The Lord is moving in Lockland

Lockland is a small community north of downtown Cincinnati that's slightly over one square mile in size. Its population has declined over the past two decades and now what was once the high school houses all grades, Kindergarten through 12th, with two classes per grade.
Lockland is changing for the better and we believe God is working there. The school superintendent and elementary school principal are believers, or at least favorable toward Christianity, and school officials are excited about having a Good News Club. Permission slips were sent home in backpacks to the upper elementary grades rather than the entire elementary school because we expected a large turnout since there isn't much for children to do after school. We were wrong and didn't have any students at our first club. Remembering God's faithfulness and our need for wisdom, we prayed during club time and came up with Plan B along with help from the principal. A second round of permission slips went to the entire elementary school and the office even made an announcement encouraging kids to come to club.
Praise the Lord that our first club was yesterday, February 28th, and eight students attended plus two more are registered and will come next week! It's an encouraging start and our prayer request is that you would join us asking the Lord to bring more students.

Left: Miss Darby gets to know the children during snack time. RIght: Miss Cindi explains what goes on in Good News Club.

Left: Miss Lola chats with the first student who arrived. Right: Miss Cindi explains God's mercy.

Did You Know?
There is great interest in holding Good News Clubs in inner-city schools. Many administrators want us there but we need more volunteers. Interested? Contact Carolyn Horton, Good News Club Coordinator (513) 456-1675.

Good News Club missionary stories inspire children
Children love stories so it's no surprise that one of their favorite parts of club is the missionary story. Each story is told over five or six weeks and each week ends with a cliff-hanger so that they have to wait until next week to see what happens. More than once we've heard, "You're so mean! Tell us what happens!" We all laugh.
Some of the stories are about missionaries in days gone by while others are more current. Here is a sampling of featured missionaries.

The Burnham's story tells how they used their gifts and passions to serve God in the Philippines, how they were kidnapped by terrorists, Martin's death and the continued ministry of Gracia. Even in the hardest times, they depended on God for everything.

The focus of the Hudson Taylor story is on God's faithfulness to Hudson as he journeyed through China, encountered difficulties there and influenced a hundred other missionaries to follow him.

The Amy Carmichael story inspires the children with her childhood, her conversion and her life in India as a missionary for many years until her death at age 83. Throughout the story children are challenged to live for God as Amy Carmichael did.

Mrs. Silvashy is teaching the current series featuring Adhiambo of Kenya who learned about Jesus in elementary school and became involved in CEF ministry when she was a high school teacher. When given the opportunity to train ministry teachers, she trusted God with her life, resigned from her teaching job and followed His call to share the gospel with children and train others. The story ends by encouraging children to trust God with their lives, follow His plan for them, pray for His direction and ask for courage and strength to do it.

Thank you for praying -- we have a treasurer!
Greg Deeter has volunteered to be our CEF chapter's treasurer and began serving a couple months ago. Greg is very familiar with CEF since Patricia Beatty, our former director, and Greg attended the same church for many years and Greg's wife, Sue, helped with a Good News Club in the past. In addition to CEF, Greg serves as treasurer for his church and Fairhaven Recue Mission in northern Kentucky. We are truly thankful to Greg and his accounting expertise.

Missed a newsletter? Back issues are on our chapter's website: www.cefcincinnati.org