Southland Blog

Are you willing to go anywhere any time and do anything as you follow Christ?

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A team of folks from Southland left this morning on their way to love on some people in Port De Paix, Haiti!

They will be serving our partner Sonlight Ministries.

Mark Perraut
Global Outreach Director
Harrodsburg Road Campus

This past week myself and 9 others from Southland had the opportunity to travel to Grand Goave, Haiti with Lifeline Christian Mission. We were able to see, first hand, the impact of the over 1,000,000 meals that were packed during our 316 Series.

It was my first time traveling to a 3rd world country. From the moment we stepped off of the plane, we were in complete shock. The poverty over there is an overwhelming experience. People are living in tents that have slowly deteriorated over time. The streets, the sidewalks, the rivers, are covered in trash. There are children whose hair has turned red from malnutrition and there stomachs are swollen. I felt small.

You can't help but think to yourself, "Whats the point?" For every person we feed, there are hundreds starving.

But then I was reminded of what Jon Weece said last Christmas, "Do for one, what you wish you could do for everyone."

There was no way that I could feed every person who needed a nutritious meal. But I could feed one. I couldn't take care of every child whose parent had been stolen from them in the earthquake two years ago, but for a brief moment I could provide them with a bowl of rice and a shoulder to rest on.

For some of the people in Haiti, those meals that Southland packed will be their ONLY meal of the day. And for some, it will be the only nutritious meal of the week. Its not a matter of not having enough food, its a matter of having enough money to buy the necessary food.

We may not cure hunger in Haiti, but we have changed the lives of thousands forever and in the name of Christ.

We packed those meals for the one. The one that was hungry and in need.

"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what's coming to you in this kingdom. It's been ready for you since the world's foundation. And here's why: I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, I was homeless and you gave me a room, I was shivering and you gave me clothes, I was sick and you stopped to visit, I was in prison and you came to me.' Matthew 25:34-36 (MSG)

- Neil Gregory

“A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families…” (Psalm 68:5-6a)

• KY Cabinet for Health and Family Services (State Foster Care)
• America World (International)
• Love Basket (Domestic and International)
• Adopt Inc. (Domestic)
• A Helping Hand Adoption Agency (Domestic and International)
• Journeys of the Heart (Domestic and International)
• Sunrise Children's Services (Foster Care)

It’s estimated that there are over 143 million orphans worldwide, and over 500,000 children in U.S. foster care. What is our role, as the church and as individuals, in addressing this crisis? 

Orphan Sunday is the perfect day to reflect and take action on this matter. Maybe you know families that have sponsored children or you’ve seen adoptive families at church and wished you could ask them how they made such an important decision. 

If you are interested in orphan care, foster care, adoption, have tons of questions or don’t even know where to begin, we invite you to this event. 

Join us from 1-4pm this Sunday, November 6 in Building F (The Atrium) as Southland’s Adoption Care Group hosts our fourth annual Adoption and Orphan Care event. Celebrating Orphan Sunday and National Adoption Awareness Month, the event will feature information and resources on domestic adoption, international adoption, foster care, special needs adoption and orphan care. You’ll have the opportunity to talk to adoptive parents, adoption and orphan care professionals, and visit organizational booths with valuable information and resources. 

There’s a place for everyone at this event! We can all impact the life of an orphan through prayer, financial support or adoption. Register for the entire event or just a portion of the event and discover how you can impact the life of a child and change their story and yours forever. 

If you want to attend, register now!

Here's what Tammy Cady wrote on the progress on their house in Joplin:

Things are moving along a lot faster than I thought they would. I still don't expect us to be finished anytime soon, but we have been so blessed by volunteers that really want to get stuff done!!! Amazing! 

On the picture of the sunset, you will have to look closely at the horizon and you can see the top construction of our house. Thank you for everything you are doing. 

Sincerely, 
Tammy 

With God's help, Serve the City has been able to build some incredible relationships with dozens of families in Woodhill and East End communities, and we want to continue investing in these families and others.

One great way you can help us build relationships and invest in families within our community is by joining us for our community cookout in the East End on Tuesday, July 12 at 6:30pm, and then again at Woodhill this Monday, July 18 at 6pm.

All you need to do is bring a side dish: a dessert, some salad, baked beans, potato salad or another simple dish. We'll provide burgers and hot dogs for the community and have games set up for the kids.

Details for East End Cookout:

• Meet at 6:30pm on Tuesday, July 12 at the Refuge Medical Clinic (park on 2nd street).
• Bring a side dish.

Details for Woodhill Cookout:

• Meet at 6pm on Monday, July 18 at the Old Lexington Mall on Richmond Road.
• Bring a side dish.

For more information about these cookouts or Serve the City, contact me at 859-9772747.

Steve Kohlman, Serve The City Leader

Ground has recently been broken for a Southland-sponsored school in Gorongosa, Mozambique that will give thousands of children opportunities that they have never had before.

Here are some photos from the groundbreaking and the work that is underway!

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Last Sunday, May 22, a tornado ravaged Joplin, Missouri. Many of you have heard about the devastation that this mile-wide tornado caused. The images leave you speechless, and wondering what we can do to help from here in central Kentucky.

Nate Head, our Age Level Director is currently on the ground sending pictures (see them on flickr), videos and information about how we as a church can help Joplin. Right now, Joplin is overwhelmed with supplies that have already been donated, and doesn't yet have the infrastructure to coordinate utilizing large groups of volunteers. We’re ready to take action, but we’re exercising the restraint and wisdom of waiting to hear what real, long-term needs become apparent to our contacts on the ground in Joplin.

In the meantime, we can start with something that has been identified as helpful: sending gift cards. While several businesses were destroyed, Nate has told us that some businesses are still operational. These gift cards will be a great resource to bring some normalcy and aide to those people who are left without anything.

If you want to help the people of Joplin, you can buy gift cards from any of the businesses below and bring them to next weekend’s services.

• Lowe's
• Walmart
• Target
• Bed Bath Beyond
• Kohl's
• Olive Garden
• Applebee's
• McDonald's
• Chick-fil-a
• Toys R Us

This may seem too simple, but trusted sources have assured us that it will be a huge help. This is just the beginning. We are in this for the long haul. Nate, Jon Weece and Dan Hamel among other church family have known Joplin as home. We’re going to help our family, and we’ll relay more information about how to do so as soon as we know.

One of our own missionary families serving in Mozambique recently came back home to the U.S. on furlough. They are currently looking for temporary housing to rent or house sit. The time period they need housing for is from July or August to December, at which time they will be returning to Mozambique. The housing would need to accommodate a family of 2 adults and 4 children (3 bedrooms is adequate).

If you or sometone you know has  housing available, please contact Janet Piercy.

Our Children’s Ministry is committed to teaching and training our young children to reach out to other children from around the world. During the past year, our elementary school children have been sponsoring children from one of our Food for the Hungry Global Partners in Mozambique.

A sponsored child receives support each month ($32/month) that equips parents to fulfill their God-given responsibilities in meeting the physical and spiritual needs of their children. The support addresses the most critical needs facing children, helping them overcome barriers that keep them from their potential. Sponsorship focuses on bringing about transformation of the heart and mind of the child and community – ultimately leading to a sustainable change that breaks the cycle and bonds of poverty.

Here is one of the many encouraging notes we've received from the children they sponsor:

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Water: It's the basis of life. We shower with it, we drink it, we cook with it - it's  the most basic resource we require. But what many people don't realize is that close to 900 million people around the world don't even have access to this most basic need.

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Southland's Global Missions team has partnered with Orchard Group and Ozark Christian College to provide a unique experience to young people interested in pursuing urban ministry opportunities.

For ten days, Orchard Group teaches a class called "Strategies for Church Health and Growth" that provides a snapshot of what it is like to serve in an urban ministry such as New York. One of the students recently shared some of his thoughts on this class.

My first thought when I got out of the airport and into the cab was, "Whoa, this is so busy!" You could feel the fast paced life, and that we were strangers to it. It was crazy for me to see so much diversity. It really opened my eyes to the vision of a diverse church culture.

It was great to hear from all the different church planters. It made me excited and anxious to see what God has in store for my church planting future. They challenged us to step out of our comfort zone and live where we are going to serve. They challenged some of us to join pre-existing missions instead of always feeling the need to create a new church plant.

Some of the students who came through this program are already serving in the relief efforts in Japan. Others are preparing to plant another church in Osaka, Japan. Thanks for investing in the lives of young people through Southland's Global Mission team!

Global Missions team 

This past Sunday night our Student Ministry had a commissioning service for the team of missionaries that is headed to Northern Ireland this Thursday. The team comprised of staff, students and volunteer leaders, will spend 10 days in Northern Ireland encouraging local churches, teaching in high schools and serving in relational ministry.

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The Thomas Kelley Foundation Project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo targets vulnerable families working together in local development and agricultural associations in the Kabare and Walungu territories of South Kivu Province. Just outside of Bukavu town, in a village called Buhozi, lies a fertile valley plain where Food for the Hungry (FH) has recently helped a new local association acquire and irrigate land through the Thomas Kelley Project.

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