For those who may not have heard the news 37 of the Joybells children went to Ladakh about four weeks ago. It has always been Joy’s hope that the children would be able to maintain contact with relatives and friends in Ladakh. She sees these visits as an important part of the children’s development as well as maintaing their very deep cultural roots.

Once in Ladakh the children were collected by their relatives or if they had no actual relations stayed in small groups together with those who did. They were then due to be collected in order to return to Joybells on August 17th.

Last Friday night (August 6th) a cloudburst of monumental proportions occured during the night in the hills above Leh, the capital of Ladakh. Because Ladakh is so high and mountainous it virtually never rains so the rain had nowhere to go other than in torrents through Leh and many of the outlying villages. Everything in its path was completely destroyed, which as well as houses included roads, bridges, and all telecommunications.

Many people were killed and many are still missing.

Among those missing are 20 of the Joybells children.

So of the 37 children in Ladakh, 17 have now been accounted for. We had originally thought that they had managed to find shelter in one of the many tourist camps in the area but we have now heard that they are actually dispersed over a wide area. It could be that the remaining 20 are safe and well but until there is definite news we simply don’t know where they are. We are told that people come down to Leh during the day but as soon as daylight is over they go back into the hills as they are too terrified to stay in the town.

For Joy and SS this is a terrible situation. SS has many contacts in the army so the very little information he is able to gather comes through those contacts. There is also a very precious member of the Joybells staff, Lamu, who is also unaccounted for at the moment. She is a real ‘mother’ figure to the children and there is increasing concern for her safety.

I spoke to SS this morning and we discussed what we, at this end, could possibly do to help.

Joy travels from Joybells to Delhi on Monday. The plan is that she will buy as much aid, clothing, food, medicines etc. as she will be able to take with her on a plane to Ladakh, hopefully on Wednesday. I suggested to SS that we could set up a separate fund here which could finance, as far as possible, the efforts to firstly find the children and then secondly to bring them home to Joybells as well as helping to buy as much of the emergency supplies as we can.

There is currently a team led by David (Joy and SS’s son) who managed to get into Ladakh on one of the first planes allowed in this week. The task is incredibly difficult, almost entirely due to lack of communication and a ruined infrastructure, which the army is working tirelessly to repair.

There are two purposes to this email. The first is to simply give you the latest information. We know that so many of you are praying for Joy, the children both in Ladakh and the little ones still at Joybells. For SS, as his health is frail but he is working round the clock until he can hear good news. Thank you for praying. It is the most important thing we can do.

Secondly, some have asked if they can contribute financially to this which is fantastic and all we can say is ‘yes please’! If you would like to do this we think the easiest way for you to do so would be by direct transfer to the Joybells account. The details are as follows:

Joybells Orphanage and School Foundation. Sort Code: 60-04-33. A/c no: 10505717. Please reference your payment with your name and ‘Ladakh Emergency’.

If you would rather send a cheque then please make it out to Joybells Orphanage and School Foundation and send it to:

Diana Scott
Cole Manor
Cole
Bruton
Somerset BA10 0PJ

Please indicate somewhere that this is for the Ladakh Emergency.

I realize that this email is going beyond the UK. If you are in Canada and would like to donate please could you get in touch with Emma Milley as she will be able to co-ordinate your donations.
emmamilley@gmail.com

We have one more favour to ask you. So many of you know and love Joy and would want, quite naturally, to speak to her and be comforting her. May we ask that you don’t do this for the time being. Even SS only speaks to her once a day as he recognizes that with all she is carrying just now she could very easily be totally overwhelmed. If, as we hope you will, you forward this email to Joybells supporters who you know, could you be kind enough to emphasize this to them as well.

We will update the website as often as we can. If there is no new news it is simply because there simply isn’t any to tell.

Yesterday I was reading Psalm 91. It could have been written for today – and probably was! I then re-read it, claiming the promises in it for the children:

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
This we declare about the Lord:
He alone is their refuge, their place of safety; he is their God and we trust them to Him.
For he will rescue them from every trap and protect them from deadly disease.

He will cover them with his feathers. He will shelter them with his wings. His faithful promises are their armour and protection.

Psalm 91:1-4

Amen and amen.

With our love,

Diana and Richard

After the energy of the summer months, it is now time for a season of reflection. The initial Fall Feasts provide us with the perfect opportunity to do so. Seven weeks after Tisha be’Av, the day of mourning for the destruction of the Holy Temples, we celebrate Rosh HaShanah on the first day of Tishrei, the seventh month, according to Leviticus 23:24,
Speak to the people of Israel, saying: In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a day of complete rest, a holy convocation commemorated with trumpet blasts.

The festival of Rosh HaShanah, translated literally as ‘Head of the Year,’ marks the start of the Hebrew calendar year. This year it falls on 9th September, and commences the year 5771. Significantly, Rosh HaShanah is also the beginning of the ten Days of Awe, Yamim Noraim, a period of grace that culminates with the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. These High Holy Days, as they also are called, are preceded by a month of preparation – the month of Elul. During Elul and the first ten days of Tishrei, we have forty days to ready ourselves to stand before God on Yom Kippur when the “gates” of the year are finally closed. The reason the High Holy Days are regarded as a time of reverential awe is that the key purpose of these holy days is to come before God, our Almighty Creator and the Source of Life, to give an account of our life, our actions and interactions, during the past twelve months; also, to place our trust in Him for another year of life. Throughout the time of the Fall Feasts we are reminded of how little control we have over our lives and how we cannot know for certain whether we will live from one Rosh HaShanah to the next. Our lives truly are in His hands.

The Sound of the Shofar

The shofar is the central symbol of the Days of Awe. During Elul, along with the daily recitation of Psalm 27, it is customary that the shofar is blown at the end of both morning and evening services, although not on Shabbat. The sounding of the shofar is the only biblical ritual recorded for Rosh HaShanah, which thus also is called Yom HaTeruah – the Day of the Shofar or Trumpet Blast. On the one hand, the mysterious, reverberating blasts should awaken our slumbering souls as they announce that the King is approaching and we need to prepare to stand in his glorious presence. On the other hand, the plaintive notes are like wordless cries that express all we cannot find words for. They carry these cries from our deepest hearts to the heart of God.

Rosh HaShanah is considered the day of Judgment, when we stand in the Light of God’s Presence. Hence the reference in the first verse of Psalm 27, “Adonai is my light….” All is revealed in the light of His Truth; nothing can remain hidden. The final sealing of the judgment rendered on Rosh HaShanah only occurs on Yom Kippur after the ten day period of grace, as it were. We realize that of ourselves we can do nothing; our faith and trust is in our Savior. Therefore, the Midrash (homiletic application) on Psalm 27 says that the second half of the first sentence in verse one refers to Yom Kippur:
Adonai is my light and my salvation.

We might ask the question: Why does God judge us? Apart from the fact that His Kingdom is established and upheld “with justice and righteousness” (Isaiah 9:7), judgment implies caring. If something is insignificant you simply ignore it and don’t pass any judgment on it. The fact that God cares about how we live our lives is a strong, sure sign of His love. He wants to fill our lives with beauty. The word ‘shofar’ is related to the Hebrew word l’shaper “to beautify.” The call of the shofar thus reminds us of our Creator’s call on our lives – the calling to live a life of beauty filled with His Presence and love. The psalmist declares the motivation of a heart of love:
One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek:
That I may dwell in the House of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek the Lord in His Temple (27:4).

As we draw close to Him and look to Him in faith, He guides us in the process of beautifying our lives and the world we live in. However, the question arises: How can we see the face of God? He is far more glorious than the sun, which is merely one of His creations. When Moses asked to see His glory, God said: “You cannot see my face; for man shall not see me and live!” (Exodus 33:20). The way He has provided for all to draw close and to “see” our Father in heaven is to look into the face of His uniquely begotten Son, Yeshua the Messiah, who proclaimed: “I and the Father are one!” (John 10:30.) As the writer of Hebrews so beautifully described, “He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being” (1:3)

As we determine in our hearts to seek the beauty of His face this coming year, so may we more reflect His beauty to others – and come to recognize and appreciate His beauty in them.

The last shofar call at the close of Yom Kippur is a loud, clear tekiah that is the extended as long as the one blowing has breath. It is a triumphant note of hope in the God of our Salvation, Who is our help in times of trouble. Psalm 27 addresses our fear at the uncertainty of life, with all its threats and dangers, and our consequent plea that God not hide His face from us and that He will neither abandon nor forsake us. It concludes, however, with a proclamation of faith that all our hope and trust are in Him. “Wait for Adonai, YHWH, be of good courage and God will strengthen your heart; wait [in hope] for Adonai” (v.14).

Time of our Joy

You shall rejoice in your festival… for God will bless all your produce and all the work of your hands, and you shall be altogether joyful.
(Deuteronomy 16:14-15)

The onward and upward journey through the Festival Cycle each year is crowned with the joyous harvest celebration of Sukkot. The work has been done, an accounting has been made, lessons have been learned, mistakes corrected and now it is time to enjoy the fruit of our labor in gratitude and joy. It is time for the glory of God to shine forth as we rejoice in His provision and care. John Piper writes in Desiring God: “God is most glorified in me when I am most satisfied in Him.” This echoes a sentiment expressed by Jonathan Edwards: “God is glorified not only by His glory being seen but by its being rejoiced in!”

[1]

Immediately after the breaking of the fast on Yom Kippur the sound of hammers tapping can be heard in Jewish neighborhoods. A start is made in building the temporary booth, in a back yard or on a balcony, which will be the center of the week long Festival celebration. The booths, or sukkot, symbolize the temporary shelters that housed the Israelites during their forty year journey through the wilderness en route to the Promised Land. A sukkah must have at least three walls and be big enough to eat a meal inside it. The main message of the sukkah lies in the fact that it is a temporary dwelling. It reminds us that our lives on earth are also temporary and just as God protected, guided and provided for His people on their precarious travels through the wilderness, so our Father will care for us as we undertake our tenuous journey through this world. As His children we can joyfully, in complete faith and trust, rest in the knowledge that our true shelter is found in His constant Presence.

In the Bible, Sukkot is referred to simply as HeChag, “The Feast” (Leviticus 23:39-40). We can indeed look forward to the ultimate, joyous celebration of the Final Redemption, when there will be no hurt or violent destruction for the living water of the knowledge of God will cover the earth “as the waters cover the seabed” (Isaiah 11:9). A climax of the Sukkot celebration in the Holy Temple was the water pouring ceremony. The High Priest poured water from a golden pitcher onto the altar. The water had been collected from the Pool of Siloam, the main water source for the city of Jerusalem. Water represents life and, after the long, dry summer, prayers are now offered for God’s provision of the first rains. It was at this vital moment of water-pouring that Yeshua made a loud proclamation in the Temple Court:

On the last day of HeChag, the Feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and proclaimed, “If any one thirst, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water’” (John 7:37-38).

[2]

How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
The children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.
They feast on the abundance of Your House, and You give them drink from the river of Your delights.
For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light do we see light.
(Psalm 36:7-9)

Joybells Orphanage in India is now in a state of emergency.

You may have heard on the news that parts of Ladakh have been very badly hit by the current dreadful monsoon conditions affecting Pakistan.

Most of the older children from Joybells (about 31 in all) went to Ladakh with a couple of the staff, for a planned visit to relatives about three weeks ago and were due back to Joybells on Aug.17th. On Thursday the 5th, the capital of Leh in Ladakh was hit with flash floods. Hundreds of people are dead, 500 are missing, and numerous villages around Leh have been wiped out.

The kids from Joybells are in that area. All communications have been cut for the past several days, but what we do know is that 2 or 3 of the children were staying in a village that has now been totally wiped out. There were between 5 – 7 of the other children who had nowhere else to go who may also have been in that village too. There is also another village that has been washed away where a few of the children may have been.

There are very few flights able to land in Leh but David (Joy and SS’s son) has gone to Ladakh and presumably managed to get in as he is now out of contact too.

The latest news from a Joybells staff member in Leh is that three children are safe, but he and other staff members are still searching for the other 28.

Joy has arranged a flight into Leh on Thursday the 12th to continue searching for her children.

Evidently the floods have started to ease a little but travelling conditions remain a nightmare.

I will be changing more of my plans, and returning to Joybells on September 1st. It is impossible that anyone will be able to get back from Ladakh before September, but when they do arrive, I will be there to help in their return, and to start counseling for all the returning kids. We suspect that there will be a lot of trauma from this disaster, from being separated, from losing their home villages, from losing family members, or unthinkably losing each other.

The entire Joybells team, Joy herself, and especially the kids need your prayers. We want ALL of the children to return to us alive.

I also need your prayers to help all of the returning children to the best of my abilities.

Aaron Blackmon

*****************

Note: Below is a recently completed video Aaron did on the Joybells Orphanage.

I am in Nepal now, and I’m living at the Kathmandu Vineyard church. I left Joybells and India at the end of June to come to Nepal, and now I will be here until either September or October. You probably know the situation, but the visa rules changed while I was in India, and to renew my visa for India, I have to be out of the country for at least two months.  So, that’s why in in Nepal, and the contacts you sent me a while ago led me to the Kathmandu Vineyard.  I’m living at the church with Pastor Raju Magar and his family. I found some places to volunteer at and such, and it hasn’t been an easy switch from Joybells, but I’m getting by.

Having left Joybells, I haven’t really had anyone to talk to in the past month. It has been a really hard switch from Joybells to the church in Nepal. Pastor Raju is an amazign person who has really taken me into his family, but other than that no one really talks to me at all. It’s very diffrent from being at Joybells.

I  have another video of Joybells on my youtube that will do well for showing in church. Its called A Spring Movie. I’m working on a video presentation of the Kathmandu Vineyard to send your way as well.

Thanks so much. God Bless.
Aaron

Our Current Series – The Gospel of John !

This Sunday… Sept 5, 2010

Who’s Greeting? Wendy Wells-Miller

Who’s Hosting? Patti White

Who’s leading Worship? Ray Klassen

Who’s Speaking ? Leith White – John Ch. 13:31-14:13

Who’s doing Offering? Bruce Muirhead & Wendy Wells-Miller

Who’s doing Media? Nathan Klassen

Who’s doing Sound? Dave Baziniak

Who’s locking up? Leith and Patti

For more schedules look below!!

05 – Patti White
12 – Leith White
19 – Dave Klingensmith
26 – James Rowden