Joining a Family
Feb 29
They got moved in! Scott Lockhart, our lead pastor at Hillside Church and his new wife, Chrissy, were able to find a townhouse in the south part of Milton. They moved in around February 8 and have settled into their new living quarters quite nicely. Thank you for your prayers! The process for Chrissy’s 12-year-old foster daughter joining their family this year seems to be proceeding quickly. After March break she gets to enroll in a Milton school as an extended visitor. Scott starts his approval process as a foster parent March 4. At their January wedding Lieza was very excited to be in the family wedding pictures and is looking forward to travelling with them to British Columbia during March break to visit Scott’s parents who run a Christian camp on one of the islands. She is beginning to belong. Scott has started to find contacts for his lead generation business for home contractors which is very positive towards gaining income. Chrissy is learning how to fundraise for her Youth for Christ position.
Our son, Rob and his wife have recently started caring for a six-year-old boy. With all the monthly adventures they experience, a little boy’s life in joining with this family has definitely changed very quickly during these last few weeks. Please pray that Rob & Jess will be able to provide the love and support he needs. It reminds Gary and me of when we adopted our youngest child, Lee as an almost six-year-old from South Korea in 1987. His world was turned upside down when he exited the airplane in New York City to join our family. Now he is an adult with a lovely wife and two children of his own.
At Swiss Chalet we have a faithful server who looks after bringing our lunch always on time after our church service. She had been away for a couple of weeks but returned last Sunday and we enthusiastically welcomed her back. It is as if she has joined our church family. I asked her if she would like a Bible and she responded with much interest that she would. I told her to read about Jesus’ life in the New Testament which she agreed to and said she would return the Bible in good condition when she finished. I declared it was a gift, not to be returned. You never know how people will respond when presented with something new in their lives. We long to see many more Milton residents respond in a similar way when they learn about our church and what Jesus can mean to them. Please continue to pray that we will be approved for the Canada Summer Jobs program for this summer for our outreach.
Eight orphans joined Thomas’ family last year as mentioned previously in other newsletters (check out the website below). Currently they have finished their exams at school and are now enjoying their summer holidays. In the evenings they read the Bible together. At no other time in their young lives have they received such love and care. Thomas has obtained a lawyer to help him with his ongoing court case. He discovered that his piglets died last year due to Africa Swine Flu so he has to wait six months before he can buy more.
Some of you might be familiar with a song written by well-known Gospel songwriters Bill and Gloria Gaither called The Family of God. They wrote it in 1970 and we enjoyed singing it with our children as they were growing up in our home. In today’s society with too many broken homes, very few know what it is like to be joined to a family of God. Here are the lyrics.
The Family of God
You will notice we say “brother and sister” ’round here-
It’s because we’re a family and these folks are so near;
When one has a heartache we all share the tears,
And rejoice in each victory in this family so dear.
(CHORUS)
I’m so glad I’m a part of the family of God –
I’ve been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His blood!
Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod,
For I’m part of the family, the family of God.
From the door of an orphanage to the house of the King –
No longer an outcast, a new song I sing;
From rags unto riches, from the weak to the strong,
I’m not worthy to be here, but praise God, I belong!
And that’s what family is all about!
Take care,
Wendy