Friend Ships - Activities Report November 2007

A YEAR OF BLESSINGS

Warm Greetings!

Don and Sondra Tipton and all the staff at Friend Ships, wish you a very Merry Christmas. May the peace of the Lord be with you and your families as you celebrate the birth of Jesus. We are so grateful to you, our friends and support team that allow Friend Ships to carry on year after year and continue to grow. We couldn't do it without you! All of our crew here at Friend Ships are so very appreciative.

THANK YOU!

A family in Jericho shops for clothing & a woman in Bethlehem happily makes a decision on new furniture.

2007 began with Spirit of Grace returning from a great mission to Israel. As the year progressed, we received wonderful reports that the tens of thousands of items that we delivered were being a blessing to many people in need.

Here at Home!

At home in the U.S., we were able to distribute food on a weekly basis to 36 organizations in California and Louisiana that care for the poor. Unwed mothers, impoverished families, the ill, the homeless, the elderly and those recovering from addictions were provided with food and prayer. We were also able to distribute heavy duty vinyl, medicine and household items to churches, ministries, clinics and individuals.

In November, Friend Ships Los Angeles helped to provide food for the fire fighters and others working to contain the massive wild fires that were burning in several locations throughout California. The Friend Ships team delivered to San Diego, fruit, baked goods, hamburgers and hot dogs. They joined in to cook, serve and minister to the Firemen, Marines, Army personnel and Policemen and also to evacuees being housed in a near-by shelter.

In addition, we established two brand new departments at our Headquarters. Radio Friend Ships was born! The Port Mercy team now broadcasts daily programs on three Southwest Louisiana stations and podcasts globally over the website. These programs inform listeners of the wonderful Christian work taking place around the world and encourage participation in the work of the Kingdom!

We gave birth to RAMP (Relief Apprenticeship Missions Program) a course for recent high school graduates who want to learn about relief missions and who are serious about seeking the Lord for His will in their lives.

We completed construction on many Medical Super Clinics. The remainder of the 22 clinics are near completion. They are to be sent aboard ship in order to provide a place to give first class medical care to those in need. We also made significant progress on a Mobile Medical Truck that will provide laser surgery for eyes and skin.

Late last year, we started to ask for help to collect $450,000 needed for a balloon payment on our wonderful home base, PORT MERCY. Since then we have been blessed with more than $277,000! We have to raise about another $170,000 before May 2008. We have saved a few thousand dollars on interest by making some early payments. Thank you so much for your tremendous help this last year. Please help us cross the finish line. We look forward to giving you a gigantic praise report in a few months as our great and mighty God gives us the victory of paying off the mortgage entirely on Port Mercy!

Worldwide

This year, Friend Ships at Port Mercy sent aid to many regions of the world -

Village boys receiving tarp to keep rain from their homes.

Village boys receiving tarp to keep rain from their homes.

* MEXICO: Medical equipment, furniture and construction materials were shipped to provide support to the orphanages of Mexico.

* AFRICA: Guinea, West Africa received roofs for many homes and Kenya, East Africa, was sent household goods and shelter materials.

* CUBA: A shipment of shelter materials was sent to Havana, Cuba for flood and hurricane victims.

* GUATEMALA and MEXICO: Medications were shipped to our medical providers.

* ISRAEL: More supplies were shipped during the year to Israel.

* PERU: Thousands and thousands of pounds of relief was sent to Lima, Peru for earthquake relief.

We are also preparing ships Hope and Mersea for the mission to the West Indies and Central America that was postponed from the fall and will now take place in spring 2008. Praise the Lord! We are preparing loads of aid now to help disaster victims of the Caribbean - to the Dominican Republic for help from the recent Tropical Storm Noel, more aid to Cuba and also to Tabasco, Mexico for flood relief where an entire region has been devastated.

We are also preparing ships Hope and Mersea for the mission to the West Indies and Central America that was postponed from the fall and will now take place in spring 2008.

Friend Ships International in Roatán, Honduras hosted 47, two to three day meetings, attended by thousands of people! These people received intense ministry that by all reports richly enhanced their walk with the Lord.

We simply could not do it without your prayers, love, support and gifts. YOUR handprints are throughout Friend Ships, pushing us toward the mark. It is the greatest blessing of all to do God’s work Thank you for helping to make all of this possible!