Harvest Time International

I want to share with you about a local ministry in Port Orange that provides assistance with food, household, and hygiene products for families who struggle to make ends meet. Harvest Time International has served the Central Florida community since 1994 and recently opened a location in Port Orange at 3350 S. Ridgewood Ave. Participation in the program does require prior qualification by their caseworkers, however, very few are turned away. Those who qualify for food stamps are automatically qualified to participate. For more information contact Harvest Time International locally at 386-526-4736 or check out their website here. Here is a testimonial by my Administrative Assistant, Barb Kennedy, who has participated in this program:

"My experience at Harvest Time International has been great. The registration was quick and easy and the people were very kind and gracious to me. This ministry is basically a grocery store with significantly reduced prices. Items are donated by grocery stores due to damaged packaging, overstock, or expiration dates. Items that are expired are generally only a month or so past the date. They have many different types of items including a huge selection of cereal (ranging in price from $0.50-1.50), cookies, canned fruit/veggies, ready-to-eat meals, pasta, pasta sauce, bread (free - limit 4 per family), toilet paper, paper towels, soap, and other various items. I would highly recommend anyone that who needs help to make ends meet visit this ministry."

Ninos de Mexico's Current Need

Many of you are familiar with and have been very faithful to Ninos de Mexico, a mission with which TCC has partnered for over ten years. In fact, every two years, TCC sends a mission team led by Panda and Rob Rodriguez to Mexico to assist Ninos' efforts. Since 1966, Ninos' purpose has been to evangelize to Mexico's lost people, primarily through orphaned children whom they counsel, educate and house via one of their four schools and multiple church plants. Currently, Ninos de Mexico is running an urgent deficit of $53,000. This past Wednesday evening, a special offering was taken for Ninos and we collected $1,371.50 for them. Thank you so much to those who have given! We will continue to accept funds to help them meet their need. If you would like to help, please make out checks to Tomoka Christian Church and note "Ninos de Mexico" in the memo line. Checks may be dropped in the offering bag at any Tomoka Christian service. For more information on Ninos de Mexico's great work, check out their website here.

Lessons from a very special camp

Dawn Dawson, a member of the Tomoka Christian family, ministers to developmentally disabled people in this area. She recently sent a note of thanks to Tomoka for a financial gift that funded scholarships for a recent very special Christian camp.

Over 200 developmentally disabled adults attended Special Gathering’s Camp Agape this year. It humbled me to observe some of the conversations that took place, and I was faced with the reality of how complicated we make things.

Two men were participating in arts and crafts when one asked the other if he “really had Jesus in his heart.” The other said “Yep, I sure do.” His friend asked him, “How do you really know you have him on the inside?” His friend answered, “Well, I just feel Him moving around in there all the time!”

Camp Agape is safe haven for our campers and we want to provide an environment full of fun activities, but primarily instill the knowledge and gift of Jesus Christ. One of the speakers this year said, “Jesus Christ is like an American Express — just don’t leave camp without Him!” We were there to teach, but we were the ones who were taught.

After this weekend, I will never again worry about what anyone thinks as I pray, or as I worship. Also, the next time I share Jesus with someone I will simply ask, “Do you have Jesus in your heart? How do you really know you have Him inside?”

Thank you for placing me in this ministry. If this door had never opened, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to be taught in such a special way. I sincerely thank the Tomoka Christian Church family for graciously providing finances for our Camp Agape scholarship fund. Due to economic circumstances, the companies that provide camp funds had been forced to cut back an enormous amount of their giving. Your financial support makes an eternal difference!

Note: Dawn teaches a special needs class for all ages each week during the 5 p.m. service in the Family Life Center at Tomoka Christian. E-mail Dawn.