Sunday, May 2, 2010

MAY 2010 NEWSLETTER AND CALENDAR

Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, ye have done it unto me. Matt: 25:40 (KJV)

Lakewood Nursing Home Salem Village Nursing Home Rosewood Care Center

Sunny Hill Nursing Home

Paradise Park Assisted Living Senior Star @ Weber Rd. Heritage Woods, Bolingbrook. Weber Place

I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people; and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations. For thy mercy is great above the heavens; and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds, by thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; and thy glory above all the earth; Psalms 108:3-5. What an awesome God we serve.

It’s been a great month and God continues to Bless in abundant ways, both in the Nursing Home Ministry and in our daily lives and I praise Him and rejoice in knowing Him as my personal Savior and Lord. “For He satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness”. Psalms 107:9

Paradise Park had record attendance last month, Praise the Lord. Amanda sent me the following message regarding their services. “We had our record high last month for our Easter service. The people are really liking it, praise God! The Howard/Thompson quartet came and sang specials. It was a nice service. I noticed we almost had enough that we would be at max capacity. I've never had that problem before with anything...what a cool problem to have”…. Well that was a really encouraging e-mail. The team is doing a great job there, Thanks, to all of you and keeps up the good work. It is obvious that God is working.

Gloria called me and told me the great news about the smallest member of our Ministry Team. Her granddaughter, Nina, was saved a couple weeks ago. Nina is a great help to me at the Nursing homes, she goes with me to help push wheel chairs and get the residents to the services. We are happy for you Nina.

Kevin led a resident to the Lord at Rosewood on Sunday. His name is Jerry and we are rejoicing over his salvation. He thought joining the Lutheran Church made him a Christian and Kevin presented the “Steps to Salvation” to him and he prayed the sinner’s prayer. Hallelujah!! Thanks Kevin for your soft heart and for your personal attention and love for the residents.

We enjoyed lots of special music this month at the homes. As always, we enjoy our own trio/quartet, Karl, Margie, Kim and Lisa. Gloria sang at a couple of the services. The little girls did a great job singing at the services on Saturdays and we always enjoy them. Sandy sang a beautiful song at Rosewood. All of our singers are a great asset to the team and the music is so important to the residents.

Bernie, Vicki and their family joined us for the worship service at Salem and I am always thrilled when they come up and sing. Vicki and Bernie did a beautiful job singing together. Bernie, III, sang with the worship team and Sam played the violin. You always have a special place in your heart for your children, and it is especially good seeing them serve the Lord. They are known as the Lutchman Family Ministries in Springfield where they live. Brian, my grandson was also here and he played the piano for us and he did a great job as usual. His playing the piano allowed Lisa to sing with the worship team and we always enjoy her beautiful voice singing. It’s just been a great month and we give HIM all the Praise, Honor and Glory.

Sunny Hill had an error in their resident’s calendars this month. They listed our services at 2:00 p.m. instead of the usual 2:30 p.m. and when we arrived, the room was packed with people waiting for us. One of the residents told me she was so worried because we were late but she said, “I just knew you would be here, you would never forget to come sing for us”. They are all special people and we become so attached to so many of them, they are like our families.

I visited with several of the residents at the homes this month but Albert was different. I spent about 45 minutes with him in his room and he loved the company. He began telling me about his life as I sat and listened. He is 93 and his wife is 89. They never had any children but come from a large family of nieces and nephews. He fell and broke his femur bone which paralyzed him and now he is learning to walk again. He said to me, “I want to tell you my perspective about life”. He sat in deep thought for 2 or 3 minutes about how to sum it all up and then he said, “Life is like a bowl of cherries with lots of pits included”. “I was fishing in Northern Canada when I fell and broke my bone, they rushed me to the hospital and I was paralyzed from the waist down. On the fourth day, I wiggled my big toe which the doctors thought would never happen again. Not one time since that day I fell, have I ever questioned God and said, Why me. I believe God has a reason for the things He allows to happen. He has given me a great life and this is just one of the pits that came with the bowl of cherries.”

It only takes a few minutes when listening to someone like Albert, to realize how Blessed you really are, neither does it take very long to feel guilty if you go visit him with the “poor me” attitude. Its residents like him that help me to realize how truly Blessed I am. In his sad condition, at 93 years old, and his 89 year old wife at home alone, he is grateful to God for a wonderful life. We bonded almost immediately as I knew a lot of the business people he had worked for many years ago and we talked about the scripture that says, “Life is like a vapor, it appears for a little while and then it’s gone”. He said, “I am ready to go but I also have a determination to live”. I left his room feeling so encouraged and Blessed.

I enjoyed a long visit with Tom and Jane this week who are homebound and not really doing very well. They have a caregiver now for Tom and they need your prayers. Please remember to lift them up daily in your prayers. Tom admitted this week that he was a sinner and he prayed the sinner’s prayer. We rejoice with him in his decision to invite Jesus into his heart. Tom does have Alzheimer’s and cannot retain a lot of information, however, Jane said he had never admitted he was a sinner before and we feel this was a big step for him and he understood what he was saying. The Bible says all you have to do is admit you are a sinner and accept Him into your heart and he did that and we Praise God and God alone.

Rhys has had double surgery but is doing great. Please continue to pray for him. He is a great asset to the Ministry Team at Paradise Park. Several of our Ministry Team leaders are once again, planning a mission trip to Africa in August. Please pray for them that God will pour out His Blessings on them and the people they visit. Always remember our Missionaries Bob Holmes and Tom Graef and their families in your prayers. Prayer is a powerful weapon and God loves when we communicate with Him. No Man can follow Christ and go astray. His ways are perfect.

All the water in the world, however hard it tried, could never, never sink a ship, unless it got inside.

All the evil in the world, the wickedness and sin, can never sink your soul’s fair craft, unless you let it in.

“Choose you this day whom you will serve, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”. Joshua 24:15

PLEASE NOTE: All contributions to our ministry should be made payable to “Sonshine Outreach Ministries”.

Mail your gift to SonShine Outreach Ministries, c/o Joyce Mancke, 509 Rhonda Dr., Lockport, IL. 6044l. Your gifts are tax deductible and you will receive an end of the year statement.

Our schedule for May is as follows:

Lakewood Nursing Home, Plainfield –May 2nd @ 2:30 p.m.

Senior Star @ Weber Rd (Saturday) May 8th @ 10:00 am

Weber Place (Saturday) May 8th @ 11:00 a.m.

Salem Village, Joliet – May 9th @ 2:30 p.m.

Rosewood Rehab Center, Joliet – May 16th @ 2:30 p.m.

Heritage Woods, Bolingbrook, - (Saturday) May 22nd @ 10:00 a.m.,

Sunny Hill, Joliet – May 23rd @ 2:30 p.m.

Paradise Park, New Lenox – May 23rd @ 2:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted by Joyce Mancke

Email: jmancke@sbcglobal.net

Phone: 815-351-7659

Thursday, April 8, 2010

THE RETURN OF CHRIST - WATCH IN AWE!

APRIL 2010 NEWSLETTER/MINISTRY CALENDAR

Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me....Matthew 25:40

Lakewood Nursing Home Salem Village Nursing Home Rosewood Care Center

Sunny Hill Nursing Home

Paradise Park Assisted Living Senior Star @ Weber Rd. Heritage Woods, Bolingbrook. Weber Place

A nurse took the tired, anxious serviceman to the bedside. “Your son is here,” she said to the old man. She had to repeat the words several times before the patient’s eyes opened heavily sedated because of the pain of his heart attack; he dimly saw the young uniformed Marine standing outside the oxygen tent. He reached out his hand. The Marine wrapped his toughened fingers around the old man's limp ones, squeezing a message of love and encouragement.

The nurse brought a chair so that the Marine could sit beside the bed. All through the night the young Marine sat there in the poorly lighted ward, holding the old man's hand and offering him words of love and strength. Occasionally, the nurse suggested that the Marine move away and rest awhile but each time he refused. Whenever the nurse came into the ward, the Marine was oblivious of her and of the night noises of the hospital - the clanking of the oxygen tank, the laughter of the night staff members exchanging greetings, the cries and moans of the other patients. Now and then she heard him say a few gentle words. The dying man said nothing, only held tightly to his son all through the night. Along towards dawn, the old man died. The Marine released the now lifeless hand he had been holding all night and went to tell the nurse. While she did what she had to do, he waited. Finally, she returned and she started to offer words of sympathy but the Marine interrupted her. “Who was that man?” he asked. The nurse was startled, “He was your father”, and she answered. “No, he wasn’t,” the Marine replied. “I never saw him before in my life”

“Then why didn’t you say something when I took you to him?” “I knew right away that he needed his son, and his son just wasn’t here and when I realized that he was too sick to tell whether or not I was his son, knowing how much he needed me, I stayed.” I came here tonight to find a Mr. William Grey. His Son was killed in Iraq today, and I was sent to inform him….What was this Gentleman’s Name? The Nurse with tears in her eyes answered, “That was Mr. William Grey.” The next time someone needs you ... just be there for them.

I can relate to that story with the Nursing Home Ministry. So many times when I go visit the homes and I have no clue who I will be visiting that day, but the Lord will lead me to a person who so desperately needs a friend at that moment or someone to pray with them and its such a Blessing to know the Lord directs our steps and leads us in the direction He wants us to go and leads us to the people who need the Lord.

We had great services at Lakewood this month and we always have a great crowd there. The residents are always so excited on the Sunday when they know we are coming. We really enjoy the services there. We also had good number attend the services at Rosewood. Alyce is a resident at Rosewood and will be celebrating her 100th birthday on May 7th and is praying that she lives long enough to see it happen. She needs our prayers as she has not been able to attend the services the last 2 months.

We started services at Weber Place, the new Assisted Living on Weber Road, this month and it went really well. Jocelyn Akut, one of our Ministry team, led a resident to the Lord and that is always exciting.

Her name is “Lena” and she needs our prayers. She is our new sister in Christ. That’s what the Ministry is all about, bringing the lost to Jesus and encouraging those who are down and out.

The little children continue to bless our Ministry with singing at the services on Saturdays at Heritage Woods, Senior Star and Weber Place. The residents love the children and they make the services very special. I keep praying that the Lord will send us children to sing at all our services. What a Blessing to see families training them in the ways of the Lord.

We appreciate all the Ministry Team who so faithfully gives of their time and talents each and every week. With eight homes, it takes a lot of dedication and commitment and our team is very dedicated and we give God all the Praise, Honor and Glory for all He is doing through the Ministry and for a Ministry Team that has soft hearts and willing to listen to the still small voice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and to be willing to follow His complete Will in their lives.

Kim is back with us after a successful Mission Trip to Honduras. Welcome back Kim, we love your spirit and your heartbeat for Missions.

What a Blessing it is to walk with the Lord and you realize it so much more when you get out of your comfort zone and you have to depend totally upon the Lord. You draw so much closer to Him and the good news is, He will never let you down, and He is always by your side.

You say: 'It's impossible'

God says: All things are possible

( Luke 18:27)

You say: 'I'm too tired'

God says: I will give you rest

( Matthew 11:28-30)

You say: 'Nobody really loves me'

God says: I love you

( John 3:1 6 & John 3:34 )

You say: 'I can't go on'

God says: My grace is sufficient

(II Corinthians 12:9 & Psalm 91:15)

You say: 'I can't figure things out'

God says: I will direct your steps

(Proverbs 3:5- 6)

You say: 'I can't do it'

God says: You can do all things

( Philippians 4:13)

You say: 'I'm not able'

God says: I am able

(II Corinthians 9:8)

You say: 'It's not worth it'

God says: It will be worth it

(Roman 8:28 )

You say: 'I can't forgive myself'

God says: I Forgive you

(I John 1:9 & Romans 8:1)

You say: 'I'm afraid'

God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear

( II Timothy 1:7)

You say: 'I'm always worried and frustrated'

God says: Cast all your cares on ME

(I Peter 5:7)

You say: 'I feel all alone'

God says: I will never leave you or forsake you

(Hebrews 13:5)

PLEASE NOTE: All contributions to our ministry should be made payable to “Sonshine Outreach Ministries”.

Mail your gift to SonShine Outreach Ministries, c/o Joyce Mancke, 509 Rhonda Dr., Lockport, IL. 6044l. Your gifts are tax deductible and you will receive an end of the year statement.

Our schedule for April is as follows-

Lakewood Nursing Home, Plainfield –April 4th @ 2:30 p.m.

Senior Star @ Weber Rd (Saturday) April 10th @ 10:00 am,.

Weber Place (Saturday) April 10th @ 11:00 a.m.

Salem Village, Joliet – April 11th @ 2:30 p.m.

Rosewood Rehab Center, Joliet – April 18th @ 2:30 p.m.

Heritage Woods, Bolingbrook, - (Saturday) April 24th @ 10:00 a.m.,

Sunny Hill, Joliet –April 25th @ 2:30 p.m.

Paradise Park, New Lenox –April 25th @ 2:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted by Joyce Mancke

Email: jmancke@sbcglobal.net

Phone: 815-351-7659

March 2010 Newsletter and Ministry Calendar

Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, ye have done it unto me. Matt: 25:40

Lakewood Nursing Home Salem Village Nursing Home Rosewood Care Center Sunny Hill Nursing Home

Paradise Park Assisted Living Senior Star @ Weber Rd. Heritage Woods, Bolingbrook. Weber Place

On Thursday, the 25th of February, my husband came home bringing the most beautiful bouquet of flowers and when he handed them to me, he kissed me and wished me “Happy Anniversary”. They were a mixture of carnations, miniature daisy’s and Roses which are my favorites. I love roses, however, he has given me flowers many times but this was the first time he had ever brought me roses and we will be celebrating our 30th anniversary on March the 15th. So I was in awe of how beautiful they were and my mind just started going crazy, I’m thinking, WOW, its only the 25th, its 3 more weeks until our anniversary, how thoughtful, and I wondered if he was planning to continue to build on this for the next three weeks and you can’t imagine how special I felt at that particular moment. I thought to myself, its really been a great 30 years and the flowers are such a thoughtful thing to do and they were so beautiful. At that moment he put his arm around me and kissed me again and then he started laughing as he said, “there was a funeral at the Methodist church I just finished cleaning and the pastor wanted to know if I wanted to bring these flowers home”. Well, I won’t write in the newsletter what my next thoughts were. . . . . . . and I think there are probably some of you, especially you ladies, that would not have accepted that very well and you guys may still be in the dog house, but all kidding aside, I started thinking about all of that and the Lord gave me the most beautiful thoughts. A situation had happened that brought sadness to one family with the death of a loved one, and although it was a sad day for them, God used a bad situation to bring joy to someone else. I have really enjoyed the roses (and I enjoyed the special moment with my husband before I found out they were funeral flowers). It was truly a fun moment together and we had a really good laugh and it has already been an anniversary I won’t soon forget. God is so good and laughter is good for the soul and I thank God that He brought us together 30 years ago and gave us a sense of humor and has taught us how to laugh together, cry together and best of all read our Bible and pray together. God has been so good to us.

The Nursing Home Ministry is going really well and we are taking on the 8th home in March. We will be having two services on the second Saturday of each month. We will do Senior Star at 10:00 a.m. and Weber Place on Weber Road, at 11:00 a.m. We are so Blessed to have so many wonderful volunteers who are so dedicated and faithful to the Ministry. God just continues to open the windows of heaven and pour out His blessings on the volunteers and the Ministry.

The month of March will complete our fifth year since the SonShine Outreach Ministry started on the first Sunday of April 2005. A lot of good things have happened during that five years. I can personally say, the Ministry has been a real Blessing in both my life and Verlin’s. I never get tired of thinking about going Sunday after Sunday and now on Saturday’s as well, and even throughout the week. I love the ministry and I love the people who have worked so closely with us and become very dear friends. We’ve shared a lot with each other but even more importantly we have been priviledged to share the Blessings God has so abundantly given to us these past five years. Its exciting to bring a smile to the faces of all the residents and even more exciting to lead a soul to Jesus Christ our Lord.

We have been having great participation with the residents singing and clapping their hands to the music. We had a very special singer at Lakewood this month. Viola, who celebrated her 103rd birthday on February 14th, sang a solo for us. She sang “This Little Light of Mine, I’m Gonna Let It Shine” and it was really good. After she sang, she told me that she prays every day that the Lord will take her home. She’s tired and ready to go home and she knows where she’s going. What a Blessing! ! !

One morning I wasn’t sure which home I wanted to visit, I kept thinking about going to one but felt a tug to go to another one. After I arrived at Lakewood, it was clear to me why I felt led to go there. Kaethe needed a friend and I sat and listened to her talk for over an hour. She has had many many years of hurt and pain as she began telling me her life story. Her mom died at an early age and she became very bitter as to why God would take away her mother. Her brother was in the service and she told about the time when her family was notified that he was “missing in action” and he never came home and they never knew how he died or what happened. She later married and had children but the grief continued, she lost a daughter at a young age, then her husband had a heart attack and died. Her son married a domineering wife and won’t allow him to visit her. She is angry with everyone and with God. I opened the Bible and shared several scripture verses with her and then presented the plan of salvation to her before I left. She was almost ready a couple of times to pray the sinners prayer but then she would stop and say, “I just don’t think I can let go of all the anger”. I told her I would be back and we will talk again, so please pray for Kaethe, she needs the Lord in her heart. She needs peace that only He can give to her and God can change her heart and bring joy.

There are so many things that happen in our lives, things that we don’t understand, circumstances change, and we don’t know what tomorrow holds, but praise God we know who holds tomorrow and we know He holds our hand. He never changes. He is always the same yesterday, today and forever and His promises are true and He will walk with us every step of the way if only we allow Him to. All He ask us to do is “be Faithful and Trust Him”.

The Will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not keep you and substain you.

Please continue to pray for the Ministry and all the volunteers and the many residents that we see each week. It’s a great opportunity to share the Love of Christ and many of the residents do not know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. It’s a mission field that is white unto harvest and God has chosen all of us to be His servants.

This newsletter goes out to many people and if you are reading it and you don’t know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, please don’t put off until tomorrow what you need to do today. Tomorrow may never come. Ask Jesus into your heart. It’s as simple as admitting you are a sinner and asking Him to forgive you for all your sins. Then ask Him to come into your heart and be your Savior and accept the greatest gift that anyone has ever given you. He loves you and He wants you to be His child. He wants you to share the joy and peace that only He can give. It’s the greatest decision you will ever make and He’s the greatest friend you will ever have. You will never walk alone because He will always walk beside you. Does that mean you will be perfect??? NO, it means you will be forgiven and your eternal home will be in Heaven.

PLEASE NOTE: All contributions to our ministry should be made payable to “Sonshine Outreach Ministries”.

Mail your gift to SonShine Outreach Ministries, c/o Joyce Mancke, 509 Rhonda Dr., Lockport, Il. 6044l. Your gifts are tax deductible and you will receive an end of the year statement.

Our schedule for March is as follows;

Lakewood Nursing Home, Plainfield –March 7th @ 2:30 p.m. Senior Star @ Weber Rd (Saturday) March 13th @ 10:00 a.m,., Weber Place (Saturday) March 13th @ 11:00 a.m., Salem Village, Joliet – March 14th @ 2:30 p.m., Rosewood Rehab Center, Joliet – March 21st @ 2:30 p.m., Heritage Woods, Bolingbrook, - (Saturday) March. 27th @ 10:00 a.m., Sunny Hill, Joliet –March. 28th @ 2:30 p.m. Paradise Park, New Lenox –March 28th @ 2:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted by Joyce Mancke jmancke@sbcglobal.net.

Phone - 815-351-7659

Thursday, February 4, 2010

THE AWE FACTOR OF GOD BY PASTOR CHAN

FEBRUARY 2010 NEWSLETTER AND CALENDAR

Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, ye have done it unto me. Matt: 25:40

Lakewood Nursing Home Salem Village Nursing

Home Rosewood Care Center Sunny Hill Nursing Home

Paradise Park Assisted Living Senior Star @ Weber Rd.

Heritage Woods, Bolingbrook.

My daughter sent me the following story because she knows I love a good laugh and the older I get and the more I work with the Nursing Home Ministry, the more I can relate to this story. It is so real and so neat how God made us.

A group of 40 year old buddies got together and were discussing where they should meet for dinner and they finally agreed that they should meet at the “Ocean View Restaurant” because the waitresses there were very beautiful.

10 years later, at age 50, the same group once again was discussing where they should meet for dinner and they agreed that they should meet at the “Ocean View Restaurant” because the food and wine there is very good.

10 years later, at age 60, the group of men met once again and after much discussion, they decided to meet at the “Ocean View Restaurant” because there is a beautiful view of the ocean.

10 years later, at age 70, they got together once again and after much discussion, they decided to meet at the “Ocean View Restaurant” because the restaurant is wheel chair accessible and they even have elevators.

10 years later, at age 80, the group met once again and after much discussion about where to eat, they decided to meet at the “Ocean View Restaurant” because they have never been there before.

Well we certainly go through different stages in our lives, don’t we? I pray that whatever stage of life you are in, that you are allowing God to use you as a vessel for His Glory.

We Praise God for all the Blessings of the past year, for His safety, for good health and all the blessings He gives us daily, both in our homes and in the Ministry. We truly serve an awesome God. As I have said so many times in the past, if you are depressed or just down and out, perhaps you feel like life has mistreated you, just go to a Nursing Home and visit with the residents and you will come away feeling so Blessed for all God has given you. There are so many sad situations there and worse yet; many of them do not know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. There is no peace and no joy, just daily pain and frustrations.

I am thankful that once again, God has given us the start of another New Year and as we make our New Year’s resolutions, I am praying that God will use the Ministry in an even greater way this year than ever before. I am open to whatever and wherever God wants to use me. My prayer is that I will be faithful in all things and will continue to stay in the “Center of His Will” and I pray that we will see many souls saved this year.

I got in a hurry last month and the December Newsletter went out before I received all the information for the services at Paradise Park so I want to share with you all the excitement going on there. Amanda and her family, Judy and all the teens are doing a great job and we are having lots of good comments. The Christmas service in December went really well and Amanda’s comments were as follows, “Our service went well on Sun. We gave everyone a lotion and a Kleenex box with a Christmas or flower cover. Rhys quoted Luke 2, Mr. Kochel played his trombone, Mrs. Ponce and Iliana sang, and Reagan sang. Mrs. Thompson played the dulcimer hammers. They all loved it and were excited to be there and receive the gifts. It was fun”. What a Blessing to receive e-mails like that, I love it and getting the children involved is so special, not only for the residents but also for teaching them to serve the Lord. It is such an inspiration to see the children singing and quoting scripture. Also for the many other people getting involved. I spoke with Gayle Weir this week and she was telling me she had attended the service and how much she loved it and will be coming each month and helping out. She also mentioned that one of the residents wanted to go to church with her and what a Blessing that is. God’s word is contagious, and it’s not just a Nursing Home ministry, it’s an outreach, reaching out into the communities. Thank you all for your heartbeat and for your dedication. You are an inspiration to all of us.

The services went well at all the homes this month. We had about 10 family members that were visiting with the residents who attended the services at Sunny Hill and that are always a Blessing.

Many of the residents were wearing their monogrammed sweaters that we had given them and that was good. All over the rooms, we see SonShine Ministry; it’s a great way to advertise our Ministry.

One of the residents from Rosewood, a little lady who can’t talk but is so full of joy and she tries so hard to talk, was wearing her sweater and kept trying to tell me she loves it. She would smile at me and pretend she was hugging it to let me know how much she liked it, then she always wants to hug and kiss me.

The 3 little Tovilleja sisters sang this month at Heritage Woods. What a Blessing they are. I believe they are ages 4, 7 and 9 and they do a wonderful job. We look forward each month to hearing them. Lillie, one of the residents, sang a special song that her mother had taught her when she was growing up and it was very good. We like to get the residents involved.

One of the residents that come each month to the services at Heritage Woods came with her daughter and when she came into the room she was crying and she took me by the hand and said, “My daughter says I have an appointment that I have to go to in 15 minutes but I just can’t miss this service. I want to stay, please please let me stay”. I never did figure out what the appointment was, but she was so upset that she would miss the service if she went to the appointment, that her daughter ended up letting her stay and the daughter attended as well, so it all worked out.

Well when you talk about dedication, you have to think of Midge, our Missionary to Africa. She came into Rosewood the third Sunday of January and told me she had a heart attack. I know my mouth flew open because all I could think of was, when? Why are you here? She proceeded to tell me that she had a heavy feeling in her chest on Wednesday night but waited until Thursday morning to go to the doctor, at which time, the doctor informed her that she had had a heart attack and she was admitted to the hospital and had surgery. She had a stent placed in one of her arteries. She came out of the hospital on Sunday morning, went to church and came to the Nursing Home and she looked like she felt great. We serve a Miracle working God; we give Him all the praise, honor and glory. We are so glad she is feeling better and getting her energy back. Her trip to Africa has been postponed for a few months.

I have received many “thank you notes, gifts of money and calls” this month thanking the Ministry for the gifts and for our faithfulness. The activity director at Senior Star sent a gift of money and a card saying, “Thank you for all you do for our residents. You bring so much joy and sunshine into their lives. God Bless you all”.

Food for thought: Four things you can’t recover: The stone...after the throw. The word….after it’s said. The occasion….after it’s missed. The time…after it’s gone.

“Those whose trust is in the Lord shall soar with eagle’s wings”. Isaiah 40:31

PLEASE NOTE: All contributions to our ministry should be made payable to “Sonshine Outreach Ministries”.

Mail your gift to SonShine Outreach Ministries, c/o Joyce Mancke, 509 Rhonda Dr., Lockport, IL. 6044l. Your gifts are tax deductible and you will receive an end of the year statement.

Our schedule for February is as follows;

Lakewood Nursing Home, Plainfield –Feb 7th @ 2:30 p.m.

Senior Star @ Weber Rd (Saturday) Feb 13th @ 10:00 am

Salem Village, Joliet – Feb 14th @ 2:30 p.m.

Rosewood Rehab Center, Joliet – Feb 21st @ 2:30 p.m.,

Heritage Woods, Bolingbrook, - (Saturday) Feb. 27th @ 10:00 a.m.

Sunny Hill, Joliet –Feb. 28th @ 2:30 p.m.

Paradise Park, New Lenox –Feb. 28th @ 2:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted by Joyce Mancke

Email:jmancke@sbcglobal.net.

Phone: 815-351-7659