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October 2006 Activities Report FRIEND SHIPS at PORT MERCY, 1019 North First Avenue, Lake Charles, LA 70601
Tel: 337-433-5022
Fax: 337-433-3433 Email:
info@friendships.org
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The effect of this shipload of goods will be diverse and long lasting. Tens of thousands of people’s lives are being touched with the love of Jesus. Thank you friends, for allowing us to be obedient to God and carry out this mission.
CAMPAIGN PORT MERCY Until three and a half years ago, Friend Ships did not have a home base capable of housing all of our ships, warehouses and offices in a central location. In May of 2003, we were able to obtain a contract to purchase 18 acres on the Calcasieu River in Lake Charles, Louisiana at a facility that was formerly part of the Halliburton Oil Company. The Calcasieu River is fresh, deep water and able to accommodate our five ships with 1800 feet of waterfront. The facility is half a mile off the I-10 Freeway, readily accessible for trucks with railroad access right into the property. It had three warehouses and room to build many more with a maintenance building, a very suitable office building and a multi-purpose structure in need of repair but with much potential. It has lots of local color with mud bugs, river crickets and alligators for ambience and the friendliest neighbors on the planet. Since we moved into Port Mercy, we have added additional warehouse sheds, a temporary dock facility for loading the ships, a garden and there are many other projects in the works. Our future plans include the installation of additional warehousing, a permanent ship dock facility and reconstruction of the multi-purpose building for housing, classrooms and conferences.
In short, Port Mercy is perfect! We love it and want to call it home forever! Life for Friend Ships has been revolutionized by having an adequate base from which to plant roots and launch out. We have never been more productive in all our history since moving to this beautiful home God has given us. At present, we are making monthly payments on the mortgage. In the spring of 2008 will have a balloon payment due of about $450,000. We would like to ask you to help us to collect up these funds. Purchasing Port Mercy is good seed and fertile ground that will send multi-millions of dollars worth of aid all over the world. It will launch ships and people and hopes and dreams. Think of it, from this little 18 acres, great ships of war go out to fight against need, to spread His love, His mercy and His joy. We have almost one million square feet of property at Port Mercy and we would like to ask you to consider helping us meet the balloon payment. For fifty cents per square foot, or the price of about half a cup of coffee or a candy bar we can complete the purchase. We will have a permanent sea port like no other, devoted to reaching the lost and hungry, planting seeds around the world that help shape the lives of millions of children, filling their bellies, and committed to mercy. It will be tax free and owned by Friend Ships, a non-profit humanitarian aid organization dedicated to expressing God’s love through helping people in need. The great Port Mercy, great because God who owns it is great, is the Lord’s launching pad to send out ships to fight against starvation and poverty, to meet people in their need during times of disaster and to bring medical aid when they are sick. As you know, we don’t often ask for funds, but we would be grateful if you would consider helping us with this need. Each month that we are able to pay off the mortgage ahead of time saves thousands of dollars in interest. Please help us secure the future of Port Mercy permanently for Friend Ships. Click here to donate online or send a check or money order to Friend Ships at 1019 North First Avenue, Lake Charles, LA 70601. Be sure to mark on the memo “Port Mercy” and we will apply it to this fund. If the Lord blesses us with more funds than we need for the purchase, we will apply it toward building the dock and additional much needed warehouse sheds. Thank you for thinking and praying about this request. A SPECIAL CHRISTMAS GIFT Feel like you would like to do something really meaningful this Christmas? You may want to consider helping the poor for years to come by contributing to the Port Mercy Campaign. The Bible teaches that whatever we do for the poor, we do for the Lord Himself. What a great way to celebrate His birthday! If you would like to give in the name of a friend or family member as your Christmas gift to them, send us a note giving us their name and address and send it in with your check, or give us all the necessary information in the memo section of the online donation form. We will send a card informing your friend or family member of your gift to them and thanking them for the contribution given in their name! |
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Thank you so much for standing with us. Together we are able to do so much to glorify God. We appreciate you more than you could know!
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Updated December 2006 Home / Who Are We? / Join Us / Contact Us / Latest Projects
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Thanks
to the prayers and gifts of thousands of members of our awesome team of
supporters, Spirit of Grace arrived triumphantly in Israel on the
morning of October 5th. The ship went to anchor for
about 24 hours before being brought into the dock, just prior to the start
of the October holidays. Then, while we waited for all the final customs
paperwork to be completed, the crew was treated to several days of
unforgettable touring. We were able to see wonderful sites like the Old
City in Jerusalem, the Sea of Galilee, Capernaum, Masada and the Dead Sea.
Some crew members were even baptized in the Jordan River. We have now been
granted the permission to unload and by the time you receive this
newsletter it should all be completed! Tons and tons of medical supplies,
linens, school supplies, clothing, furniture, building materials, paper
products, personal care items and toys will have been taken out of the
ship’s large holds and put onto trucks, to be delivered to various
ministries and programs throughout the nation of Israel. Some supplies
will help restore the 2000 Israeli households in the north destroyed by
the war with Lebanon earlier this year. Much of the supplies will help new
immigrants from Russia, Ethiopia and other nations who are living
throughout Israel. Some supplies will go to support organizations working
with disabled people, terror victims, battered families, the elderly,
orphans and others. Some supplies will go to the government agencies that
provide welfare services, emergency care, health care and security to
Israel. Some of our heavy duty tarp material will be utilized by
excavation sites working on discovering the ancient original city of
David.
