Impact

There are those skeptics who will question the impact that a children's animated movie will have on the world. We got a small glimpse of that impact at First Assembly in Lake Wales on Sunday evening, October 30, 2005. Pastor Mobley had suggested that we show the full length of The GodMan as part of our itineration service. Since I had a need to understand the impact of the movie on a first-world audience, we agreed to show the movie as he had requested. The impact was greater than I could have expected.

I have repeatedly received reports back from our international team members who are testing The GodMan in various countries in Latin America and Africa. The reports tell of the emotional and spiritual impact the movie is having on children and adults. It seems that age is no differentiator.

The movie showing at First Assembly in Lake Wales yielded similar results. There were cries during the crucifixion and cheers during the resurrection. However, what happened next was unexpected for a first-world environment. When Pastor Mobley closed the service, he asked everyone to stop at our table and get their own personal copy of the Book of Hope. The response was greater than we could have ever expected. Children and adults, side by side, waited in line to get their copy of the Book of Hope and to ask us questions about The GodMan. Some waited for almost an hour. They told stories of how seeing the movie helped them to truly realize the price Jesus had to pay for our sins. The GodMan had a significant impact on them. And their response to it had a great impact on us.

First Sucker

Rebecca almost never gets to enjoy the taste of food. She has a g-tube and lives on an all liquid diet that is fed to her through that tube. While we were assisting at the Heart of Harvest & Missions Conference at New Heights Community Church, Rebecca saw other children enjoying lots of free candy. She gave me that look that communicates to me that she wants to understand that activity. You know, the activity of having something very sweet hit your tongue and the smile it brings to your face.

Being the sucker that I am for my little girl...I helped her to play a game so that she too could win some candy. Then I took the wrapper off the sucker and placed it at her mouth. First she laughed...then she chomped down on the sucker. The first few tastes were somewhat overwhelming for her. By the third or fourth time, she was biting down on the stick so that I couldn't remove the sucker from her mouth. It was her very first sucker and, by all indications, she truly loved it.

P.S. Don't tell her dentist.

Cotton Candy

On Saturday and Sunday, October 29 and 30, 2005, we had the pleasure of joining the congregation at New Heights Community Church in their annual Heart of Harvest Fall Festival & Missions Conference. Our primary responsibility was to simply be there...to help...to watch...to interact with those from the community who came. You see, most of those who visited New Heights for the Saturday festival were not members of this church...or any church. They were simply children and their parents from the community. There were games, food, and yes...cotton candy.

The Brown Family Chronicles - October 2005

The following link will take you to our October 2005 newsletter:
http://hqmail.agmd.org/~wayne.brown/TheBrownFamilyChroniclesv1n10.pdf

A Trail of Destruction

I have just returned from Broward County for the second time in less than a week. And I am facing the prospect of going back again in a day or two.

My first trip was on Thursday of last week. The purpose -- to install storm shutters in preparation for Hurricane Wilma. Well, Wilma did not disappoint. Although arriving a day or two later than expected, she came in stronger and faster than anyone would have expected. In her path, she left a trail of destruction.

Tamarac, the site of our home, will never be the same. It seems as if every tree in the city that was more than five feet tall has been uprooted. Or, as one of the three trees in our yard, decapitated. We had three trees standing...now we have two laying and one stump standing.

Trees...that will be the cause of my next trip, the third in a week. With chainsaw in tow, I will be returning to Tamarac to cut down what is left of my former yard forest. Nothing will remain, save three indentations in the ground where these small but beautiful trees once stood.

While the yard is now more barren than before, I praise God for his grace. All of my neighbors lost trees. Many of them have structural damage of some form -- roof, windows, water, etc. We were blessed. The only thing damaged on the house was the TV antenna. Perhaps God is trying to tell us something there.

I'm not sure what the analogy is, but as is usually the case, I am certain that God will allow my experiences with this storm to grow into a message for a future church visit. After all, this is the fourth direct hit from a hurricane that our family has had to endure in just 15 months. In each storm, we had moderate to serious tree damage, but no damage to our homes. God is good! And we praise Him for His protection...once again.

October 10th Dinner

On October 10th we had a fundraiser dinner for our missions call. The Honorary Host for this event was Governor & Mrs. Jeb Bush (Florida). Governor Bush wasn't able to attend the dinner but sent greetings, " I am sorry I can't be at your fundraiser but I have made a contribution and am so proud that Wayne, your family and you are acting on your faith to work overseas for the LORD. I wish you Godspeed and look forward to hearing of your experiences. Please give the precious Rebecca a hug and kiss from her Governor Jeb".

It was a wonderful evening with friends that we have met over the years. There were people that we have met through foster care, the medical field, political friends, people that you seen for years while doing daily life business, even friends from junior and senior high.

State Representative Dennis Ross reflected on our years in politics, from Wayne's run for the Florida house, to both of us on the Polk County Republican Executive Committee, to my involvement in the Lakeland Republican Club, to volunteering in various local, state & national campaigns. Then Wayne's former boss, Danny Risener, from Publix told about Wayne's work at Publix and with his efforts on behalf of Publix with United Way and school mentoring. Then my best friend, Dawn Dick gave a heart felt recount on our work in foster care and church volunteering and short term mission trips with Victory. Then our guest speaker was Bob Hoskins, founder of Book of Hope. Bob talked about hopeless in the world today and how sending our family around the world will bring hope.

It was a wonderful night and for some it might be the last time we see them for years.

Blessings,
Tammy

Praise Report

Well, after four weeks with a brace on her leg, Rebecca is praising God for her new freedom. The brace is off and the pain appears to be gone. We praise God for a complete healing.