MAY 2009 Careline

Telling The: Friends Caring & Sharing Ministry’s Story

54 Elora Street South, Box 5517, Harriston, Ontario. Canada N0G 1Z0

Phone 519-338-2824 - Fax 519-338-3360 - E-mail: friends@wightman.ca

Store Hours: Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm & Thursday to 7pm. Saturday to 2pm Helping others in 153 Countries, Since August 1990

" Shop In Air Condition Comfort " - " Public Washroom For Your Use "

" It’s A Great Feeling To Help Others "

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Happy Mother’s Day

To all mothers on May 10^th.

Friends Caring & Sharing Centre looking for GOOD CLEAN clothing, footwear, all ages, all seasons anytime, towels, wash cloths, curtains, bedding, yarn for knitting, sports team uniforms, sports equipment, baseballs & gloves etc., used eye glasses, laptop computers, Christian Books, pocket books, school supplies, wheelchairs, walkers, canes etc., Musical instruments; please contact Frank at Friends Caring & Sharing for more information on donating items. Thank You

" PLEASE SAVE YOUR "

L&M and ZEHRS Cash Register Tapes

And Donate them to Friends Caring & Sharing

to help pay for their many ongoing projects.

Please drop the tape off at Friends Caring & Sharing

THANK YOU

EACH SATURDAY

in

May

Will be " Tax Free " Day

Party Supplies

Friends Caring & Sharing Centre

have a good supply of party items

at very low prices

Keep using my name in vain,
I'll make rush hour longer.
-God

Making It Christmas For Others All Year Round

 

GO "BLUE JAYS" GO

Friends Caring & Sharing’s Staff

would like to invite everyone to join them

in signing a fax that they will be sending

each Friday to cheer them on!

Let the Blue Jays know " We Care "

PLEASE SAVE YOUR POP CANS

Donate them along with any other Aluminum items for Recycling

Pop Cans can be dropped off in the yellow Barrel off back parking lot, any time.

The proceeds are used to help with many of Friends Caring & Sharing projects in helping others.

From The Desk: Of The Founder of

Friends Caring & Sharing: Frank X. Hoffele

This has been a very busy past few months, we have received about 380 good clean Soccer uniforms to be shipped to Haiti for children there, we are also helping to make up a load of good clean clothing to be shipped to Pathway Camp Ministries in mid May 2009.

We are also working on making up Care Parcels to be shipped to the Philippines, we need your support to help pay for the shipping cost of $95.00 Canadian per box, maybe this could be your church mission project.

I received a copy of an email from Annette Vickers, she has received from Pastor Melvin in El Salvador, letting us know he has put to use the tents Friends Caring & Sharing shipped to him in the P.A.N. Container this past year and is asking for more tents, it is great to hear from the Pastor and missionaries letting us know that the care parcels and others items are put to good use in God’s name. We also received an e-mail from Sally on page #2 of this Careline for a computer for Katherine.

I receive many e-mails, phone calls and letters asking for help and giving us thanks for helping them and telling us that they have us in their daily prayers. I pray that God will Bless each and everyone and supply you with your needs. Frank X. Hoffele

IT’S A GREAT FEELING TO HELP OTHERS

A Christian Several years ago, a preacher from out-of-state accepted a call to a church in Houston, Texas. Some weeks after he arrived, he had an occasion to ride the bus from his home to the downtown area. When he sat down, he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him a quarter too much change. As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, 'You'd better give the quarter back. It would be wrong to keep it.' Then he thought, ' Oh, forget it, it's only a quarter. Who would worry about this little amount? Anyway, the bus company gets too much fare; they will never miss it. Accept it as a 'gift from God' and keep quiet.' When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, and then he handed the quarter to the driver and said, 'Here, you gave me too much change ' The driver, with a smile, replied, 'Aren't you the new preacher in town?' 'Yes' he replied.
'Well, I have been thinking a lot lately about going somewhere to worship. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change. I'll see you at church.'
When the preacher stepped off of the bus, he literally grabbed the nearest light pole, held on, and said, 'Oh God, I almost sold your Son for a quarter.'
Our lives are the only Bible some people will ever read. This is a beautiful example of how much people watch us as Christians, and will put us to the test! Always be on guard -- and remember -- You carry the name of Christ on your shoulders when you call yourself 'Christian.'
Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny. I'm glad a friend forwarded this to me as a reminder. So, I choose to forward it to you - my friend. God bless you; I hope you are having a wonderful day!

Friends Caring & Sharing Centre

"SPECIALS"

Every Tuesday & Thursday

for the month of May

2 for one Sale

On all Green, White, Blue & Yellow Tags

Buy one and get the second one of same value or less free.

We except: Interac, Master Card, Visia & American Express

Let's meet at my house Sunday
before the game.
-God

Making It Christmas For Others All Year Round

Twinkies and Root = Beer A little boy wanted to meet God. = He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with Twinkies and a six-pack of Root Beer and he started his journey. When he had gone about three blocks, he met an elderly man. The man was sitting in the park just feeding some pigeons. The boy sat down next to him and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a drink from his root beer when he noticed that the man looked hungry, so he offered him a Twinkie. The man gratefully accepted it and smiled at boy. His smile was so pleasant that the boy wanted to see it again, so he0 offered him a root beer. Again, the man smiled at him. The boy was delighted! They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word. As it grew dark, the boy realized how tired he was and he got up to leave, but before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran back to the man, and gave him a hug. The man gave him his biggest smile ever. When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face. She asked him, "What did you do today that made you so happy? "He replied, "I had lunch with God." But before his mother could respond, he added, "You know what? God's got the most beautiful smile I've ever seen!" Meanwhile, the elderly man, also radiant with joy, returned to his home. His son was stunned by the look of peace on his face and he asked," Dad, what did you do today that made you so happy?" He replied, "I ate Twinkies in the park with God." However, before his son responded, he added," You know, he's much younger than I expected." Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. People come into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. Embrace all equally ~author = unknown~

From: "Sally Centeno Novoa" <sally.cn@live.ca>

To: "Santa Frank" <friends@wightman.ca>

Subject: Hi Frank!

Date: Monday, April 27, 2009 2:54 AM

Hi Frank (Santa).... LONG TIME NO EMAIL!!! Remember me? I've been thinking and praying about you lately- I'm hoping that you and your wife are well... and that you're resting too!

Frank, I was in Nicaragua from Feb 28th-Apr9th. It was an amazing trip... is it always is! I was able to connect with Katherine while I was there. She is doing ok. The hospital still says that her prognosis isn't good, but she's still attending school and doing everything a usual 19 year old woman would do. She gets really good marks in school (I even saw her report card). She is behind a couple of years because of the time off she took to complete cancer treatment.

When I was visiting, her mom asked me if I had access to a computer to give to Katherine. She would like to use it for schoolwork. I've asked around without any luck. I'm just wondering if used computers are ever donated to your store (or laptops)? Pablo would be able to fix them in Nicaragua if necessary. Please let me know if you think this would be possible.

Hope to see you soon!

Blessings, Sally

IT’S A GREAT FEELING TO HELP OTHERS

THE CARPENTER'S GLASSES My mother's father worked as a carpenter. On this particular day, he was building some crates for the clothes his church was sending to orphanages in China. On his way home, he reached into his shirt pocket to find his glasses, but they were gone When he mentally replayed his earlier actions, he realized what had happened; the glasses had slipped out of his pocket unnoticed and fallen into one of the crates, which he had nailed shut. His brand new glasses were heading for China! The Great Depression was at its height and Grandpa had six children. He had spent $20 for those glasses that very morning. He was upset by the thought of having to buy another pair. It's not fair, he told God as he drove home in frustration. I've been very faithful in giving of my time and money to your work, and now this. Months later, the director of the orphanage was on furlough in the United States. He wanted to visit all the churches that supported him in China, so he came to speak one Sunday at my grandfather's small church in Chicago. The missionary began by thanking the people for their faithfulness in supporting him. But most of all, he said, I must thank you for the glasses you sent last. You see, the Communists had just swept through the orphanage, destroying everything, including my glasses. I was desperate. Even if I had the money, there was simply no way of replacing those glasses. Along with not being able to see well, I experienced headaches every day, so my coworkers and I were much in prayer about this. Then your crates arrived. When my staff removed the covers, they found a pair of glasses lying on top. The missionary paused long enough to let his words sink in. Then, still gripped with the wonder of it all, he continued: Folks, when I tried on the glasses, it was as though they had been custom made just for me! I want to thank you for being a part of that. The people listened, happy for the miraculous glasses. But the missionary surely must have confused their church with another, they thought. There were no glasses on their list of items to be sent overseas. But sitting quietly in the back, with tears streaming down his face, an ordinary carpenter realized the Master Carpenter had used him in an extraordinary way. There are times we want to blame God instead of thanking him! Perhaps we ought to try to thank Him more often. May GOD bless your week. Look for the perfect mistakes. People are like tea bags - you have to put them in hot water before you know how strong they are. By: ~Harry S. Truman~

Making It Christmas For Others All Year Round

 

When God Made Moms

By the time the Lord made mothers, he was into his sixth day of working overtime. An Angel appeared and said "Why are you spending so much time on this one"? And the Lord answered and said, "Have you seen the spec sheet on her? She has to be completely washable, but not plastic; have 200 movable parts, all replaceable; run on black coffee and leftovers; have a lap that can hold three children at one time and that disappears when she stands up; have a kiss that can cure anything from a scraped knee to a broken heart, and have six pairs of hands."

The Angel was astounded at the requirements for this one. "Six pairs of hands! No Way!" said the Angel. The Lord replied, "Oh, it's not the hands that are the problem. It's the three pairs of eyes that mothers must have!" "And that's just on the standard model?" The Angel asked.

The Lord nodded in agreement, "Yes, one pair of eyes are to see through the closed door as she asks her children what they are doing even though she already knows. Another pair in the back of her head, are to see what she needs to know even though no one thinks she can. And the third pair are here in the front of her head. They are for looking at an errant child and saying that she understands and loves him or her without even saying a single word." The Angel tried to stop the Lord. "This is too much work for one day. Wait until tomorrow to finish." "But I can't!" the Lord protested, "I am so close to finishing this creation that is so close to my own heart. She already heals herself when she is sick AND can feed a family of six on a pound of hamburger and can get a nine year old to stand in the shower."

The Angel moved closer and touched the woman, "But you have made her so soft, Lord." "Yes, she is soft", the Lord agreed, "But I have also made her tough. You have no idea what she can endure or accomplish." "Will she be able to think?", asked the inquisitive Angel. The Lord smiled and replied, "Not only will she be able to think, she will be able to reason, and negotiate." The Angel then noticed something and reached out and touched the woman's cheek. "Oops, it looks like you have a leak with this model. I told you that you were trying to put too much into this one."

"That's not a leak." The Lord objected. "That is a tear!" "What's the tear for? the Angel asked.

The Lord said, "The tear is her way of expressing her joy, her sorrow, her disappointment, her pain, her loneliness, her grief, and her pride." The Angel was impressed. "You are a genius, Lord. You thought of everything! Truly, You do all things well... Moms are truly amazing!"

..Erma Bombeck

IT’S A GREAT FEELING TO HELP OTHERS

THE FIREMAN
In Phoenix, Arizona, a 26-year-old mother stared down at her 6 year old son, who was dying of terminal leukemia. Although her heart was filled with sadness, she also had a strong feeling of determination. Like any parent, she wanted her son to grow up and fulfill all his dreams. Now that was no longer possible..
The leukemia would see to that. But she still wanted her son's dreams to come true. She took her son's hand and asked, "Billy, did you ever think about what you wanted to be once you grew up? Did you ever dream and wish what you would do with your life?"
Mommy, "I always wanted to be a fireman when I grew up." Mom smiled back and said, "Let's see if we can make your wish come true." Later that day she went to her local fire department in Phoenix, Arizona, where she met Fireman Bob, who had a heart as big as Phoenix. She explained her son's final wish and asked if it might be possible to give her six-year-old son a ride around the block on a fire engine.
Fireman Bob said, "Look, we can do better than that. If you'll have your son ready at seven o'clock Wednesday morning, we'll make him an honorary fireman for the whole day. He can come down to the fire station, eat with us, go out on all the fire calls, the whole nine yards! And if you'll give us ! his sizes, we'll get a real fire uniform for him, with a real fire hat-not a toy one-with the emblem of the Phoenix Fire Department on it, a yellow slicker like we wear and rubber boots. They're all manufactured right here in Phoenix, so we can get them fast."
Three days later Fireman Bob picked up Billy, dressed him in his fire uniform and escorted him from his hospital bed to the waiting hook and ladder truck. Billy got to sit on the back of the truck and help steer it back to the fire station. He was in heaven. There were three fire calls in Phoenix that day and Billy got to go out on all three calls. He rode in the different fire engines, the paramedic's van, and even the fire chief's car.
He was also videotaped for the local news program. Having his dream come true, with all the love and attention that was lavished upon him, so deeply touched Billy that he lived three months longer than any doctor thought possible.
One night all of his vital signs began to drop dramatically and the head nurse, who believed in the hospice concept that no one should die alone, began to call the family members to the hospital. Then she remembered the day Billy had spent as a fireman, so she called the Fire Chief and asked if it would be possible to send a fireman in uniform to the hospital to be with Billy as he made his transition.
The chief replied, "We can do better than that. We'll be there in five minutes. Will you please do me a favor? When you hear the sirens screaming and see the lights flashing, will you announce over the PA system that there is not a fire? It's just the fire department coming to see one of its finest
members one more time. And will you open the window to his room?
About five minutes later a hook and ladder truck arrived at the hospital and extended its ladder
up to Billy's third floor open window 16 firefighters climbed up the ladder into Billy's room. With his mother's permission, they hugged him and held him and told him how much they loved him. With his dying breath, Billy looked up at the fire chief and said, "Chief, am I really a fireman now?"
"Billy, you are, and the Head Chief, Jesus, is holding your hand," the chief said. With those words, Billy smiled and said, "I know, He's been holding my hand all day, and the angels have been singing.."
He closed his eyes one last time.
My instructions were to send this to at least four people that I wanted God to bless and I picked you. Please pass this to at least four people you want to be blessed.
This story is powerful and there is nothing attached, please do not break this pattern; uplifting stories are one of the best gifts we receive. There is no cost but a lot of rewards, let's continue to uplift one another.

Here's to T-bone steaks, yellow roses and friendship.
I walked into the grocery store not particularly interested in buying groceries. I wasn't hungry. The pain of losing my husband of 7 years was still too raw. And this grocery store held so many sweet memories. He often came with me and almost every time he'd pretend to go off and look for something special. I knew what he was up to. I'd always spot him walking down the aisle with the three yellow roses in his hands. He knew I loved yellow roses. With a heart filled with grief, I only wanted to buy my few items and leave, but even grocery shopping was different since he had passed on. Shopping for one took time, a little more thought than it had for two.
Standing by the meat, I searched for the perfect small steak and remembered how he had loved his steak. Suddenly a woman came beside me. She was blonde, slim and lovely in a soft green pantsuit. I watched as she picked up a large package of T-bones, dropped them in her basket.. Hesitated, and then put them back. She turned to go and once again reached for the pack of steaks.
She saw me watching her and she smiled. "My husband loves T-bones, but honestly, at these prices, I don't know." I swallowed the emotion down my throat and met her pale blue eyes. "My husband passed away eight days ago," I told her. Glancing at the package in her hands, I fought to control the tremble in my voice. "Buy him the steaks. And cherish every moment you have together."
She shook her head and I saw the emotion in her eyes as she placed the package in her basket and wheeled away. I turned and pushed my cart across the length of the store to the dairy products. There I stood, trying to decide which size milk I should buy. A
Quart, I finally decided and moved on to the ice cream. If nothing else, I could always fix myself an ice cream cone. I placed the ice cream in my cart and looked down the aisle toward the front I saw first the green suit, then recognized the pretty lady coming towards me In her arms she carried a package. On her face was the brightest smile I had ever seen. I would swear a soft halo encircled her blonde hair as she kept walking toward me, her eyes holding mine. As she came closer, I saw what she held and tears began misting in my eyes. These are for you," she said and placed three beautiful long stemmed yellow roses in my arms. "When you go through the line, they will know these are paid for." She leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on my cheek, then smiled again. I wanted to tell her what she'd done, what the roses meant, but still unable to speak, I watched as she walked away as tears clouded my vision. I looked down at the beautiful roses nestled in the green tissue wrapping and found it almost unreal. How did she know? Suddenly the answer seemed so clear I wasn't alone. Oh, you haven't forgotten me, have you? I whispered, with tears in my eyes.
He was still with me, and she was his angel.