Food & Faith

Summer Newsletter 2016

2 IDES / 355 Park 32 West Dr. / PO Box 379 / Noblesville, IN 46062 / 317-773-4111 / ides@ides.org

Have you ever wondered why God created human beings to need food? In the beginning, God placed man in a beautiful garden. The Lord created all sorts of trees that produced delicious fruit. Man was given the responsibility to tend and watch over the garden and its produce. He was allowed to eat of all the trees except one, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. When man disobeyed God and ate the forbidden fruit, man’s relationship to God and his world changed. This act of disobedience by one man has affected us all.

We live in a world in which there is enough food to feed everyone, and yet one in nine women, men, and children go to bed hungry every night, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. There are a variety of reasons why there is imbalance in the distribution of food. Natural disasters like flooding, hail, fire, or drought strike a specific area of the world causing crop failures and food shortages. Man-made disasters like war or political unrest can also be a catalyst for food shortages and hunger. Death, hunger, war, and disease exist because we live in a fallen world.

At IDES we are tackling the injustice of hunger and malnutrition in a host of different ways. In this newsletter you will read about some of the methods we are using. We have included reports of how our missionary partners are making a difference by implementing these methods to provide food to those directly affected by famine caused by drought, war, and injustice. As they give out groceries they are also sharing the Gospel of Jesus. Both the body and soul are being nurtured.

I believe it is very interesting to observe how closely related food is to our relationship with God. We seem to have been created so that our need and desire for food in some way mirrors our need and desire for God. Jesus reflects this when he describes himself as the Bread of

Life. Every man, woman, and child has been created to need food and to need God. What a privilege to be used by God to help meet these two basic needs of mankind; food and faith, groceries and the Gospel.

As you eat today take time to thank God for providing your physical food, and then ask Him to also make you more and more hungry for Jesus and His righteousness.

Mother and son scooping maize, Kenya

Man standing in dried up corn field, Kenya

Food & Faith

by Rick Jett,Executive Director

“Thank you for showing others Jesus!”- Karen from Illinois 3

David Stine,Director of Operations

Dallas Cooper, Building & Grounds Manager / Asst. DART Coordinator

Joe Brackemyre,GAP Program Director

David comes to us from Portales, New Mexico. He is joining the IDES family to fulfill the role of Director of Operations. His responsibility is to oversee the daily tasks and operations at the IDES Headquarters, and provide the necessary tools and resources to enable the staff to fulfill their responsibilities. David and his wife, Nicole, have been married for 12 years and have two sons, Luke and Logan.

Dallas is from Westfield, Indiana. He is joining the IDES family to fulfill the dual-role of Building & Grounds Manager while acting as the assistant to our DART Coordinator. His responsibility is to maintain and improve IDES’ facilities, while also being available to assist in disaster response when needed. Dallas and his wife, Audrey, have been married for 2 years.

Joe is from Wilmington, Ohio. He is joining the IDES family to fulfill the role of GAP Program Director. His responsibility is to manage the GAP Food-Packing Program, including the coordination of packing events throughout the U.S. and the distribution of GAP meals through mission partners around the world. Joe is marrying his fiancé, Allison, this July.

Welcome New Staff Members

We would like to welcome the following individuals to IDES’ Legacy Society:

-Bonnie Bell -William J & Karen Hahn -Randy & Naomi Jones -Jim & Kim Lockwood -Christopher & Emily Roberts -Steve & Sandra Sheets

The IDES Legacy Society honors our friends who have provided for a gift to IDES in

their estate planning.

4 “Thank you for helping people around the world....

The Storyof Lou

The year was 1980. Reports of a severe famine that had struck many regions in Africa were starting to surface in news outlets around the world. The ghastly images of poor, starving families were shocking to the public eye to say the least.

Missionaries Dick and Jane Hamilton were faithfully serving to the best of their abilities at their mission base in Kenya, when folks started to arrive on-foot from neighboring regions and countries. Skeletal-framed and desperately hungry, the people were mere ghosts of what they ought to have been.

Under the intense July sun, a man of skin-and-bones carrying a frighteningly thin little boy came meagerly walking into their mission site. “Take my son and make him live,” the man pleaded.

As the father recounted their journey, the sad story of the two became clear. The father and his son, Lou, had walked out of Uganda in search of food. Lou’s mother died from cholera caused by contaminated drinking water, and his sister starved to death along the way. The father carried Lou the rest of the distance because he was too weak to even walk on his own, with no muscle tissue left in his little body.

By God’s grace, Dick and Jane had preemptively applied for emergency assistance from IDES in order to provide nutritious food to anyone and everyone who came to their mission in Kenya. Thanks to IDES’ faithful donors, and most importantly to God, Dick and Jane were able to start Lou and his father on a feeding program to help them each regain strength.

Dick and Jane ministered to their needs and explained to them that it was Jesus-followers who had donated the money through IDES to provide food for them to live. The compassionate love of God was lavished on them as they heard about the gift of Jesus Christ for the first time.

Just when you think the story couldn’t possibly get any better, it does. Lou eventually came to know Jesus as his Lord and Savior, grew up healthfully to be 6’4” tall, and went on to earn a college degree in Communications. He has since been working as an executive for the Kenya Postal Department, but is planning on retiring from the position so that he can take on full-time ministry at the very mission that saved his life. Lou’s story also inspired the start of the SonFish Bank program at IDES, which raises thousands of dollars each year for hunger relief projects around the world.

Little Lou, days before potential starvation

Lou and his father

...You completely changed how I look at hunger and disasters.” - Ryan, a third grade student from Indiana 5

Children eating lunch, Kenya

Current Hunger Needs

IDES recently undertook several large-scale Hunger Relief projects to provide food for those who have suffered from the current drought in Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. The drought has caused many farmers’ crops to fail for the year, so the focus is to subsidize the supply of maize (corn), particularly to the most vulnerable people in the population. Part of the project in Kenya was completed by Lou himself.

Another missionary partner in Kenya reported after a distribution: “Many non-believers have turned their lives to the Lord due to the distribution and compassion shown by IDES to the Pokot people...The school numbers are increasing due to the availability of the famine food.

The...faces of the children and of the old are now shining bright and their muscles are getting stronger each day. The old are now able to walk around and go fetch firewood unlike before. We are now seeing children playing their normal games with lots of joy, thanks to the help from IDES.”

This is a story worth sharing. Praise God for His abundant goodness! He alone is the living God who takes the poor and the hungry and lifts them up to become “oaks of righteousness” (Isa. 61). And He will continue to do so as long as the earth keeps spinning.

There are still thousands of precious souls who are suffering from hunger and malnutrition around the world at this very moment. Thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ and the doors He has opened for His children to serve, you can make an incredible difference. Your support of IDES’ Hunger Relief efforts helps write more stories of victory each day.

Dick and Jane Hamilton with Lou, 2003

Women carrying maize, Mozambique

Family eating lunch, Tanzania

6 “I thank God for you and all that you are doing here in our country and around the world.” - Gwen from Ohio

Gary served as IDES’ projects assistant for 19 years. He worked closely with our ministry partners around the globe to collect and organize the accounting, progress reports, photos and other details of each and every project IDES undertakes. Gary leaves behind his wife of 37 years, Renee, their two adult children Tony and Jeanette, and eight grandchildren after battling cancer for over a year. He was an elder and longtime member of Kempton Christian Church, Indiana. Gary will be greatly missed by the IDES staff and board, and by all who knew him.

In Memory of Gary Lee Mraz

New Logo We are proud to present our brand new logo featuring three defining characteristics: the Globe, the ICHTHUS fish, and the color Blue.

We believe that it effectively communicates who we are, why we exist, and what we care most about.

We pray that it becomes a symbol of hope to our mission partners, a symbol of unity to our supporters and volunteers, and a symbol of inspiration to you.

Find out more about it at:www.ides.org

Physical Address:IDES355 Park 32 West Dr.Noblesville, IN 46062

Mailing Address:IDESPO Box 379Noblesville, IN 46061

Phone: 317-773-4111

Email: ides@ides.org

Harvest of Talents for World Hunger“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others,

as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” - 1 Peter 4:10

We appreciate these churches hosting Harvest of Talents events to help IDES feed starving people! Come join us at any of these locations:

All proceeds are used to fund feeding programs for the hungry and hurting around the world.

-Michigantown Christian Church, IN - Sept. 17-18, 2016-Milford Christian Church, IL - Sept. 24, 2016 *Our thanks and congratulations on celebrating their 25th Harvest!-Unity Christian Church, Marion, IN - Oct. 15, 2016-Lincoln Christian Church, IL - Oct. 22, 2016-Lakeway Church, Morristown, TN - Nov. 5, 2016-Galesburg Christian Church, KS - Nov. 12, 2016

“Thank you for helping our brothers and sisters in Christ in their time of need. ” - Ken & Diane from Illinois 7

Honors & MemorialsIn Honor Of:Heidy & Hayden Dale & Phyllis Reynolds Richard Barfuss Kelsey Maki Janet L. Bates Ed & Louise Furnas Andy & Euna Bolen Ronald & Mary Wood Chandler CC, AZ Gary & Mary Kaye CartwrightDarby ColesMackenzie Coles Susan Lewellen Brad Gemeinhart Alma Holl Ricky Dean Hill Robert & Dena Keen John & Sarah Keisling Norman & Mary Ellen Schuler Lelck Boys Donald & Norma Kay Reed Jo Robinson Christopher Shoults David & Sharon Shelton James & Marietta Thomas Mark Yeaton Courtney FisherIn Memory Of:Pat Avery James AveryGeorge & Marvella Baines Donald & Doris Richey Milton B. Bates Ed & Louise Furnas Dorothy Beighly Glenn & Judith Addington Karen Biehl Janet L. Bates Rick & Nancy Jett Erette Bobbitt James & Cassie Jordan Joseph C. Bober Gaye Borders Ronald & Mary Wood Nate Britting Earl & Debra Dickman Nancy Calaway James & Marsha Wood

Muriel Chamberlain Janyce Abarr Eunice Coppens Neal Gaige Ruth Hayworth Lois Johnson Robert & Paula Lawson Karen Rankin Vicki & Mark Skiles Daniel & Kathy Smith Fay Thompson Dave Collier Jacqueline Collier Mildred Collison Roger & Deborah Renshaw Jane Cook IDES Staff George W. Crane Donna Crane Ann Marie Dillinger Fred Dillinger Brant Lee Doty Ruth L. Doty Carol & Junior Evans Gary & Lynn Williams Tom Felix Pamela Felix James W. Greenwood Anna Greenwood Dave Harding Marjorie Harding Phyllis Heinkel Ronald & Mary WoodKenneth Helm Virginia HelmMarion & Vera Henderson Russell & Mary Bone Ricky Dean Hill Robert & Dena Keen Marlis Honeywell William & Thanna Anderson Teddy Johanes Ed & Louise Furnas Del Junker David & Joyce Graves Paul Keen Robert & Dena Keen Virgil Kent Audrey Marilyn Kent

Marian Kneen Clyde Kneen M/M Lowell E. Legg Robert & Cheryl Genta John Leinbaugh Sandra Leinbaugh Elaine Marriott Dennis & Barbara Dobbs Marion Massmann Ralph Massmann Dwain L. Mouser Judy Mouser Gary Mraz Bill & Pam Bache Janet L. Bates Wayne & Carolyn Bigelow Beverly Campbell Wayne & Arrilla Ford Edward & Louise Furnas Rick & Nancy Jett Helen Lemmon David & Sharon Shelton Keith & Nicole Wood Phyllis Myers Anthony & Pamela McKee Ivan C. Odor Doris Odor Julia Parker Calvin Willey Robert Pate Janet L. Bates Seldon & Peggy Carsey Catlin COC, IL Paul & Karen Fields Brenda & Eugene Frame Ken Huff Ben Matthews Charles & Elizabeth Mott Leland, Nit & Christie Mott David Moulton Robert & Doris Nichols Janice & Jerry Oeswein Elena Reyes Frank & Lisa Schreiber James & Donna Sue WiseHelen Pettit Leonardo & Gloria Alvarado William & Carol Bourland Phillip & Kathy Stroud

Delbert Pickett Debra PickettAnn Piper Earl & Debra Dickman Bernard Plumb Berwin & Lois Dodson Hugh Ramey Keystone CC, Indianapolis, IN Esther Reeder L. R. & Marylin Jorgenson Milford CC, IL Robert & Joan SattlerMaxine Smith Franklin & Dorothy Gaige Virgil “Tub” Sorrell Ronald & Mary Wood Joann Spence James Spence Ed Spencer Dirck Spencer Donna Carpenter StacyEddie & Connie Swank Ronald & Mary Wood Anna Lee Tharp Rick & Nancy Jett Pir Toor Thomas & Jacqueline LaBuff Charlotte Turner Ronald & Mary Wood Geraldine Turner Janet L. Bates Rick & Nancy JettArlene Vanes Maryleah Fleener Bonnie & Jerry Wampler Lindell & Phyllis Jarrett Norman Ward Joanne Ward Bill Way Peggy Way Doris M. Welton Larry Welton Seth Wemple Debra Pickett Hoil York Spring Hill COC, Middleton, OH H. Winston Zastrow Robert & Joan Sattler

January 23rd, 2016 - May 20th, 2016

International Disaster Emergency ServicePO Box 379Noblesville, IN 46061-0379Temporary Return Service Requested

Non-Profit Org.U.S. Postage PAIDIndianapolis, IN

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Blind elderly woman receiving a bag of maize, Kenya