Do NOT loose Heart

I just arrived home from attending the victorious funeral of Emily Sizakele Sikakane, a dear South African sister. She and her husband Ebenezer Sikakane worked with African Enterprise. Her favorite verse was "His mercy ... new every morning, great is your faithfulness." Lamentation 3:22,23. Now she is with the Savior she loved and served. "Do NOT loose Heart". Warwick preached on John 14: 6 last week. We know THE WAY is Jesus Christ, THE TRUTH is his Word and THE LIFE is NOT loosing heart, but living out Christ-life in the way and with the truth. Warwick shared more incite. If we only dwell on one more than or without the other, we become very unbalanced followers of Christ. If we only focus on Jesus being the 'way', we become leagalistic. If we only believe Jesus is the 'way' and 'truth', we become arrogant, but if we embrace all three, Jesus Christ is the WAY, TRUTH AND LIFE, we live LIFE to the full becoming Godly! John 14:1 says: "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. I will come back to take you to be with me that you may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." II Cor 4:5 says: "Since I have this ministry as I have received mercy, I DO NOT LOOSE HEART ... I do not preach myself, but Christ Jesus as Lord!" This season, the JOY of the Lord is our salvation and strength. We will be renewed every morning, by the mercy of God. Please continue to pray as our team prepares for the trip to Liberian this March 2010.

PRAISE:

• I have been accepted as an associate with SIM Canada.
• I have had opportunities to share 'my dream come true' with many friends.
• My dear Warwick and family are so supportive and happy that I am going on this trip.
  

PRAY:
* Pray that our HEARTS, attitudes and daily life match up to who God wants us to be for His Name sake before, during and after our trip.
* Pray for HEALING of our land and people as many doors continue to be opening. We long to come along side those who He wants us to meet.
* Pray for HEAVENLY RETURNS, people who will celebrate with us in heaven when we see our Savior we love.
* Please pray that my finances come in for the trip (air tickets, housing, food, land travel, supplies for seminars, retreats, youth rallies, orphanages and schools).
- Total amount: $4,731.15
- Support in by February 1, 2010

All donations made to SIM are TAX-DEDUCTIBLE. You may make a donation:

BY MAIL: Please make cheques payable to:

SIM Canada
10 Huntingdale Blvd
Scarborough, ON M1W 2S5 Canada
www.sim.ca

OR

SIM U.S.A.
PO Box 7900
Charlotte, NC 28241-7900 USA
www.sim.org

NOTE: In the Memo line, please use my Support Number 034211

ON LINE: Please go to sim.ca and click the "giving" tab. Be sure to use my Name and my Support Number 034211

Thank you for following my dream with me.

Serving together,

Annette

Associate with SIM (Serving In Mission)

A lot of wonderful things have happened this past month. I have been accepted as an associate of SIM (Serving In Mission), the mission my parents went to Africa with. Now I am preparing for the trip. Pray that I will know what God wants me to share that will give hope and encouragement to my dear people in Liberia. I will keep you informed as we move closer to March, 2010. Have a wonderful season celebrating the coming of Jesus, our Savior.

Returning Home

Dawn of HOPE!

As a child growing up in Liberia, it was the closest place to heaven for me, with beautiful people, places and life changing experiences.

Yet I played on cannons that rested on the sandy beach, hearing the stories of slave ships and the brutality to human life and dignity. It crushed my heart to this day. Here is a picture of children today sitting on the same cannon.

I loved the Liberian crest expressing freedom from slavery, as many returned from the USA in the early 1800s. "THE LOVE OF LIBERTY BROUGHT US HERE" was their goal. This is a country where hopes of freedom and equality were pursued. There were also Liberians who didn't cross the seas. The blending of both is important and has a very special place in God's plan.

But now after the 14 years of Civil war, it has become one of the darkest hell holes on earth. Think of the children rounded up and taken by truck load to become child-soldiers, forced to kill and rape.

''Momolu Norman a former child soldier, enrolled in a computer school under a U.N. program to retrain combatants. He now teaches at the school in the mornings and studies criminal justice and administration at the university in the afternoons. Instead of a Kalashnikov, he carries a computer memory stick tied to a lanyard looped around the button-down collar of his pink and white checked shirt.

Seven years ago, when Norman was 15, he was selling used clothes on the street when a truck came to round up boys for the army.

"I gave my clothes to someone I knew and tried to run," says Norman, now 22. "But they caught me and put me on the truck. My family didn't even know then what had happened to me."

Five years of terror followed during which Norma saw friends lose their arms, legs and lives.

"I had to kill people - I had no choice," he says. "I never wanted to be a soldier. When the U.N. intervened to end the war, I could finally do something for myself."

Think of some leaders who turned their souls to the cruelest atrocities on earth, killing, maiming and raping hundreds of thousands of their own people. Think of the physical destruction of the land that once stood tall for freedom and light.

Could there be a new chapter to this story? Yes, by God's grace and eternal love the dawn of hope is breaking.

October 13th, I read a recent New York Times report of a child who was raped and was speaking out for change in Liberia. It stirred my heart.

I was raped at the age of 12 in Liberia. For years, God has used this 'event' in my life. I have been able to come along side hundreds of women and teens around the world. I again longed to hold, weep with and love my Liberian sisters and share the freedom I have found in Christ.

ELWA, the radio station where my parents served since 1955, and where I grew up, is very much on my heart. From the age of 10, I worked in the clinic and then ELWA hopital with wounded people, physically, spiritually and emotionally.

October 14th, I was invited to join a team from the USA going to Liberia! Could this be true? I ask you to join me in prayer for God's will.

THE ASSIGNMENT:

WHERE: Liberia, West Africa
WHY: I know God wants me to go, and because I want to take the love of Jesus there!
WHEN: March, 2010
WHAT: Visiting orphans and widows; youth rallies; woman's seminars; love, hold and weep with raped and war victims from the poor to elite; Management training for Government officials and at ELWA.
HOW: By the strength and grace of the Lord, your prayer and financial support.

WOULD YOU PARTNER WITH ME?

Prayer Support:

• Lasting peace in Liberia through Jesus Christ's transforming power
• President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, that her heart and mind will remain focused on Jesus.
• Resolution of civil differences, impossible humanly speaking, but with God all is possible.
• Opportunity to rebuild relationships with old friends and make new.
• That the Holy Spirit will create a spiritual hunger in the lives of those we meet.
• That my heart will never ignore God's call in my life.
• Financial and Prayer support before February 1, 2010.

Financial Support:

• Financial needs for transportation for the trip
• Housing, food and land travel while in Liberia
• Supplies for seminars and youth rallies
  

"Lord, I have heard the news about You, I am amazed at what You have done. Lord, do great things once again in our time; make those things happen again in our own days." Habakkuk 3:2

If you would like to contact me, please send me an email at annettecooper77@yahoo.com

Thank you for hearing my heart!

Annette

Live and Die Well - Father's Day tribute to my Daddy

Daddy Showed us how to live and die well

My first Father’s day with Daddy in Heaven. He left for heaven March 27, 2009 at the age of 97.

My Daddy didn’t tell me how to live or die, he showed me. For all of us who had the honor of visiting him during his last few weeks, this statement was very evident. During his last few days, he communicated with peace in his eyes, a gentle smile, or squeeze of his hand. I am thankful that God kept his mind alert so we could say “goodbye, see you in the morning”.

He was an SIM (Serving In Mission) pioneer missionary who lived life to the full. He and my Mom (Sophie) sailed for Africa on the Queen Mary in 1937. Our first home was a grass hut, and first mode of transportation was a camel. Family life was always an adventure.

The morning Daddy went to be with Jesus at the age of 97, Warwick read Daily Light to me. “To him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at the day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. Behold, I come quickly; hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. (Prov 11:18, II Tim 4:7,8 Rev 3:11). Talk about planned comfort from God’s word. I pondered these words all day. Daddy has received his reward. I know it says a ‘crown’ here, but I know that seeing the eyes, and smile of Jesus would have so much more value to him than a crown. HE IS THERE. How awesome is that.

When I called my brother David (who has special needs), I recalled a similar conversation when I told him about Moma’s death 21 years ago. Here is the gist of our conversation … Annette: “Daddy is with Jesus now.” David: “OHHHH, I will miss him. He is with Mommy, Teddy (our oldest brother), Uncle Stan and Auntie Rae Whitehead (friends who knew David as a young boy). I want to go to heaven.” Annette: “When I told you Mama went to heaven you said: ‘Jesus called her name. He will be waiting for us, and will call our name someday.’ Can we wait together until it is our turn?” David: “Whose turn will be next?” --- WOW, what profound incite he has to encourage all of us, with a very simple faith.

Through this season of the shadow of death, I can feel the warmth of Jesus’ face next to mine, I can smell the sweet fragrance of His peaceful presence against the stench of death, and see the evidence of His sustaining power in the newness of this day. I can fall back into the loving arms of His eternal love and rest there.

When I think of Daddy, I realize his faith was practiced in the way he lived day by day. I am so proud to be a part of his family. It is my honor to follow in his steps, ones that look so much like the steps of Jesus. My prayer is that in my generation and those behind, we will be able to recognize the steps of Jesus. Clarence Kelland said: “My father didn’t tell me how to live; he lived and let me watch him do it.” This was so true of Daddy. He also showed us how to die well, and we thank him.

As I stand by his grave, I remember that his body is like a shadow reflecting who he was here on earth. There is no life there, yet he is more alive now than he ever has been. I love that truth about ETERNAL LIFE. Right now I see through clouds of human understanding and mis-understanding, grief and pain mixed with hope and love. It seems very dark and cold at time. Death isn’t something we will ever get used to, but the SON is above those clouds. And that is where my belief system lies! Let’s remain enveloped in His mercy new, just for today to live and die well!

Cultivating the beauty of everyday moments ...

Running through the warm, bubbling waves on the sandy beaches of Liberia, West Africa or climbing up coconut palms for a sweet fruit snack are early childhood memories captured in my mind forever. Cultivating the beauty of an everyday moment - takes time and demands focus. My Dad and Mom (Ray and Sophie de la Haye) taught me from a very young age to live in the moment. Daddy, a photographer taught me to capture unexpected beauty in the most unusual places through the lens of a camera. Momma encouraged me to journal my joys, hopes, disappointments and fears. Every life is a story.

Life lived to the fullest whether in a quiet solitude moment or in a celebrated crowd is what memory building is all about. Beauty is captured there, maybe lasting for a moment, but imprinted in our minds forever.

Photography, journaling and gardening are passions of mine. They are my favorite places to listen to God, my loving Heavenly Father. In the Bible in James 4:8 it says: "Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you."

I find gardening and photography are places of few words and great wonder. Have you found this to be true on your journey? Share with me.