Anica’s story, and how you can be involved in Beginning of Life, Moldova.

My name is Anica.  At age 33, married and mother of two, our family’s financial situation became critical. Desperate for money to pay outstanding loans, I left Moldova and went to Moscow where I found a job selling fruit in a market.  After several months, the market owner encouraged me and several other women to move to southern Russia to work on plantations harvesting our own fruit and making more money in the sale to markets.

We agreed.  We were taken from Moscow on a bus that stopped multiple times along the way for more women to join us.  Two days into the journey we started to travel only at night.  At one stop, we were drugged and woke up later in Chechnya, a city in the fundamentalist Muslim region of Russia where war was raging.

We lived in a brothel in the mountains, forced into prostitution to serve the terrorists in the region.  Older women served as cooks and house cleaners, younger women were prostitutes, and young boys and girls had to work hard on the farm.  It was like a small colony from the Middle Ages.

I spent three years as a sex slave.  I got pregnant twice.  They sold my youngest daughter but she found a way to escape and called the authorities.  When the police came, we were sent back to our home countries.

After being so delighted to be free, my husband kicked me out of the house with all four of my children because he did not want to live with a prostitute.  We were given one small room in my parents’ home, but I could not find a job.  My alcoholic mother would beat the children and call them degenerates.

I was blessed to find Beginning of Life.  Women like me desperately need the kind of help that the center offers, restoring lives from slavery, psychological trauma and rejection.   After coming to Beginning of Life center, our lives have been forever changed.

Join Global Women on a trip to Beginning of Life, in Chisinau, Moldova

August 8-18…estimated cost: $2,500…application deadline: June 15

Members of this team will work alongside Yulia Ubeivolc and her Christian social ministry team from Beginning of Life to conduct a five-day camp outside the city of Chisinau for women who have been trafficked, prostituted and/or abused. Our team will assist with Bible study, games, crafts, and music, while sharing love and encouragement to the women and their children attending camp.

For more information/application, contact Cindy Dawson, Executive Director, Global Women, cdawson@globalwomengo.org, or phone 205-663-0505.

Skilled ESL teachers also needed. Same contact information.

Churches across Texas are experiencing increases in their electricity bills, not just because the price of electricity is rising, but also because the way electricity bills are calculated can often be at a disadvantage to churches. Churches have unique usage patterns, and they tend to use a lot of energy at one time, but often only once or twice a week. Many utilities base a great deal of their non-residential customers bills on demand, the greatest amount of energy used at one time during the month (for some customers, during a longer period, such as 11 months). This makes it difficult for churches to reduce their electric bills dramatically without learning how their specific equipment works and making efficiency changes geared towards lowering demand.

Environmental stewardship goes hand in hand with financial management when managing the energy use of your church facilities. When you use less electricity, not only are you being conscious of the environment and the necessary externalities of the electricity industry that you can lessen, such as water use and public health, but you can save money and direct those funds to community ministries. One of the best starter tools a congregation can invest in is a programmable thermostat that allows the heating and air conditioning system to ramp up and down slowly rather than causing a shock to the system when run only periodically.

Some of the best partners we have are actually the utility companies themselves. Here in Texas we have state mandated energy efficiency programs that are administered by the utilities.  Information about these programs can be found at Texas Efficiency.

In the Oncor service territory specifically they have a matching grant program for houses of worship to complete energy efficiency projects.  Information about that program can be found at Take a Load Off Texas.

Energy Star also has great resources about how to reduce your energy costs by investing in energy efficient equipment, building upgrades and maintenance.  Energy Star provides congregations with free information and technical support.

In schools across Texas this fall, students and teachers will observe Red Ribbon week during October 24-28.  Communities will be planning prevention and education programs to communicate to students regarding the dangers of alcohol and other drugs.

The Christian Life Commission is sponsoring Recovery Sunday on October 23 to encourage churches in Texas to highlight the issues of addiction, recovery, and prevention.  In addition, Recovery Sunday gives Texas Baptists an opportunity to affirm and encourage our students and teachers in their ongoing struggle against drugs and alcohol.

Red Ribbon week grew out of an effort to honor the memory of a DEA agent named KiKi Camarena who died in Mexico investigating a major drug cartel.  Following his death, friends and family began to wear red ribbons to honor his memory.  This tradition has developed into a national campaign to address the issues of prevention and education.  The CLC is available to help congregations to promote Recovery Sunday through providing educational, sermonic, and promotional resources.

Please join us as we encourage churches across Texas to confront the issues of addiction in our congregations and communities.  We encourage you to wear your red ribbon during the week of October 24-28 to show your support as students and teachers take a stand against substance abuse in their schools.

Some Ideas for Recovery Sunday:

1. Pastor preaches a sermon on recovery.
2. A testimony is shared about recovery in the worship service.
3. The youth minister utilizes “Pathways to Prevention” and has a Bible Study about a prevention issue.
4. The church could pass out Red Ribbons to the congregation in support of Red Ribbon week.
5. The church could do a focus on Red Ribbon week and be supportive of students and teachers in the public school system.
6. Hand out drug education fact sheets to parents of youth.
7. Invite a counselor or drug prevention speaker to a special forum for youth parents.
8. Include a bulletin insert about Red Ribbon week and/or Recovery Sunday.
9. Have a copy of the 12 steps(pdf) put in the Sunday bulletin.
10. Provide drug prevention information in the hallway for church members

What Will Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR) Look Like For Texas Baptists?

I was recently doing my daily reading on immigration issues across the Internet when I ran into an op-ed in the Washington Post that prompted the question that serves as the title of this article.  Comprehensive immigration reform is an issue that affects us all and continues to be a long way from being resolved.

Several states, especially in the south, are passing their own legislative measures to enforce immigration policy without any means for the undocumented population to legalize their status.  Congress was unable to pass the DREAM Act last December, thus closing the door on many young immigrants wishing to serve in the military or attend college.  Never before in the history of our nation had so many people been deported: more than 393,000 last year.  Approximately 195,000 of those were criminal deportations, but according to some reports, non-violent crimes and traffic tickets have triggered 44% of those deportations.  Our unlawful presence laws of 1996 make it virtually impossible for most families of undocumented immigrants to stay together.

It has indeed become a cliché to say that our immigration system is broken.  The problem is that finding the way to repair it has been a daunting task.

What would comprehensive immigration reform look like for Texas Baptists?  It is difficult, but not impossible to answer this, as the issue makes us all extremely uneasy.  Many people, including people of faith, support a policy based on a strong enforcement of border security and little else.  But whereas it is true that comprehensive immigration reform must include provisions that ensure border security, we are still left with the problem of what to do with the more than 11 million undocumented immigrants who are living in our country and have no legal relief in sight.

Here are several suggestions to help us answer the question:

• In the first place, the issue of undocumented immigration and the plight of these immigrants should “belong” to us.  We have to truly own these social justice challenges.  Our Catholic friends have been on the forefront of efforts to bring justice and charity to the issue, but they cannot do the work alone.  Along these lines, we must continue to help churches facilitate the creation of federally recognized and accredited legal service agencies.  There are not enough immigration lawyers and non-profits to provide these services in Texas.  Texas Baptists should stand in the gap and fulfill this need.
• Although everyone knows that CIR is a noble goal to strive for, hardly anyone has outlined clearly what the content of CIR should be.  Comprehensive immigration reform should include policies that ensure border security, but not as the main and only goal.  Enforcement of immigration policy should never lose sight of the God-given dignity of all persons.
• CIR should contain a path for an earned legalization and eventual citizenship of our undocumented population
• CIR should open a path for the reunification of families and for young undocumented immigrants to be free to serve in the military or further their education.
• Texas Baptists should be deeply concerned about the integration of all immigrants into the mainstream of American culture.  Immigrants know that there is little opportunity for any kind of material or professional advancement unless they speak English.  Texas is a border state; therefore, it is imperative that our churches start their own English as a Second Language ministries, regardless of whether they are located close to the border with Mexico or not.

Texas Baptists must continue to pray for presidential and congressional leadership so that they may forge a balanced package that includes enforcement of borders and substantive reform, including a path to legalization for undocumented immigrants.

Whenever possible, we must respectfully lobby on behalf of those who cannot represent themselves, who live in the shadows of our country as an underclass of people working in an underground economy, legally unable to be full participants in their communities.

We must own this issue decisively, and we must act.  When CIR happens, there will be more than 11 million immigrants who will need the guidance and the help of honest, God-loving and caring people.  We must be ready for them.  Ready to teach them English.  Ready to teach them citizenship.  Ready to help them become legalized residents of Texas.

Our were made stronger… Thank You!

This session the CLC has been aided by many Texas Baptist friends and supporters who have put their Christian Ethical beliefs into action. Our advocacy is more effective when our voice is enhanced by the voices of Baptist laity and pastors from all corners of our state. Our work on payday and auto title lending reform, in particular, generated a passionate response from CLC supporters who wanted to lend their strength to our efforts. The following Texas Baptists took time out of their schedules to call or visit lawmakers, testify in committee hearings, speak at a press conference or write letters to the editors of their local newspaper. Their efforts helped to convince lawmakers that predatory lending is a real problem in their communities and that something should be done about it. Going forward, we will once again need their help and the help of others, to continue to work toward justice in the small dollar lending market in Texas. A special thanks to those below

Dr. Chad Chaddick, Northeast Baptist Church, San Antonio, TX

Dr. Jeff Johnson, First Baptist Church, Del Rio, TX

Dr. Joseph Parker, David Chapel, Austin, TX

Dr. Jay Abernathy, First Baptist Church, Palestine, TX

Dr. John Ogletree, First Metropolitan Baptist Church, Houston, TX

Rev. Charlie Singleton, BGCT African American Fellowship & First Missionary Baptist Church, Ft. Worth

Rev.Gerald Davis, BGCT Community Development & Cornerstone Baptist Church, Dallas, TX

Dr. Frederick D. Haynes, III, Senior Pastor, Friendship-West Baptist Church, Dallas

Rev. Charlie Johnson, First Baptist Church, Desdemona

Dr. Mike Massar, Sugarland Baptist Church

Dr. Van Christian, First Baptist Church, Comanche

Many members of Cornerstone Baptist Church, Dallas

In addition, our efforts were made stronger this session by our colleagues in other faith groups here in Austin. Specifically we would like to thank our coalition partners in Texas Faith for Fair Lending – Texas Impact and The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops.

Many other organizations were critical partners including – AARP, Texas Appleseed, Goodwills of Texas, the Center for Public Policy Priorities, Texas NAACP, RAISE Texas, United Ways of Texas, and Liberty Institute.

We’d also like to think the following legislators and their staffs for the hours of hard work and dedication to this issue.

Rep. Vicki Truitt

Rep. Tom Craddick

Rep. Eddie Rodriguez

Rep. Joe Farias

Rep. Rafeal Anchia

Sen. John Carona

Sen. Wendy Davis

Sen. Royce West

Sen. Leticia Van de Putte

As always, we are grateful for the loyal support of our commission members –

Mike Massar – Chair | Williams Trace Baptist Church | Sugarland TX

Van Christian | First Baptist Church | Comanche TX

Phil Christopher | First Baptist Church | Abilene TX

Carmen Estrada | El Paso, TX

Michael Evans | Bethlehem Baptist Church | Mansfield TX

Mike Fanning | The Fellowship of San Antonio | San Antonio TX

David Holcomb | Belton TX

Ken Hugghins | Elkins Lake Baptist Church | Huntsville TX

Shan Kinnison | Waxahachie TX

Richard Munoz  | Dallas TX

John Ogletree | First Metropolitan Church | Houston TX

Susan Rushing | Lufkin TX

Vince Smith | Houston TX

This is Danielle Choi who lives in Carrollton, Texas.  One day she emptied her piggy banks and told her mother to please send it to feed hungry children.  This is the letter we received accompanied by $13.53 for the Texas Baptist Offering for World Hunger.

According to the USDA, 17.4% of our state’s households are hungry or food insecure. In other words, a staggering number of families in our communities do not have appropriate access to nutritious foods that allow them to lead an active and healthy life. Though the problem may seem overwhelming, we have the tools to fix it. We produce enough food in America to feed everyone – the problem is getting food to the right people, at the right time, and at the right price. This is a logistical problem, not a resource issue, and so is solvable.

Texas leaders, organizations and communities are responding to food insecurity in Texas. Hunger has become a priority among our elected and appointed leaders for the first time in recent history, and the result of these efforts is the beginning stage of a paradigm shift on how we view hunger in Texas – including the steps we take to become food secure.

Now, alongside the great work happening in local communities, the 82^nd Legislature has begun to consider food-related bills on the state level. We will be monitoring these bills as this legislative session continues and will send updated e-mail alerts on their status. Now is also a great time to begin contacting legislators and their staff at the capitol about food policy! If you are interested in visiting legislative offices, please contact Anne Olson, Public Policy Specialist at the Christian Life Commission, or call 512-473-2288.

Bills of Interest:
You can also view the bills in more detail at Texas Legislature Online…

House Bills

HB 75 (Flynn):   Relating to the regulation of raw milk and raw milk products
Committee Referral: House Public Health
Identical Companion:   SB 237 (Deuell)

HB 127 (Alvarado):   Relating to the types of beverages that can be sold to students on public school campuses.

HB 642 (Rodriguez):   Relating to free breakfast for certain public school students.
Identical Companion:   SB 88

HB 643 (Rodriguez): Relating to summer nutrition programs provided for by school districts.
Identical companion: SB 89

HB 710 (Walle):   Relating to electronic imaging used in the financial assistance and supplemental nutritional assistance programs.

HB 1139 (Rodriguez):   Relating to the regulation of cottage food products and cottage food production operations.

HB 1151 (Raymond):   Relating to the prohibiting the purchase of certain food items under the supplemental nutritional assistance program.

Senate Bills

SB 39 (Zaffirini):   Relating to improving application and eligibility determination processes and efficiencies for certain benefits programs.
Committee Referral:    Senate Health and Human Services

SB 77 (Nelson):     Relating to certain requirements for sponsoring organizations and other institutions participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program.
Committee Referral:    Senate Health and Human Services

SB 81 (Nelson):     Relating to food manufacturers, food wholesalers, and warehouse operators required to hold a license.
Committee Referral:    Senate Health and Human Services
Hearing Date:   2/15/2011 11:00AM 2E.20

SB 88 (Lucio):     Relating to free breakfast for certain public school students.
Committee Referral:    Senate Education

SB 89 (Lucio):     Relating to summer nutrition programs provided for by school districts.
Committee Referral:    Senate Education

SB 171 (Hinojosa):     Relating to disclosure of calorie content and nutrition information by certain food establishments; providing an administrative penalty.
Committee Referral:    Senate Business and Commerce

SB 184 (Nelson):     Relating to the use of certain state property for community food gardens.
Committee Referral:    Senate Natural Resources

SB 199 (West):     Relating to the eligibility of nonprofit organizations that partner with certain schools to receive grants for agricultural projects.
Committee Referral:    Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs

SB 237 (Deuell):     Relating to the regulation of raw milk and raw milk products.
Committee Referral:    Senate Health and Human Services
Identical Companion:   HB 75 (Flynn)

SCR 9 (Lucio):    Urging the United States Congress to amend the list of allowable foods under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to eliminate sweetened drinks and snack foods of minimal nutritional value.

Most Texans, regardless of politics or party, agree that in a state as great as Texas hunger is simply unacceptable. Just like social problems of the past, we can end hunger through cooperation and creative problem-solving. There are people like you across Texas taking steps to end hunger in Texas each and every day, and together we have the power to end it for good!

Here’s how YOU and YOUR CHURCH can help:

Call or write your legislator. Let yourself be heard! As a constituent, you have an influence on what issues our state legislators pursue. Let your legislator know that ending hunger is a priority by calling, writing, or visiting your representative or senator. Not sure who your legislators are? Find out who represents you…

Become a Summer Food Site. Our colleagues at Texas Impact have created a wonderful toolkit for folks interested in helping with the summer feeding program. “Feeding Texas Kids with the Summer Food Service Program” gives you step-by-step information on the many different ways you can get involved with SFSP as a faith community.

We value your input and suggestions.
Your comments and recommended resources are welcome in the comments box below.

COME TO THE TABLE …and meet Charlie and Jo Ann Whiteside.

What motivates a successful businessman, in his golden years, preparing for retirement and the good life, to care so much about hungry people he will never meet?

Charles Whiteside…Charlie to friends and family…graduated from Texas A&M with great curiosity.  Ever the scientist, he aspired to have his own business someday but knew there were steps he must first take to get there.  After marrying his sweetheart, Jo Ann Youngblood, and bringing her back to Texas to teach Chemistry at Kilgore College, he began testing feed and forage in a make-shift building in his back yard on nights and weekends.

Ana-Lab, Charlie’s environmental testing laboratory, was born.  Gradually, the demand to test water, soil, waste, and even air grew to the point that Charlie built a thriving business, now 45 years strong, where samples arrive from all over the world to be tested because of Ana-Lab’s impeccable reputation for quality.

About ten years ago while serving on the BGCT Executive Board, Charlie picked up a copy of the Baptist Standard to read the front-page article about the Texas Baptist Offering for World Hunger and its $700,000 budget for that year.
“At first”, Charlie thought, “that sounded like a lot of money…until I did the math. When I divided that number by the number of Texas Baptists, it figured to be about .30 per Baptist.  Pretty pitiful!”

“I had heard somewhere that 40,000 children were starving to death every day in places all over the world, and I thought ‘surely Baptists can feed hungry children a lot cheaper than the government can’!  We need to do more for hungry kids!”

Then and there, Charlie became an outspoken advocate for hungry children…talking about the subject wherever he went.  He formed a group called “Hunger Hounds”…with the tag line, “Dogging the Demons of Dietary Deprivation”!  He made it clear that the recipient of his donations and hard work would be the Texas Baptist Offering for World Hunger because “they tell me where my money is going”.

“I was the first of what is now a growing grassroots group of Texas Baptists, hunger advocates they’re called, who are raising awareness about hunger in their area of Texas as well as around the world.  The Texas Baptist Offering for World Hunger is feeding many people but also helping them learn to feed themselves.  As a result, many are coming to know Christ and learning of His love for them.”

“God has blessed me and my business.  I began several years ago selling portions of it, allocating certain amounts of the sale to World Hunger.”

Jo Ann has been in total agreement with Charlie’s decision to entrust the Texas Baptist Offering for World Hunger with generous portions of their hard-earned resources.  “We know it is going where the Christian Life Commission says it is going,” she has said.

Charlie has taken his message all around East Texas…the message that if East Texas Baptist churches will raise at least $4,000 for the Texas Baptist Offering for World Hunger, he will match it dollar for dollar with no cap.  He is saying that he wants the money he gives to work harder, to be an encouragement for others to experience the blessings he has received by giving in abundance.

“Empty stomachs have no ears to hear, “Charlie has said many times.  “We must feed them first, then we have the opportunity to tell them about Jesus.”

Texas Baptist World Hunger Offering
Donate now!

Many concerned pastors and church leaders call the ISAAC Project frequently to get answers to all kinds of questions about immigrants.  “Can we get in trouble with the government for helping them”?  “Are we breaking the law by opening our doors to them?” “Do we tell them that they have to go back to their countries”, “Can we help them get a job in the United States without breaking the law”?  These are some of the most common inquiries we deal with on a daily basis.

Our “unlawful presence” laws passed in 1996 have made it extremely hard for many undocumented immigrants who could adjust status to do so.  Only a small portion of the more than 11 million undocumented immigrants in our country can find legal relief in order to become lawful permanent residents.  But it is a different matter when it comes to loving and accepting these people as they come to our churches on any given Sunday.

In order to address these valid and pertinent questions, the ISAAC Project will host an immigrant outreach conference titled Strangers Among Us: Reaching, Loving and Serving the Immigrant Community on December 3 at Baptist University of the Américas in San Antonio.  This training will address the most common questions asked by churches that are involved in reaching out to immigrants in their midst.

Richard Muñoz will give a presentation about the legal issues that churches in Texas face regarding illegal immigration, such as hiring, transportation, benevolence and church starting.  If you or your church are asking these questions, you will find it worthwhile to travel to San Antonio and listen to what Richard has to share.

Jesús Romero will talk about how churches in Texas can establish federally recognized and accredited immigration service sites.  Doing this type of ministry is a valuable service to the immigrant community, as many notarios and other unscrupulous people take advantage of them by charging thousands of dollars in exchange for filling out immigration forms and providing legal services that they do not have the credentials to offer.  Most often than not, immigrants are scammed by these people.

Joseph De Mott, founding partner of De Mott, McChesney & Armendáriz in San Antonio will talk about the nuts and bolts of American citizenship.  Many people in our churches believe that all that these immigrants have to do to “be legal” in the United States is to pick up a form, fill it out and submit it.  In reality, it is not that easy at all.  Mr. De Mott will share in detail about the process of becoming a United States citizen.

Ruth McChesney will give a presentation about the process by which churches may petition the Federal government for religious workers and ministers.  Many pastors do not know that the process to get an R-1 visa for these ministers has become increasingly difficult after 2008, when the laws that govern the granting of this visa changed.  Mrs. McChesney will explain the process in detail.

The cost of attendance is $85, which covers registration, all printed materials and a catered lunch from Bernard’s Creole Kitchen.  The conference will take place from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.  We are extending an invitation to our friends from other Christian denominations that are involved in loving the immigrant community.  Our hope is to educate the Body of Christ about immigrants and issues related to immigration law, serving and loving them.  Help us spread the word and pray about getting involved in immigration ministry.  We’ll see you in San Antonio this December.

We value your input and suggestions.
Your comments and recommended resources are welcome in the comments box below.

The Christian Life Commission is sponsoring Recovery Sunday on October 24th to encourage churches in Texas to highlight the issues of addiction, recovery, and prevention.  In addition, Recovery Sunday gives Texas Baptists an opportunity to affirm and encourage our students and teachers in their ongoing struggle against drugs and alcohol.

Red Ribbon week grew out of an effort to honor the memory of a DEA agent named KiKi Camarena who died in Mexico investigating a major drug cartel.  Following his death, friends and family began to wear red ribbons to honor his memory.  This tradition has developed into a national campaign to address the issues of prevention and education.  Beginning this fall, the CLC will help congregations to promote Recovery Sunday by providing educational, sermonic, and promotional resources.

Please join us as we encourage churches across Texas to confront the issues of addiction in our congregations and communities.  We encourage you to wear your red ribbon during the week of October 25-29 to show your support as students and teachers take a stand against substance abuse in their schools.

WE ARE ON FACEBOOK

We are excited to announce that the Christian Life Commission Substance Abuse Ministry is now on Facebook. The Facebook page will provide information and promote ministry opportunities for those interested in Substance Abuse Ministry and recovery issues.  You can find the page on Facebook by searching “Addiction Ministry Education Network“.  If you are on Facebook designate that you “like” the page and you will receive updates throughout the month.

TRAINING OPPORTUNITY
The Substance Abuse Ministry is hosting a “Streaming Video” training event on Friday, September 24 at 10:00 am.  No matter where you are located, you can log on to view the presentation by going to www.texasbaptists.org.

Carrie Beaird, Substance Abuse Consultant with CLC, Jana Jackson, Community Ministries Director at Dallas Baptist Association and Heath Marion, pastor of the Oaks Church will be discussing the challenges of churches and staffs in dealing with substance abuse issues, recovery and referral questions.

There will also be the opportunity to send in your questions live through Facebook for the panel to discuss.

We value your input and suggestions.
Your comments and recommended resources are welcome in the comments box below.