Homemade Hats by way of Illinois!

When the members of the First Baptist Church of Olney, Illinois began a "knitting loom ministry" they set a goal of making 300 hats by November 1st in order to get them distributed before it got too terribly cold. One of the members saw a post concerning Operation Care - Dallas and wondered why there would be a need for hats in Texas. "It is actually a common stereo-type up here. States down south don't get cold. I looked on the map and saw that Dallas is farther north than Pensacola, FL and I have seen it snow in Pensacola." The decision was made to ship 270 homemade hats for Operation Care - Dallas to hand out to the homeless.

We wish to thank First Baptist Church of Olney, Illinois for this great gift. Oh, and by the way - their congregation is made up of about 25 people. Don't let size stop you when you feel called to bless someone.

Operation Care Philippines Project - Great Success

Operation Care Philippines Project was no doubt a GREAT SUCCESS! Every part of the event was indisputably marked with God’s hands! Indeed, He is able to do EXCEEDINGLY, ABUNDANTLY above all that we could ever ask or think! He had provided all our needs beyond our imagination. God did everything HIS WAY, testing our faith along the way. As what the song goes, “My faith still holds unto the Christ of Calvary…”

The theme for this event is “Changing Lives, Changing the World”. Impossible, it may seem, but God did change thousands of lives!

In the first few days of my arrival, every time we had a meeting, we spent time praying. That was the foundation of the whole event. In the three regions where I have spoken, people laid hands and prayed over me in the altar and even in the plaza. The event was basked in prayers. On that memorable day – July 5, 2008, committee members knelt at the altar, prayed, and cried out to the Lord.

I praise God for the great success He had given us in this project. I am so blessed to be a first hand witness to many of the wonderful things He had done during the event. Allow me to share these things to you.

• Two thousand T-Shirts and backpacks got wet and were buried in mud after typhoon Frank hit the city of Iloilo. These smelly stuffs were washed by hands by the Muslim women who were new converts. After the flood there was not enough water to wash the backpacks and T-shirts so they asked one of the members of Pastor Edwin Araña’s church (Co-Chairman) to send two fire trucks from another area. Two fire trucks of water were not enough though. So we prayed. The next day the water system was restored. God is our Provider!

• In the morning of that Saturday of the event, it rained! Don (Operation Care Board Member) and I prayed, trusting God to favor us with a good weather! Well, He did! Several minutes after we prayed, the dark clouds disappeared and were replaced by the bright, beautiful rays of the sun. It was the most beautiful day of the week! Someone said, he was glad it rained that Saturday, or else it would be so dusty and would have made the kids sick! God knew what He was doing!

• More than 2,000 kids came. Since foot washing is the trademark of our ministry and Prayer and Evangelism its heart, that day, we washed over 4,000 feet!!! Every single one of them also received a prayer and was evangelized! As a result of all these, 1, 790 kids accepted the Lord!!! They will be discipled by 13 churches which participated in that event. Four churches have AWANA Program and more have registered in the said program so they could disciple the kids!

• 625 volunteers came and served lovingly and joyfully in spite of their own personal needs. (Some of them were practically homeless brought by Typhoon Frank!)

• My cousin, Mr. Ricardo Yanson, who owned a bus company, provided two air-conditioned buses for the kids. Jeepneys were added because the children will not all fit in just two buses.

• The children went home and I was told some slept with their backpacks and shoes on. They were mesmerized with their new shoes especially the shoes that were lighting up. Some kids did not know how to walk because they NEVER had shoes before. Eating hamburgers from Jollibee (like McDonald’s) was also a first for some!!

• Over 2,000 Bibles got wet and were ruined during the flood but Gideons Bible Society made available 39,000 Bibles for us. GOD IS MORE THAN ENOUGH!

• Thirteen churches and three big organizations joined forces to help make Operation Care – Philippines Project a success. They did not speak to each other before. But Operation Care got them together. Denominational barriers were broken and now the churches are united. Praise the Lord!

• Because of the flood, our original venue (the school’s gym) became a “camp” for those whose homes were damaged. We ended in a smaller area and did not pay the Gym fee of 55,000 pesos. So, we bought 50 sacks of rice for the kids!

I know for sure that the experiences I had in Iloilo will forever leave an indelible imprint in my heart! Thank YOU very much for all your SUPPORT! All of these would have not happened had it not been for your HEART for the NEEDY! To God be the glory!

In His Service until He comes,
Susie Y. Jennings
Founder/President

CHANGING LIVES, CHANGING THE WORLD

OPERATION CARE PHILIPPINES
July 5, 2008
Changing Lives, Changing the World

This is how the vision began…
On January 31, God woke me at 6 a.m. He placed in my heart a mission to the homeless on the island of Iloilo City, Philippines. This is a mission especially for the children and orphans in the slums. These homeless kids live in the streets, marketplaces, cemeteries, and dumps. At best, they earn enough in a day to have food for themselves. For these homeless men, women, and children, “living from hand to mouth” are not just words; it is their way of life.

After seeking God’s guidance, I immediately began making phone calls. By February 1, new shoes for the kids were procured after speaking with Kelly Savage of Soles for Kidz. On February 2, the Baylor Recovery nurses began plans to purchase hygiene and personal care products for 100 care packages. They will have a “party” to assemble the 100 packages. Since then a few companies and churches have promised to purchase and make care packages.

We need Bibles, toys, books, and funds, too.

The items will be packed into a 20-foot shipping container. Tentatively, we need all items ready for shipment by Saturday, April 19.

Operation Care Philippines is sponsored by Operation Care Dallas.

Currently, our partners are:
• Central Philippine University and College of Nursing Class of 1978
• University Church on the campus of CPU
• Galloway Avenue Baptist Church
• AWANA group from Victory Baptist Church
• Legacy Baptist Church, Philippines
• Community Bible Church
• The Mayor’s Office in the city of Iloilo
will be giving the proclamation and provide policemen
• Coca Cola Bottling Company Philippines will be providing soft drinks
• Some American pastors and seminary students

God has spoken.
Would you help this mission to become a reality?

For more information, visit www.operationcaredallas.org

“…we have three things to do…trust steadily in God,
hope unswervingly, love extravagantly.
And the best of the three is love.”
1 Corinthians 13:13 The Message

UNFORGETTABLE!

I slept among 100+ homeless! Not until I was there myself did I realize the depth of their needs...

Last October, while driving through downtown Dallas with a homeless lady, the Lord spoke in my heart to spend a night with them to get a glimpse of what they continually experience so that I will understand more their way of life.

It became a reality on November 3rd when I took a big step and drove to downtown in a wig, an old t-shirt and pants, a tote where I had my pen, camera, phone, wallet and notebook.

My experiences with them:

• Fun with the homeless young people.
• Falling in line for food and clothing.
• Love, concern and protection from our homeless young friends.
• Walking aimlessly - no purpose - no direction!
• Being offered protection by 2 men in exchange for physical returns.
• Marriage proposal from a homeless man.
• Getting cardboard boxes from a dumpster for my bed.
• Cold, hard cement under by back.
• Slept right next to a snoring woman high on drugs.
• A drug dealer came at 2:30 a.m. and handed a woman some drugs.
• Fear of being burned, stabbed, robbed and raped - fear for my life!
• Using portable potty with "floating stuff" in it.
• Sleepless cold night, longing for my bed and staring at the stars.
• Ordered to get out of our "sleeping camp" at 5:15 a.m.!
• Grateful for daylight. Morning has broken!
• Shower with black mold on the ceiling.
• Waited for food and hoping it will come soon.
• The best part was the coming of a church young adult group at 12:30 a.m.
• They brought sandwiches and prayed with us! They become the Light in that dark place.

IT CHANGED MY LIFE!

The first part of the evening was all fun! But listening to the stories of their individual "journeys" was both interesting and heartbreaking. I suddenly realized that there are much, much deeper troubles and tribulations that these homeless ones are tackling in their daily walk. Though I faced laughing countenances, I saw in their eyes loneliness, pain, suffering, and fears of what is to come. Now I have more respect for them. I want to reach out even more and help them choose a different route in life - a life with JESUS, a life filled with HOPE and LOVE.

Friends, I need YOU to help make this a reality. Open your HEARTS and reach out. HELP OUR HOMELESS! Operation Care + YOU = Number that matters to Dallas and Jesus!

Operation Care - Houston?

God gets the attention of His people in a host of different ways. I was reminded of one recently when I received a special email from a nurse in Houston.

"Is there anything like this happening in Houston? Is there anything that you know of like your program in Houston? If not, do you offer training for starting up a program as effective as yours is? I have been reading about all the good that you are doing and we coulld use some of that down here! I am in Pearland, south of Houston. I read about your work in Advance for Nurses. I cried. God gave you an amazing heart for people! The first thing I thought was how could I do something like that here in Houston?! There are many organizations here, ie: Star of Hope, that are transitional living or church run soup kitchens or health clinics run by physicians. Nothing that goes out to where the people are and ministers to them there or nothing where nurses with a heart for God can help. I just am amazed by the heart of your organization and want to say thank you to you for doing all you are doing!"

One of the dreams of Operation Care - Dallas, Inc. is to expand. My response:
"We have not started in any other areas, but the vision is that we will be able to go to other cities and with God's help will be able to start Operation Care - Houston or California, New York or etc... We want God's name proclaimed all over the nation, celebrating Jesus' birthday wherein the guests of honor are the outcasts and the forgotten of society."

God Does Not Make Mistakes

After the Operation Care Kick Off Meeting, October 21, there were only six people left at Coleman Hall. Board Member Roel, and his wife, Robyn, volunteer Kerry Yarbrough, and Marina and Marcus, our homeless guests. We formed a circle to pray when the Holy Spirit spoke in my heart not to pray at that moment, but to ask Marcus if he knew Jesus.

The conversation went like this:
Susie: "Marcus, do you know Jesus?"
Marcus: "Yes."
Susie: "Have you accepted him in your heart as your Lord and Savior?"
Marcus: shrugged his shoulders and said, "No."
Marina: "He is Muslim!"

That gave me an opportunity to share Jesus to Marcus telling him that Jesus is the only Way, the Truth and the Life. No one goes to the Father but through Him. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. After sharing the gospel with Marcus, I asked him if he was ready to accept Jesus.

Marcus replied: "Yes!"

I saw a change in his face. His face softened and his countenance changed. That made all of us happy. The heavens rejoice for one sinner who repenteth.

We then proceeded to pray for Marcus.

After the prayer, I invited them to eat dinner at El Fenix. The restaurant was closed so we looked for a hamburger place. Kerry took us to one on McKinney Avenue.

When we got to the restaurant, I saw Marcus talking to a nice looking and dignified man. When I asked Marcus who he had been speaking with he replied, "My former boss. We lost touch with each other and he just offered me a job."

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

Marcus found a job about 30 minutes after he accepted Jesus at Coleman Hall of First Baptist Church of Dallas.

Because of some miscommunication, another group was suppose to meet at Coleman Hall that evening ahead of us, but because of God re-arranging it His way, we ended up using Coleman Hall where Marcus found Jesus. COLEMAN HALL BECAME A HAVEN OF REST FOR A LOST HOMELESS MAN NAMED MARCUS! Now Marcus is not homeless anymore; he has a home in Glory Land!

Men make mistakes, but not God. God planned the whole thing all along. GOD'S WAY IS PERFECT!

Seeing The Hands And Feet of God At The Homeless Camp

The Lord has been placing in my heart the need and desire to really spend time with the homeless at their campsite (First Presbyterian Church). Last Sunday night (Oct. 21) after our Launching of Operation Care, I ended up at the camp where Marina sleeps every night. I spent time with the homeless, just talked to them and prayed with them and they really appreciated my presence. Some of them knew me already. They call me Miss Susie and I feel at home with them.

Last Oct. 26th, Friday night, I went back to the homeless camp after work (11:00 p.m.) to take some clothes to Marina, my new friend. I stayed there past midnight, just talking to Marina and other homeless.
It is like home to me!

At about 12:30 a.m. (Saturday), Barry, the security guard, introduced me to Emily. She was walking alone so I asked her if she was by herself. She said she was with a group from Christ for the Nation School and Heartland Church in Irving. They were giving away sandwiches and blankets. This group goes downtown every Friday night. The group arrived and I thanked them and also mentioned to them about Operation Care-Christmas Gift 2007. They want to participate and were very excited.

After that, a young man said. "Susie, we need to pray for you. The Lord is also saying that you will reach the end of the cliff but do not worry. Just leap, God is going to be with you." LEAP OF FAITH!!!

Wow, that was a prophesy to me and a confirmation. We should not worry; God is with us.

After they prayed for me, they went to the camp and gave away some sandwiches and the one that moved me so much was a young man who took off his sweater and covered a homeless man lying on the ground with no blanket. THAT WAS THE HANDS OF GOD COVERING THE HOMELESS. It left an indelible imprint in my heart and mind. The young man ended with only a thin t-shirt and it was pretty cold. He was the Good Samaritan described in the Bible. I will never forget what I saw that night, a beautiful sight of God's compassion to the homeless through His people.

Well, last Sunday night (Oct. 28th), I went back to the camp for the third time in a week bringing some hamburgers that I gathered from the First Baptist Dallas Homecoming Party. Robert, from the kitchen, gave them to me after the party. I told him I wanted to give it to my homeless friends. He allowed me to get a sack full of hot dogs and hamburgers. I then saw Kerry, one of our volunteers, and his friend and asked them to go with me.

We went to the camp and there, I met six teenagers/young men. Marina gave them the hamburgers. They were all lying on the steps of the church separated from the group of homeless men and women. I stayed to talk and get to know them. One teenager's mother was murdered. One said his mother is in jail. One had just got out of jail because of drugs. One said he is a runaway. They said they are not on drugs and wanted to separate themselves from the adult group because some of the adults are using drugs.

It broke my heart to hear their stories. We formed a circle and I prayed for each one by name, Robert (18), Stephanie, Joel (just got out of prison), Jonathan (just got out of prison), Henry, and Brandon (19). Brandon will turn 20 this Friday.

When I was talking to them, I started crying and Robert said, "Do you need a HUG?" Wow, it really touched me. These teenagers who needed much love are the ones offering love.

When I was about to leave, Robert asked, "Could we pray for you?" I said, "Yes!!!" So we gathered in circle again and each one prayed for me asking God to help me raise money so they could have a party at the Convention Center on Dec. 15th and that I could help them. The steps of the First Presbyterian Church became Holy Ground where the voices of these young people were petitioning God for His help. I pray that God will answer our prayers, in His perfect time! These young people love the Lord and need help.

They even said, "We wish there was a house where we all could stay, we will all work and pay the bills." These young men and young woman have their own dreams to get out of homelessness. The question is: HOW CAN WE HELP THEM?

On Friday evening (Nov. 2nd), I will go back there at 11:00 p.m. with a folding table and ice cream, cake, chips/dips (from Connie), McDonald hamburgers, balloons, blowers and birthday hats. We will have a Birthday party for Brandon. I asked him what he wants, he said, "Just a pair of pants. I only have one!"
Well, Connie will give him brand new pants. Thank you, Connie Dunkin (Operation Care Board member).
I need sleeping bags and blankets, if you have any to spare!

I encouraged them to go to the shelters but all of them said they preferred to be together to protect each other.

What I experienced being with these homeless friends has changed me more. Building a relationship and making a difference has a deeper meaning to me now. I could not wait to go back there on Friday evening after work. Please pray for me that I will have wisdom and strength to do all of this in Jesus name!

This is my story.

Because of Him,
Susie