Missions is often thought of as something done by "those people" somewhere "over there". But as God's people, we are called to be on mission everywhere - going, praying and giving. Every believer is called to be involved in some way in God's ministry enterprise in the world. Our goal during the month of November is that every member of FBCH will better understand God's plan for them in taking the Good News of Christ to all corners of the Earth. What does He have planned for you?
Commission Stories is published by the
International Mission Board to communicate the
work God is doing around the world.
MISSION TRIPS
• Oaxaca, Mexico - July 31-August 6 and November 6-14. Contact church office for more information.
• Haiti - July 10-17, August 21-28, September 4-11, October 9-16, November 13-20. Grand-Goave area, $40 per day per person plus airfare. Contact Frank Dudley (956-423-0470) or Marla Bearden at the BGCT (888-244-9400) for more information.
HELP FOR HAITI
The need for volunteers to go help in Haiti will come in a few weeks or months. The great need now is for funding. The cost to get the country back on its feet will be enormous. Below are a few organizations with specific ministry in Haiti. These are ministries with which FBC-H partners with now and/or worked with in the past. You can trust these ministries to use your donations wisely and be faithful to the calling Christ has given them to serve the people of Haiti, both physically and spiritually.
• Baptist Global Responsehttp://www.baptistclobalresponse.com
402 BNA Drive, Suite 411, Nashville, TN 37217 866-974-5623.
BGR is the primary global Southern Baptist relief and development organization, serving those in need around the world. BGR will be providing assistance across a wide spectrum of needs.
• Baptist World Aidhttp://www.bwanet.org
405 North Washington Street, Falls Church, VA 22046 703-790-8980.
Baptist World Aid is the relief and development arm of the Baptist World Alliance.
• Texas Baptist Men http://www.texasbaptistmen.org
5351 Catron Drive, Dallas, Texas 75227 214-828-5351.
TBM will initially focus on providing clean drinking water in and around Port-au-Prince. As needs develop, the ministry will expand.
• Florida Baptist Convention http://www.flbaptist.org
Haiti Relief, 1230 Hendricks Ave., Jacksonville, FL 32207 800-226-8584 x3135.
The Florida Baptist Convention has a 15-year partnership with Baptists in Haiti. Fifteen FBC employees live in Haiti, working with the Confraternite Missionaire Baptiste d'Haiti, which has over 800 churches.
• Buckner International http://www.buckner.org
600 North Pearl Street, Suite 2000, Dallas, Texas 75201 214-758-8000.
Buckner will be providing aid and assistance directly through La Foundation Pour Les Enfants d'Haiti in Port-au-Prince (www.usfch.org). Ministries include an orphanage, school, adoption agency, hospital and a ministry to children with severe physical handicaps.
• World Vision http://www.worldvision.org
P.O.Box 9716, Federal Way, WA 98063-9716 866-280-6587.
World Vision has been working in Haiti for more than 30 years and had 370 staff members in-country when the earthquake hit. World Vision is the world's leading Christian relief and development ministry.
• Charity Navigator http://www.charitynavigator.org
Charity Navigator is an organization that evaluates the financial accountability and efficiency of philanthropic and charity organizations in the U.S. They currently evaluate
5,400 charities. If you have a question about a particular organization, Charity Navigator is a good place to look.
WORLD MISSIONS OFFERING
During the month of November we focus on World Missions, spotlighting various mission opportunities locally, around the United States, and across the globe. Additionally, Bread Loaf Banks are provided to those interested in donating to World Hunger. The money collected in the Banks is distributed to Texas Baptist Offering for World Hunger, Southern Baptist World Hunger Offering, Baptist World Aid Hunger Relief, and Loaves and Fishes of Harlingen.
Our annual World Missions Offering helps support mission activities, mission projects and missionaries around the world. All undesignated gifts to FBCH's WMO are divided as follows, though specific offerings can be designated:
• 60% Lottie Moon Offering to support international missions in over 125 countries around the world;
• 30% Mary Hill Davis Offering to support mission ministries in Texas and Mexico; and
• 10% Annie Armstrong Offering to support ministry and evangelism across the United States.
Be in prayer about your offering and give generously so that others around the world can hear the Gospel.
SHOES FOR ORPHAN SOULS
With the new school year on the horizon, what better time to think of those in need. FBC-H will again be collecting shoes, in partnership with Buckner, to send to orphans in need.
Shoes
for Orphan Souls (SOS), a ministry of Buckner International, has provided over 1.5 million pairs of shoes to orphans around the world. According to The State of the World's Children as reported by Unicef, there are 143 million orphans around the world. Orphanages do not receive enough funding to support the children in their care. One of the greatest and most immediate needs is a pair of shoes. Many of the children receive one pair of shoes to last the entire year, and some don't have shoes at all.
First Baptist - Harlingen has been a part of SOS since 2006. To date, FBC Harlingen has given almost 500 pairs of shoes and over $3,000 to SOS. If you would like to be a part of this ministry, donations of shoes, socks, laces may be given at any time to the church office. You can be a part of a mission trip that actually places the shoes on the feet of orphans. Trip opportunities are available throughout the year.
More information about Shoes for Orphan Souls can be found at their website: www.shoesfororphansouls.org. Please pray for the children living in orphanages throughout the world and for those individuals who are working to collect shoes.
DRINK COMPASSIONATELY
FBC-H is working to reduce poverty, save children from abuse and prostitution, and put a dent in the drug trade. How? By making La Mai Coffee available for purchase (by the bag) in the church office. La Maiis an organic, fairly traded coffee that is bringing hope to the people of northern Thailand. Farmers who once grew opium poppies and were central to the drug trade, now grow high quality coffee beans instead. International charity Bright Hope World pays above Fair Trade prices for these beans giving the farmers a living wage. La Mai beans are then shipped directly to the US and roasted with care in small batches. This captures the unique regional flavors and produces a great tasting cup of coffee. La Mai Coffee is sold whole bean or freshly ground with wholesale profits going back to Thailand to fight child prostitution.
Girls as young as 10 years old are being sold into the sex trade often by their parents. Bright Hope World and their partners help rescue these girls educating them for a better future while working with families of even younger girls so they never get involved. Operating in 35 countries through relief, development, micro-enterprise and income generation Bright Hope Worldis changing the lives of the poorest of the poor.
Stop by the Church Office or contact Bro. Frank or Bro. Matt for more information. Coffee is being sold with proceeds going toward missions, $10 per pound, in the church office.
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL MISSION PROJECT
Each year, children involved in FBC-H Vacation Bible School get involved in missions - work that will make a difference in someone else's life. The 2009 VBS project is with the Baptist Global Response.
BGR is a global Southern Baptist relief and development organization with a heart for seeing the poor and suffering have the opportunity to experience a full and meaningful life with hope and peace that inspires them to raise their families in confidence, build their communities with dignity and share this life with others. BGR response to people with critical needs in the areas of food security, health crises and threats to their quality of life. These needs may arise from acute (disasters) and/or chronic (hunger, poverty, etc.) threats.
The BGR 2009 In-Home Care Kit Project: In Sub-Saharan Africa the HIV/AIDS crises is affecting large segments of the population. In 2007 over 1.6 million adults and children died because of AIDS. Currently, there are over 22.5 million adults and children who are living with the HIV virus in Sub-Saharan Africa. Because of the lack of health care, the limited access to anti-retroviral drugs and the continued increase in the spread of HIV, thousands of individuals die a very painful and horrible death each year. In addition to the HIV/AIDS crisis thousands in Sub-Saharan Africa die each year from sicknesses like cancer, tuberculosis, malaria and other life ending diseases – often the only care they will receive is at home.
The BGR In-Home Care Kit is a compilation of medical and hygiene supplies that Baptist Global
Response is asking churches, groups, or individuals to provide to assist caregivers who are taking care of home-bound, terminally ill patients. Items in this kit will make the caregivers’ tasks much easier, but more importantly will ease the suffering of the ones affected by the illness. The BGR In-Home Care Kit consists of a 5-gallon, heavy duty bucket with a sealable lid. In Africa a bucket is a very valuable item that can be used to haul and store water, store food away from rodents and insects, and store other goods away from inclement weather and environmental challenges. Inside the bucket are items that will assist in keeping patients clean and dry and items to protect their mat or mattress from soiling. Medicated lip balm and lotion are included to help treat the skin problems that AIDS sufferers battle. Other items are included that will make life easier and less painful.
PROJECT PATRIOT
Would
you like to help support the U.S. troops in Afghanistan
and Iraq? Project Patriot lets our troops
know we care about and support them through letters
and donated snack foods. Listed
below are items soldiers are currently requesting.
Remember to check the expiration date on the food
packages as shipment take 2-3 weeks to arrive in
Afghanistan and Iraq. Also, all food items
must be pork-free. Turn in your donations
and letters to the church office.
Snack Foods (in order of need):Crackers (cheese-filled sandwich crackers), Jerky (Slim Jim in cans/boxes, not in bags, not giant length), Dried fruit / trail mix, Sunflower seeds / Pumpkin seeds (hulled), Cookies (in a box, not in bags nor homemade), Granola Bars, Pop Tarts, Popcorn, Corn nuts, Lemonade singles (in a box), Kool-aid singles (in a box).
Personal
Items:
Eye drops, Lip balm, Razors (good quality), Razor refills
(to match razors), Dental floss.
Letter
Writing Guidelines: Address letter "Dear Soldier" and envelope "Soldier". Keep it positive. Do not mention politics, the media, getting wounded, etc. Do not seal the envelope.
Contact projectpatriot@sbcglobal.net for additional information or click <here> for a printable list of items.
HISNETS
Each year our Vacation Bible School children raise money for a mission project, making VBS about more than ourselves. The 2008 VBS project was a ministry called HISNets, which provides insecticide-treated mosquito nets for people living in malaria-prone areas, primarily Africa and Asia. Malaria is the greatest killer in Africa and treated bed nets cut the incidence of malaria by up to 50%. In five days, the VBS boys and girls brought in a total of $1,570.06, with an additional $141 donated by adults. This will provide nets for 285 families. Contact the FBC-H Office if you are interested in participating or by visiting www.hisnets.org for more information.
GIDEONS INTERNATIONAL
Imagine what it would be like if you didn't have God's Word. What if you wanted a copy, but couldn't afford or find one? What if you didn't even know it existed? Millions of people are living their lives with no access to the Scriptures. With your help, we can ensure that they have a copy of their own.... Visit http://www.gideons.org for more information and for ways to help take God's word into all the world (Mark 16:15).
Buckner
International - www.buckner.org.
Buckner Baptist Benevolences ministers across Texas
to children and families, orphans, senior citizens
and persons with special needs. Internationally, Buckner
provides humanitarian aid, orphanage improvements
and international adoption.
Baptist World Alliance - www.bwanet.org.
The BWA is a fellowship of 214 national Baptist groups
comprising a membership of more than 34 million baptized
believers. First Baptist is a Global Impact supporter
of the BWA.
Loaves
and Fishes - www.loavesandfishesrgv.org.
Loaves & Fishes of the Rio Grande Valley, Inc.
is a non-profit, charitable, association of local
congregations and denominational bodies. Loaves &
Fishes provides meals and support services in a safe
and friendly environment, as well as assisting clients
in finding employment.
Friends
of Jesus International - FOJ is a ministry of Lawrence and Harriett Follmer, members of FBCH. Lawrence and Harriett, along with many volunteers, serve in the name of Christ along the river in northern Mexico. FOJ works with churches and individuals to lead people to a saving knowledge of Christ and minister to their physical needs in the name of Jesus.
Border
South Christian Ministry - Border South Christian Ministries is a ministry of Randy and Dee Ann Rister, members of FBCH. BSCM is a non-profit organization established for evangelizing in Mexico and the United States. The main emphasis of evangelism is through chalk art drawings using black light techniques in outdoor services, revivals, youth retreats, and FCA events. Other ministry area involve showing Christian films, vacation bible school, door-to-door evangelism, church construction projects, food and clothing distribution, working with medical mission teams, and coordinating church mission trips.
H.E.L.P. - www.healthenvironmentallearningprogram.org.
Health Environmental Learning Program, or H.E.L.P., is a partner ministry of FBCH and is directed by Tim and Lani Ackerman, former church members.
GENERAL INTEREST WEBSITES
WorldCrafts (www.worldcraftsvillage.com) is a Christian nonprofit ministry that imports over 300 handcrafts for sale in the United States from over 39 countries on five continents, supporting more than 60 artisan groups and their families. Purchasing from WorldCrafts supports these families, enables them to know and experience the love of Christ, and makes a difference world-wide. WorldCraft requires all artisans to abide by Fair Trade Federation guidelines, paying artisans a fair price for their crafts.
MisLinks -
www.mislinks.org.
Mislinks is a web-based directory focused on offering
information for missionaries, mission pastors, teachers,
researchers, students of mission and mission agencies.
WorldMAP -
www.worldmap.org.
The mission of the World Missions Atlas Project
is to create maps of languages and people
groups for each country of the world while linking
appropriate missions related data.
Global Mapping International - www.gmi.org.
Global Mapping International is a Christian inter-denominational
missionary research agency. Their highest priority
is serving evangelical mission ministry leaders
in the developing world. A wealth of maps and statistical
data can be obtained at their site, with links to
other resources.
The
Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization - www.lausanne.org.
The Lausanne Committee seeks to serve leaders worldwide
by providing a place for theological discussion
and development of practical strategies to address
the seminal issues facing the church and world today
with respect to global missions.
Commission Stories is published by the 
FBC-H is working to reduce poverty, save children from abuse and prostitution, and put a dent in the drug trade. How? By making La Mai Coffee available for purchase (by the bag) in the church office.
Each year our Vacation Bible School children raise money for a mission project, making VBS about more than ourselves. The 2008 VBS project was a ministry called HISNets, which provides insecticide-treated mosquito nets for people living in malaria-prone areas, primarily Africa and Asia. Malaria is the greatest killer in Africa and treated bed nets cut the incidence of malaria by up to 50%. In five days, the VBS boys and girls brought in a total of $1,570.06, with an additional $141 donated by adults. This will provide nets for 285 families. Contact the FBC-H Office if you are interested in participating or by visiting 
Travelers' Health Advisories