This month’s Twelve in Twelve missions spotlight is right here in Sumter. United Ministries is one of our local neighbors and partners here in Sumter County. While being faith based, they seek to meet the physical and spiritual needs of the members of this city. They do this by focusing on crisis relief services, construction, medical needs, emergency shelter, and providing educational assistance. You do not have to be in Sumter long to realize the impact that this ministry has made. We also have a very special project this month. Join us on February 20th from 9am-12pm at United Ministries as we gather to serve together. We encourage families, individuals, life groups, to come out and join us. If you’re interested and want to come serve, come sign up in the Connect Center after the service or online today.
Update: Currently the Jacobs and the rest of Italy are in a pretty strict quarantine, meaning they are only allowed to leave the house for groceries, pharmacy, or medical emergencies. With two small children, finding ways to entertain them has been tricky, but they are learning and picking up a rhythm. They are going on about 30 days of full lock down.
Prayer Requests: Pray for them at home. That they would be able to manage raising two small children strictly from indoors. As the co-leaders of their team in Rome, pray that God would give them energy and creative ways to keep ministering to their staff and the people in Rome.
Ways to connect/contribute: To learn more about the Jacob’s, what they are doing, and what is going on you can follow their journey through their website: https://thejacobsinrome.epistle.today. If you would like to give financially you can do that here: https://give.cru.org/0715240
Update: There are still at this time no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Cercady. Keep in mind that testing is very different in Haiti than it is in the United States. Given what we know and what has been relayed to us, there are still no cases. The country, as a whole, is still functioning with a good degree of normalcy.
Prayer Requests: Please pray for the health of Cercady, including this virus and beyond. Pray for the leadership council and their discernment in making decisions moving forward. Food scarcity is a major concern for the country so please pray that food would be available for the nation.
Ways to connect/contribute: 410 Bridge is currently rolling out a relief plan for the villages across the country. The relief plan will include multiple phases as 410 strives to meet the everchanging needs of our communities and respond to safety regulations. Food scarcity is one of the most pressing need as the realities of price gouging, closed markets, supply chain disruption, and the suspension of school feeding programs become a reality. Leadership Councils are continually identifying vulnerable households in each community. We are seeking resources to distribute Food Supply Kits to each household that will sustain them for 30 days. In addition to food kits, we have created and are distributing general health education/awareness information to the communities (handwashing, social distancing, other preventative measures, etc.) Food Supply Kits will assist families with basic staples (beans, rice, milk, pasta, oil, flour, sugar, Clorox, soap, paper towels etc.) for a period of approximately one month. The cost of each kit, including transportation, is $117 per household.
If you would like to give you can donate online at https://My.410Bridge.org/COVID19. If you would like that gift to be given directly to support Cercady, make a note of that in the comments.
Update: Cape Town is currently under a government mandated, city wide shut down. Similar to cities around the world right now, people are only allowed to leave for essential needs. Parts of Living Hope’s ministry (primarily the medical side) has been deemed essential which has continued to give them an opportunity to minister to their city. The are distributing over 100 chronic medications per day through door to door distribution. They are also distributing over 500 parcels of food into homes around the city. This food will supply the families enough food for 2 weeks time.
Prayer Requests: Please continue to pray for John Thomas, his wife Avril and their entire staff as they continue to serve their city and nation. Pray for their health and that their hands would be continually restored to continue to minister.
Ways to connect/contribute: If you would like to give you can contribute directly to Cape Town’s relief fund here: www.livinghope.co.za/disaster-relief.
"After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes,and peoples and languages, standing before the throne oand before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands...Revelation 7:9
