October News

6th October 2006

THIS MONTH: 1 Taking time to talk. 2. Club Centenary 3. We have become Bloggers 4. Philippines School computer project. 5. Mid Autumn Festival. 6 An early Christmas Present for Rwanda. 7. Getting our Christmas Mailing together. 8. Towels become Tools in Lesotho 9. Things for Uplifiting 10. How you can support us.

Dear Friends,

1. TAKING TIME TO TALK WITH FRIENDS
Last month we talked about our need to say thank you. This month we wanted to say how much we value our communication with you, especially in the hectic times we are experiencing at the moment. News from home and our friends is very important to us. We love to get those emails. Also to have the occasional chat on Skype, Google talk or Messenger. We are networked at home so that is easy to do at night these days.

We also want to know how we can be chatting for you. Please stay in touch. Over the last month we enjoyed visits from Gary Hill at Crusaders and Alan & Maureen Pride from Trinity, It was wonderful to spend some time with old friends and to catch up with what is happening at couple of places that mean so much to us. And for them to experience Crossroads first hand.

2. AUSTRALIAN CLUB CENTENARY
Talking of places that mean a lot to us, our Australian Club celebrates its Centenary this month. How we would love to be there celebrating with them. It has been home to us for 25 years now and we send our love to all our friends there.

3. WE HAVE BECOME BLOGGERS
Each month you can if you prefer read a version of this Newsletter on our Blog. This version INCLUDES PHOTOs and you can go to it now at: http://hkwarners.blogspot.com/

Every week (mostly on Fridays) we will put uplift points on it. Little items of news or things that we have found, will also be added. For instance a few days ago we put a link to a video of Bill Cosby talking about visits to the dentist. Quite relevant considering Sue’s regular visits at the moment.

It also includes links to our web photo album, home page, Crossroads and Global Hand.

Don’t forget to bookmark the page.

4. PHILIPPINES SCHOOL COMPUTER PROJECT
Last week we attended a dinner held by the Ayala Foundation, a group who have set out to place computers into every public high school in the Philippines. For people caught in the poverty cycle, computer training provides a real way out. The Philippines is setting itself up to participate in the cyber age, with call centres and computer based service centres. These computers are providing access to computers that in the past has only been a dream. They have already almost reached their initial targets and are now aiming much higher.

Crossroads has sent two shipments of computers in partnership with a Hong Kong School, with more planned for the future.

5. MID AUTUMN FESTIVAL
Tonight is Mid Autumn Festival. It is always a colourful night. Usually we head over to the beach to join this festival of lights, with everyone carrying, lanterns, candles and glow sticks.

It reminds us of the Light which brings hope to the World.

6. MASSAGING AWAY OUR ACHES
A few weeks back a friend from our HK club, kept a promise and took us across the border to Shenzhen so we could experience the relaxing experience of a massage, Chinese style.

For very little money we spent 3 hours having our feet, backs and head massaged by expert masseuse. It was a wonderful break from what has been quite a hectic time.

7. AN EARLY CHRISTMAS PRESENT FOR RWANDA
Rachel was just 4 when her dad died and a ripe-old 11 by the time AIDS claimed her mum. Rachel now became ‘mum’ to her 8 and 5 year-old siblings. School was no longer an option for her as she scraped together what she could to feed and clothe her ‘kids’. There was nothing left in the house, as her mother had gradually sold everything to buy food for them, leaving nothing but the mud walls by the time she died.
Now Rachel has a job, a good job. It enables her to pay the yearly local health care fee, which allows her and her brother and sister to see a doctor and get medicine if they ever get ill. She is sending them to school. She has bought furniture and mattresses for her home, and they've started eating better food. They've been able to replace the old tattered clothes with some new ones and she's experiencing the joy and dignity of truly being able to provide for the needs of her brother and sister.
Rachel’s job? She is handcrafting beautiful gift-cards for sale around the world. Rachel could well be making your Christmas card this year! She and 42 other people in similar situations have been employed over the past few months to hand-make each of Crossroads’ Christmas cards this year. The group that employs her were so excited to hear that we were ordering from them that they told us this was just about the best Christmas present that Hong Kong could be giving to Rwanda.
Usually in our newsletter, we tell you about how the shipments that we are sending out around the world are bringing good news to the nations. This month, I wanted to tell you about how a small community in Rwanda is being touched by the simple order of our Christmas cards this year. Look out in your mail-box for Rachel’s handiwork in the coming Christmas season!

8. GETTING OUR CHRISTMAS MAIL LIST TOGETHER
So if you want to make sure you get a Christmas Card from us this year. Please make sure we have your correct mailing address (snail mail) on our data base. Particularly if you moved in the past year.

9. TOWELS BECOME TOOLS IN LESOTHO
In the coming weeks, we will be shipping again to the little country of Lesotho, in Africa. Though small in size, this nation has very great needs.

Many of the young and able-bodied men from Lesotho travel across the border into South African mines, where they can get work. Husbands leave and many bring back sexually transmitted diseases on their return. Damaged hearts and bodies result and, as anger flares, violence has become rife.

Our previous container for Lesotho included many items of medical equipment…and some boxes of towels and soaps. Our consignee gave these towels and soaps to members of the local fellowship. Out they went to each of the homes in the area, giving the towels and soaps as a gift, and telling of the cleansing and healing that comes from the true source of the gift.

Our consignee shared this story with excitement, encouraging us not to give up in what we are doing, and reminding us that even the simplest of items can be turned into tools for change.

Our upcoming shipment to the same group in Lesotho will include items for a home for young ladies who have been victims of violence and rape. They are currently sheltering in a school building. The furniture contained in our shipment will turn a new but empty building into a home of love and comfort for these young women.

10. HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT US
We are constantly encouraged by our many friends at home, here in Hong Kong and from other countries , who faithfully support us and also remember us to the MD and keep in touch through email and mail. The MD’s provision has been amazing, last year we found that he provided what was needed to the $, and this year we have gained some new supporters to cover those we have lost from last year. Our support covers such things as food, accommodation, electricity etc. One of our friends expressed surprise to hear we need support, so we do need to keep communicating this fact. If you would like to help there are three ways you can provide financial support for us.

1. You can send a cheque to us here in Hong Kong made out to Crossroads International. Our address is below.
2. You can send a cheque or pay by credit card through our Australian office of Crossroads. P.O. Box 152, Wahroonga, NSW 2076, Australia. Make sure you mark it for Phil & Sue Warner’s support.
3. To claim it as a tax deduction you can pay by cheque through ADRA in Australia. Just send a cheque made out to ADRA to the Wahroonga office again marked for Phil & Sue’s support. We can also arrange for any US support to be tax deductible
4. You can also deposit direct into our Australian Account (contact us for details)

We do think of you and chat to our Father about you often.

Every blessing


PHIL & SUE