Thursday, February 28, 2013

The sun is shining & it's a little warmer outside today so we can expect to see long lines of hungry & hurting people needing food & the love of Jesus at Lighthouse Missions street outreaches in Port Jefferson & Shirley today.. What a perfect day to meet us there & help hand out food & be the hands of Jesus.. If you do, it will change your life. God bless you.

Outreach directions:

http://lighthousemission.net/Lighthouse_Mission_Inc./outreach_locations.html
Lighthouse Mission volunteers in action being the hands of Jesus...
The two groups the Lighthouse Mission focuses on is the poor & the children. Each week Lighthouse picks up countless children from local homeless shelter & blessed them with one to one tutoring, mommy & me classes, youth programs, etc. all free & ALL about Jesus.. Want to get connected and be the hands of Jesus to these little guys? Give us a call & we will get ya plugged in. Don't have the time? No worries, why not pray about being a monthly finincial supporter? Donations are down but the need is way up.

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

During Pastor Jims homeless street outreach today he & a Lighthouse Missionary team went into the woods, behind & into abandoned buildings, "seeking to save the lost" they encountered many young people. We gave much needed hygiene kits, blankets, food, first aid kits, bibles, etc. prayed with them & pleaded with them to allow us to help them get off the street.. In one instance, Pastor Jim went behind some dark dumpsters & walked straight into a cloud of crack smoke. Then began ministering to a homeless group of young people... Please pray for Lighthouse as we go into these dark & dangerous places to rip people out of the devils hands.
We are expecting lots of hurting & hungry people standing on line today at the Lighthouse Missions street outreaches in Coram & lake Ronkonkoma locations today..Why not come out with us today and help us be the hands of Jesus? .. "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few..." - Jesus
Want to learn more the Lighthouse Mission & at the same time check out a cool church? Why not stop over at Steadfast Christian Church at 11:15am today (Sunday) to hear the silly guy in the photo above who is Pastor Jim.. I told you we need to be praying for him more :-) talk about what God is doing at the Lighthouse Mission. While your there why not shake the hand of the church pastor: Pat Cataldo he's a great guy.
Here is the church address:
Steadfast Christian Church 5070 Expy Drive S, Holbrook, NY
What a blessing to have so young people give their time to serve Jesus. "Girls for God" collected food for the Lighthouse Mission and came to Lighthouse Missions Riverhead outreach location to help hand it out and to tell people about the Good news of Jesus. If your church, business or family would like to connect with Lighthouse Mission on a local missions trip like these girls- Give us a call and we will send you a "missions kit" and schedule your group to help serve the poor here on Long Island.
 
Lots of people attending the Lighthouse Missions street outreaches today in Riverhead & Patchogue. What a blessing to work alongside so many volunteers that love The Lord. Just about every volunteer whom handed food out today told the people who were receiving the food that "Jesus loved them".. Praise God!

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

So excited to receive shoe boxes packed full of goodies & given by local school children for us to give to local under-privileged & homeless children of the Lighthouse Missions "kids club" and youth programs. What a blessing! The kids are going to be so excited.
Help needed: This woman has not had it easy. Her husband of 32 years is dying of cancer & they are very poor. She attends Lighthouse Mission street outreaches for food. We were able to bless them with a used much needed hospital bed for her husband... Now we want to do something big: we want to be  able to have her sewing machine repaired so she can start earning a little money for her husbands medication by sewing curtains & things for people.  Pastor Jim has already ordered her business cards in faith that we will be able to help her.. It's going to cost nearly $250 to fix. Would anyone be willing to help? It would be such a blessing to this local family.
 
When ministering in the woods or behind buildings you never know what you may encounter. Sometimes people in need of medical attention, abused women, people strung out on drugs, violent people, etc.. It's really sad, today we encountered a bunch of young people in their 20s addicted to alcohol.. Pastor Jim & his team pleaded with them to let us help them but they refused. So we blessed them with supplies, food, bibles etc. & prayed for them.. We will keep trying- they are someones son & daughter. Jesus loves them so we do too.
Pastor Jim has everything ready to go with his outreach team to minister to hurting homeless people living in the woods & behind abandoned buildings.. We bring with us: Blankets, bibles, military self heating food, first aid & hygiene kits, flash lights, warm hats & gloves, etc. we go to bring them the love of Jesus and plead with them to let us help them get off the street. It's a very dangerous ministry. But if people of the Light (Jesus) are not willing to go into dark places then who will?

Monday, February 18, 2013

Here is the latest Newsday "ask the clergy" question that Pastor Jim recently answered.. We think the photo must have been photoshopped - because we never see him in a suit & tie ;-)
It was real cold today during the Lighthouse Missions street outreaches in Coram & Lake Ronkonkoma.. Pastor jim & his team went down the line handing out gloves, hats & hand warmer's to people waiting for food. If possible, please pray about helping get us some inexpensive stretchy gloves (found at dollar store) - there are so many people in need & it helps us be the hands of Jesus.
What a blessing to have police officer Rich visit the Lighthouse Missions "kids club" to say hi, help with games, answer questions & help hand out lunch. Sadly, many of the children used to be afraid of the police because they have had memories of them arresting their parents or older siblings. The result has been kids throwing rocks at police cars when they pass. Now, the children know that the police are their friends and when they see police cars they wave and yell hello.. These are just a few concepts that the Lighthouse Mission has implemented & are making a difference here in Bellport. With God ALL things are possible!
After the "kids club" program at the Lighthouse Mission its always sad when we have to drive the children back to the homeless shelters. But what gives us peace is being able to bring them a little happiness and best of all that they KNOW that Jesus loves them. Please pray for these children. So many of them have very very hard lives.
Pastor Jim is having fun testing the Lighthouse Missions new bubble machine! When kids come into the mission for "kids club" they walk through a wave if bubbles!- we need to pray for Pastor Jim ;-)
Getting ready for the Lighthouse Missions free (everything is free at the Lighthouse) "Kids Club" for grades K-5th / 11-1:00pm.. Crazy games, songs, crafts, pizza lunch & learning about the love of Jesus.... Oh right, pastor jim plans to test his new bubble machine.. He is really excited

Friday, February 15, 2013

What a great time we had today sharing the gospel of Jesus & feeding the poor during Lighthouse Missions street outreaches. After Pastor Jim shared a powerful message with everyone waiting on line for food he went down the line parlaying with people, handing out tracts and answering countless questions.. People are so open to Jesus - it's so exciting!

When Jesus was walking around in the flesh 2000+ years ago. The two groups of people that were the closest to Jesus seemed to be the poor & the children. That is why The Lighthouse Mission invests so much into these groups... It's a wonderful blessing to have so many free youth program "Ignite", our "Aspire" tutoring program, "Kids club", & Mommy & Me (as in this photo).. Want to get connected? We need help- Give us a call at 631-758-7584 & we will get ya' plugged in.

When the weather starts to get hot or cold we always lose a significant number of volunteers to help hand out food at Lighthouse Mission daily street outreaches. We may have only 3-4 people to drive trucks, unload trucks of food-cloths-supplies, set up food, share the gospel of Jesus, hand out food, pray with people, clean up parking lot, re-load trucks & then drive back. I know it is a lot of work but Jesus never said following Him was going to be easy.. Please pray about helping us be the hands of Jesus at Lighthouse street outreaches- we need help. Interested? Call 631-758-7584 or show up at an outreach location willing to serve Jesus. Here is a link to outreach locations:

http://lighthousemission.net/Lighthouse_Mission_Inc./outreach_locations.html
 
Hundreds of people came out today to Lighthouse Mission street outreaches in Bellport & Central Islip.. Everyone was thankful & appreciative of the food and even better many asked for prayer.
So many teens showed up for Lighthouse Missions Tuesday teen program "Ignite" where lots of snacks, homework help, crazy games, lots & lots of Basket ball & most importantly learning about Jesus in a way they can understand happens.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

It's cold, it's snowing & rainy - but that won't stop Gods soldiers at the Lighthouse Mission from bringing food, blankets, coats & most importantly the love of Jesus to those who are cold, hurting & hungry. Please keep Lighthouse missionaries in your prayers.

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Would you believe that the Lighthouse Mission has served more then 151,300 people in Suffolk County this year alone! .. Check this out: Suffolk Countys has a population of 1,498,816 (based on 2011 census) -- that means that God has fed through His Lighthouse Mission 10.09% of the entire population of Suffolk County!! How amazing is that considering that we are just a little ministry, without any weekly offerings, governemnt funding, etc. The best part is that each one of those people heard the good news of Jesus! --- With God ALL things are possible!
Perhaps you have heard it said that "People don't want anything to do with God" I would have to disagree. So often I get a glimpse as to what it was like for Jesus when crowds pressed around him for blessings and healing. During a normal Lighthouse Mission street outreach. I walk up and down the lines of shivering, hurting & hungry people offering them Bible tracks, warm hats and gloves, etc. and countless people ask for prayer & blessings.. I was overwhelmed to tears when a desperate mother made her way to me and placed her tiny baby who is suffering of cancer into my arms for prayer... I don't think people want nothing to do with God, I think that in some cases "people that know God want nothing to do with people who don't know God unless they walk through the doors of their church".. Jesus went to the people: he healed them. fed them, blessed them & suffered for them. Will you help the Lighthouse Mission do the same?

"Then he said to the crowd, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me" -- Jesus
One of the fun things the teens had to build as a team for Word of Life "Snow Camp" was a sled made from a cardboard box- that they had to race down a hill against other church groups.. What a blast they had racing it and encouraging one another.. Sadly, we crashed & lost :-) .. Who ever said ministry had to be boring?

Monday, February 4, 2013

Lighthouse Mission was blessed to be able to take 19 teens to the Word of Life "Snow Camp" upstate New York. Most of these kids would not have an opportunity to attend. But God made a way! Insane snow games, funny events & knock your socks off worship were all part of the weekend. Best of all they had a chance to learn about Jesus. 8 kids gave their life to Jesus this weekend. Thank you everyone whom God used to make this weekend happen.. I can't wait to see what God will do next!
 
A very poor woman who attends a Lighthouse Mission street outreach for food each week, came to us for help. She wanted to know if we could help her with a hospital bed for her husband who is dieing of Cancer. She called everywhere & no one could help her. So the staff at the Lighthouse Mission prayed - a day later someone called, completely unaware of this womans need with a hospital bed! I am blessed to say that we delivered it today, prayed with the family & got her connected with a local church. Praise God!
Today, I had to tell a volunteer that they could not help hand out food & that they had to leave the outreach Why? Because they were acting mean, disrespectful & had a mean scowl on her face- but did say (rather yell) she was a CHRISTian & attended a church. Sadly, most of the people waiting on line for food are used to people treating them poorly, mean or talking down to them. Lighthouse Mission has a firm policy that when people come to an outreach they are expecting to be treated like the "world" treats them- we will do the exact opposite & overwhelm them with kindness & love-- so by the time they reach the end of the food line, more then 10 people treated them kindly, smiled & reminded them that Jesus loves them (as in photo)... That's what Jesus would do. So why not come & help us be the hands of Jesus to those in need. WE NEED HELP... Mean people need not apply ;-)..... If someone says, "I love God," but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don't love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?" - 1 John 4:20
It's always a big deal when CHRISTian men volunteer to help with Lighthouse Missions youth programs. Sadly, many of the children that attend our programs don't have fathers in their lives, let alone CHRISTian fathers. It's so important that the children understand the importance of a godly marriage. They don't even understand the idea that Pastor jim is married to miss Andrea (who oversees the Kids Club).. Please pray for these children- so many come from very broken homes.
 
A close Pastor friend & supporter of the Mission recently said "If you think you are having a bad day, imagine having to stand on a Lighthouse Mission food line for an hour in 16 degree weather praying there will be enough food available for you when its your turn to bring back to your hungry children at home".. Kind of puts things into perspective & makes you realize how blessed we really are. Hopefully, you will consider helping us make a dent in the devils Kingdom..
In two weeks 20 teens from Lighthouse Missions weekly youth programs are going to be attending Word of Life "snow camp".. Having crazy fun & learning about Jesus.. In this photo a few are assembling a sled they have to make themselves from cardboard. Just being able to attend is an amazing answer to pastor Jim's prayer. Please keep these young people in your prayers.