March Newsletter

Below is our March Nesswsletter if you do not get our email version!

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Eric Helms Driven to Encourage Ministries Until the Whole World Hears..........

We pray that everyone is doing well. Thank you so much for praying for us; especially for my trip to Haiti. The trip was mind blowing to say the least. The Christian Haitians are very rich spiritually....really rich. I walked away feeling spiritually poor! They have nothing and yet they rejoice in worship and life. I have a continual tremor in my spirit mentally, spiritually, and emotionally for Gods glory. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God led me there. Day 1....After traveling 16 hours through the night on a small van, we set up our tents on top of the pastor's house. I was asked to preach by Pastor Olistin in the evening worship service. The regular church was damaged so we had church outside in a field full of rubble under a wooden structure with no roof. 8 Haitians were saved! It was moving to hear them pray in their native tongue speaking to the same Father! Praise God!!!!....very cool. After the service we helped with rice distribution. Two aftershocks in the middle of the night. Day 2...... We dug footings with pick's and shovels all day alongside fellow Haitians trying to rebuild another church that had been damaged. Prayed with a Haitian through a translator.....very moving! Awakened by an aftershock at 4:30.....That'll bless you! Day 3 We poured concrete all day with fellow brothers. Even though we couldn't speak but a few words to each other, we felt a kinship not only to the Haitians but to each team member. In the evening we had church in a field next to the church we were rebuilding. It was funny because all day while we worked there was a cow roaming around in that same field. We tried to distribute rice that night but things began to get out of hand and we had to leave for safety reasons. Day 4.......We poured concrete until noon and then we went to an orphanage. We helped feed 100 children and then played games with them, soccer with the boys and duck, duck goose with the girls. It was difficult and moving as the children would move close and want to hold our hands or want us to hold them but the most difficult was when they would ask for water. We left and drove to Port-Au-Prince and witnessed the damage. Wow! That's all I can say. Jesus has given me a new set of lenses to look through. I pray that neither the world nor myself will ever take them off. Go on a mission trip! Christ tells us to go! Matthew 28:19 Things to Pray about: *Pray for the youth in schools and churches I will be speaking to; pray that they would come to Christ and grow closer to Him. *Pray for our financial needs. Pray for funds for new updated web site, new mission opprotunities, supplies for kids who recieve Christ. Part time office help. *Pray for opportunities to share His great news. *Pray that our new media projects would go well. Thanks is not enough to express our gratefulness to you!! Love you guys, Eric and all the Helms Web site: driventoencourage.org

Last week

Well we will be finished this Friday with our 10 a week challenge. I have learned a few things....we eat a great deal of cereal.....I mean a GREAT deal and I ran out after the first week. It has been the biggest thing that my kids have noticed. Next time I will have that better stocked. I did go to CVS last night and I got 4 boxes 50 cents each of Rasin Bran....you would have thought it was Christmas.

2nd thing that I have learned......I can make this work on less. We still have a huge amount of food left! We have enough of just about everything to make it another 2 weeks. I would run out of meat but otherwise we could do it!

3rd We eat a lot of fresh fruit. It ran out last week and we have had many fruit smoothies over the last week and we have enough for the rest of this week but it is not the same as fresh!

4th Eric went to Haiti during the challenge...it helps put things in perspective.....he told stories of how the orphans wanted fresh water........seriously am I going to complain about fresh fruit when they want water????? We are soooo blessed!!

February Newsletter

Below is a copy of our ministry newsletter. You can't jump on the links but you can read it.

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	Give hope We want to keep going "Until the Whole World Hears." 2 Timothy 4:2 "Preach the word. Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and teaching." COUNT ME IN

Sweet Friends and Family, We think we finally have our email situation fixed. If you are one of those who never receives our newsletter then it is working! Also, we are working very hard to get our new web site up and running as well. We will let you know when to check it out. On January 12th we watched along with all of you , the heart wrenching images coming for Haiti. At the Lords prompting, Eric knew that he was supposed to GO. God willing he will be leaving February 20th to serve with a team from First Baptist Woodstock for a week. Please join us in praying for the entire teams safety. Eric is excited about serving Jesus by showing compassion to these precious people. What a joy to share the hope of the Savior with the hopeless. Driven to Encourage has grown every year. God has expanded our territory and provided in ways that we just can't understand. As we went into November 09, DTEM was running on 32% of our yearly budget. By December 31st we had many 1 time gifts on top or our faithful monthly gifts and we saw a 23% increase in a few short days! We were speechless at times! Every single gift is precious to us! One of our dear friends, who is out of full time work still sends $15 every single month. That gift is just as significant as those who give hundreds. God uses all of you to send us!! I can remember times when Eric and I could only send $20 a month to help other ministries. We were obedient but honestly sometimes I felt silly sending such a small amount. Boy has my perspective changed!! Not only are there NO insignificant gifts......but if everyone committed $20 a month....DTEM would more than meet our 2010 budget. We are overwhelmingly grateful that you are helping us make an impact all over the world. We are honored to call you friend! Thank you for your prayers and support to DTEM. Things to pray about: *After taking a break during the holidays, Eric is back to mentoring, teaching and training 50 men and young men every week! What an awesome opportunity to change our world!! Pray that the Lord would use him in a mighty way. *Pray for the kids in the schools that Eric will be speaking to this winter and spring...pray that the Lord would save many. *Pray for Eric's safety in Haiti and for us while he is away.

Haiti

Please be praying for us..... Our church is taking a team to Haiti in 2 weeks and Eric really feels like the Lord is calling him to go. The Lord has provided over and abundantly more than we need this month and we will gladly use that to GO...but I must be honest...there is a part of me that says.....what about next month...what if it isn't there then???? I know...little faith sometimes???!!! Oh how these people need the love of Jesus right now! What an opportunity to give it to them!