December 2004 News

Dear Family and Friends,

How quickly time flies! Joyce pointed out to me yesterday how long it has been since our last newsletter went out. I am sitting here trying to think of a creative opening to this letter, but nothing is coming out, so let me just tell you some of the things going on.

Lets start at home… After almost 11 months without being able to contact Aniah, an email arrived with a photo of her, sent by her stepmother. It was an emotional time for all of us. I don’t know if we will be able to see her again, but her stepmother asked us to forgive them for what they have done. Joyce will send this letter and photo to those who have email. Saiyeh is doing well at school. She is home today after falling on the way to school, but I think she will enjoy the day at home. It seems that there has been some confusion with what we wrote before about her adoption. Joyce and I now have legal custody but the adoption has not gone through, and it may be 3 or 4 months till that happens. The lawyer assures us that everything is going well, but we are both still nervous. A court paternity search showed two different men on record as potential biological fathers, which caused us some anxiety, though again the lawyer has told us that is actually a good thing. Melanie is enjoying preschool. The school is only half a day and is made up of a real diverse mix of kids (Melanie is the only Australian and Caucasian). Emma is at the stage where she thinks we all live to serve her. She loves to climb and is putting sentences together.

I was just looking over the last newsletter and thinking how much the last months have highlighted ministry in our community. Of the men I wrote about, 1 is now in jail for stabbing someone whilst robbing them, one is awaiting trial for a DUI and the third I haven’t seen in a few weeks. If all we were about was results we can see, then we have really failed. However, we must keep our eyes focused on the Lord and trust him.

We have run a few larger events and seen many come into the church. A Halloween alternative night saw 300 plus people come through the doors from the community, and we fed over 100 people on Thanksgiving (quite a few of them guests from Michigan). It is the smaller things that really stand out to me though. Our youth team of Emma and Maher took three
youth to a weekend camp and have begun running a Sunday morning youth group.
A father and son pulled together the Thanksgiving meal and did a great job. It was their passion to provide a meal for those without a place to go that really stood out to me. These men, though “around” church most of their lives, had not been “in” church for many years. They, like others we are seeing, seem to have an enthusiasm to serve. We have been able to encourage people to try new things, to not be afraid to reach out. We know it is not about works, but we also know that it is not about sitting in a pew once a week either.

Most of the members of the church know that change is needed. Knowing and doing are two very different things, as I have learnt this last month. I have had some “hard” conversations, not helped at all by my abrasiveness, but have seen change. Thanks to some amazing friends who have come in to serve, the members are realizing (I hope) that we are here to help them. After a day spent mixing concrete for a handicap ramp I had to lead a meeting with the deacons and bring up some tough issues. It seemed that it was easier for them to trust me, knowing I had been out there the previous day working on a project they really want. The challenge ahead lies in convincing people that have been going to church for 20, 30 or 70 years to really trust God in all areas of their lives. Many have created a comfort spot, shielded from the changing world around them. The community has changed, and God has called them to respond. Please be praying that we can use the right words.

Joyce has been helping with the children’s ministry. It has grown from 5 or 6 kids to 30 or 40 kids some weeks. Last Sunday we had about 10 kids waiting outside for the church to open. Debby, who leads the children’s ministry, has them preparing a Christmas musical. Joyce is also beginning work with some ladies in the church. So often when we have men connected with the drug trade, the men get most of the attention. We hope to develop a better support structure for their wives/girlfriends.

I’ll end with a story to illustrate the battle before the church. A young man left his pew one Sunday to go forward to accept Christ. His grandmother sitting next to him tugged at his shirt, not wanting him to go forward. She seemed embarrassed that he was going forward, almost as if it was a smear on her that her grandson, who had been in church many years, wasn’t already a Christian. He went forward anyway, for God cannot be stopped when He moves. It turns out this young man had been in the church’s preschool program (the same one Melanie is in). The preschool teachers are twins in their seventies, raised in the church and, I must say, intimidating. Rarely do they smile in church and they are not happy about any “change”. I had found myself questioning what they were really about. Well, as this young man returned to his seat they came and embraced him, their smiles were like sunshine. They proudly stated they had been his teachers and were joyous at him giving his life to Christ.

We knew well that we were coming into a tough situation. It seems that is where God keeps calling us to. We have some rough roads ahead but that is why we are here. If it was going to be easy, well, it just wouldn’t feel right. The joys will continue to out way the sorrows whilst we keep our eyes on Him who called us by name.

A final thank you to the families at Grace Countryside Church who came to serve us, the men from Richfield Mennonite and Chapman’s Chapel who worked on our ramp, the Home schooling group who loved the unlovable at the Thanksgiving dinner and all those who support us through prayer and gifts each month.

In His embrace


Coz , for the family


We hope you all have a MERRY CHRISTMAS!!






Please note this change….For those who support us financially or those who would like to, checks should now be made out to Wyoming Ave Baptist Church, attention Coz and Joyce. If you do not need a tax receipt, they can be made out directly to us. All checks should be sent to our home address at 1320 Arrott St, Philadelphia, PA 19124.

Bethel Temple will no longer be handling our payroll after December 31st, so checks sent there will be returned.