Strong Tower Ministries Newsletter

January 2011 VOL 5 Issue 65

IN THIS ISSUE

STM Facebook & Twitter

Make Sure to Sign Up!

Find Your Photos on SMUGMUG

December Trip Wrap-Up

RSM Project Updates

BE SURE TO CONNECT AND FOLLOW ALONG WITH STM ON:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

Dec Serving Trip Pics

Over 200 kids and 100 parents in attendance in Rosarito

MFH Grounds Keeping Crew

Gift Wrapping Crew

Christmas GIfts for the Kids

RSM Student Christmas Program

Serving Christmas Dinner to RSM Staff and Kids

AN EASY WAY TO GIVE BACK

RALPHS LOGO

STM and Ralphs have teamed up through their Community Contribution Program to allow you to give a percentage of your shopping dollars towards Strong Tower Ministries. All you have to do is register at

www.ralphs.com
and use your Ralphs REWARDS card so you can designate STM as your direct giving organization. It takes a few moments to register, as you may have to activate your online awards account. Once enrolled, up to 4% of the total amount you spend at Ralphs during any given yearly quarter will be donated back to Strong Tower Ministries. To enroll now, just click on the link below:

Wanna See More Pics??

For those of you wanting to post pictures of your most recent STM trip or see photos of other trips you can now add this SMUGMUG link to your web browser:

SMUGMUG

Faith Requires an ACTION step.......How can such a simple statement that we know to be true at times seem so difficult to do? God uses every area of our lives as a testing ground to strengthen our faith. The question is how are we going to choose to respond?

Whether you are participating in this serving ministry or thinking about serving in the New Year, some things are for certain. First, God can and will use you in ways you never thought possible. Second, your faith will be strengthened as a result. Third, you will be a blessing to others.

Our goal with STM is to provide plenty of "action" opportunities for you in 2011. These could include volunteering your time to help with ministry administration stuff, joining our prayer team, contributing financially, or going on a serving trip into Baja.

Finally, include others in the blessing. Tell your friends, family, and co-workers about the benefits of service and encourage them to join in on the fun.

Looking forward to seeing and serving beside each and every one of you in 2011.

James Kirk-Johnson

Director of Ministry Operations

December Serving Trip Wrap Up

A big thanks to all who came together to bring Christmas to the children living in the Baja communities of Rosarito (future home of My Father's House) and the parents, staff, and students of Rancho Sordo Mudo in Guadalupe Valley. For ALL of you that participated in big and small ways, YOU MADE A DIFFERENCE this Christmas in the lives of over 250 children! Attached are a list of highlights and a group picture taken on Sunday at the Ranch.

Highlights of this serving experience:

1. 2 donated vans for the trip!

2. 2 days of DRY WEATHER!

3. 9 Donated ice chests, 4 sleeping bags, and 12 pop up canopies for the trip.

4. Over 10 different folks pitching in to make over 7 homemade Lasagnas, bread, salad fixings, and breakfast items for us to serve a Christmas dinner and breakfast for the kids, staff, and students of the of RSM.

5. Witnessing over 5 different local pastors, local worship band, 30+ local church volunteers, the Mayor, City Counsel, our group of 25, and over 300 neighbors gather together on a dirt lot to celebrate what God has done and will continue to do in all our lives, as well as the children of Baja we seek to serve.

6. Seeing 32 children at Rancho Sordo Mudo (who all at one point didn't have a language or the ability to communicate) perform a Christmas program, share with us their Christmas artwork, personal testimonies, and deliver the love they have found in Christ to parents and strangers alike.

7. Volunteers who shopped and bought over 150 Christmas gifts for individual students and staff at RSM.

8. Seeing over 200 children at the My Father's House Christmas Outreach smiling and "wide eyed" as they eagerly anticipated the food and presents.

9. Over 450 Dollars donated towards the purchase of food for RSM.

The MFH/RSM "overnight" Group

Rancho Sordo Mudo Project Updates

Rancho del Rey Church Group Cutting and Clearing Trees for the RSM Missionary Training Center/Auditorium in December

The Guadalupe Valley in Baja California was first settled by Russian Molokan farmers at the turn of the 19th century. One of the last remaining Molokons sold 500 undeveloped arid acres to Ed and Margaret Everett to start Rancho Sordo Mudo School for the Deaf in the late 1960's. From that bare land, today stand numerous buildings and beautiful landscaping that proclaims Gods faithfulness for more than 40 years of ministry to the deaf of Mexico.

Far beyond the teaching and training of deaf children, RSM's existence has inspired 1000's of other individuals toward service to God in countless ministry opportunities. We ourselves were so moved by their work that God used you and Strong Tower Ministries to make the award winning movie "Hearing Everett."

Now with your help we have taken on a new building project at "The Ranch.' The goal of the Ministry Training Center/ Auditorium is to be used as a focal point of outreach to the deaf of Mexico and Latin America. Our own Tim Ruder drew up the architectural plans for the Center and its 'footprint' has already been graded in the foothills. Over the next few months we are hoping to see the Training Center begin to take shape. As we organize work teams to build the Center we hope you can make plans to be part of it and see the beautiful Guadalupe Valley for yourself!

Steve Sundin
RSM Project Manager