On Palm Sunday, our Sanctuary was filled with the aroma of Swedish Pancakes. Many of our youth, under the direction of Linda Fusek, helped to prepare the food (Ask Colin Baer how many pancakes can be flipped in a couple of hours?) The breakfast was served by our very own youth group with smiles. Thank you to everyone who attended and generously gave to the CHIC 2009 Transportation Fund a total of $883 profit was received. Finally, a special word of thanks to a friend of Linda Fusek, John Stummer who donated the bacon for the event. ~ from the Youth Group

David Patterson, son of Nancy and Tom, was awarded the rank of Eagle Scout in early March. David began his Trail to Eagle as a Cub Scout and is been a member of Boy Scout Troop 50 sponsored by the Park Ridge Presbyterian Church. David coordinated the painting of the outside walkway area at Washington School in Park Ridge for his Eagle Project. An Eagle Court of Honor will be held in a few weeks. Congratulations, David!

We are still raising money to help with Transportation Costs to Tennessee for our youth attending CHIC 2009. Transportation costs are $160 per person attending. Can you help? Please consider participating in the CHIC 2009 “Envelope Fundraiser” There are boards filled with numbered envelopes in the narthex. Simply take an envelope that has the number of the amount that you’d like to donate, pull the envelope of the board, put that amount in it and place it in the offering plate. For example: if you take the envelope marked “$43”, you will put $43 inside the envelope. Checks (payable to Edgebrook Covenant) or cash accepted. Are you unable to get to church and get an envelope? Donations will graciously be received via mail.

Thank you for your investment in the lives of our high school students!

James Bruckner, professor of Old Testament at North Park Theological Seminary, has received a $12,000 grant to fund his research project, “Human Health and Ancient Narrative: The Old Testament as a Shaping Resource for Health Care Vocations.”

The Association of Theological Schools (ATS) in the United States and Canada awarded the Lilly Theological Scholars Grant to Bruckner. He plans to publish a book based on his findings.

Bruckner says that misconceptions about the relationship of body and soul, and their relationship to God, inhibit holistic healing in the individual and society. He adds that biblical practices such as lament and remembering God’s deliverance of his people can lead to that healing.

We traveled to Southeast Asia for four weeks in March, visiting Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand. Pastor Greg had emailed our missionaries Carl and Karen Groot in Bangkok that we would enjoy meeting them and visiting the Abundant Life Center, which Edgebrook Covenant Church has supported.

The Abundant Life Center (ALC) is about a 45 minute cab ride from downtown Bangkok, so we were expecting less density, congestion, traffic, noise, etc., a more suburban feel. Truthfully, it was none of the above. Bangkok has 8 million people and they reach well beyond the core city. In a crowded neighborhood, ALC rents a three-story apartment and uses the kitchen for community meals and the bedrooms for sewing machines, cutting tables, and storage for sewn items, packing supplies, and fabric for an ongoing sewing outreach.

Missionary Karen Groot is a lovely, warm, generous, person with more energy that anyone we know! Karen’s infectious personality and strong Christian beliefs have brought five young women to Christ and these hard-working, tireless women are the backbone of the ALC, sewing countless purses, bags, wallets, etc. to be sold in Thailand and overseas. In addition to directing the sewing projects, Karen also runs a morning summer program for neighborhood children.

Currently, they are working on 500 bags to be sold at CHIC. We felt privileged to have the first peek at the totes, computer bags, gym bags, etc. -- all of which will find their way from Bangkok to Knoxville in mid July.

We felt blessed to be able to spend an afternoon with these courageous women who are following Christ in a nation where 95% of the people are Buddhist and may suffer the scorn of their families.

When we left Karen and the ALC to return to the downtown area which most tourists see, we realized we had just seen the “real” Bangkok.

--- Tom and Judy Whipple

I have always struggled in my missionary career to answer the question “so what does a typical day look like for you?” There is nothing “typical” about life as I experience it here, so perhaps a better way to answer the question is to give a few examples of what keeps me busy.

Dear brothers and sisters:

Greetings from Monterrey! We write to you from home as we both take turns to entertain Samuel. Due to the swine flu outbreaks, the Mexican government has ordered closing schools, churches and has suggested avoiding public places. So we will be mostly at home for a whole week! Monterrey has reported 10 cases so far and although it is a big city, the situation as a whole is causing great preoccupation.

The current public health situation has also obligated us to cancel the national pastors' retreat that was scheduled for this coming weekend. Although we are saddened for this given that it had taken a lot of planning, which included the coming of a mission group (all in the medical field) from New Hampshire, we trust the Lord, know that He is in control and feel at peace that is a wise decision.

Other than that, we are happy to be back and very thankful with our God for the wonderful time and abundant blessings we received during the six months we had in the States. Sharing with friends and family, and visiting so many different congregations, refreshed our souls and humbled our hearts as we experienced and witnessed in each encounter with you the amazing work of God in your lives and the congregations we visited this time. Thank you for your attentions and love to us.

Our way back was long but good (as you may know, we drove). No problems with our car. We had a couple of days with friends in Houston and San Antonio before we headed south. It was a good idea to take some rest before crossing the border.

It has been a little bit over a month since we arrived to Monterrey. Our calendar is already full with retreats, classes, Bible studies, Project Down, a VBS coming up, but we feel very excited for what God is doing here. It is clear how the different groups we ministered to are now more mature and enjoying the times they spend at the Foundation in different activities. We also have now a more solid group of Christian volunteers working shoulder to shoulder with us. God bless them!

As you may know, one of the purposes of our past home assignment was to comply with the requirements for consecration as long term missionaries. Thanks be to God, we were able to fulfill those requirements so we will be consecrated in June during the Annual meeting in Portland, OR. This is important and very meaningful to us. We feel honored and privileged to serve our Lord and being there in June is a reconfirmation of our calling.

You all have been important in our being able to respond to God. You all have placed us here and it is our desire to honor such a calling, to take such a blessing as long term servants. Please continue partnering with us. Following there are some prayer requests:

Salam (Peace)

First of all, I would like to thank everyone who donated to my upcoming project, Camp GLOW. I am thrilled to tell you that we have officially raised all of our funds and are moving ahead with the planning. The applications from girls were due last week. This weekend us volunteers will be reviewing all the applications and picking our campers for this summer. We will also be visiting the university where the camp will take place to meet all of our native counselors (students from the university.) I am excited to see things move forward. It wouldn't be possible with out the support have contributed so thank you.

In other news, Spring is definitely here!! The weather in my part of the country has been absolutely wonderful for the past couple of weeks. Unlike most of (brown) this country, the mountains here in the north are GREEN! The trees are budding, the flowers blooming and the grass existing (a rarity). I am trying to soak it all up before the summer sun comes and scorches it all brown.

I have been enjoying all sorts of picnics and field trips with students, teachers and neighbors. This year, as compared to my awkward first year, has offered a refreshing opportunity to see all of the integration and relationship building that I have done come to fruition. Last year, these trips/encounters were often boring and painfully long mainly due to my lack of language and general impatience with the pace of things. Hanging out with someone for one hour basically exhausted my abilities. Now, my capacity to work around my less than perfect Arabic as well as just being comfortable not always talking or doing things has vastly improved.

The onset of spring also means the ending of the school year, summer projects and closing out my service. I have often heard that days in Peace Corps can drag on, but the time flies. Over the past two years, I have often found this to be true. Now that my time is nearing the end, it really is accurate. Often the days seem to take forever as my fellow volunteers and I begin to plan and talk incessantly about what's next and anticipate seeing friends, family and our country once again. At the same time, I feel like at the end of every week I wonder just where the time went and think of how much I still have to and want to do before it's all over.

Besides Camp GLOW in July, I will also be overseeing a school beautification project at my school. Recently, a grant I wrote was approved by USAID (United States Agency for International Development). By the end of the school year we will hopefully have painted and installed curtains in all of the classrooms in my school. These two projects will take up most of my free time until mid-July.

At the end of July I will excitedly be hosting my best friend and her family when they come to visit!! In between that time will also be many more visits, cooking lessons, laughs at my cultural expense and cups of tea I am sure. I know 5 months is still a ways away, but I also know it will go by fast.

Thanks for sharing this journey with me.
Bobbie Zerfas

Dear Friends and family,

Many of you have been watching the news and wondering about what is happening in Thailand these days. Being on the outskirts of Bangkok, we are not in the loop of the recent protest activity that has plagued our capital. We know that our Thai friends are laying low and not leaving their homes during this time. Many of our Issaan friends have left the city for the provinces during the Songkran (Thai New Years) holiday. We are watching and waiting to see what transpires. Please pray with us for a peaceful resolution to this political crisis that has caused turmoil in this country since former Prime Mnister Taksin, was ousted. (Late news – The Goots are safe and the political situation has calmed down!)

As far as our family is concerned we have been enjoying the days off to rest, catch-up on work and do spring cleaning...along with entering into the water play in the neighborhood and doing the water ceremonies with our Thai friends where the younger people come to the elderly relatives (yes, we qualify!) to show respect and gratefulness and to ask for their blessing.

Please join us in prayer as we take off for our annual Abundant Life Center Retreat. Even now, people are on buses and boarding trains to come down from the northeast (Issaan) to join us for this time of fellowship and refreshment in God's Spirit. Pray that He would grab hold of our hearts and draw us to Himself during this time; that we would truly know what it means to rest in His love and care for us.

Every year we set aside a few days to retreat at the beach and spend time being in the open air, enjoying time in God’s Word and playing together. We often come tired…this year, as the women are trying to make the deadline for our first big order, their thoughts are a bit fragmented and their bodies are weary…

Some come at the invitation (and treat) of their relatives. Nat is paying for her mom, sister and niece to come with us. Her greatest desire is that they would taste of the richest of fare… and that they would come to God, so that their soul might live.

Our retreat theme is “Relationships in Christ” - what it means to be people who are in relationship with our Lord and how that is fleshed out in our relationships with others. We have people joining us from 5 different northeastern provinces…most of who do not know our God who loves them.

Pray with us…That God’s Spirit would be free to move among us and that hearts would be soft to His Word. Please pray this verse over our retreat.

Thankful for our church family who holds us up and stands with us,
The Groots
Evangelical Covenant Missionaries
Bangkok, Thailand .

If you have been at church lately you immediately realize the bushes are gone! Don't worry it was not an act of vandalism. The removal of the bushes was Phase I of Michael Doucette's Eagle Project. On Saturday, May 9th, Michael with his crew of : Wayne Schimpff, Wayne Hanson, Byran Hanson, Jeremy Hanson, Brad Armstrong, Ryan Janken, Ken McCullah, Jon Lind, Charlie Mesimore and the entire Doucette family removed the overgrown, outdated bushes. The bushes were no match for the truck, chains, cable and shovels. Removing the bushes revealed the beauty of the outside of our church building. Have you ever noticed the engraved cornerstone?

Just One Thing

Our church has started a new year-long project: One Thing. The goal is to bring “one thing – one can, box, or bag of non-perishable food” each Sunday per family or person to be placed in the Food Pantry bin in the narthex. All food will be donated to the North Park Friendship Center food pantry, which our church has supported for a very long time.

Why start this project now? The number of people needing food due to the economic recession has increase over 30% from this time last year. In addition, the Greater Chicago Food Depository, which supplies food to all the food pantries in the Chicago area, has had to destroy tens of thousands of pounds of purchased and donated foods due to the peanut recall over salmonella. This is a huge loss to our local food pantries, and we need to step up and help overcome that loss – as well as help those additional people who need food.

What is the best “one thing” to bring? Protein foods are the best – beans (dried and canned – including refried beans), tuna, Spam, canned meats, boxed macaroni and cheese, “Chunky-style” canned soup, canned lasagna and spaghetti with meat sauce, and nut butters – to mention just a few. Food pantries typically have fewer protein foods donated, and they are more expensive to purchase from the Greater Chicago Food Depository. Protein foods are also the most expensive thing for families served by the North Park Friendship Center to buy on their own.

One thing each week can make a HUGE difference – can you join us? Remember what James said in James 2:8 “If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, ‘love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing right.” Let’s help feed Jesus’ sheep together!