Healing the Brokenhearted

Healing the Brokenhearted
Louise - everyone knows Louise. Either you have walked in her shoes, or know someone who has. She is the person no one likes, and everyone ridicules. But Jesus loves Louise, and Barney, and Mark, and Debbie, and you. Not only does He love them, but Jesus wants to heal their broken hearts … and yours.
This year, Barney and Marnie, Louise and Dopey are helping us share this truth and God is healing broken hearts.
A young boy is weeping at the altar. His father, who he is very close to, has been sent to jail. Now Jesus is washing away the pain.
A teenager laughs. His laughter is music to his parents ears. Just a few days earlier, he says good-bye to his friends at school and before he arrives home, they are dead. His heart is heavy as he realizes that in spite of his witnessing they had not accepted Christ. As we minister, God restores the joy and releases the guilt.
A mom says, “Thank you.” She has two daughters waiting for her in heaven. Her sixteen year old daughter was hit by a car and killed this year. As Joel shared about our son in heaven, she was able to let go of some of her grief and Jesus moved in to bring peace.“This was not a kid’s service.” one man commented. “It was a service for everyone. It just reached down to the child in each of us.”
The stories go on. Children, teenagers and adults are allowing God to bring healing to their hurting hearts.
And He is.

Keeping Busy and Loving It
Wow! It’s hard to believe that it has been five months since our last newsletter and have we been busy!
To be honest, 2000 was a rough year for us. Then early in 2001, a seemingly uncrossable mountain appeared in front of us. We asked people to pray - and pray they did. Within a few days the craggy mountain top had been cut off, and we have been watching that mountain shrink in size ever since. A special thank you to everyone who was praying for us.
Since that time, we have been very busy. In January and March, we were in Northern Ontario three times. In February, we were in North Carolina enjoying the nice weather. I also discovered that I am not really a sports person unless...the person playing is related to me. Then the whole picture changes.
Joel’s cousin was playing in a college golf tournament while we were there. We happily followed her around the course and rejoiced when her school came in second out of twenty-two colleges.
In April, we were close to home building a trailer for our summer tour. God blessed us with a trailer base that was small enough for our van to pull. Then we needed to put the rest of it together.
We were also finalizing plans for our last NYSSSA conference. It was an extremely busy time with the conference booklet to prepare, having workshop and exhibitor applications ready to mail out for next year and all of the other million and one things that needed to be done.NYSSSA finally arrived May 11-12 and was a success. That final day was bittersweet knowing that after four years and seven conferences this was another chapter closed.Immediately following NYSSSA, we were involved in our first presentation of X-stream-ly MAD - Make A Difference, God’s Way. We were ministering at a local community park and saw over fifty first time decisions for Christ.
May also found us ministering to the Carisma congregations in Hamilton, Toronto and Cambridge - all on the same day. Our first service was in Hamilton at 11:00 and we were on our way to Toronto by 1:15. Weather and traffic were a real challenge, but we made it to church on time - we just were not set up yet. The service began a little bit late but God still moved powerfully. Then it was off to Cambridge. The rain had cleared and we were thankful that we had left our trailer at home. This time we did make it in time. Finally, we arrived home with two days to pack for the summer.
May 29, we pulled out with a fully loaded van, car top carrier and trailer - heading east. Most of June will be spent in Newfoundland. July will find us back in Ontario. August will be shared between Quebec and Ontario. Then we will have a few days at home. Now onto the family news.
Anya has written her grade 12 equivalency exams and passed. Although we did not receive her actual marks, her placing among recent graduates is in the top 15%. We are thrilled.Anya has applied to go to college this fall and we are just waiting to hear whether or not she has been accepted. We will certainly miss her but recognize God’s hand on her life.Anya and Charity both passed their driving tests so Anya is a full driver and Charity is in her final stage of the graduated license.
Charity is continuing to write music. My parents are celebrating their fiftieth wedding anniversary this year, and her latest song is one written especially for them.Rhian is enjoying her role as S. Papillon (social butterfly) in X-stream-ly MAD - especially the wild and wacky clothes she gets to wear. This summer Anya will be passing the mantle of clowning onto Rhian.
We have been intrigued as we have watched God orchestrate our plans as we look to the changes taking place in our family that will also affect the ministry team. Programs in the past that would have featured Anya are now featuring Rhian. Charity will be with us for another year, but God has already been laying on our hearts ideas for the future.
We are also looking towards making application for a non-profit status in the US either this fall or early next year. At this time we are considering Sanford, North Carolina; Hamburg, New York; Port Huron, Michigan or Springfield, Missouri as our office location. All four places have excellent reasons why we should choose them so please pray that we will know where to go.

Anya's AdditionsAnya is now attending Tyndale College and Seminary in Toronto, Ontario. She is currently enrolled in the BRE program with a minor in ECE. She begins classes September 10, 2001. Although she plans to travel with us next summer, this is her last letter as a full-time member of the team. As a member of the family, Anya's Additions will continue.
It is the season that we spend a lot of our time outdoors doing activities that we most enjoy.Summer is my favourite time of the year, I think. I like doing those activities that cannot be done during the rest of the year, such as water sports. My favourite are tubing, kneeboarding and swimming.
This summer is special for me because it may be the last time that I will travel regularly with my family and the ministry. I am planning on going to college in the fall. Please pray that all things will work out God’s way and that I will follow God's will for my life. I thank you all for continuing to pray for our family as we travel and minister.God is so good. I am glad He is watching over me always. He will never leave me, nor forsake me. God's beauty is grand and majestic. It is all over the place speaking of His power and might.
I am in Newfoundland. It is the last province of Canada for our family to minister in, and I am really enjoying myself. I have started to talk like a Newfoundlander. I have been on a deep sea fishing boat as well as the ferry for crossing, where I had motion sickness. I have had some lobster, something I am not to keen about. This week I was within one hundred feet of an iceberg grounded in La Scie. It was neat to see the water running off the frozen ice into the ocean like small streams. It has been great.
Everything is going well and I just want to remind you all that God is in control of your life. He knows what is best for you. Keep trusting in Him, He'll see you through. May God richly bless your life.

Charity's Chatter
For those who live in Newfoundland, I just want to say that your Island is beautiful. We really should have come here a whole lot sooner. In the last week and a half that I have spent on this Island I have felt completely at home. The people are so friendly and willing to share. I pray that God will bless richly those who blessed us. I just want to say thank you. You have made the start of my summer a true joy.
Summer!?! Can you believe it is almost here. It sure doesn't seem it weather wise, but wow it has come again. I am really looking forward to this summer, but at the same time not quite. This summer we are trying something new, but also heading into a time of change. Our X-streamly Mad VBS - Make a Difference God's Way - is really looking good. We are using extreme sports theme, but none of us know how to do any of them. We want to make a difference this year in lives all over Canada and the United States. We also want to teach kids that no matter who they are, they can make a difference too. Even though they are young they can still worship God with heart, body, soul, mind, and strength. Please pray with us that God would come and meet with the children this summer. Pray that they would experience Him in a new way and that we would follow the leading of the Holy Spirit as we lead the children.
We have already started our summer with a park outreach ministry. We did the X-stream theme and had an awesome time in the park in Dundalk. We taught that we can go extreme for God and saw a number of children make first time commitments to Christ. It is wonderful to see what God is doing and what He will continue to do there. Not only there, but also here in Newfoundland.
This is our first time on the Island and by being here it has made our 'Across Canada' complete. We have now been in every province in Canada (excluding the territories) for ministry. God is just doing wonderful things in the lives of the people out here. He is awesome.
Like I said, this year we are also heading into a time of change. Anya is planning to go off to college. This is really going to be hard on me because she is my best friend. She has always been there for me. I know I sometimes come off as the leader, but in truth I couldn't do it without my older sister. She has been my leaning post for...forever. This is a point of growth and I am going to need to learn to lean even more on Jesus, pray that I will be able to stand strong.
But above everything else, Jesus will be glorified this summer.
For those we are going to see in our travels, can't wait to catch up with you again. God bless and have an awesome summer.

Rhian's Remarks
On your mark! Get set! Go!
The summer is just around the corner. My summer started in May and does not end until September.
We left for Newfoundland at the end of May and will be there for three weeks in June. Can you believe it? Three weeks in one place. Wow!
God has been so awesome this past few months.
You know, life is like a race. We are trying to finish. We are trying to win but there are trials that we can go through. And there are mountains to climb. When you climb a mountain, you need to have the right gear: harness, helmet, rope, etc. When we climb we have to put our trust in the gear. When we go through trials, we have to trust God, just like we trust the mountain climbing gear.
Remember, "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” When you need a friend just call on the Father. He's there and always near at hand.
Keep Living for the King.
:o) Smile, God loves you

Is There a Doggy or Two in the House?
Several years ago, we came off of the road in a full-time capacity. During that time we acquired Royal and Sasha, two cute and adorable Papillons, or toy spaniels. Since that time, God has redirected us back onto the road full-time and we are becoming increasingly busy.
Royal and Sasha travel almost everywhere with us. However, the busier we become the more Royal and Sasha need a different life. Living out of a suitcase is one thing - living in the van is quite another.We are looking at several options.
Someone who lives near us who would be able to doggysit for anything from a weekend to several months at a time.
Someone who would take the dogs on a semi-permanent basis until we have a motorhome or one of our family would be able to care for them on a permanent basis.
Someone who would take Royal and Sasha permanently with the understanding that should they ever choose to no longer have them that they would first let us have the opportunity to have them back. Royal (4 yrs., M) and Sasha (3½ yrs., F) are both neutered, house trained and friendly. Except that our life style makes it difficult for them, we would not be considering giving them away. They truly are a part of our family.

The Shoulder Model Needs the Shrink Cycle
A picture was sent to us recently of the new shoulder model laptop. Someone had humorously put together a full desktop computer system - complete with yoke - for over the shoulder ease of transportation. In some ways we can sympathize with the owner as we are packing two large totes and a 17 in. monitor into the van every time we go anywhere this summer.
Our busy year has resulted in not enough time behind the computer, at home, to prepare everything for our new VBS, X-stream-ly MAD. So our shoulder model comes with us. In some ways it is really nice to have the whole thing, but then it would sure be a lot easier if we had the smaller version. Because of everything that we use the computer for, a high end graphics friendly laptop has become a need for the ministry, not just a want.
Please pray with us that God would provide for this need quickly. Then we can return the desktop to its rightful place.

Thank You
A Special Thank you to everyone who prayed and gave during the past year. Without you we could not have accomplished what we did. May God richly bless you!
God bless,
Joel & Mary
Anya, Charity and Rhian