Good passage and reminder!

Tonight, I was reading a Book by Beth Moore called "Breaking Free" and she challenged her readers to meditate on Isaiah 61:1-4. It's a great verse. It reminded me of God's grace and purpose for our lives. to anyone reading this, I too want to encourage you to take time out of your day to read this and ask him to bring you back to his plan for your life. He truly is a God who restores lives. May His peace be with you today and may He refresh you with his word.

Isaiah 61
The Year of the LORD's Favor
1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners, [a]

2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,

3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor.

4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins
and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations.

Harmful plastics

A few weeks ago, I heard from some friends about the dangers of ingesting chemicals transferred from plastic containers such as water bottles.

Most plastic containers are labelled on the bottom (inside the reclycing symbol) with a number from 1 to 7. The good numbers are 1, 2, 4 and 5. The bad numbers are 3, 6 and 7, which are apparently full of all kinds of nasty chemicals that can cause cancer and other serious health problems.

An online sources says, if you look at the bottom of a Naglene bottle, for instance, you’ll find it’s made from the number 7 type plastic which contains polycarbonate, one of those bad compounds. Check out these articles on other health related problems found in plastic containers.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/consumers/plastic.html

http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/consumers/plastic.html

Pray for China-earthquake in Beijing

Shelter needs remain critical in China's quake zone

Some 5 million are homeless following last week's devastating temblor; materials for temporary shelter urgently needed. (Last updated May 19)




Please note: If a sponsored child is directly affected by a crisis or disaster, it is World Vision's policy to notify that child's sponsor as soon as possible.


Home > About Us > Latest News > Shelter needs remain critical in China's quake zone
A patient is evacuated from a hospital in Shaanxi province following the devastating earthquake.
Photo: REUTERS/Ben Ruan (China) As China enters three days of national mourning for the now 32,000 confirmed dead following the May 12 quake, World Vision continues to distribute aid and survey the needs of devastated communities in Sichuan Province.
Our 12 local staff members in Qingchuan County, who began responding almost immediately after the disaster, are finding that temporary shelter remains the most urgent necessity for survivors in hard-hit areas. Tents and shelter materials, mainly plastic sheets, are in greatest need.

"In Mianzhu, a hard-hit region, survivors are camping out on streets, and basic needs like food, tents, and water are seriously lacking," said Mei Mei Leung, World Vision's senior relief officer for China.

Relief team at work


In response, World Vision plans to bring in another 4,000 plastic sheets, 3,000 quilts, and 50 tents this week to assist affected communities. This is in addition to the 800 tents, 30,000 quilts, 464,100 kilograms of food, and 2,000 shelter tarpaulins we have already planned to provide to survivors. Distributions have already begun in Qingchuan County, where World Vision conducts a community development program.

World Vision's relief team has worked around the clock to conduct post-quake assessment and relief work in several quake-stricken areas. Staff are reporting that many villagers have lost all of their possessions and are grieving over the deaths of their loved ones.

"In Deyang City of Shifang County, many victims have lost one or more loved ones to this calamity and they are in deep grief," said Leung.

'It was a nightmare'

Leung and her team visited more than 1,000 survivors in Shifang County's Deyang City on May 16. They assessed the most urgent needs in the area and distributed child-friendly kits and disaster preparedness manuals to affected children.

Li Yao, 9, survived her school building's collapse after her teacher pushed her out from their third-story classroom. Only six other pupils from her class survived, and more than 200 of the 300 students in her primary school were killed in the quake. Li Yao and her family shared their story with World Vision staff at a government shelter in Shifang.

"It was a nightmare," said Li Yao's mother, who recounted how the family walked out of their devastated mountain village while shielding the little girl's eyes from the bodies lining the streets.

Addressing children's emotional and physical needs
To address the unique needs of children orphaned or otherwise affected by the quake, World Vision plans to open three Child-Friendly Spaces in the coming days. Games and activities in a safe environment will help children regain a sense of normalcy after their difficult experiences.

World Vision also remains concerned about children's physical needs, especially in remote areas where aid has just begun to reach.

"Thousands of victims, including children, are still barely surviving in appalling conditions where food and water are scarcely provided," reports Kevin Chiu, chief executive officer of World Vision's Hong Kong office, who joined our China staff in visiting hard-hit areas this past weekend.

Chiu and the team went on to warn that safe drinking water and nutritious food must urgently reach the youngest survivors of this quake.

Relief distribution continues despite flooding scare

Meanwhile, World Vision staff in Qingchuan County had begun a quilt and tent distribution on May 17 when warnings came of the potential flooding from a local river. The staff stopped the distribution and evacuated the area, but after the flood warning was called off by the authorities, World Vision was able to continue distributing quilts and tents to families in Liangshui and Qiaozhuang Townships in the county.

World Vision plans to reach more than 123,000 survivors with relief and rehabilitation activities totaling about $2 million. Long-term rehabilitation activities will focus on shelter and school reconstruction.

Two ways you can help

>> Pray for children and families in China who have been affected by this deadly earthquake, and pray that aid agencies like World Vision would quickly acquire the resources they need to come to the assistance of those who have been left devastated by this disaster.
>> Donate now to help provide emergency relief to survivors of the recent earthquake in China.

To donate go to

http://www.worldvision.org/Worldvision/eappeal.nsf/egift-disaster-response-china-quake-relief?OpenForm&campaign=11365595&cmp=KNC-11365595#

Your gift will help World Vision deliver life-saving assistance, including food, water, and shelter, to desperate children and families.