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Saturday
was one of those extra special days. Love In Action teamed with The Harbor Church
for a Christmas outreach. We delivered bags of groceries to about 70 needy families
who live in the neighborhood around the Love In Action Ministry Center. Then
in the afternoon, some LIA volunteers delivered plates of food to homeless men
who live in the woods and to others who live in a building. Jesus says in Matthew
25:35, "For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty and
you gave Me something to drink." And in Matthew 25:40, Jesus sums it up by saying,
"Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for
Me." I saw Jesus in
a woman who smiled and hugged me after receiving a bag of groceries. She said,
"I didn't know what we were going to do for food."
Click
here to read the rest of this blog by Love In Action President Ken Tuck.
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Love In Action
and The Harbor Church teamed up to serve the needy living in the neighborhood
around the LIA Ministry Center in downtown Dothan on Saturday, Dec. 22. We delivered
bags of food to about 70 families. The bags were filled with ham, green beans,
rice, nuts, trail mix, peanut butter, bologna and milk. There were also New
Testaments and fliers with information about Love In Action and The Harbor in
each bag. A number of people told us they didn't know what they were going to
do for food. We told them the Lord provided. There were plenty of smiles and
"thank yous" on Saturday. We also delivered toys to foster children. Thanks
to The Harbor for partnering with us for this great outreach. It was an amazing
day, and we thank God for giving us a beautiful day to serve and show the love
of Jesus Christ. Thanks to all of the volunteers who came out to serve. It truly
is better to give than to receive, and each volunteer received so much more
than we gave.
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Audio video slide show of Thanksgiving Outreach 2012 |
Thanksgiving
Day was an incredible day of ministry as Love In Action served 350 meals to
the homeless and needy in Dothan, Ala. About 60 meals were served at the Love
In Action Ministry Center and the rest of the meals were delivered. Dozens and
dozens (60-plus) of volunteers from churches in Dothan, Ozark, Enterprise and
other cities throughout the Wiregrass gave of their time to show the love of
Jesus Christ to hundreds of people in need. This outreach would not have been
such a great success without all of the volunteers. We thank each one for serving.
We want to say a special thank you to The Harbor Church for purchasing the food
and cooking it. Also, a special thanks to First United Methodist Church and
Highland Park United Methodist Church for the use of their kitchens to cook
the meal. All of the plates were put together at Highland Park UMC and transported
to the LIA Ministry Center. The homeless came in throughout the day to enjoy
the dinner, and volunteers delivered nearly 300 meals to the needy living in
the impoverished neighborhoods near the LIA Ministry Center in downtown Dothan.
More than 200 Bibles, Christian tracts and packets of information were handed
out. We also gave way more than 20 cases of trail mix, which was a big hit.
The children's ministry at Harvest Church provided gift bags of candy for children.
The gift bags were a huge hit with all of the children we met as we delivered
food in the neighborhoods. We also prayed with a lot of people. It was an amazing
day, and we give God all the praise, honor and glory for the opportunity to
serve Him on this day that focuses on giving thanks.
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The bus will be in the parking lot of the new Taj International Cuisine restaurant at the intersection of US 84 West and Ross Clark Circle through Christmas from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday-Friday. Click here to see a sample of the beautiful blankets in our inventory. |
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Love In Action took part
in the Homeless Stand Down on Saturday, Nov. 17, at the Alfred Saliba Family
Services Center in Dothan, Ala. The event was sponsored by Southeast Alabama
Coalition for the Homeless (SEACH). The event provided items like clothing
and hygiene items, and services like haircuts for the homeless and needy.
Love In Action and other organizations that work with the homeless also shared
the services they provide so the homeless and needy will know what help is
available to them. LIA also provided prayer, and we enjoyed a lot of good
times of prayer. We would like to thank SEACH President Russell Clausell and
2-1-1 Director David Duke for their hard work to make this such a successful
event.
Saturdays are busy days at the Love In Action Ministry Center at 320 N. Foster St. That is the day we have our laundry ministry where the homeless and needy bring their clothes to be washed. It's also a popular day for the homeless to come and take showers. It's also cleaning day. Floors are mopped and vacuumed, bathrooms are cleaned, and the chairs in the sanctuary are cleaned. We also serve lunch on Saturdays. The homeless and needy come and we all enjoy sitting around the tables eating, talking and laughing. It's a great time to show the love of Jesus and get to know each other. Volunteers like Mama Tuck, Glenda, Gia and Rick are quick to prepare the lunch and serve it. Many other needs are taking care of as well. Saturdays are great days as we show the love of Jesus in many different ways. Thank you for your prayers and financial support, and please continue. We cannot do this ministry without your prayers and support. Lives are being changed. Thank you.
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Many people
in Dothan, Ala., would be surprised to know there are people living in tents
in the woods throughout the city. It's true. It's reality. The reasons why people
are homeless are varied. Some can't find consistent work, while others deal
with mental issues and addictions. Some have been down for so long they think
living a homeless lifestyle is their lot in life. It's heartbreaking to see
people living like that. But most of the ones living in tents don't complain.
They live day-to-day surviving the best they can. Love In Action shows the homeless
the love of Jesus Christ. It doesn't take most of them long to know we are genuine
in our love for them. Everyone is important to God. We all have great value
to Him. That's why God gave His only Son for us.
For more about the homeless in Dothan, please
click here.
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The work day at the Love In Action Compassion Center on Sept. 15 was a great success. Around 40 people from at least seven different churches came out for the work day. Love In Action purchased this property at 279 W. Main St., in June, and progress has been steady in repairing and remodeling. Saturday's work day gave us a big boost in progressing even further. Work was done on the roof, in the Samaritan Clinic and most of the exterior of the complex was cleaned with pressure washers. We would like to thank everyone who came out and worked so hard. In addition to the work done at the LIA Compassion Center, the normal Saturday work at the LIA Ministry Center at 320 N. Foster was also accomplished. 10 loads of laundry was washed, clothes sorted and arranged, and the building cleaned. Lunch was also served. It was just an incredible day. |
Click here for a photo slide show from this wonderful work day. |
Homeless
ministry
Love In Action President/Pastor
Ken Tuck visits with a homeless man
named John at a homeless campsite in Dothan, Ala.
Helping the homeless through the
storm
Now that Tropical Storm Isaac is tracking further west, our homeless friends
in Dothan, Ala., are not in danger as they would have been had we taken a direct
hit. However, we could still receive some heavy rain, which could flood many
of them out of their camps. Therefore, our main focus this week is to make sure
the homeless in Dothan have higher ground to get to if heavy rains do come our
way. These people live in tents in the woods; some sleep in abandoned buildings.
Any big storm could really bring devastation to them. They don't have much to
lose, but it's all they have. My prayer is for those of us at Love In Action
to show the faith that Jesus did in the boat with His disciples when a storm
hit them on the sea. I want the homeless to see the peace of Jesus in us. I
want them to see that Jesus sent us to them to help calm the storm and to be
a place of refuge for them. Please pray for our homeless friends, and please
pray for us as we help them make it through this and other storms, including
the storms of life.
Please click
here to read a blog about helping the homeless through the storm.
Donations to help the homeless
We need donations
of new tents for the homeless. The one and two-man tents are best. Also, donations
of cans of Deep Woods Off bug spray would be a big help as well. Visiting the
camps reminds us of that.
The Harbor's
launch was more successful than anyone could have imagined on Aug. 11, 2012.
It was an incredible night as The Harbor Church officially launched at the Love
In Action Ministry Center. The Harbor's mission is to, "change the heart of
Dothan through the heart of Jesus. We are a safe refuge for all people, and
our calling is to serve among the poor and needy. Like Jesus, we try to love
people in both their spiritual and physical needs." More than 150 people attended
the first service. It was power-packed with heartfelt worship, an inspiring
message and genuine love and compassion for others. The Rev. Dwight Deal and
his sweet wife Vicki are leading this new church plant. The Harbor holds services
every Saturday beginning at 6 p.m. at the Love In Action Ministry Center at
320 N. Foster St. in downtown Dothan. Everyone is invited.
16 accept Jesus as Lord and Savior
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Call to Worship |
Harvest Blend |
Praise God!
Tuesday's service (July 31) was one of the most awesome nights ever at the Love
In Action Ministry Center as 16 people accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and
Savior. Glory to God! It was an incredible night of worship as Harvest Blend
did an incredible job leading praise & worship. Harvest Blend is a five-member
singing group from Harvest
Church in Dothan, Ala.
Pastor Gary Diggs preached the Word of God as only he can preach it. Bro. Gary
is pastor of Cross
Pointe Community Church in Aragon, Ga., just outside of Rome, Ga. The response
was awesome as all 16 people came forward and fell on their knees at the altar
to give their lives to Jesus Christ! All praise, honor and glory to God!
Above are two videos. One is Pastor Gary blowing the Shofar for the Call to
Worship. The second video is a clip of Harvest Blend leading worship.
Below is an audio photo slide show of the service.
Volunteers worked all day
Saturday, Aug. 4, moving furniture and other items into the Love In Action Compassion
Center, which is located at 279 W. Main St. in downtown Dothan, Ala. Love In
Action's offices are now located at the LIA Compassion Center in Suite 2. The
next phase is getting Suite 3 in shape to move the free health clinic from the
LIA Ministry Center to Suite 3 at the LIA Compassion Center, which was once
a doctor's office. The suite has 12 exam rooms, which will be home to free health,
eye and dental care for the homeless and those who do not have any kind of health
insurance. The free LIA Health Clinic will become the Samaritan Clinic at the
new location. The goal is to open on Sept. 6. Please
click here for more about the Love In Action Compassion Center.
Making disciples who make disciples
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Wednesday
night Bible study at the Love In Action Ministry Center is all about making
disciples. Our goal is to make disciples who make disciples. In His "Great Commission"
in Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus doesn't want us to just go and reach people, but
to make disciples. Why? So they can make disciples who can make disciples and
so on. This is the only way we will reach the remaining 6,000-plus unreached
people groups.
For more about making disciples at Love In Action, click
here.
Love In Action volunteer
Rick Denney talking with C.W., a homeless man in Dothan.
New LIA Dothan campus
Ken and Martha Tuck sign
papers to close on Love In Action's new property in downtown Dothan.
Love In Action has officially expanded in Dothan, Ala., as LIA President and Vice President Ken and Martha Tuck signed the paperwork on June 7, 2012, to close on the property located at 277 and 279 W. Main St. in downtown Dothan. This new complex will be called the Love In Action Compassion Center, and it is where LIA will expand its medical clinic and have transitional housing and an in-house drug rehab program. When the LIA Compassion Center is fully operational, the clinic will be called the Samaritan Medical Clinic and the housing will be called the Harbor House. Click here for more about this exciting expansion.
For an audio photo slideshow of a work day at the LIA Compassion Center, click on the view below:
Baptism at the Park
9 people baptized in Love In Action's
first baptism service
Love In Action's first baptism service was held Sunday, May 27, 2012, at the
Chattahoochee State Park in Houston County, Ala. It was a beautiful day and
a very special day as 28 people came out for the service and day of fun.. It
was the first time Love In Action Pastor Ken Tuck had baptized anyone. What
an incredible day. People who rarely travel outside of downtown Dothan enjoyed
a day in God's beautiful creation, and everyone enjoyed the service, food, swimming,
football and fellowship. It was like one big family enjoying the day together.
We look forward to our next Baptism at the Park. Please click the photo above
for a musical photo slideshow.
Please
click here for more about this wonderful day.
Love In Action teamed with The Harbor Church on May 25-26, 2012, in an outreach
to provide 40,000 pounds of sweet potatoes to the needy throughout southeast
Alabama. All 40,000 pounds of sweet potatoes were distributed in less than two
days. The Harbor Church Pastor Dwight Deal, who is also a LIA board member,
put this outreach together, and dozens and dozens of volunteers helped to bag
and distribute the sweet potatoes. We would also like to say a special "thank
you" to Publix for donating more than 5,000 paper bags. It was an awesome
outreach to the region. Click on the photo above to watch a slideshow of this
amazing outreach.
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One of our
favorite stops every Saturday on Adopt-A-Block is at Mr. John's house. He is
an elderly man who has to stay connected to an oxygen tank, but that doesn't
keep him from singing about his Jesus. He has faithfully served Jesus for many
years, and we enjoy talking with him each week and listening to the wisdom he
has gained over the decades. One thing he enjoys doing is singing, and he will
often break out in song. The video above captures a couple of those songs. He
is a precious man, and every time he sings we feel the Spirit of God fill his
porch and we have a great time worshiping Jesus together. Watch the video and
be blessed. See, ministry isn't all about blessing others. Most of the time,
God turns those blessings around and blesses us, like He does each week when
we visit Mr. John. To God be the glory.
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Adopt-A-Block
is a radical outreach because it is an intentional approach to serving others
and making a commitment to live life with others for the glory of God. Saturday,
April 15, 2012, was another great day for Adopt-A-Block, filled with beautiful
moments. The day started with an elderly man accepting Jesus as his Lord and
Savior. Then we sat on the front porch of another elderly man's house and listened
to him sing praise to Jesus. Though he is connected to an oxygen tank, he used
the breath he had in his body to worship Jesus. A friend of his sitting there
with us said, "Nobody has ever done what you do in our neighborhood. Thank
you." Then we worked at an 80-year-old widow's house, cleaning out and
repairing her gutter and repairing a leaking water line. We also planted some
beautiful flowers in her flower pots to brighten up the outside and give her
some pretty flowers to look at. We also served lunch to more than 30 people
at the Love In Action Ministry Center. It was an awesome day.
Please
click here for more about this beautiful day.
Please click here for
a photo slideshow of this day.
The Love
In Action Healthcare clinic is making a big impact in the lives of the homeless
and needy. Every Thursday night, volunteer doctors and nurses see, on average,
between 20-25 patients. These patients are homeless, inmates from Houston County
Community Corrections Work Release, and women from the House of Ruth. These
people have nowhere else to turn for basic health care needs. Doctors, like
Dr. Steve Stokes, Dr. H.L. "Chief" Lassiter, Dr. Jack Jackson, Dr.
Frank Crockett, Dr. Ron Sealock and Dr. Megan Walker, volunteer their time on
a rotating schedule to take care of the patients. Nurses like the ones pictured
above (Beth to the left and JulieAnne to the right) give of their time and talents
to take care of the patients. Basic health care is given and treatment for needs
such as high blood pressure and diabetes are taken care of. Also, once a month
eye care is given. Dr. Sealock makes the glasses for each patient needing them.
Volunteers from different churches, such as Greystone UMC, Harvest, Mt. Gilead
Baptist and Tabernacle UMC prepare and serve dinner on a rotating schedule to
provide nourishment for the patients and those who come off the streets who
just need something to eat. Other volunteers pray for those who come to the
Love In Action Ministry Center on Thursday nights, so people are taken care
of spiritually as well as physically.
Please pray for the clinic, volunteers and the patients. We would like to thank
Covenant UMC for donating monthly to help purchase medicine. More financial
help is needed for medicines. If you would like to donate to this important
need, please send your tax-deductible donation to:
Love In Action International Ministries, P.O. Box 85, Dothan, AL 36302.
Please click here for a nice
story written by a local blogger about the LIA Healthcare Clinic.
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Love In Action
reaches out to the community around its ministry center every Saturday through
an outreach called Adopt-A-Block. It's a time of serving the people who live
in the impoverished neighborhood with the love of Jesus Christ. Volunteers pray
for people, deliver bread and other items, and find projects to do to be a blessing
to people. This past Saturday (April 7, 2012), volunteers pulled weeds out of
a flower bed for an elderly woman who is no longer able to take care of her
flower beds. She was so appreciative, and always looks forward to Love In Action
visiting her each week. She is a precious Christian woman, and it is an honor
to pray with her each week and help around her house on projects she cannot
do herself.
Please
click here for more about this past Saturday, which was an beautiful day
of ministry through Adopt-A-Block.
God's will for your life
Pastor Ken started a new Wednesday night Bible study series on March 28 about
"What is God's will for your life?"
What makes this series and every Wednesday night so great is the input from
people in the class. There are always
wonderful discussions about each week's topic. Real discipleship and growth
takes place every Wednesday night at
the Love In Action Ministry Center. To God be all the glory!
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We often
say we have the greatest volunteers, and we always mean it. Volunteers from
different churches work hard to serve the "least of these" in Dothan,
Ala. Saturdays are extremely busy days. In addition to the weekly Adopt-A-Block
outreach and Laundry Ministry, volunteers are busy accomplishing other tasks.
In the picture above to the left, Beth, one of our volunteer nurses at the LIA
Health Clinic, spends a Saturday afternoon organizing and restocking the clinic.
Pictured above to the right, Almonzo sands a van that was donated to the ministry.
He works at an auto body shop during the week, and on this Saturday he was using
his talents to get the van ready to be painted. This van will be given to a
man whose life has been radically changed by the power of God.
A big need we have on Saturdays is people to help us clean the ministry center.
There are floors that need to be swept and vacuumed, and bathrooms and a shower
to be cleaned. If you would like to help, please come out on Saturday afternoon.
We are there until 7 p.m.
Thanks to all of our wonderful volunteers who make it all happen. Please come
join this incredible team in serving our awesome God!
Every Wednesday
night we enjoy a great time at Bible study at the Love In Action Ministry Center
in Dothan, Ala.. It's always a great time of study and discussion. At the end
of the night we always gather up front and hold hands and pray. These are some
powerful times of prayers as we thank God for His many blessings and pray for
one another, for various prayer requests and for our brothers and sisters in
the Philippines. Bible study is held each Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., and it is
open to everyone.
Every Saturday we serve
the people in the neighborhood around the Love In Action Ministry Center.
We visit this sweet lady every Saturday. We pray with her and give her bread
for her and her family.
"Thank you
for always stopping by." "I look forward to y'all coming to see me every Saturday."
"Please always stop and see me." "Thank you for what you do." These are quotes
we often hear every Saturday on our Adopt-A-Block outreach, which began on Nov.
19, 2011. Through this outreach, Love In Action is serving an impoverished neighborhood
around our ministry center. Through acts of compassion, we are showing the love
of Jesus Christ to the people. Each week our relationship with the people grows.
We thank our volunteers who hit the streets with us each Saturday, and we could
use more people to help us. If you want to get involved with a life-changing
ministry then come out and join Adopt-A-Block. We pray at 9:45 a.m., and then
go to the neighborhood at 10 a.m. Please
click here for more about Super Saturdays.
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Love In Action's
Adopt-A-Block is making a big impact in the neighborhood surrounding the LIA
Ministry Center in downtown Dothan. Every Saturday, teams of volunteers go into
the neighborhood to serve the people. Volunteers pick up trash each week, and
have raked yards and performed house repairs. We also deliver items such as
food and blankets to help those in need in this impoverished neighborhood. Many
prayers are prayed each week as well. The people now look forward to us coming
out to see them each Saturday. By serving the needy, Love In Action is showing
people the love of Jesus Christ and it is making a difference. We are forming
relationships with many people, and it is a blessing. As Pastor Matthew Barnett
of the Los Angeles Dream Center said, "Once you put yourself in another
man's world you will never be the same." That is so true. Adopt-A-Block
is every Saturday at 9:45 a.m. Come and join us share the Gospel of Jesus Christ
through acts of compassion with the needy of Dothan.
The
LIA bus is filled with beautiful, colorful and very soft blankets, as
well as jackets, coats, scarves and jewelry, all made in Ecuador. These
are unique items you will not find anywhere. These make great Christmas
presents, and all profits go to Love In Action for our many projects
for working with the homeless in Dothan, helping orphans at La Casa
de Fe orphanage in Shell, Ecuador, and reaching previously unreached
people in the Philippines and Myanmar with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
