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Our Lord has blessed that we may be a blessing... and we started out by sending goodie bags into Vietnam the first week of March 2001 by surface mail (approx an 8 week journey) as that way we can send far more parcels than if they went by air.

China followed closely from where to our amazement we received a beautiful letter and photos - 12 days later! We can only believe that one of our Lord's angels gave that parcel... wings!

During March we also sent out to Pakistan, Thailand, Egypt and also Zambia.

April and May has been mainly around Laos - a country that did hold the 18th place in the persecution table, but has now gone into 2nd place... We have also sent to a 4th prison in Cairo, Egypt, when we heard of a missionary who visited a prison and said it made the prisons they normally visited, into 5 star hotels! (Anyone who pens to those in those prisons will know - sleeping 17 men in a cell 12ft x 13ft, buying their own food, toiletries, medication etc - is a long way a way from a 5 star hotel!)

Also in May we sent a parcel of warm clothing to a prisoner with TB and helped with his treatment costs, as his close family had died of TB and his distant family and friends forsook him when he came to Jesus...

Being a heavy parcel, we thought it should go surface due to cost, yet, at times, a niggle would break into my thinking. I, too, have times of being so cold, (health reasons) and 8 weeks is a long while to wait, but I comforted myself that our friend and brother, Jacob, did not know the parcel was being sent, so... it would be a nice surprise!

But when out Lucinda took this parcel and others to the post office, things got in a muddle; the lady at the counters told Lucinda it was a better deal to go by air. Lucinda said, how could that be: surface is under half the price to air mail. The lady just said, well, that's parcel... for you. That comment really threw Lucinda, and she began to doubt: the parcels were heavy and that lady must be right! So Lucinda agreed, changed the surface labels for airmail, and then was amazed at the very high cost.

Phoning me, we looked up the weight charges for both airmail and surface and it was clear: something had happened and confusion set in!

To cut a very long story shorter, the outcome was that the Post Office accepted that a 'muddle' had come about and made us a refund... also we paid the surface price even when the parcels had gone by airmail. So our brother Jacob, with TB, would have his warm clothes by air after all! Our Lord sure works in amazing ways. And the other parcels, I'm sure, meet needs we cannot know of, but Jesus knows and sent things His Way.

I learnt a lot from that happening and before mailing into Cairo, asked, Lord, Your will be done... And He showed me in a most beautiful way, that they, too, were to go by air. He laid on the hearts of 3 of His beloved children to send love - gifts that amounted to... the amount needed. It has been a leading for parcels to go by surface, but I cannot see that it's a rule... and that, at all times, we are to seek His will, not as I did, going my own way.

Many are the awesome happenings - it would take a book to tell you of them all... so here are just a few! Dreams come true... Praise You, Lord. On my heart was to be able to send stamps to prisoners. This was fulfilled in Egypt when our daughter, Karen and son-in-law, Allan, visited Cairo and treated Mum to an amazing number of stamps. Then, later on in the year, a dear friend also went out... and again brought back stamps.

A small company made us an offer of T-shirts. Thanks to a love-gift, we were blessed to stock up... another heart's desire, thank You Lord.

Then a Christian publisher decided to gift us 30 outstanding books - and the promise of more as we need them. Another Christian publisher offered us books priced at £3.99 for a pound each and Bibles for £3.99; again a love-gift made it possible to take up this special offer.

All those people offered... We did not go cap-in-hand... because I know in my heart, if the vision/ministry is His, He will provide...

In 2002, many clothes items went out to Egypt, a rough total of 80 assorted shorts, T-shirts, jogging bottoms, shirts, fleeces etc. That's along with love--gifts and medical gifts, books and from the beadwork.

In the Cameroon, 89 ladies (those known, with extras sent for those we didn't) were sent dresses, skirts, tops, bras and other underwear, footwear and goodie bags; approximately 149 items and 35 goodie bags from March 2002 when these ladies were in rags.

In Thailand, medical aid has gone out, love gifts to buy food (bread, noodles, tin fish, milk and fruit) and 100 goodie bags.

Deep in my heart I long for MORE people to come forth to write to those held in overseas prisons and for funding to reach out in His Love that our Lord's Love may be seen and felt in many more hearts and countries...

For whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me - Matthew 25 : 40

Yours in the Strength and Grace of Jesus,
Susan

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