Handi*Vangelism Ministries International (HVMI)

Parents in Progress (PIP) Support Group happening tonight at our Ephrata office, 7:30 pm. Pray for Tim, Kathy and Tara as they lead and hostess this monthly gathering of parents who have a child with a disability. Many unique needs in various families who attend - thankful for the opportunity these parents have to share with each other and encourage one another. Pray for Tim's devotional and discussion times as well as times for prayer and fellowship - that heart needs will be met. Thanks for your prayers for PIP tonight.

HAPPENING NOW - our April Adult Bible Study gathering at our Ephrata office starting about 6:30. We had to cancel the March study due to the elevator in our building needing repaired. So it's so good to have the elevator back on and able to bring our Bible Study folks to the office for their time tonight. Pray for Tim Landis as he teaches and for Chris and Jen and others who assist. Pray that the truths from God's Word will sink deep into hearts and lives of each person... attending. Thanks for your prayers for tonight's study.

Dan Steinman's latest "My Damascus Road" prayer letter is newly posted on his missionary page of our website (https://www.hvmi.org/dan-steinman) - click the link below his photo there to open/read his letter. Dan continues hosting a monthly BASIS group in his home and in March filled in leading the restarted grief group at Quarryville Presbyterian Retirement Community and the BASIS group at our office. He also reaches out to local church pastors and other ministry leaders ...to share with them how HVMI and BASIS can partner with them in needs their churches may have. Pray for these contacts - that some will schedule some training and other help that we can offer. Pray for BASIS folks to register for our upcoming BASIS Breakfast Saturday, May 1. Another post will follow soon with breakfast details. Thanks for your prayers for Dan and his wife Phyllis. They continue in their own grief journey after the Homegoing of son Andy in 2016. Jot them a note of encouragement at [email protected].

HAPPENING RIGHT NOW - through 7:45 pm. First April Bible Club meeting at our Wabash Rd, Ephrata location. Pray for Meghan as she teaches a lesson from Job with the OPPOSITES theme being HAPPY and SAD. Several other HVMI staffers and some volunteers help assist in this club. This is the final club this spring for this group of participants - we stop clubs after the April gatherings to get ready for Handi*Camp. Thanks for praying for Bible Club this evening.

Let me share some photos from our Bible Conference weekend retreat at Traber Center. Our theme for the weekend was "Putting the Pieces Together." Tim's three Chapel times and Mark's Bible class were some of the pieces God used in teaching us new things about Him. We enjoyed elective activities, various stations during free times, fun competition between the guys and gals all weekend, large group activities and lots of good meals and snacks. Check out descriptions on individual photos for more info. And thanks for your prayers for our weekend - it was SO good for us all to be together after so many months of isolation.

STARTING RIGHT NOW - Seekers Bible Club at New Joy Church in Ephrata, 6:30-7:45 pm. Please pray for Tara as she teaches and for other staffers and volunteers as they assist. This club met in October but had to be cancelled in November due to a conflict with a church activity. So it will be good to be back together tonight. Reminder that the OPPOSITE theme this month is LOVE or HATE and the Bible story comes from Genesis - Joseph and his brothers. A Christmas treat bag ...will be given to each clubber at the end. Pray for a good time of worship, teaching and fun and pray that each person who is part of the evening will be impacted by the truths of God's Word. Thanks for your prayers!

First December Bible Club - TONIGHT, 6:30-7:45. Meghan Martin will be leading/teaching the Discoverers club at our Wabash Rd, Ephrata location. The OPPOSITE theme this month is LOVE or HATE and the Bible story comes from Genesis - Joseph and his brothers. A Christmas treat bag will be given to each clubber at the end. Pray for a good time of worship, teaching and fun and pray for staffers, volunteers and participants to be impacted by the truths of God's Word. AND - ton...ight is also the BASIS Support Group meeting in Harrington, DE at 7:30 led by Linda and Stephanie. Pray for a good time of sharing and encouragement as these bereaved parents gather. The Christmas season is often a hard time for hurting folks. Pray that the Lord will meet each one right where they are and provide hope and healing. Thanks for praying for these ministries tonight.

Our Fall 2020 edition of the "Heart to Heart" newsletter is posted on our website (https://www.hvmi.org/heart-to-heart-for-parents-of-a-child-). As you can see from the link title, this publication is written for parents who have a child with a disability. Most of this edition is an article entitled, "Supporting Special Needs Students Online as a Parent." It's reprinted/posted with permission from the Noodle Nook. There are lots of good recommendations for parents/famil...ies who have children doing school from home during these days of Covid restrictions. There's also a DIY article showing some examples of visual schedules (importance of them was referred to in the article). Page 4 shares some info about our PIP ministry and PIP Support Groups (only one of which is able to meet monthly for now). And there's a short article about making lemonade from all the lemons in our lives at this point in time - a reminder of the truth of Jesus' words in Matt. 11:28. Let us know if you were encouraged by this newsletter or if you have suggestions for future editions. Jot a note to Christine at [email protected].

Our Winter 2020 BASIS "RENEW" newsletter, "Keep Looking Up," was mailed and emailed to bereaved parents on our various lists earlier this month. You can check it out on our website (https://www.hvmi.org/basis-for-bereaved-parents). Tim Sheetz's title article on page 1 encourages all of us to LOOK UP - to go outside and look up at the sky and see "God’s magnificent glory and the work of His Hands!" Being reminded of these things as we look up can help us when we are "overw...helmed with life, grief and concern." Jot down your thoughts as you look up. Maybe they will mirror some of what David wrote throughout the psalms. And - "these thoughts and declarations just might bring comfort to your heart; God’s perspective to your mind; and a smile to your face." Page 3 is a Parents Share article written by our new BASIS co-worker Dan Steinman who is a bereaved dad (his son Andy was killed in a car accident Oct 5, 2016). Dan shares a bit about his and his wife Phyllis's grief journey - from the first hard days to getting involved in a BASIS support group to starting a new support group to now joining our ministry team fulltime after his retirement. You'll be blessed to read how God has been at work. "I am learning so much and love what I am doing, which is helping other hurting parents and offering resources to pastors so they can minister to those in their congregation who are grieving." Other things in this edition - a list of BASIS Support Groups and when they meet each month, Memorial Gifts and Dates to Remember. Feel free to take a look!

Meghan Martin's Fall 2020 "Seasons of Serving" prayer letter is newly posted on our website (https://www.hvmi.org/meghan-martin) - click the link below her photo there to open/read it. Check out the Bible Club reports on page 1 - we're all so thankful to be having in-person clubs again even with the smaller groups of people in each club. Meghan teaches two of these each month. Page 2 mentions our HVMI special October events - the chicken BBQ and yard sale - as well as a fam...ily update to close her letter. See the prayer requests on the sidebar, too. Jot a note of encouragement to Meghan at [email protected]. And thanks for your prayers for her, her family and her ministry with HVMI. We are blessed to have her on our team!