August 2008
Vol 3, Issue 40 

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Whether it's attending a summer potluck, going on a serving trip to La Mision, Baja Mexico, planning a trip to Rwanda, helping out someone in need in Santa Ana, CA. or being part of the making of a film by attending a local benefit screening, Strong Tower MInistries invites you to make the most of your summer for Him.
 

Strong Tower Ministries
Jim Kirk-Johnson
Quick Links
 
 
 

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dof 7-19 cement 

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DOF Rendering 
 
Your Invited to join us for a "Summer Potluck" get together! 
www.strongtowerministries.info
On Saturday, August 23, 2008 Strong Tower Ministries is having a fellowship and food event in the Orange County/Mission Viejo area! You're welcome to bring your family and friends and enjoy the evening. It will be a time to connect as a group and get updated on what's happenign with the ministry both locally and abroad. Joe Corey will be on hand to discuss our newest Rwanda project. For more information and to RSVP, please contact Tracey @ traceyquest@yahoo.com.
Christmas Caravan 2008
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STM has partnered with a women's small group who are bringing Christmas to children in need and we invite you to join us!
 
We're getting a head start and hoping to gather all gifts by October!
 
This is a perfect opportunity for groups to get involved! School groups, Girl and Boy Scout Troops, Small Groups, Church Groups, Communities,  Businesses and individuals!
 
We have several groups we are serving through our Christmas Caravan 2008 Project!
 
1. Trujo de Jesus-Orphanage of 70 kids, infants to teens/boys and girls.
2. Tools for the "Purple Palace" Build Team
3. Stocking Stuffers - New items ages 3 - 12, unwrapped.
 
Latest Mexico Border Crossing
passport
Remember if you are traveling by land across the U.s> Mexico border, and don't have a valid passport, you are required to carry a valid drivers license and a copy of your birth certificate. Children traveling without passports should also have a copy of their birth certificate. For more information you can go to:  www.dhs.gov/xtrvlsec/crossingbor
ers/index.shtm.
In This Issue
Summer Potluck
Christmas Caravan 2008
Door of Faith: Nursery Building Project
Rancho Sordo Mudo: The Hearing Everett Film Update
Rwanda - Shyogwe Project
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Door of Faith: Nursery Building Project
 
On July 19th, a group of 45 folks made the trip down to the orphanage for what proved to be a great day of fun with the kids and work on the nursery site. For those of you who missed out on the July trip, plan to be a part of the August 15th and August 16th workdays! This month you have the option of making it an "overnighter" or a one day serving trip. For those of you wishing to take advantage being shuttled to and from Mexico on Saturday, you can still RSVP a spot by contacting Steve Hibler at steve@strongtowerministries.info
or 714 397-2229. You can also go to www.strongtowerministries.info and pay by credit card online or download an event flier.  Your $50.00 tax deductible donation goes towards transportation costs, insurance, lunch, and material costs for the workdays.
Keep in mind that we also have our "Tiles of Love" and "100 Tiles for 100 Kids" fundraisers for those of you who would like to play a financial role in the nursery construction.  For a 250.00 donation, you, your family, or your small group can decorate a tile that will be displayed in the finished entry courtyard of the Nursery.  And for a 100.00 donation, you can sponsor a Door of Faith child to decorate their own  tile.  One hundred percent of your donations will go directly into the building fund of the Door of Faith Nursery. Thank you for your continued support and prayers and we look forward to seeing you August 15th and 16th!
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Rancho Sordo Mudo: The Hearing Everett Film Project 
 
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As summer starts to draw to a close, so does the Hearing Everett Film project! This month we hope to finish the film and study guide materials and get everything into final printing and duplication.
 
During the month of July several churches from across the United States screened a "rough edited" version of the film and study guide and their feedback will help to put the final "touches" and "tweaks" to the project. Another highlight to the month was finishing the sound portion of the film. We were blessed to have Joshua Myers, a composer from Seattle, WA compose an original score for the film. In addition to that, Kevin O'Connell (a 20 time academy award nominated sound mixer) and his partner Beau Borders put the final music together on a multi-million dollar sound stage at Warner Brothers Studios in Burbank, CA.   This isn't the first time we have gotten the feeling that God is taking this little "David" film into "Goliath" territory.  
 
rsm luke and kevin

For those of you interested in getting a "first look" at the finished film while supporting the project at the same time, you have your chance!  Strong Tower Ministries will be hosting several "Premiere Benefit Screenings" of Hearing Everett. Two of these benefit screenings will occur during the month of September.  At each event, Luke Everett and some of the film crew will be on hand to discuss the making of the film and its mission. One will take place at the Krikorian Theatre in San Clemente (for those of you living in the San Diego/Orange County areas) and the other at the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center in Simi Valley (for those of you living the LA/Ventura areas). All proceeds of the events will go towards finishing costs of the film project and the 25.00 ticket price will be a tax deductible donation. To find out how to purchase tickets or inquire about how your church can support these events, please contact Jim at 800 619-5351 or email him at jim@strongtowerministries.info.
 
If you want to get updated information about the film or are interested in getting your local church involved, please visit the website at www.hearingeverett.com.
Rwanda-Shyogwe Project "Building a girls dorm"

 
In September of 2006, a small group from Saddleback Church located in Orange County, Ca undertook a mission trip to Rwanda.  There, they went to the Shyogwe Dioceses of the Anglican Church in Gitarama.  It was on this trip they would meet Pastor Emmanuel Gasana, who oversees a school for boys and girls.  The school provides not only an education to these children, but introduces Christ into their lives.  The school also provides room and board to these children.  The boys are housed on the church grounds, while the girls are accommodated off site, in a living arrangement that has proved to be very unsatisfactory.  To achieve better discipline and supervision of the girls and improve their learning environment, the solution was the construction of an onsite girls' dormitory.
rwanda girls dorm rendering 
The building of a girl's dormitory is our ministries focus at Shyogwe. To achieve this goal, a forty thousand dollar fundraising campaign has begun which you can be a part of. You can also be a part of going to Rwanda on a serving trip to actually visit the campus and be a part of the construction.
 
For more information, how to get involved, or plan your trip, you can contact project managers Joe Corey @ JoeCorey@cox.net.  You can also go to our website @ www.strongtowerminitries.info to get more information about the project!
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 house build with people
Purple Palace Christmas Project
 "Tool Time"
 
 
The Purple Palace is now home to over 80 children who are now safe and loved. As an expression of their love, the older kids at the Purple Palace have started building homes for others in need in TJ. In partnering with Spectrum Ministries the Purple Palace kids have participated in the building of 3 homes so far. Along with Ramon, the Purple Palace Facility Overseer the older kids wish to become their own self sufficient "build team" and have the full support to do so! They wish to continue to pass along the gift of a home to others in need but they need our help in the collection of the tools they need to do this.
 
In order to get a more detailed list of actual tools needed, please click here.
Serving Opportunities
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Door of Faith
"Muscle Mission" Work Day
"Day" Trip
Aug. 16, 2008
  • Cost $50 (includes material donation
     transportation, gas, insurance and food)
  • Help Build the new Nursery facility and enjoy the kids!
  • No experience required, just an attitude of serving
  • Meet 5:45, Leave 6 am

Click here for more details!
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Local Serving
Santa Ana
Every 1st & 3rd Saturday
 
  • Clothes and household items in great condition
  • Food is always needed
  • Come help local churches distribute items and share Jesus Love!

For more information contact Tracey@strongtowerministries.info
christmas tool box
Christmas Caravan
2008 
 
  • Orphanage - "Adopt a Child" new gifts!
  • Stocking Stuffers children ages 3-12
  • Tools and equipment to "Build Homes"