From the Assemblies of God New Service

** MAILMAN MOONLIGHTS AS SANTA LETTER WRITER - Jan 30, 2004

   "Dear Santa," the letter began. "My mommy needs a new car. Can you
   bring her one?" A car drawing and her penmanship suggested the
   writer's age was around 10. The girl asked nothing for herself.

   Santa wrote back: "I'm praying for your mother." And after
   verifying the story, Santa plans to do what he can to help
   the family.

   John Saaybe, 51, is a Vincentown, New Jersey, postal carrier who
   attends Crossroads Assembly of God in Medford, New Jersey. He also
   answers letters to Santa -- more than 600 since the late 1990s
   after a fellow postal worker who answered them retired.

   Letters from the 22 routes begin in October. By December he gets
   around six a day. Many letters are open doors to bring children
   hope. "Do you know God?" one boy asked Santa. "Yes, I know God. I
   know Him in a personal way," Saaybe wrote.

   In 2001, an 8-year-old child asked Santa to heal "a thing" in his
   brother's head. The boy said his parents were in Philadelphia with
   his brother. Saaybe discovered the story: The poor family's son
   was away having surgery for a brain tumor. "Santa" answered the
   letter that he was praying and that he thought everything would
   work out. Then Saaybe spoke with fellow postal workers and
   spearheaded a drive to help the family. Saaybe and the letter
   carriers pitched in to buy gifts. Supermarkets donated gift cards.
   A local charity placed the family on a list to receive aid. Best
   of all, the brother had a successful operation.

   Is playing Santa a conflict for Saaybe's Christian faith? "This
   gives an opportunity to draw back to what the true meaning of
   Christmas is," he says. "I'm looking at it as a tool to
   plant seeds."

   He's learned that opportunities abound to share God's love. "It
   doesn't have to be in a big way, just touching people where they
   are through a letter."

   Crossroads Pastor Stephen Braddock applauds Saaybe's ministry. "He
   looks at each individual note and writes something back that
   encourages, ministers and blesses," Braddock says. "It's neat he's
   showing the love of Christ that way."

   -- Deann Alford, Today's Pentecostal Evangel                        Back to Top
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** CHRISTIAN FAMILIES RESPOND TO FOSTER CARE OPPORTUNITIES - Jan 28, 2004

   Listen for names, not numbers, when you ask Michelle Grassau how
   many foster children she and her husband, Scott, have parented in
   four years.

   "Let's see, there's Jennifer, James, Misty ... " says the
   Glenwood, Iowa, mother before coming up with the answer: nine.

   The Grassaus, who have two birth children, consider it their
   calling to open their home to children: "It's not work, it's a
   ministry," Michelle says.

   "It's God's desire for our life," Scott adds.

   Foster care numbers, though, are hard to ignore. More than half a
   million children are in our nation's system, a system that is
   under scrutiny on Capitol Hill and experiencing massive overhauls
   in states such as Missouri, New Jersey and Florida where gross
   abuses have occurred.

   According to Department of Health and Human Services estimates, 48
   percent of the children in foster care across the United States
   live with a nonrelative, 24 percent live with a relative, and 18
   percent reside in institutions or group homes. The remaining 10
   percent are in preadoptive homes, supervised independent living,
   on a trial home visit or have run away. The median length of stay
   in foster care is 19 months. Of the children who exit foster care,
   57 percent are reunited with their parents or primary caretakers
   while 18 percent are adopted.

   The 150,000 licensed homes don't come close to meeting placement
   needs, experts say, and children at risk -- including those with
   physical and mental handicaps plus teens with emotional
   difficulties -- are especially hard to place.

   John Bongiorno, executive vice president of Assemblies of God
   Charities, learned that there are 126,000 of these children in the
   foster care system needing homes. While in Washington, D.C.,
   attending meetings on President Bush's Faith-Based and Community
   Initiative, he met with Susan Orr, associate commissioner of the
   Children's Bureau for the Department of Health and Human Services.

   "One of the programs of the faith-based initiative is to care for
   the children that are at risk," Bongiorno says. "Her request for
   the church was, 'Please, please help us with these children.' "

   Funds are available to people willing to help, though Bongiorno
   emphasizes that the faith-based initiative isn't just about
   receiving money. "It's about what we can give," he says. "The
   government needs the church, and what a great opportunity to get
   involved and have these children be able to experience a
   Christian home."

   The Grassaus would agree, after observing changes in the lives of
   youth sharing their home. They've documented the progress in a
   memory book.

   "We take pictures of our foster children when they come and when
   they leave," Michelle says. "In the beginning their eyes are cold,
   lost and empty. After a year, they're vibrant, full of energy,
   full of life, full of love."

   During the process, the Grassaus have become teachers of the
   basics: study and social skills, money management and morals. The
   Grassaus don't take credit for the changes in countenance or
   attitude of the girls currently in their home -- ages 17, 14 and
   14 -- or the ones that have moved on to others.

   "To take that heart and soul that have been so lost and abused and
   see such a difference -- only God can do that," Michelle says.

   At their church, First Assembly of God in Council Bluffs, Iowa,
   there's a lot of support for foster parenting. In the congregation
   of about 200, seven families provide foster care.

   God has used Christians to minister to the girls, according to
   Michelle. "You don't have to be in foster care to do something
   special for these kids," she says. "They notice it and they
   remember it. One of our girls was visiting with her therapist who
   said, 'Tell me about your family.' Jess, who's 14, said, 'I have
   four families. I have my birth family, I have my foster family, I
   have my old foster family and I have God's family.' "

   Jess' explanation of the "fourth family" involves the people at
   First Assembly, plus friends she's met at district youth camp and
   convention. "There are kids from across the state that have made
   an impact on her life," Michelle says. First Assembly's Pastor
   Shawn Oberg, his wife, Ruthie, and their children, Erik, 12,
   Corrie, 10, and Gracie, 6, have opened their home to offer respite
   care for foster children and a break for foster families.

   "We saw the tremendous needs of these boys and girls," Oberg says.
   "We prayed about it and found this is a way of offering peace and
   safety and showing love to these kids."

   Since that time more families have joined the church's foster
   care ministry.

   "God brought the need to our attention," Oberg says. "We just saw
   what God was doing and jumped on board and we've seen major
   changes in the lives of these children. The Lord is doing a work
   through the loving care of our foster families and our church
   family as a whole."

   One family requested prayer for an infant suffering from the
   illegal drugs his birth mother had taken. "They asked me if we as
   a church could pray for this little baby," Oberg says. "We not
   only prayed for him but we dedicated him to the Lord right there.
   The doctors have seen the changes. He's not showing the residual
   effects of drugs."

   Four teenage girls have accepted Jesus as Savior and have been
   baptized in water. Three of them have been baptized in the
   Holy Spirit.

   Foster parenting isn't for everyone, but there aren't enough
   Christians involved, Michelle says. She and Scott, parents of
   Jordan, 6, and Sophia, 2, first considered the ministry after
   observing friends.

   "We had always worked with kids in our church and we loved
   children," Michelle says. "I did a lot of research before we
   decided. You always hear the worst-case scenarios like the kids
   that will set your house on fire."

   They started with small children before settling with teen girls.
   Some children never respond to the new environment. But Michelle
   remains upbeat. "God is in control and if we keep His Word and do
   what He has asked us to do, He will bless that," she says.

   -- Becky Walters Reigel, Today's Pentecostal Evangel          Back to Top
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** MAPING OUT AMERICA - Jan 27, 2004

   Ever heard of Mission America Placement Service (MAPS)?
   Many people have not, but this A/G ministry is growing like
   never before.

   MAPS is a ministry committed to fulfilling the Great Commission by
   providing opportunities for volunteers to assist Assemblies of God
   U.S. Missions works and other approved projects throughout the
   United States. With the use of construction, evangelism and
   discipleship, MAPS teams bless churches, Teen Challenge Centers,
   A/G colleges and missionaries across the nation through this
   diverse ministry.

   Currently, there are four ways to become a MAPS volunteer: MAPS RV
   volunteers, church construction teams, missionary associates and
   summer associates.

   Tim and Diane Doyle are strong examples of how MAPS changes lives.
   Tim has had extensive construction experience during his life, but
   he aspired to somehow use his abilities to better serve God's
   kingdom.

   After hearing about MAPS and much prayer, the Doyles sold their
   home of 25 years and left their family; they became full-time MAPS
   RV volunteers in June 2003. Since then, they have felt very
   blessed to be involved with MAPS. Tim and Diane describe the
   ministry as "more than just physical work, but spiritual work.
   We've been able to see spiritual growth in ourselves as well as
   the church projects we've worked on. It is indescribable how
   blessed we are to be involved in this ministry!"

   Leah Newell participated in a one-week, short-term MAPS mission
   trip in the summer of 2003 to the inner city of Chicago, Illinois.
   She heard about MAPS through her church, Calvary Assembly of God
   Church in Union, New Jersey. The purpose of the trip was to
   encourage the people of the area.

   "I learned that Christians should always be content in Jesus even
   when we have nothing," Newell said. "The people [we worked with]
   in Chicago have nothing, but yet they serve Jesus as if they have
   everything. I received so much from this short project. It was
   truly meant for me to go. Jesus revealed to me and taught me to
   appreciate what I have. It's not only during a trip should we be
   on fire for Jesus, but I learned that we need to serve Jesus all
   year round."

   When asked if she'd go on another MAPS project, Newell replied,
   "Oh, without question! I made friendships that will never be
   broken and I will visit again if God is willing. I will go
   anywhere Jesus calls me to go. After all, that is our purpose
   here, to serve Him and spread the gospel."

   Harvest Assembly of God in Galloway, Ohio, started out as a church
   plant in May 2000. Over the course of three years, the church was
   shuffled back and forth to seven different facilities. Finally,
   the opportunity arose to build a church home of their own.
   Contractors were hired for the ground breaking and construction of
   the facility's "shell."

   MAPS workers arrived in April of 2003 to handle the construction
   of the interior, doing such things as framing and dry walling.
   RVers, associates and church teams came together to save the
   church as much as $200,000. On August 1, 2003, the church was
   finished and ready for services. "The philosophy of the MAPS
   ministry is very good. MAPS workers are truly servants of God!"
   says Pastor Chris Tamoso, pastor of Harvest Assembly of God.

   Although MAPS experienced more than a 10 percent jump in the
   number of workers last year, the MAPS ministry is still searching
   for volunteers. "We're looking for people with willing hearts. God
   doesn't look at your ability, but your availability," says Fory
   VandenEinde, national director of MAPS.

   For individuals or churches interested in learning more about the
   MAPS ministry, how to get involved, or how to gain MAPS
   assistance, call the national MAPS Department at 1-800-346-6277 or
   visit the MAPS Web site.

   -- Carissa Beard                                                      Back to Top
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** FLORIDA OFFICIALS STYMIE 'SUICIDE' BAND'S PLANS - Jan 14, 2004

   A circuit judge banned the heavy metal group Hell on Earth from
   sponsoring a live "suicide" in St. Petersburg, Florida, after the
   band promised that a terminally ill friend of lead singer Billy
   Tourtelot would kill himself on stage while they performed
   a concert.

   Despite warnings from city and state officials that criminal
   charges would be filed if the band followed through with the plan,
   they still held the October concert.

   Hell on Earth lost bookings at two different clubs due to the
   uproar, but vowed the concert and suicide would be held at an
   undisclosed location and Web cast live on the group's Web site.
   Curious onlookers overloaded the site and caused it to shut down.

   Tourtelot, 33, son of a prominent area real estate agent, said the
   suicide was not a stunt or gimmick, but was meant to bring
   attention to the right-to-die movement. "This is about government
   officials abusing their powers and violating our First Amendment
   rights," Tourtelot told "Rolling Stone."

   Apparently the advertised suicide did not take place.

   Byron Klaus, president of Assemblies of God Theological Seminary
   in Springfield, Missouri, says action by Florida's Circuit Court
   and an emergency ban passed by the city of St. Petersburg
   demonstrate that human dignity is still a public value.

   "We cannot dismiss Hell on Earth as just another 'shock' rock band
   wanting to feed their addiction to adrenaline while watching some
   pained human being enter eternity," Klaus says. "Barbarians at the
   gates of common sense and human dignity must be courageously met
   by Christians who believe and act decisively."

   -- Isaac Olivarez, Today's Pentecostal Evangel                 Back to Top

(Read the Miami Herald articles: Oct 1, 2003 or Oct 3, 2003 - SM)
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** CHAPLAIN GAINS CREDIBILITY IN PRISON - Jan 12, 2004

   In 1971, Joe Lenna served an 11-month sentence in the North
   Carolina prison system for dealing and possession of narcotics. He
   had just returned from a Vietnam tour of duty and moved to the Tar
   Heel State from Brooklyn, New York. Today, Lenna is as familiar
   with the prison system as anybody.

   As unit chaplain at Caswell Correctional Center in Yanceyville,
   North Carolina, Lenna is working to give Christ's message of hope
   and love to inmates who find themselves where Lenna did more than
   30 years ago.

   "When I tell them, 'I've slept in those bunks and know what it's
   like to be here,' they perk up a little," says Lenna, 53, who has
   been an Assemblies of God U.S. missionary since 1992. "It helps me
   identify with what some of them are going through now."

   As unit chaplain of the 480-man, maximum-security facility, Lenna
   is responsible for religious services. Bible studies are held
   nearly every day, as well as a Hispanic Bible study once a week.
   When North Carolina laid off 19 state-paid chaplains last year,
   Lenna's ministry took over the drug and alcohol rehabilitation
   program, which is now known as Beyond Addiction. Nearly 170
   volunteers per month help with the various ministries.

   "I consider it an opportunity because these men have to come
   talk to me," Lenna says. "They know I believe Jesus Christ is
   the Son of God. I tell them any counsel I give them comes from
   God's Word."

   Al Worthley, A/G Chaplaincy Department director, says chaplains
   such as Lenna fill vital roles in prison ministry, especially when
   states are slashing budgets for state-funded chaplains. But, he
   says, more needs to be done.

   "As we look at the future of chaplaincy within the United States,
   the church is going to be called on more and more to pick up the
   slack and provide ministry to a segment of society that would
   otherwise not be reached," Worthley says.

   For more information about the Chaplaincy, see the Chaplaincy
   Department Web site.                                              Back to Top

   -- Isaac Olivarez, Today's Pentecostal Evangel
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** REACHING THE HEART OF THE AMERICAN COWBOY - Jan 9, 2004

   The spirit and passion of the American cowboy is alive and well
   and living in the heart of Assemblies of God Chaplain Mike
   Randolph.

   His ministry is to the western culture, and specifically in the
   area of "Cutting Horse" competitions. As the former President of
   the American Southwest Texas Cutting Horse Association, and two
   time finalist in the NCHA (National Cutting Horse Association)
   Summer Spectacular Amateur Classic Challenge, Randolph knows the
   purpose and competition well.

   "Years ago, when cattle were run on an open range, at particular
   times of the year, they were gathered together at roundups,"
   Randolph explains. "Certain cattle were cut out from the herd for
   branding, doctoring, or just sorting. During this duty the cowboys
   utilized their best horses. Over the years cutting horse
   competitions developed."

   The challenge at a "cutting" is to select a lone calf from the
   herd, carefully lead it into the center of the arena, then with a
   series of quick starts and turns, hinder it from sliding past the
   horse and escaping back to the herd.

   Mike met his wife Rosemary while attending college. He was riding
   bulls and horses, while she was on the women's rodeo team. An old
   friend of theirs witnessed to them at a rodeo, and both accepted
   Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Feeling the call to
   ministry, they entered Bible college.

   In future years, Mike would be elected as pastor of two Assemblies
   of God churches, but his and his wife's hearts were always
   directed outside the doors of the church building.

   After Bible school and while pastoring, one day Mike heard of a
   "cutting" competition going on in a nearby town. He and Rosemary
   went to the cutting and held an early Sunday morning church
   service at the competition before preaching in his regular church
   service. Only a few came, but Mike and Rosemary felt something
   stirring in their souls. The next time a nearby cutting was held,
   Mike was asked to hold another service.

   In 1998, the two resigned their pastorate and continue to minister
   at cuttings all across the country.

   The Cutting Horse competitors have been very receptive to saving
   message of Jesus Christ. The cowboy culture has a very strong
   reverence for God. Even those who are not living a Christian life
   will stop their horses during prayer times, removing their hats as
   a sign of respect.

   "You can't see a baby calf born", Mike states, "or stand in your
   stirrups overlooking God's creation, without acknowledging there
   is a Supreme Being. We try to help the people living in the
   western culture to see that they, too, have access to this God
   through Jesus Christ."

   Mike and Rosemary travel to cuttings, holding chapel services and
   passing out free Bibles. There are many chances for one-on-one
   ministry, counseling and praying one for another. They even set up
   a TV/VCR and play animated Bible stories for the little cowboys
   and girls.

   When asked his philosophy, Mike sums it up like this: "I'm a very
   simple person with a simple theology. When you get down to the
   basics of Christianity, I've found God's will for our life is to
   get saved, stay saved, and go get somebody else saved."

   See its web site for more information about the Assemblies of God Chaplaincy
   and the many opportunities for ministry it offers.

   -- Rob Weddle                                                              Back to Top
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** CONVOY OF HOPE, HEALTHCARE AND EURASIA COMPASSION HEAD FOR IRAN
                                                                                                              -Jan 5, 2004
   Convoy of Hope International Director Kenton Moody, HealthCare
   Ministries' Dr. Rick Salvato and Eurasia Compassion Director Bob
   McGurty left for Bam, Iran, late last week to assess the relief
   effort needs there.

   The three men will be visiting the city of Bam -- and especially
   the outlying areas around the city. Reportedly as much as 80
   percent of the city was destroyed by the December 26, 2003, quake
   that registered a 6.3 magnitude.

   Bam, a city of approximately 100,000 with about 100,000 more
   living in its suburbs, is located about 600 miles southeast of
   Tehran, the capital of Iran. According to reports coming out of
   that region, tens of thousands of Iranians have lost their lives,
   with thousands injured and/or homeless and facing freezing
   temperatures.

   "As usual, we plan on working with the local church in the area --
   there are some Christian churches in Iran," says Convoy of Hope,
   Director of Media Jeff Nene. "The team is traveling to the Bam
   area, but will concentrate their efforts in some of the
   communities in the outlying areas. Some of these towns and
   villages have not even been looked at yet, and are in need of
   serious help."

   The assessment team will return to the U.S. next week with a
   report as how to best aid those in need.

   For more information about these mionistries see Convoy of Hope,
   or HealthCare Ministries.

   -- Dan Van Veen                                                      Back to Top