Terri Clark Ministries, Inc.
God can do anything you know?far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! Ephesians 3:20
 | A few years ago, a friend of mine framed Ephesians 3:20 (above), from The Message (Bible), and gave it to me as a gift. It hangs prominently in the main room of the TCM office. I love this Scripture because it reminds me that it is God who fulfills our dreams?not us. Some dream their lives will count for something great before taking their last breath, and others just dream of a better day tomorrow. I think all of us have been at both ends of the spectrum.
I can remember tearfully praying for grace to raise my stepchildren, and that my marriage would withstand the storms of blending. My dream was just to get through the conflict of the day. And, as the Scripture indicates, in my wildest dreams, I never would have imagined God could use my trials to help other struggling stepfamilies?yet that is exactly what He is doing.
Sometimes God moves enormous mountains, answering prayers so fast I can't get through one door before He opens another. But there are also silent times when it seems like God has left me hanging, and my prayers are falling on deaf ears. Do I become overwhelmed by all that is going on at TCM, in the stepfamily ministry and in Africa? I wouldn't be human if I didn't. Do I stop dreaming and praying? No, because those are the times I happen to look at that framed Scripture on my wall and know it is God alone who fulfills our dreams. I look out at the beautiful mountaintop view from our TCM, Sweet Water, office and remember, He is the dream giver. We are just the vehicle God uses to fulfill His ultimate purposes. As you read this newsletter, please celebrate with us in our victories and join us in praying for our needs. |
Blending the Church Family through Focus Groups
In response to recent Barna Research Group studies revealing conservative Christians have a higher divorce rate than other faith groups, Terri Clark Ministries is investing in a ministry that seeks to equip and encourage the largest Christian community?the church.
With one third of all American citizens being in some way connected to a stepfamily, TCM is now offering to facilitate focus groups for churches who would like to help. Whether single parents, stepparents or grandparents raising grandchildren, Terri can offer church members helpful tools and teaching from her book and a variety of her workshops.
Focus groups are a great opportunity for people to speak openly about the hard emotional issues of their unique family situations. These groups will enable Terri to keep her finger on the pulse of America's changing family structure, while creating relevant workshops, teaching materials and books. Overall, the focus group is a win-win situation, benefiting the church as a whole and serving the intricate needs of the individuals within it.
¨ Contact Terri at www.terriclarkministries.org for information on focus groups or to find out more about having Terri speak at your church.
Sweet Water Conference and Retreat Center News
| Terri Clark Ministries' vision to build a retreat center to offer marriage resources, as well as help and healing for couples of stepfamilies, is continuing on. Sweet Water will offer workshops, seminars, teaching and counseling. The center, located on Pearcy Mountain in Arkansas, will contain a 2800 square foot lodge, five to six suites of cabins, as well as nature trails and a chapel.
¨ Please pray for the future of Sweet Water as TCM writes and prepares grant
applications to fund the building of the Conference Center. |  |
Please continue to pray for our troops around the world and their families back home.
2009 Uganda Women's Conference
On April 14-17, over 300 women from 20 Ugandan districts gathered to attend the 2009 Uganda Women's Leadership Conference in Kampala. Many had never been out of their village or seen a Muzungu (white person). Terri Clark of TCM partnered with Nancy Pennington of Firefall International, and we invited Jocey Sluka of Friends of the Groom Ministries (Cincinnati). We were joined by several Ugandan speakers invited by Monique Mubiru to complete a powerful and impactful international team.
The theme verse "So she fell on her face, bowed down to the ground, and said to him, Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?'" (Ruth 2:10) resonated in their spirits. Living up to its theme, the conference blessed and favored these women who are often overlooked. Terri, Nancy and Jocey brought messages of encouragement, hope and healing, as well as equipping them with Biblical teaching they can incorporate into their own ministries. Additionally, Jocelyn taught them how to use drama to present the Gospel message. Monique Mubiru reported that women from the conference have gone back to their villages and organized their own drama teams.
¨ Thank you for supporting the 2009 Uganda Women's Leadership Conference. Please pray that the attendees will continue in their ministry and take what they learned to impact the people around them. |
Ray of Hope Medical Center Update
Since 2004, the Ray of Hope Medical Center has been offering much-needed medical assistance to the people of Ntinda even though it is not fully completed. However, because they lack basic medical equipment, patients must be sent to other
hospitals for services they can't provide. Many times the
patient doesn't have the funds to go so they must do without treatment. Much of this needed equipment has already been donated and currently being stored at Terri Clark Ministries' headquarters waiting for shipment to Uganda. Cost for a
shipping container to transport the equipment is $10,205. This may seem high, but considering our donated ultrasound machine alone is valued at nearly that amount, much of the equipment cannot be purchased in Uganda and how much a container holds, it means everything to our hospital.
¨ Please consider donating a designated gift toward this shipping container and pray the Medical Center receives all the equipment necessary to meet the medical needs of the people very soon.
Pastor John Mubiru is continuing to spread his outreach to new villages by counseling, teaching, and holding pastors' conferences. He reports that many pastors in the villages are in need of Bibles. Bibles cost $10 each, and are needed in the languages of Luganda, Lunyankole, Lukigga and Kinyarwanda. Although God has blessed the Mubirus with many new outreach opportunities, their van recently broke down. A vehicle is crucial, not only to transport Monique and John, but it is the sole vehicle for the Children's Sponsorship Program, the hospital and the church. Cost for a new van is $12-15,000.
¨ Please consider sponsoring some Bibles for village pastors or donating funds to buy a new van to allow them to continue their spiritual and medical ministry to the people of Ntinda.
In 2005, a very ill Mary N Mirembe, 16, was brought to John and Monique's church by her elder sister. Mary had stopped school in grade level Senior Three for lack of funds, even though she desperately wanted to complete her education. Mary's father had no money for hospital and school fees, claiming they had already spent a lot going to several doctors, including witch doctors, and none of them could help her. After receiving prayer in the church, Mary was instantly healed and all her symptoms disappeared. Mary accepted Jesus as her personal Savior and continued coming to church for fellowship. She prayed that she could finish school.
Mary was registered in TCM's Child Sponsorship Program, receiving sponsorship almost immediately by Ed and Joy Lee of Indiana. During her course of study at Najeera High School in Senior Four, she emerged as the top student not only in her school, but in the entire area for 2006. Mary continued to excel. In 2008, after taking final exams, Mary's scores ranked her as one of the best students in the whole country. She received a government scholarship to study law at Makerere University in Kampala, covering a portion of the costs. She will begin her studies in August 2009. We are so proud of Mary and grateful to the Lee's for loving her and sponsoring her education.
¨ We have an urgent prayer need for five children who recently lost their sponsorships?they need to find sponsors very soon! Also, please pray for new sponsors! We have 500 registered children, 300 are still unsponsored and need help to go to school.
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Ladies Luncheon
On Saturday, May 23, about 30 local child sponsors gathered for lunch at the TCM headquarters in Pearcy, Ark. It was an afternoon of great food and fun with the purpose of bringing blessing and delight to the sponsored children. During the luncheon, sponsors were provided cards to write a few lines to their child. Their pictures were taken and included with the cards. TCM then sent all the notes and pictures to Uganda.
Goal Reached!
After putting out a plea in February to raise $6,000 by March 31, TCM met and exceeded its goal in the time needed. Thank you for your contributions! Your donations purchased medicines, paid our doctors and nurses, and continue to allow all the children in the program (sponsored and unsponsored) to be treated in the Medical Center.
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