On the ground in Haiti
[22 Jan.-Feb.8, 2010] Bob Bixby learned on 1/20 of a need for a French-speaking chaplain to accompany the Haitian medical team Global Grace just helped to equip (our drivers arrived safely in NYC with the supplies/equipment/formula yesterday afternoon). Jeremy Scott also went to Haiti (1/30-2/1) to accompany our 2nd shipment of relief supplies and to work with Pastor for a couple days. Keep checking G2's blog and twitter feed for updates!2nd relief drive for workers and patients in Leogane, Haiti
[26-27 Jan.'10, 4pm] Click here to read about the how/why of the 2nd drive and to Click here to see photos. Praise the LORD for His provision and His working in His people's hearts to be able and willing to help.Immediate Haiti medical relief opportunity
[19-20 Jan.'10, 4pm] The 24hr baby formula & medical supplies drive we undertook brought in an estimated $250,000 worth of materials to be driven to NYC and flown to Haiti. Special thanks to area hospitals, clinics, local media, and individuals from all over the Rockford area for their generous participation! Click here to learn more about the project and to see photos. Global Grace will continue seeking strategic wisdom for an enduring response to the needs in Haiti, but this was a brief window of opportunity we wanted to take advantage of.Striving for a Gospel-driven and enduring response to post-earthquake needs in Haiti
[12 Jan.'10--till present] Morning Star's lead pastor, Bob Bixby, posted a letter stating Global Grace's approach to the dire situation in Haiti following the earthquake of 1/12/2010. Stay tuned to the G2 blog for more word on how we hope to help Haiti in a timely but orderly and, most importantly, Gospel-driven way.Morning Star teams with Grace Dental Mission and Southeast Valley ministering in Jamaica
[Aug.'08] In August 2008, 18 adults and teens from Morning Star (Rockford, IL) joined Pastor Joel Tetreau of Southeast Valley Baptist Church (Gilbert, AZ) and Dr. Jack and Jenny Mitchell of Grace Dental Mission for about two weeks of deliberately-varied ministry in Jamaica. By God's grace, they were able to put on a Gospel-preaching Bible conference for the training of area pastors, a Christian day camp for local youngsters, and an open free clinic (with Gospel preaching and counseling) for anyone needing dental attention. Before coming home, many of the team members found themselves joining the islanders in preparing for and enduring the pre-hurricane stages of the incoming storm Gustav. Even though they did not suffer through a full-force hurricane, it was unique to be "in others' shoes" for once and get a small glimpse of what it's like to be on the receiving end of such potentially-devastating natural disaster.INVEST IN LOVE adoption-financing efforts
Invest in Love (formerly known as "Hannah's Heart") began as the brainchild and burden of the now-non-existent single adults fellowship at Morning Star Baptist Church. Learn more about it here. Although it was actually launched just days before Hurricane Katrina hit (August 2005), Invest in Love operated under the auspices of Global Grace Missions for a time, but is now under the auspices of Morning Star Baptist Church. In keeping with the overarching aims of our church, Invest in Love strives to facilitate adoptions for Christian families. We've been able to help several families.
Specific address
Global Grace Missions has its own address now:
Global Grace, Inc.
3430 Colony Bay Drive
Rockford IL 61109
Helping in Jamaica
Hurricane Dean's effects were devastating to a population that is already struggling to make ends meet. Global Grace has begun to partner with Southeast Valley Baptist Church in Arizona to provide aid to a couple of local assemblies in Jamaica. Travel costs to Jamaica are affordable, and we are convinced that several work teams could do a lot of good in a couple of needy communities. Chris Metras, Global Grace's director, has made two trips to Jamaica to assess the damages and determine priority projects.
Special delivery!
The team is planning to stop in Tennessee on the trip down south, so that they can give Jerrod and Amy Hawkins a large financial gift in person. The men hope to be an encouragement to the Hawkins family, who just moved in to a beautiful new home that was built for them.
Work and survey team
John Iversen, Chris Metras, and Ben Walsh left on Thursday, Sept. 14th, to work on a couple of houses in Bay St. Louis, MS, and to survey the surrounding areas for future ministry opportunities. Please be in prayer for them as they travel and work and seek the Lord's will.
Global Grace has a new director
Chris Metras is planning to stop in Tennessee on the trip down south, so that they can give Jerrod and Amy Hawkins a large financial gift in person. The men hope to be an encouragement to the Hawkins family, who just moved in to a beautiful new home that was built for them.
Donate to the "Thank God for Motherhood" Fund
Alpine Bank is joining efforts with us to help the family of Amy Hawkins, a Rockford native who was seriously injured recently during a tornado because she chose to protect her children. Amy's husband Jerrod is from Byron, and they have lived in Tennessee now for about 7 years. Their sons Jair (6) and Cole (3) were spared when Amy used herself to shield them. A wall fell on her, and she is paralyzed now from the waist down. The Hawkins family have lost their home, and Amy's life will never be the same.
This Mother's Day, we want to honor mothers, and helping and honoring Amy is one small token of our appreciation for the constant sacrificing spirit exhibited by so many mothers. To give toward this fund, you can walk into any Alpine Bank branch location and ask to make a donation to the "Thank God for Motherhood" fund; or you could mail a donation care of Global Grace, or Morning Star Baptist Church (PO Box 71, Winnebago IL 61088).
About Global Grace, Inc.
As a part of God's global Church,
the people of Morning Star Baptist
Church desire to serve as His hands and feet. Especially in light of the recent
hurricane damage in the Gulf Coast area, we have been burdened to organize, fund, and man
relief efforts.
While we note the importance of emergency supplies and want to help financially, we are also
struck with the needs for hospitality (possibly longterm) and pastoral care after a crisis of
this magnitude.
This website represents Global Grace,
a ministry of
Morning Star Baptist Church in
Rockford, Illinois. As a local church body, we feel the burden of God's commands to care for
the poor in their affliction and know that we ought to be directing our God-given resources
to worthwhile, eternally valuable causes.
"The desperate need here is for mature
Christians to put their arms around the
shoulders of these people and weep with
them. The need here is for mature Christians
to sit down with victims and let them talk, then
offer words of comfort, prayer and a witness
for Jesus Christ. We have a horrible crisis
on our hands. We also have a tremendous
opportunity to point multitudes to Jesus
Christ as their Lord and Savior."