Fund Hope Pavilion in Pomona

Pomona, California.

Some of you may have never heard of this city before, many of you have. If you're from the LA area then you know that the once thriving city is now struggling under the weight of homelessness, drug addiction, and poverty.

Todd Construction wants to change all of that. The owner, Glenn Todd and his wife Carrie have a heart for Pomona and are looking to break through some of the obstacles that the residents face. Enter Hope Pavilion.

The vision is for Hope Pavilion to be a place where the homeless, youth aging out of foster care, under-employed, and other at-risk people can get culinary job training, access to health care and housing, entry level jobs, and other counseling to get on their feet, ultimately benefiting themselves and the larger community of Pomona and the Pomona Valley.

"Sounds great Headless Mom, but what has that got to do with me?"

Todd Construction has applied for a $250,000 Chase Mission Main Street Grant for the seed funding for the program. Here's where you, my lovely readers, come in. We need your votes! The applications are considered by the committee only after a minimum of 250 votes.

To vote:

• Visit the Chase Mission Main Street website.
• Click on Vote. Enter "Todd Construction" in the search box.
• It may ask you to connect with Facebook but they guarantee that they do not store your information for any other purpose than the voting process.
• Click "Vote" 

"OK. I voted. What now?"

If you want to do more, here are some ideas:

• Help us get more votes by sharing this post with your friends via email, Twitter, Facebook, and anywhere else you are online. Voting is open through November 15 so please don't be shy about sharing. Remember, Hope Pavilion will only be considered for the grant if there are a minimum of 250 votes. 
• When you share on social media please use the hashtag #HopePavilion so we can be sure to thank you for your help!
• If you are in Southern California and have a specialty that you would be able to contribute to the project please contact Glenn Todd, President, CEO Todd Construction, 1206 Price St. Pomona, CA. 91767, Office ph# (909) 469-6242, glenn@toddconstructionservices.com
• Prayer. This project needs prayer warriors, just like Pomona needs them. Prayers are always accepted.

"How are you involved HM?"

Just so you know, Carrie and Glenn are friends of ours. We went to church together for years. Glenn and Headless Dad have worked together on actual professional projects. Our kids are friends. Carrie has been featured on this blog before for her amazing artwork. Please know that I would never feature a project like this that I didn't believe in. I'm not asking for your money, only a vote so they can be considered for a grant. Thanks!

Mission Sunday: It's Personal

When she was 6 and meeting my parents for the first time, they asked what she wanted to be when she grew up. "A Pediatrician."

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When she was 11 she came home from youth group one night and said that she was called to be a medical missionary to Sudan, Africa.

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At 13 she was a part of a youth mission group that went to Guatemala for 2 1/2 weeks.

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At 20, her dreams will begin to come true. This is the organization that will take my baby to Africa on the first of many journeys to that far off land.


Malawi Mountian Project - Water Wells For Africa from WaterWellsForAfrica Org on Vimeo.

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As her mother I have a dozen emotions about this, but it all boils down to this: Missions is her calling, and God would not have called her if He didn't intend on keeping her safe. So I trust that He will be as faithful to her as she is to Him. As much as her father and I love her, God loves her more. It's that simple, yet that complicated.

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For 6 1/2 weeks this summer our girl will be in Africa: helping with medical clinics, at water well dedications, ministering to the people of Malawi, doing youth programs.

If you would like to partner with her in for this trip, here are a couple of ways you can help:

Pray: We are all called to pray for missionaries. Will you add the team to your prayers for the months of June and July?  If you would like to officially be a prayer partner with us, please email me (headlessfamily5 at gmail dot com) and I can give you more details of the trip and some specific things that the team has asked for us to pray for.

Give: Some are called to give, and if this is you, here are a few ways to do so.
Water Wells For Africa: Donations page. (They accept Pay Pal. Easy!)
Send Ben to Africa One young man's unique way to raise the money for the trip. Ben will be shooting a documentary of the WWFA work while he is on the trip.

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You see? It's personal.

Compassion Bloggers Leave for India

You may have noticed a new widget in my sidebar that directs you to the Compassion International site. Compassion is taking a new group of bloggers to India, tomorrow!, and I have a word for my dear friend Robin of Pensieve.

Robin,

I hope that you don't mind me putting this out here for all to see. The work of our Lord is for all, for all have been chosen.

You are a valuable part of this team. Your gifts are different than the others', but valuable to the team. You were chosen to compliment the others, and them to compliment you.

4There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. 1 Cor 12:4-6

I also have a single word. Let me know how it pans out, won't you? The word is "Red". It has come to mind, literally, every time that I've thought of you and this trip.

Go with confidence, dear Robin. You are chosen. And remember this:

20 Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you, what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Heb 13:20-21

With much love,
HM


Now, for the rest of you...Would you consider sponsoring a child through Compassion? They also have ways to give a one-time donation, as well, just click on the image below and you can find all of the ways that you can help a child in poverty feel loved in Jesus.



Follow all of the Compassion Bloggers here on their amazing trip, and be ready to be blown away by God and His amazing provision and grace. I can't wait to hear all about it!

Missions Sunday

On the fifth Sunday of the month (well, those that have them anyway,) our church does a little thing called Missions Sunday. It is a day to highlight places around the globe that are being touched by God, and the people that He has sent to do His work. I want to share a couple of these with you today.

TEAM International- From their website:

TEAM International maintains five priorities:

1. PROMOTE SPIRITUAL REVIVAL in America and around the world, believing that an outpouring of the Holy Spirit will awaken the church to become "the church in all her glory."
2. TARGET STRATEGIC CENTERS OF HARVEST for short and long-term missions.
3. SEND TRAINED AND EQUIPPED HARVESTERS to unreached cities of the world who will nurture church planting movements in 100 cities through strategies that God gives TEAM and our international partners.
4. PROVIDE TRAINING IN EVANGELISM, DISCIPLESHIP AND CHURCH PLANTING. We believe that, having prayed for revival, we can pull the trigger on mighty outpourings of the Holy Spirit by uniting His people to love the King and lead in the advance of the Kingdom.
5. PLANT REPRODUCING CHURCHES that are committed to multiplying church planting movements.

The Clark family has a true passion for Thailand and have spent the better part of the last 3 decades there raising up true disciples of Christ, who in turn raise up more disciples. We are blessed to be partnered with them in their work- this is a mission that we, personally, support in prayer and in finance. Their ultimate goal is to reach 100 cities for Christ all across the globe. Visit the following links if you are interested in joining them on one of their trips, or contributing to their cause, or contact them for more information.

Middle East Gospel Outreach (or MEGO)- Dr. Elias Malki has spent over 50 years in ministry. He is the host of his own satellite television show "The Good News Program" that reaches 180 countries each day-in English and in Arabic. He also trains new ministers of the gospel at his training site in Cyprus, and leads tours of Israel. I have had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Malki many times, as well as the privilege of learning from this mighty man of God on Sunday visits to our church. From their website:

Middle East Gospel Outreach is a Christian organization committed to fulfilling the Great Commission that Jesus gave his disciples and followers. “All power is given unto me (Jesus) in heaven and in earth. GO ye therefore, and TEACH all nations, BAPTIZING them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (St. Matthew 28:20)

Just check out these testimonies! If this is a ministry that you would like to know more about, or if you would like to partner with them you can contact them here. Dr. Malki literally helps to reach millions of Muslims each year. We here at the Headless household have supported this ministry for years and delight in hearing Dr Malki's praise reports each time he visits our church.

I hope you enjoy reading about these great organizations as much as I enjoy being a part of them. God Bless You this week!

(I was not compensated in any way for this post. These are organizations that I contribute to, believe in, and hope that you will, at the very least, keep them and their missions in your prayers.)