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[dsh...@charter.net]

Good early morning everyone,

I'd like to begin this week's news and notes by sharing the following quote: "I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you." (John -4:18)

I share this with you as a invitation for each of us to hold on to....more in my "Thought for the Week" at the end of news and notes.

1. Your relief funds for victims of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma: just a reminder that we will continue to receive your donation funds and get them to our contacts. Yes, funds have already been mailed and are being used to assist those who are devastated by these natural disasters.

2. MOHTOWN: Wonderful progress continues to be made in our renovations. We truly hope to begin setting up the warehouse side of "Mission of Hope town" next week and we hope to begin our packing and sorting operations for shipments by Wednesday, October 4th.

Executive Office and conference side is also coming along. It's been an amazing amount of work on many levels and completing this side will unfold during the next couple of months.

And yes, it's an adjustment for all of us as we begin to transform our thought processes to incorporate the reality that we've been blessed with "our own home" as we continue to provide service with hope, to those most in need.

3. Deadline for February Mission trip applications are due no later than Sept. 30th. Remember that our trips are open to high school, college and adults of all ages.

4.  Prayers please:  Yes, there are so many to pray for and so much to pray about.  And I always fear I will forget someone, but trust that if I have, your loved ones are in my heart pocket of prayer and are always in the sight of our loving God.

Here's just a brief list:

Jimmy Dumont, our Materials Manager at MOHtown, who will undergo back surgery on Oct. 3.

Rob Bashaw, MOHTown volunteer, recovering from some medical issues.

Sr. Stephanie who will undergo more surgical procedures next week.

Griselle Maldonado's family who lives in Puerto Rico.  Griselle is one of our key translators and multi trip travelers.

Sr. Karla who lives in Mexico City.  Sr. Karla, whom many Missioners have met and whom many of you have helped to save her life when dealing with life threatening situations, lives in Mexico City in the heart of the area devastated by the 7.1 earthquake this week.

Family and friends who are suffering from Irma and Harvey.

Christine McGrath's father who has recently been diagnosed with stage 4 liver cancer.  Christine is one of our medical missioners.

Truly, the list could go on and on.  Please hold everyone who is in need of comfort and healing, in your prayers.

5.  Orphans' Hope Project:  Yes, our God also tells us that "God will not leave us orphaned".  Yet, the Mission of Hope assists at least two hundred "orphans" in our HIV sponsor program and in our sponsored orphanage homes in Nicaragua.  They will not be abandoned or left orphaned because of kind and generous folks like many of you.  If you'd like to sponsor one of our children in the Mission's Orphan's Hope Project, we'd love to have you.  Reach out to Barbara Dobilas at barbara...@dobilasadvisors.com to get more info.  You can also find info on our website or by emailing me.  Cost is $300 annually.

6.  So, what's happening, you may ask.  True, while we are all struggling with the massive natural disasters these days, the reality is that our programs and services go on in Nicaragua 365 days a year.  Just this month alone, here's a glimpse of what we are dealing with in addition to all that is unfolding stateside:

--  So, while our clinic in Nica operates year round, we've also experienced a major spike in illnesses treated and patients seen in our clinic over the past month.  That means the demand for medicines and treatments also increases.

--  Nearly 7000 children are continuing to be fed every day as part of our Food program in 23 schools.

--  750 children are being sponsored for education, and that figure doesn't include the OHP children as well!

--  Multiple meetings, emails and conversations have occurred to address the need for rocket stoves and water filters, as well as the evaluation of the stoves and filters already built in the barrios.  Yes, even though you/we provide stoves and water filters, they do need to be followed up on and filters need replacement every few years. (the actual filter, not the whole apparatus).

-- Marginalized people continue to complete applications for a home shelter.

--  Pleas for water tank storage are being addressed in several of the poor schools.

--  Pleas continue to come in from the various hospitals and clinics we assist, not to mention our own....pleas for wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, medical equipment, Depends, and so much more.

7.  Have a need for double glass doors or know of someone who might?  We have been gifted with "like new" double exterior glass doors which are valued at about $5000.  However, we do not anticipate needing them in our warehouse, so if you know of a contractor or someone who might be interested in giving us a fair donation for these doors, please contact me and I will connect you with someone who can provide more details.

8.  Final results from our Golf Tournament:  We can tell you that we cleared $11,500 on our golf tournament in August...the single largest profit margin in the 13 years we've been doing a tournament.  These funds go to support our Food Program.

And so, my     Thought for the week:  I believe!

In my heart, I truly do believe that God seeks to comfort us.  Yet, as I/we listen to the news daily, we are well aware of all the pain and suffering that is unfolding- from hurricanes and floods and earthquakes.  There is so much at times, that I actually get annoyed at the pettiness of politics, at the glibness of "oh well, we all have problems", at the materialistic entitlement attitudes we live by.

So, as I awoke at 1:30 this morning, there was this phrase echoing in my mind, i.e., I Believe...

Now, those who are as "aged as I am", will remember Frankie Valle's song from 1965.  "I believe".  It was and is one of my oldie favorites for many reasons.  And for you young ones, here are the lyrics to that song:

I believe for every drop of rain that falls
A flower grows
I believe that somewhere in the darkest night
A candle glows
I believe for everyone that goes astray
Someone will come to show the way
I believe
I believe
I believe above the storm the smallest prayer
Will still be heard
I believe that someone in the great somewhere
Hears every word
Every time I hear a newborn baby cry
Or touch a leaf
Or see the sky
Then I know why
I believe
Every time I hear a newborn baby cry
Or touch a leaf
Or see the sky
Then I know why I believe. 

I truly love this song because it expresses much of what we strive for in our faith and spiritual practices.  I was emailing back and forth with someone this week who has a loved one suffering and I told that person that I firmly do not believe that God causes suffering... but I also don't understand so much about the "why".  And while I struggle with this, I believe....

On September 11th of this year,  as our nation continues to heal (hopefully) from 2001, my family was blessed with the birth of a newborn baby girl (my grandniece)...at about the same time as the first planes hit the World trade center, ...and I believe.

I watch the news about disasters and feel sad, but also see the thousands mobilized to do anything to help... and I believe.

I receive emails daily from our staff in Nicaragua expressing the need for more medicines....and yet, I believe.

I worry about family members and friends who are struggling...and yet, I believe.

I enjoy a luncheon with mission friends yesterday, yet I know thousands will go to bed hungry today...and yet,I believe.

You and I each have our own litany of prayer and beliefs. It is up to each of us as to how we live out our beliefs on a daily basis.  Many can truly become paralyzed or overwhelmed by the amount of pain and suffering.  Some give up, some reach out.  Some complain, some give thanks.

Whatever and however we strive to do our best each day, I ask for the gift of HOPE to enter into your lives and into mine.  I ask for the grace to continue to believe just when it's the darkest moments of our lives.

I ask that while I/we may never understand the "why" in this lifetime, that we grow into "believing" that God (or whatever name we call that higher power) does not wish to leave us orphaned and YES, God does truly promise us comfort and an abiding presence of God!

Want to hear the song, I Believe?  Here you go:  https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=--j7wvtOi1s

And so...live and be HOPE this week...because you are asked to be a sign of God's abiding presence and comfort every day!!

Sr. Debbie

Sr. Debbie Blow, OP
Executive Director
North Country Mission of Hope
PO Box 2522
Plattsburgh, NY 12901
Cell: 518-570-5443
Office: 518-561-2599