for them as well. Where we have liberty to share the requests, I have added the requests next to the name.

Tim and Alama Phillips - physical

George and Barbara Barnes - physical

Ken and Annise Tooley -

Bonnie Sherlter -

Sam Mee and Marie Foy - financial/physical

Gordon and Patricia Howard - physical (Gordon asked that I express my thanks to everyone who has helped with his home ... waiting on grant)

Lee and Karen Cunningham - physical

Mike and Susan Hanley - physical

Martie - physical

For Martie, me and Pathfinder Mission pray that the Lord will continue to meet needs.

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20

By His Grace and For His Glory

Charley

Charley & Martie Elgin

Pathfinder Mission

Waveland, Mississippi

^{http://www.pathfindermission.org}

^{(228) 493-1081

Isa 58:12…. you shall raise up the
foundations of many generations; you shall be called the
repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to live in.}

	Greetings Friends! Martie and I trust this update finds you well and walking in the power of the One who redeemed us. We just returned from a brief sabbatical .... well sort of. We took some time away to draw close to the Lord and get some rest. It was accented with some doctor appointments and meetings. But only lightly accented :o) Robert and Sue Lumpkin tended to the camp while we are gone. We are glad we went but are also glad to be back home ... As you know, Hurricane Dean has come and gone. Folks here were watching it closely .... This is the first time that Martie and I have been on the preparation end of things ... there are many who are ill-prepared for evacuation even after their encounter with Katrina... One couple told us that they did not know where they would go if they had to evacuate ... I suspect there are many who share the same worry. Most of these folks don't have the money to stay in hotels. Shelters can be very difficult places especially for older folks and children. If anyone who is reading this would be interested in hosting someone who is evacuating the Gulf Coast because of a storm, please let us know. Also if there are limitations - pets or no pets - children - special needs - This fits in with the virtual volunteers ministry that we have talked about in the past. Practically speaking, hosting someone who is evacuating would most likely mean you live in Mississippi, Alabama, or Georgia ... a place that is within one day's driving distance. They would be people that we have helped in some way so we could give you some background on them. Anyway if that resonates with your heart ... let us know. A Word for You If you have been reading these updates for any time at all you know that I will always use the opportunity to "beat the drum" for volunteering on the Gulf. Not everyone feels called to come here ... the Lord will call those whom He calls .... our challenge is to hear Him and then to obey Him. In the study Experiencing God (some of you may remember this study), Henry Blackaby talked about seven principles ... God is always at work around you. God pursues a continuing love relationship with you that is real and personal. God invites you to become involved with Him in His work. God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church to reveal Himself, His purposes, and His ways. God's invitation for you to work with Him always leads you to a crisis of belief that requires faith and action. You must make major adjustments in your life to join God in what He is doing. You come to know God by experience as you obey Him and He accomplishes His work through you. I have been thinking about the many volunteers that have joined God in the what He is doing on the Gulf Coast. ( Notice I used the present tense because He is not done) The really cool thing is that when the Holy Spirit is leading and we yield to that leading, there is joy and even a feeling of freedom. You don't feel obligated ... you feel privileged. And I have those very words from so many of you ... I was reading in Acts, 4:32 - 37 the other day about how the people had compassion toward one another ... those who "had the resources" were meeting the needs of those who did not have. I think the lesson for us is not so much about what we give or how much we give, but about the way we live. Living in relationship with the Lord and living in the power of the Spirit and not gratifying our flesh. (Romans 12:1,2) Jesus said if we love Him we will obey His commands John 14;15. And what is His command? That we love one another .. John 15:17 And there is no greater love than this ... laying down your life for your friend ..... John 15:13 .... In Matthew 25 ... both the sheep and the goats asked "Lord when did we see you?" The answer, "When you did it to the least of them" ... . There have been incredible sacrifices made by many volunteers who have come to Mississippi .... you have given up what was precious to you ... time .. money ... being away from your family .... in .... or maybe it was a combination of those things,,, whatever the sacrifice .. it was done to the Glory of God and in the name of His Son, Jesus. What got me thinking about this was that next Wednesday I have been asked to be one of the speakers at the Waveland - Katrina 2 year commemoration service. They asked me to speak briefly about volunteers coming to Waveland and share some scripture. The mayor, Tommy Longo, wants the people of Waveland to know that after two years, they are not forgotten. It won't be difficult to share with the people about the great affection and commitment volunteers from around the country still have for the people on the Gulf Coast ... the outpouring of love that I have witnessed for the past two years has been amazing. I understand that some of you reading this may not return to Mississippi ... but frankly, I am not the one who orders your steps .... It is Jehovah God who does that (Prov 16:9)... If that is the case I still want to encourage you to continue to run after God .... to be a living sacrifice .... to let your light shine ... And if the Lord IS urging you to return to Mississippi, I want to add my encouragement to once again let your light shine in Mississippi. Jesus said .... let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:14-16) Oh, one last point. I was watching 20/20 and they had a feature on volunteering. (Click on the link to read the transcript) But the short version is "science (I assume they mean scientific studies) shows giving -- money or time -- not only feels just as good as getting, but can actually improve your health. "Giving is as good for the giver as it is for the receiver. We'll be happier, healthier, and even -- odds are -- live a little longer if we're generous, Public health isn't just about bugs and staying away from lead. It's about doing unto others, and at the right dose, science says it's very good for you, There's evidence that it helps people with their asthma, in cardiovascular disease, weight loss, insomnia. When people have a lot of happiness, they do a lot better in their health as well." What else can I say ... even "science" says you need to serve others ... I wonder if the scientists know God already said that? :o) Matthew 25 : Rebuilding This is an excerpt from an recent article in a local paper - The Gulf Coast News (emphasis added) : "One of the major issues since Katrina has been the realization of the high numbers of poor, and fixed-income elderly residents on the Coast who lived in mobile homes or small family homes that had long been paid for but no longer exist. These people are having a hard time recovering from the hurricane. Hardly any program so far outlined has addressed the problem. Many volunteers have noted this problem as well and are alarmed that programs to help the poor, lower middle class, and elderly, have failed to materialize. " -- end of article The recovery problems here are persistent and complex ... and the resources are becoming more scarce .... for example, the Red Cross has just ended their grant program. And two years after the storm there are still so many who our need help. As a side note, there are about 18,000 FEMA trailers still in use in Mississippi as of July 31st. During July, the camp was humming. The families that we are helping were moved closer to getting back into their homes... Funds continue to be a problem but August has been very sparse with respect to volunteers ... not just for Pathfinder but for all of the volunteer camps. We experienced the same thing last year. We just received word that our first group in September has cancelled out, so right now we are not scheduled to have volunteers until the 16th of September. we have work on hold until we have volunteers. Matthew 28 : Making Disciples We have been teaching the Truth Project study for the past 5 weeks. It is awesome. Sponsored by Focus on the Family, it is a teaching about having a Christian World View. I have read works by Francis Schaeffer and Chuck Colson, but this is by far the most understandable and retainable material I have seen. The folks here really like it. I talked with George and Barbara Barnes and plan to start a class in Pearlington soon. The computer lab in the large tent is re-assembled thanks to Steve Thomas from Westend in Clanton. We will be teaching an Excel class sometime in September .... Mission House The Mission House has the electric roughed in, the roof patched, the back porch re-attached and the exterior doors and windows installed. But, to be ready for the rough in inspection, we need the rough in plumbing finished and the HVAC installed then we can insulate and hang sheet rock. We must raise more funds before we can proceed so I will be sending out an update specifically for what we need in a few days. Prayer Requests In general. pray for the people on the Gulf Coast. as they deal with fear, anxiety, depression ... loss of hope. Specifically, these are the folks that we are ministering to and praying for. Please pray for them as well. Where we have liberty to share the requests, I have added the requests next to the name. Tim and Alama Phillips - physical George and Barbara Barnes - physical Ken and Annise Tooley - Bonnie Sherlter - Sam Mee and Marie Foy - financial/physical Gordon and Patricia Howard - physical (Gordon asked that I express my thanks to everyone who has helped with his home ... waiting on grant) Lee and Karen Cunningham - physical Mike and Susan Hanley - physical Martie - physical For Martie, me and Pathfinder Mission pray that the Lord will continue to meet needs. Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20 By His Grace and For His Glory Charley Charley & Martie Elgin Pathfinder Mission Waveland, Mississippi ^{http://www.pathfindermission.org} ^{(228) 493-1081 Isa 58:12…. you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to live in.}

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