Help! The Most Ethnically Diverse Square Mile in the World

Having just completed a project resulting in 909 blankets being hand delivered 2 short weeks ago, we are hard pressed to catch everyone up and share details about our neighbors set to benefit from this years Heavenly Harvest Hoedown.

Once again, the good Lord willing, we will prepare blankets for our Appalachian friends in West Virginia. Along with those needs, we hope to gift a global group of needy children right in our own backyard of Clarkston, Georgia.  

With over 150 different ethnic groups represented within and around the city, Clarkston has been named "the most diverse square mile in America" by the New York Times. With more than thirty language groups living there, this unique town on the east side of Atlanta has been the settling place for over fifty thousand refugees from many countries since the early 1990s. A city of high crime, high gangs, high drugs and low economic opportunity, it is a most unique place for people from around the world to settle as they enter the United States starting a new life far away from their homeland.

We all know children; perhaps in our neighborhood, our workplace, our community, or within our own family. Of these children, how many do we know who have left war-torn countries in search of freedom, suffered religious persecution, experienced famine and pestilence before the age of five, or watched with their very own eyes as their parents were killed by the Taliban government? We can find hundreds of children with just such stories living right in our own backyard, in Clarkston, Georgia, just a short 40-minute drive from Woodstock. These children are starving, not just for food, shelter, structure, and companionship, but especially for the love of Christ made evident through the tangible time and touch of people just like you and me.

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took me in . . . Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:35-40, NIV).

There are 1,800 children within walking distance from the Clarkston International Bible Church, with over 30 language groups represented from countries all over the world. Stepping out of your car onto the pavement of Clarkston is equivalent to stepping from an airplane onto the dusty lands of Afghanistan, Bosnia, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal Laos, Syria, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Liberia, Vietnam, India, Iran, Iraq, Sudan, and Somalia. Religious diversity is evident, as well, with ninety percent of the immigrant population claiming the Muslim faith. As Ron O’Kelley of the FBCW Missions staff noted, “The hand of God is evident in Clarkston.” Referring to the incredible number of immigrants here who flow through the United Nations, INS, and other relief agencies, Ron noted that, “These kids and their families are God’s gift to us right here at home. For many of the Muslim children, it is the first time for them to hear about Jesus, and to hear others say that they are a ‘Christian.’”

Fleece for the Flock looks to prepare and provide at least 1,000 hand-tied fleece blankets for our precious international neighbors in Clarkston, Georgia. These home-spun messages of hope will be personally delivered this winter with help from ministry partners in four organizations in Clarkston; Clarkston International Bible Church, Upward Basketball, Friends of Refugees and World Relief of Atlanta. All of these organizations are evangelical and serving the people who enter the United States as Refugees.

Our prayer is to have these 1,000 blankets made and completed next Saturday, November 13th.  We are still accepting donations.  No matter where you are, you bring hope to hundreds this holiday season to children from around the world, right in our own back yard. 

To make an online tax deductible contribution for this blanket project go here, then under 'Special Offering', enter

'Account #25238 - Project Code 4373',

this will direct your funds to the purchase of fleece specifically for Clarkston, Georgia.    

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,

I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me,

I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

"Then the righteous will answer him,

'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'  Matthew 25:35-40

 
 
For more information on how you can be a part of the work being done in Clarkston, contact Ron O’Kelley at 678-230-9984 or at ron.o’kelley@fbcw.net .

Upcoming Projects - Ways to lend hands and heart!

Below is a list of some of the projects Fleece for the Flock has committed to for the remainder of 2010.

Angel House

Living Water for Girls

Bethany Place  Home for Women and Children

The Cherokee Family Violence Center

2 groups of our Appalachian Neighbors in West Virginia

Children from 3 to 18 of the Clarkston, Georgia International Community

The projected blankets needed is nearly 2,000.


Various businesses, Bible study groups, churches and independent donors are stepping up to help fill the needs. We have some precious benefactors, who much like the widow Christ spoke of in the Bible, regularly deliver fleece or some of of their meager wages to see that others may know the joy and love they experienced as earlier FFF blanket recipient.   Please pray, do all that you can to support and share our mission as we seek to obtain nearly the 6000 yards of material needed for these upcoming projects.


Our hope and prayer is that each of you will partner with us in meeting these needs.  Many of these opportunities are physically in the Atlanta area.  We welcome everyone who can, to attend the various upcoming blanket making events, tie some knots, write notes, encourage and pray for the hundreds to be blessed by these home-spun bundles of love and hope.

Save the Dates!

LoveLoud Weekend: About 8 weeks from now you are encouraged to join Mary, me and about 3,000 of our neighbors as we spend 3 days loving loudly on our Northwest Georgia community.  Beginning Thursday October 21st and through Saturday the 23rd, (starting at 8am each day) you find us 'womaning' Blanket Central at FBCW.  If you have never tied a blanket or attended one of our 'Flock' parties this is an excellent opportunity for hands on experience.  Not only will we be making blankets, writing encouraging notes and praying over all, there will be multiple opportunities to actually deliver and love on our blanket recipients.  All of the more than 700 blankets tied these three days will be given out during the same time.  Please join us that weekend if you can and prepare to be blessed!


2010 Heavenly Harvest Hoedown: Our 2010 HHH is set for Saturday, November 13th from 8am to 5pm at the First Baptist Church of Woodstock, Georgia.  This year's HHH will focus on the almost 1,300 blankets and scarves needed for Christmas delivery to the youth of the Clarkston Georgia International Community, our Appalachian neighbors in West Virginia and the women and children of a local battered women's shelter.  Come share bountiful blessings with neighbors near and far.  Hope to see you there!

"What I'm interested in seeing you do is:
   sharing your food with the hungry,
   inviting the homeless poor into your homes,
   putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad,
   being available to your own families.
Do this and the lights will turn on,
   and your lives will turn around at once.
Your righteousness will pave your way.
   The God of glory will secure your passage.
Then when you pray, God will answer.
   You'll call out for help and I'll say, 'Here I am.'  

If you are generous with the hungry
   and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out,
Your lives will begin to glow in the darkness,
   your shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight.
I will always show you where to go.
   I'll give you a full life in the emptiest of places—
   firm muscles, strong bones.
You'll be like a well-watered garden,
   a gurgling spring that never runs dry.
You'll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew,
   rebuild the foundations from out of your past.
You'll be known as those who can fix anything,
   restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate,
   make the community livable again. "

                                                  Isaiah 58: 7-9 and 10-12

Sharing the Joy and Blessing

With over 430 blankets to make, we have been busy looking for more ways to spread the word and cut our cost per blanket.

To that end, check out Fleece 4 Less where we are able to purchase printed fleece for as low as $2.98 a yard. As of this morning we have received enough donations to purchase more than 90 yards of fleece at this lower price. Let us know if you are interest in purchasing a few yards or maybe a roll.

We have a video that does a good job of outlining the many challenges facing our West Virginia neighbors while illustrating how Fleece for the Flock can bring love and hope to these families this Christmas.

I don't know about you, but Mary and I regularly forward all sorts of cute and silly video's to family and friends. Rarely do those video's have the potential to effect lives like the one below.

It is our prayer that you will utilize these latest resources as you spread details of this mission with everyone in your particular circle of influence. Let your friends, family and coworkers share the joy and blessing of helping our less fortunate Appalachian neighbors this Christmas season.

Blessings and Grace,
tammy and mary

"Because we know that this extraordinary day is just ahead, we pray for you all the time—pray that our God will make you fit for what he's called you to be, pray that he'll fill your good ideas and acts of faith with his own energy so that it all amounts to something. If your life honors the name of Jesus, he will honor you. Grace is behind and through all of this, our God giving himself freely, the Master, Jesus Christ, giving himself freely." 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

Fleece - Pass it On!

Mary and I just got a wonderful FB message from a friend of one our Fleece for the Flock group members. Seems this friend saw a FFF update, read it and thought it would be a good project for a group of home schooled girls she teaches. These homeschoolers have been busy and have 6 blankets ready to deliver.

The girls also wanted to know if they could add a letter or card to each blanket and we of course said YES!! What a blessing folks and just the infusion we needed.

Today Mary and I had our Thursday Flock party at FBCW. Many willing hands and hearts joined us, but we had no fleece. We suspected all along the need for fleece products would always exceed fabric donations - IF we ceased to spread the word!

Tonight we are expressly requesting that everyone genuinely interested in supporting this ministry invite everyone you know to jump in and lend a hand.

We ask that you especially let your friends know that this current campaign to make and gather over 425 blankets and wraps is for the families in one of the poorest regions in the United States, McDowell County, West Virginia.

FYI: This once thriving Appalachian community has been hit by one hardship after another leaving it's diminished population physically cut off, with little to no means of making a living, the county's infrastructure is in shambles as schools, homes and businesses have been long ago abandoned. Due to a series of economic and natural disasters many roads in and around the towns and through the mountainous hollers are virtually impassable. Just getting things to them is its own unique challenge.

These are our neighbors’ folks. Not across the ocean, but on our soil and right in our own backyard. We can not rescue them or fix all their problems, that is not our intent…we are no ones savior.

We CAN be the hands and feet of Jesus.
We CAN send something warm and personal, attach a card or letter.
We CAN lift them up in prayer and in all of these ways we CAN Love them Loudly!

By His grace and for His glory,
Tammy and Mary

"Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock."
1 Peter 5: 2-3

32 Blankets and a Mess a Scarves!

You all did good...no, strike that...

Y'all did great!!

Just look the beautiful collection of warm, colorful and very prayed over coverings Mary and I had the pleasure of wrapping for our West Virginia neighbors!

Take a look at all the love heading up to the Appalachians this week

For the record, this is 32 blankets and a mess of scarves pictured here!

The first installment of two lots of coverings and cold weather gear.

As a result of your efforts, fall and winter will a whole ;lot warmer for a few of our mountain neighbors. A special thanks to those of you who stepped up to make tie blankets, crocheted spreads, cotton quilts, knitted scarves and assorted donations of fleece and yarn; and of course so many of you who regularly pray for the recipients who will take comfort beneath them in the cold days ahead.


A mission team leaves Thursday and along with the Hands of Hope Ministry they will distribute these goods to the needy folks of McDowell County in conjunction with a planned men's conference later this week.
Thank you for being the hands and feet of Jesus to families right here in our own back yard. Without your help, this would not be possible.

For anyone who missed partaking in this blessing, the second load of blankets is still to be made. We need approximately 465 pieces of cold weather apparel. The wraps may range in size from a small baby size coverlet to full blown bed covers. We would also like to donate as many scarves and hats as possible.

Have I mentioned it gets cold up in those mountains?

Email us for a list of Flock Parties or let us know if you would like to host one yourself. A Supply List can be found here.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'There is no commandment greater than these." Mark 12:30-31

By His grace and for His glory,

tammy and mary