John 13:35 (NASB)– By this all people will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another.
“When the world sees the love of Christ in action, they see the Christ of love”
The world does not understand theology or dogma, but it understands love and sympathy.
D. L. Moody
Dear Friends,
First of all, thank you all for your continued prayers and support of the ministry here at Fairhaven. We thank the Lord for His faithfulness and for allowing us the privilege of serving Him and serving others.
We also want to thank so many of you who helped so many to have a wonderful Christmas. I assure you that it was a special blessing for them and we deeply appreciate this.
This morning, I went and picked up about 4000 lbs of chicken breasts from Our Daily Bread, in Hammond, La., and Sissie has already had people come and receive some of it to take it to those in need in this area— plus 2 other ministries came and took huge loads. You know, when you consider the prices of meats, and everything else, this just proves, again, that we serve a faithful God.
A few days ago, I was talking to Don Owens, director of God’s Warehouse in Morristown, Tn. Don had been talking to some of our coworkers in Poland, Ukraine, and Moldova. They were telling Don of the devastation/needs in Ukraine due to the war in Russia, and even worse now that Russia is especially targeting the infrastructure. Don was made aware of the critical need for food there. We have found out that there are 2 ways we can help in that area immediately. I am attaching a document that will explain what we can do, in case the Lord lays it on your heart, on the heart of your church, to help. The one thing I can assure you is that the people in need will receive what is sent. If you have any questions at all, please contact me.
Through the years– since the Lord has opened the doors to work internationally– people have asked me, “Johnny, why do you have to go help in other countries when the needs are so great right here at home?” Well, the first thing I usually say is that I did not go looking for something else to do when God opened those doors of service. However, Sissie and I, and many others, can share stories of God’s continued (often supernatural) faithfulness as He has provided for us (and so many of you) to help in so many places. The second thing I usually tell people is that, as humans, we so often limit God with our human perspective of things. We tend to forget that He is our Creator and that He owns everything. He is simply not limited in what He can do. WE are the ones that limit Him. Also, we often tend to forget, whether as individuals or as churches, we are blessed as we are only because HE has chosen to bless us. What we do with those blessings is up to us. He will not force us, but whether it is serving locally or halfway around the world, He is always faithful to reward our hearts and actions for serving others. Most importantly though is that, as we serve, we try to do it all in such a way as to express His love and compassion to others in a way that will glorify Him and bring others to Him.
As we go into this New Year, I would ask that each of you remember that you are gifted with special gifts/talents to be used to glorify the Lord and to serve others. Use those gifts to express His love to those around you.
We do pray that you all have a very Blessed and Happy New Year.
In His Service,
Johnny
Fairhaven Ministry of Faith, Hope, and Love
21066 Fairhaven Road
Covington, La. 70435
Office: 985-892-1134
Mobil: 985-264-5052
Email: johnny@fairhavenministry.com
Web: hopeforothers.org
Philippians 2:4–Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
Love is God’s will in action.
COSTS OF FOOD AND SHIPPING FOR UKRAINE
Pricing breakdown of Tender Mercies Meals is as follows: (Each meal [bag] feeds 4 people)
https://www.midwestfoodbank.org/services/tender-mercies-program
A sea container pallet contains 66 cases. ( 33 with 40 bags and 33 with 50 bags per case) 20 pallets will fill a sea container.
Cases consist of either 40 bags or 50 bags.
A case of 40 bags is $40.00
A case of 50 bags us $50.00
A sea Container pallet ( combo of 40 and 50’s) is $2970.00
A full sea container consists of 20 tall pallets. That cost is $59,400.00
These prices are for product only. Freight is the customers responsibility.
Shipping Costs as of 1/2/2023:
From Midwest Food Bank (Tender Mercies Meals) in Indiana to Morristown, Tn. $2,180.
From Morristown, Tn. To Poland, $11,000 +
Due to current inflation situation these prices are subject to change at any time.
The following information is from Mark Fashevesky, the gentleman who is in charge of clearing customs in Poland, seeing that the supplies arrive at the warehouse there, and then are distributed to those in need.
Gleaners of Canada
https://www.okanagangleaners.com/
Okanagan Gleaners, in British Columbia, are willing to donate a few loads of soup mix for Ukraine. They will give them to me for free. I would just need to come up with funding for shipping. Door to door delivery will be around $10,000 for a 40’ container. The reason for the high cost is that they would need to be shipped from Oliver BC. This is a good distance away from the Vancouver port.