WAW Wednesday ... "In the Zone"

"The Word at Work is a ministry that mobilizes churches and individuals to answer God's call to minister to those in need," writes Rev. Tim Tam, Director of the Amarillo, Texas-based ministry. "Through our relationships, God reveals needs and opportunities for service. As we come along side the poor, new friendships develop and doors for ministry open. As we serve, God provides the resources to supply for the needs he reveals."

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WAW Wednesday: "In the Zone"

Hey, Friends,

It was so good to be back in Belize this month, catching up with friends that I haven't seen since before my sabbatical…….almost a year.

It's also a great feeling when you know you are right where God wants you.

And when God causes things to work together for good ... Things beyond our control ... I do get a kick out of that!

I had a team in Belize that wanted to visit with Dr. Beatriz Thompson about the hospice ministry. We set up a time to meet and Beatriz mentioned that the Belize City Hospital was asking her to help with grief counseling.

So many deaths had happened over the past couple of weeks - including young teenagers. Nurses were having difficulty dealing with it. Literally weeping while they worked.

Beatriz asked if I had any pastors on the team who were experienced with grief counseling. Wouldn't you know it….. the day of her request…... one of the team members that JUST flew in "happened" to have experience for this need, in this exact setting. He too was blown away by the “coincidence”, having worked for years in a hospital setting doing grief counseling with nurses and doctors. So he was an answer to their prayer as we instantly put it together.

Also during this last trip, I got to worship with the folks at First Stone Church in Western Paradise. We were short on chairs, so we had to quickly make pews for the back rows out of long planks and cinder blocks.

Pastor Phillipa had been pricing chairs, but she said they were too expensive. I asked how many she needed. Between the two churches she works with she could use 100. I just got the word that 200 chairs we're donated to our partner church in Paoli Pennsylvania ... Where they were ALREADY in the process of loading a shipping container headed our way in three weeks!!!

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We've set the dates for our 2017 Christmas Project - December 9-16 - is God calling you to join us?

For this week, I pray that you be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding and that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord pleasing him in all respects, Bearing fruit in every good work, And increasing in the knowledge of God. Col 1:9-10

Thanks, friends,
Tim Tam
#wearethewordatwork

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EDITOR'S NOTE: Speaking from my own first-hand experience - working side-by-side with Tim, Kenny and our brothers and sisters in Belize - won't you give thoughtful, prayerful consideration to supporting the efforts of Tim, the Word At Work staff and their partners? Please please fill out this Commitment Card and return it to their office!

Also, remember that you can follow The Word At Work on their Facebook page!

WAW Wednesday ... "Beyond Expectations"

"The Word at Work is a ministry that mobilizes churches and individuals to answer God's call to minister to those in need," writes Rev. Tim Tam, Director of the Amarillo, Texas-based ministry. "Through our relationships, God reveals needs and opportunities for service. As we come along side the poor, new friendships develop and doors for ministry open. As we serve, God provides the resources to supply for the needs he reveals."

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WAW Wednesday: "Beyond Expectations"

Dear Friends,

With the full heat of summer on in Belize, a breeze can be the most welcome thing ever. Our team from Pennsylvania (made up of folks from Paoli Presbyterian and Ardmore Presbyterian Church) is working hard and grateful for any breeze that God provides! This morning I received this report from Amy, one of the team members:

"Teams from both churches have gone on various vision trips; worked pouring concrete floors in Valley of Peace; and, worked on and completed raised garden beds at Marla's House of Hope. The reports the teams share each night are invigorating."

Amy continues, "From the perspective of one person from PPC, the experience has been very much out of my element, but up-lifting. While I expected some hard work, I did not expect the grueling lifting, shoveling, digging, and MORE shoveling. I also didn't expect the delicious food prepared in outdoor kitchens over open fires.

I didn't expect the appreciation from a family that just had their lives changed because we replaced a dirt floor with a concrete one.

I didn't expect a teenager (whose life has been pretty rough) to come up to me on a picnic bench, sit down, and serenade me with praise songs that moved something in me so powerful that I had tears in my eyes.

As I enjoyed a breeze and exclaimed how good it felt, I didn't expect a seventeen-year-old mother to share with me that her mother used to say, 'A breeze is God whispering to us.' I didn't expect to share love and be loved back so openly and freely.

So, while I have experienced some hardships so far this week, the gifts I have received have been much more powerful. God is definitely present through each action. I haven't always been so aware of His presence. Maybe it took a fifteen-year-old girl singing to me in the light breeze, 'Holy Spirit, you are welcome here . . .'"

WAW Photos

Speaking of expectations ...

We didn't expect to see 3 of our friends together in New York City last week; but, lo and behold, Sheelagh, Dave & Matt (who met on one of our Christmas trips in Belize - hailing from Pennsylvania and Florida by way of New Mexico) reconnected and shared this photo. Another beautiful way that God reveals himself in our work is through friendships in the U.S. that began in Belize!

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We've set the dates for our 2017 Christmas Project - December 9-16 - is God calling you to join us?

We can see the word at work in all of our partners in Belize and our teams. It's a humbling thing, and we pray it all brings God glory! Please continue to pray for these groups and those preparing to make the trip soon.

Thanks, friends,
Mollie Swafford
#wearethewordatwork

P.S. Just as I was about to hit the send button for this missive, I received a message from our Mt. Calvary Baptist team. On Friday, the VBS they are sponsoring in partnership with Luz del Evangelio in Orange Walk was WAY beyond their expectations with 439 children in attendance...just imagine! This week, they are conducting medical clinics and this morning they saw 69 patients in San Jose! Isn't God good?

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EDITOR'S NOTE: Speaking from my own first-hand experience - working side-by-side with Tim, Kenny and our brothers and sisters in Belize - won't you give thoughtful, prayerful consideration to supporting the efforts of Tim, the Word At Work staff and their partners? Please please fill out this Commitment Card and return it to their office!

Also, remember that you can follow The Word At Work on their Facebook page!

WAW Wednesday ... "Right Now in Belize"

"The Word at Work is a ministry that mobilizes churches and individuals to answer God's call to minister to those in need," writes Rev. Tim Tam, Director of the Amarillo, Texas-based ministry. "Through our relationships, God reveals needs and opportunities for service. As we come along side the poor, new friendships develop and doors for ministry open. As we serve, God provides the resources to supply for the needs he reveals."

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WAW Wednesday: "Right Now in Belize!"

Dear Friends,

July is an incredibly full month for us as we have teams from Texas, Mississippi, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and New Mexico traveling to Belize to serve along side their friends. Here's an up-to-the-minute report from Tim Hagen, currently working with Chepito in VOP:

Our group from St. Mary's Catholic Cathedral in Amarillo, TX ( with parishioners from other churches in the Diocese of Amarillo) has just finished their second day partnering with Our Lady of Peace in Valley of Peace, Belize. The team is spending time teaching and playing with kids from the church, remodeling a building on the church property, and spending time with their friends.

Fr. Christopher Schwind will be busy this week celebrating mass each night, offering reconciliation (confession), and anointing the sick. He will preside over a funeral mass tomorrow as well as celebrate a baptism and a Quinceanera on Sunday.

Families in VOP continue to demonstrate God's love by serving along side the team and opening their homes and lives to us. Our common faith transcends small cultural differences.

Later in the week the will have an opportunity to celebrate God's provision for a family who lost their house to fire in March of this year. Our Lady of Peace and St Mary's partnered to care for the family in their distress. The team will be able to see the new house--better than before--finished and ready to receive the family again. God is good!

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There's a lot going on in Belize this month. Please pray that God will be glorified by the efforts of our friends and partners.

Praise God with us for each and every commitment we received during our #wearethewordatwork fundraising campaign!

Kenny and Tim Tam are getting ready for teams arriving this weekend - please pray for safe travel and supernatural energy!

TWAW recently submitted a grant application to USAid. If we were selected, the grant would provide our Redemptive Recycling Program with funds to ship several containers over the next couple of years! Please pray with us that our application might be selected. We hope to hear a decision by July 25.

We are anxious to hear what comes out of your prayers. Feel free to email me back – or use this card and send it in.

We’ve reached 30% of our annual goal as of today!

Please Pray if you’ve not made a commitment and Give as you are led; and, Go with us to Belize soon! Together we are the Word at Work!

Gratefully,
Tim Tam
#wearethewordatwork

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EDITOR'S NOTE: Speaking from my own first-hand experience - working side-by-side with Tim, Kenny and our brothers and sisters in Belize - won't you give thoughtful, prayerful consideration to supporting the efforts of Tim, the Word At Work staff and their partners? Please please fill out this Commitment Card and return it to their office!

Also, remember that you can follow The Word At Work on their Facebook page!