Missionary Bob Schmidt of Oradea, Romania, has been coordinating chaplaincy and benevolence programs from RAFA, our new chaplaincy center. He reports: “We recently distributed goods to Gypsy children, a homeless shelter, homes of the elderly and approximately 70 Romanian villages and Gypsy churches. From the Samaritan Dienst, the German churches’ care ministries, we were able to hand out more than 30,000 pounds of goods. These goods included food, clothing, walkers for the disabled and other much needed items. Thank God for this ministry.”
 
As we look back on the year 2009, we cannot help but thank God for the hundreds who have attended our training courses in countries around the world including the Philippines, Ukraine, Ecuador, South Africa, Romania, Moldova and others. We additionally give God the praise for not only protecting our deployed military chaplains, but through them and their ministry, for touching the hearts of thousands with the glorious hope of the Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
We give thanks for some of our newest programs: the Local Church Chaplaincy Training Program and our online chaplaincy courses offered through Lee University, Patten University and the Pentecostal Theological Seminary. This ministry is undergirded by fantastic chaplains. 
 
Dr. Flora Gootee, is but one example of hundreds who make this ministry so important for our times. Dr. Gootee, who is one-of-a-kind, ministers principally in the country of India. In just one recent series of ministry events, she was able to present chaplaincy and other care programs to more than 15,000 lay persons, pastors and other workers in many sites in India. Her ministry took her to leper colonies, where she ministered to approximately 500 lepers and their families. Her doctoral dissertation tells the story of her call for this unique ministry; “Training and Equipping Indian Ministers and Recruits to Approach Leper Communities and to Reach Lepers for Christ.” 
 
Keep our chaplains in your prayers as we enter the New Year, 2010. May God continue to give us the privilege to be servant-leaders in “ministries beyond the gates.” 
 
Robert D. Crick
Director
Chaplains Commission

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© 2010 Church of God World Missions