Recent activity of ACM...

Sorry for the lack of updates over the past several months. Excuse me for whining, but it is hard to both do the ministry and promote it, but both ARE necessary! I will do better in the future...

The fact is God really has blessed ACM and others through us over the last year:

We have given two $500 grants for West Virginia adoptions, two $500 grants for Russian adoptions, $500 for an OK adoption, $500 for a Utah adoption, $500 for a ministers family, $1500+ to misc gifts, $2000+ for Journey Packs for US orphans, $10,000 for generators, $5,000 for families in disaster, $2,000+ for LA relief, and $10,000+ for needy children in Romania, Brazil, Mexico, etc...

Wow, it is unbeleivable how much God allows us to do with so little! We could do much more though... If you would like to support us in our endeavours, we have several opportunities for you, including:

• Sponsor a generator for $650 or a trailer for $5000


• Sponsor an adoption for $500


• Support us on a monthly basis - Remember, every $ makes a difference!

Keep checking for new posts and updates. Once again, we WILL keep you posted! Thank you for your support...

Busy caring...

Wow, we have been extremely busy "caring for the least of these" so far this year. Just today we joined together with One Church One Child and distributed over 100 Journey Packs and Bibles to orphaned children in the OKC area. Actually, they gave them out. We (you) bought them and delivered them there. We truly appreciate what One Church One Child does for these precious children!

Last week we went down to Abbeville, LA with Mark Cole and a couple other compassionate Christians and started an add-on to a small church in a destitute community there. We will be going back down next weekend and again the first weekend in April to finish up this project. We are hoping to do even greater things in conjunction with these great people in the future.

Gary Curry led a group in relief efforts in the Lone Grove area after the recent tornado. We appreciate the work they did there, as we were tied up elsewhere. It is amazing what can be accomplished in the Lords work when His people work together. God is good!

Just a couple of weeks ago we were clearing brush in our own front yard, as well as loaning out generators to those affected by the ice storms. Next week we plan to order at least a dozen more generators and will consequently have generator and relief trailers placed in the OKC area as well as Eastern OK. We hope to place other such trailers in other areas of the state soon (hopefully even other areas of the country), ready to respond in times of need. You, your church, or organization can help us out by sponsoring a generator or generators with a gift of $650 each.

While in Abbeville next week I will be picking up a bus (with a brand new engine!) for the ministry. I am not sure of its exact purpose, but have lots of ideas. It was donated to us by Bishop Captville and his congregation. We greatly appreciate this gift and know that it will be used extensively for the work of the kingdom. I figure renovations for the bus will run in the neighborhood of $2,500.

If you are interested in participating in or supporting any of the above projects, please contact us. God will surely bless those who bless others.

Honor God and Your Mothers by Remembering the Motherless - James 1:27

Dear Compassionate Chrisitian,

This Sunday is Mother's Day! This is a blessed opportunity to extend just a token of our appreciation for all the sacrificial giving our mothers have extended on our behalf over the years. Granted, we will never repay them for everything they have done, yet, this is a time we can at least say "Thank you." I hope you will honor your mothers on this glorious day! ACM would like to give you the opportunity to do this in a special way.

Did you know that over 100,000,000 children will spend this Mother's Day without a mother to appreciate? Millions of mothers won't even consider the lack of appreciation they recieve this day. They will only long for enough food, water, or even clothing to keep their child(ren) alive through the end of the day. Over 30,000 children will die of hunger this Mother's Day. As many as a dozen children in the U.S. will die at the hands of the very ones entrusted with their care. Multitudes of others will struggle in fear and discomfort throughout the day, due to the abuse, neglect, or circumstances they are forced to live in. There is likely a child in your own neighborhood that will spend that day wishing for a mother that cared or at least knew how to express that care. Your child likely has friends like this at school.

What better way to honor you mother(s) than to remember the multitudes of hurting children, mothers, and families around the world with a special offerring or gift for ACM on Mother's Day. Arms of Compassion hopes to raise over $10,000 in order to care for the hurting this Sunday. The ministries and efforts we support and/or administer include:

• Food for the Hungry - World Hunger Relief


• Mexico Orphanage - John Bivens


• Brazil Orphange - John and Shirley Combs, Kimberly Johnson


• Ruth Ministries - Romania


• FWB Orphanages - Family Ministries, TN; Harvest Ministries, VA; Alabama FWB Home; South Carolina FWB Home


• ACM Homes for Children - Adoption Grants, Foster Child Birthday and Special Occassion Grants, Journey Packs (Care Kits & Bibles)


• The Hannah Project - Denominational International Missions & Compassion Project


• ACM Help in Crisis - Disaster Relief


• ETC...

All gifts recieved will go toward bringing relief to the countless needy children, famillies, and individuals around the world. I am convinced there is not a church, indiviual, or family reading this email that can't afford to do something to help the needy. It may be $1000, $500, $100, $50, $25, $10, or even $1. You likely can afford to do something! It is not really a matter of how much?, should we?, or even can we? It is a matter of, Will we care for those who can't care for themselves? Will you give? PLEASE DO - Lives are literally counting on it!!!

THANK YOU FOR CARING...

John

Share the blessing...

It was Spring Break and we were ready to get the three little guys out of the house, so we decided to spring for lunch at Taco Bell. We claimed a booth toward the back, as ussual, in order not to cause too much of a commotion with our sometimes obnoxious children. Kim waited in line to order and I relayed messages between her and the kids, while Nathaniel kept an eye on the girls in my absence.

They weren't too awfully bad, but a little overly "friendly" and "slightly" loud that day. They seemed determined to entertain those close by, particularly the gentleman in the next booth. Hannah walked around on the table on her nubs and Lexi giggled profusely. Nathaniel tried to keep order - yeh, right.

I appologized to the gentleman several times, but he didn't respond much. He just kept right on eating. I couldn't tell if he was oblivious to the commotion, or if he was just trying to get done and out as soon as possible. The answer seemd to come when he rose to leave. He smiled real big, threw two twenty dollar bills on our table and said, "I want to pay for your lunch." We argued a little, but he rebuttled, "God laid it upon my heart to buy your lunch. He has blessed me, and I wanted to bless you." I responded, "God bless you," then he left.

This gentleman had no idea what a blessing he was to us that day. He trully touched our hearts. Not because we needed the money. We really didn't, not at that moment at least. We were touched because he cared and he gave.

This event challenged me. It challenged me to be a blessing to others, as God has been a blessing to me. What about you? Have you been blessed by God? Will you share that blessing with someone else? I'm not talking about making a donation to ACM, or even TSP or Hillsdale. I'm talking about being a blessing where you are. Folks, the opportunities are all around us. Just open your eyes, and give...

"As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you. Continue ye in my love."___John 15:9

A Challenge to Compassion

Throughout the Word of God, the believer is admonished to care for the needy of society. In the Old Testament, a lack of compassion was a primary concern of the prophets and a premise for God’s judgment upon the nations. In the New Testament, compassion was a primary focus of Christ’s instruction to the disciples and his purpose for sending them out. Compassion is not an option for the church or a bi-product of evangelism. Compassion is a responsibility. It is a must!

There are over 800 million hungry men, women and children in the world today, approximately 200 million of which are children. There are close to 100 million orphans, with over 500,000 children being in the U.S. foster care system alone. Each year literally millions of children and families loose there homes and even lives to catastrophic disasters such as tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes, war, and acts of terrorism.

As American Christians, we daily wallow in the joys and comforts of our luxurious homes and immaculate church buildings; we eat our gluttonous meals and waste our lives in front of our televisions and in theaters; yet millions outside our doors cry out to us for help, struggling daily just to stay alive. We give them Bibles and offer them Jesus, yet refuse to extend to them the very love and compassion ordained in God’s word and exemplified by our Savior. We preach to them the gospel and yet refuse to practice amongst them its very principles of compassion and charity.

Arms of Compassion is the Church’s response to the cry of the needy and the call of God. We have heard the cry; Now we are heeding the call. The fact is, though, we cannot do this without your help. YOU are the Arms of Compassion. You are part of the Body of Christ. He cares. Now you must act!

There are numerous ways for you to help. You can start in your own neighborhood. Look around you, see the need, and then respond with your own talents, desires, and resources. We can all do something! Then, participate in Arms of Compassion. Adopt a Child; become a Foster Family. Join our Blue Tarp disaster Relief Team. Assemble Care Kits, organize an Orphan Ministry in your church or association, or develop your own Local Disaster Relief Ministry. Once again, there is something for each of us to do. We must just respond and obey.

Last of all, ACM needs your financial support. We minister to hurting children and families all around the world and we do this on a very small budget. Will you help us do more? Will you help us feed or provide a Journey Pack for just one more child? Maybe you can’t give $1,000 or even $100, but you can give $1. How about $1 a day or even $1 a week or a month? The fact is we can all do something and, together, we can make a difference in the lives of at least a few!

Thank you for your kindness!