“For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth …” 2 Timothy 4:6,7,8a The calendar says summer is two/thirds over. But we know that the hot temperatures of summer are here for another two months. Then the happy days of summer turn into days of classroom hours of lessons, tests and homework assignments. EMPLOYMENT REPORT: New jobs-2 Still working-4 C.N.A. graduate-1 Praise the Lord! Her name is Paula. She checked in late April. This is her second time at GODTEL. Enrolled at the Adult Learning Center, Paula was working to earn her G.E.D. She was committed to this task. She had to get to Angelina College for her classes. One day she was told of the same help at Mosaic Center which is much closer. A short time later Paula came into the office with a question for us. She was interested in attending the Certified Nurse Aid classes that were starting at the Mosaic Center. Would we allow her to attend these classes? We prayed about her request and said yes. For six weeks, Monday through Thursday, Paula went to class. She studied and studied. Years ago she had been a nurse aid, but time passed with new information to learn and put to use. The state test was scheduled. Bright and early one Sunday morning she went to the college for her exam. We know she passed and did well, but the 7-10 days of waiting to know for sure have seemed like forever… In the meantime, Christi is having surgery and she will need some help when she comes home. So...guess what?! Paula gets to put into practice her newly attained education. Now who would have thought, months later, that God would put all these people and decisions together for a perfect ending? P.S. She is still on the road to complete her G.E.D. Go, Paula! Earlier this summer Joseph was gone for a few weeks helping his mother after she had surgery. This past month Christi went south to Conroe to help her daughter after surgery. The week she was on nursing duty, Christi got grandma hugs and visits with her sons. She loved on her daughter with prayers and words of encouragement. Oh, and she did some cooking, too. Hungry mouths had to be fed, you know. Healing takes time, but it was time for Christi to come home. Before Christi left Conroe the next care giver was in place. God is good. The heat did not stay in the kitchen. The grills and barbeque pits were fired up for all sorts of social and family gatherings. And with that said-our guest cooks were on fire with their meals. We ate pizza, hot dogs, hamburgers, baked chicken and sloppy joes. A few watermelons landed in our kitchen. They were chilled and cut and eaten, a cool treat, indeed. Martin and I had two special invitations this past month. We were invited to eat fried fish and eat homemade ice cream and be blessed with Christian fellowship. We gathered up mom, threw her in the car and headed south. We prayed for our country and thanked the Lord for the food and the “cookers’ of the food. We laughed and shared news of our busy lives. It was a blessing of Biblical proportions. Our second outing was to Spring. Our youngest grandchild celebrated her first birthday and we had to join in the fun. Lauren was a delightful participant. She did not disappoint us. The candle was lit and she wanted to touch it, but her parents quickly moved it out of harm’s way. She tested the small cake with her finger once and then again and then again. Later, all were gathered around Lauren as she pulled books, toys and a doll out of the gift bags. She shared her toys with some of the younger guests. She enjoyed all the fanfare. And we enjoyed her. Thank you, Lord! More action took place in the kitchen. The paint is on the walls. No new color just white on top of white. But it looks nice and new and fresh. Martin and Joseph are putting aluminum splash guards up. The new look didn’t end there. The big room and hallway, also, received a paint job. There is no slowing down at GODTEL during the summer. We still prepare and serve three meals a day. Dolores is our faithful cook. Even though we have quite a few regular guest cooks and some special cooks, Dolores makes sure the residents are well fed the other days of the month. Crystal keeps the residents’ clothes clean and dry Monday through Friday. The kitchen towels are washed every day of the week. It is one hot job, but Crystal does it with a smile. Warren supervises the meal clean up chores. He keeps the men’s dorm organized and he assigns beds as the men come in. His day job is yard work. Even after a long, hot day of mowing and weed eating he still has enough energy to do his part at GODTEL. Right now, we have James, Joe, and Pedro who have been helping with the painting and yard work. Thank you, guys. We appreciate your help. I did not forget you, Kristen. Happy Birthday to our first grandchild who is 15 years old! Love you, girl. Please remember Christi in prayer. She will be having back surgery August 14th. She will have a long healing and rehab process. Pray for GODTEL, we will be one worker short. I won’t be short in thanking you for your support and partnership in God’s ministry at the top of the hill on Moody Street. Because of Him we serve, Martin and Mary Baker

Great Danger!! Beware a False Gospel and a False Jesus As we minister to hurting and broken people day after day, we find that many are in the condition they are in due to poor choices they’ve made because they are believing lies. Most often they are deceiving themselves—especially those who claim to be Christians but who are not living a life of obedience to God and His instructions. (James 1:22) I see this sad deception not only at GODTEL but in some of my family members and in churches. No wonder Christians are not winning the world to Christ. There are many more phony “Christians” driving the lost away from salvation. This fact has grieved me for many years and Bro. June has preached warnings about the false gospel, a false Jesus, and a false Spirit. (2 Corinthians 11:4) (2 Cor. 13-15 mentions other counterfeits) I received an article in my e-mail on this subject and felt compelled to share it here in our newsletter. I hope you will read it prayerfully. A DIFFERENT "JESUS" by David Wilkerson Scripture speaks again and again of the fear of God: "Fear the Lord and depart from evil" (Proverbs 3:7). "The fear of the Lord is to hate evil" (Proverbs 8:13). "In mercy and truth atonement is provided for iniquity; and by the fear of the Lord one departs from evil" (Proverbs 16:6). When there is no fear of God, people have to invent a gospel of convenience. The world has concocted a gospel in which there is no God and therefore no heaven or hell. There is no afterlife, with nothing and no one to answer to. Where does Jesus figure into this gospel of convenience? He is very much a part of it -- but it is another Jesus altogether! This "different Jesus" is presented as the essence of human love, a very tolerant person indeed. He embraces all religions, accommodates same-sex marriage, and declares that there is no such thing as good or evil. There are no sinners to this Jesus -- and so there is no mention of sin, not even deviant behavior. His message is that you do not need to change because there is nothing wrong with you. There simply is no judgment or wrath in him. Paul called this "another gospel" (Galatians 1:6). And he warned that those who preach it would "pervert the gospel of Christ" (Galatians 1:7). As you might imagine, it is a seductive gospel, appealing to many. And multitudes, especially young people, are caught up in it. This explains why growing numbers of Christian youth accept immoral behavior and same-sex marriage. Even many evangelical churches are adopting this seductive gospel. It is all happening just as Paul warned: "God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie" (2 Thessalonians 2:11). (© World Challenge, 2017. Used by permission.) New Gospel Music CD Albums When Bro. June is not preparing for and preaching 10 times a week, studying his Bible as he reads through it every year, repairing generators, lawn mowers, automobiles, weed eaters, tractors, etc., sorting and preparing various types of scrap metal to be sold at a premium, paying bills, helping Danny Powell, our general contractor, oversee the construction of the women’s dorm in Nacogdoches, and overseeing mission operations in three counties, he has been recording two Gospel music albums. One, he wrote all the songs on and the other contains dearly-loved Gospel music made famous by various well-known Christian singers. The latter should be available by the end of this month and the former, sometime in August. Also, don’t forget that Bro. June’s weekly sermons are available on YouTube. Just search for GODTEL Sermons and you will find almost two-years’ worth. Since the series began near the end of October 2015, the quality of the recording has greatly improved as we have added better cameras and lighting. If you check it out and have any suggestions, let us know. Nancy Gentry

 

Women’s Dorm Construction Begins (Again) in Nacogdoches

Women’s Dorm Construction Begins (Again) in Nacogdoches Last month we included some photos of the Nacogdoches mission. Here are more. On the left is the combination chapel/dayroom/dining room where “appetite gratification” is being experienced. At the back of the room (under the clock) is the serving window where plates are filled and distributed. The photo on the right is the chapel platform with the pulpit designed after the treasured “Spurgeon Rail Pulpit.” This item was a gift from Fredonia Hill Baptist Church.

Nacogdoches Kiwanis Club

As a service project and in preparation for the Annual Blueberry Festival (coming up in June where they will cook many, many hundred blueberry pancakes), the Nacogdoches Kiwanis Club brought their mobile grill to the Nacogdoches mission on the 8th of May and cooked 350 pancakes and 200 sausages which were delightfully devoured by our residents and staff alike. We are very grateful and would not mind if this also became an annual event. After the meal, one resident was heard to say, with a rather sticky voice (you know, like Winnie-the-Pooh), “That was great.”

Fed by Fred … and Others

The Nacogdoches Mission is blessed to have several churches and groups come on a regular basis to feed our residents and give our cook (and budget) a break. The smiling faces and delicious variety of meals gladden our spirits, not to mention our taste buds. In Livingston, we are blessed to have members of two different churches come on a monthly basis to prepare and serve supper. One church is just over 30 minutes away and the other is over an hour away. Thank you to Barnum Baptist Church, East of Corrigan, and to Grace Bible Fellowship in Fred (TX). We appreciate your cheerful service and mouth-watering meals. (I simply must get that recipe for queso dip from Bro. Darrell.) We pray for God to bless every one of you abundantly. Thank you.

Nacogdoches Building Project

After several months of delay, the construction of the women’s dormitory in Nacogdoches is again moving forward. Our building fund has close to $400,000 in it and we plan to build until we complete the job or run out of money. The majority of these funds were generated by the sale of our downtown property. Our general contractor, Danny Powell, tells us the actual construction costs will be over $600,000 but we are not worried about the possible shortage of funds. God is faithful and we know He has entrusted certain of His children with the “wherewithal” to help us complete the task. When the need arises, He will bring it to their attention to transfer those funds from their “Kingdom Account” to GODTEL’s. Meanwhile, you are welcome to stop by for a tour and watch the progress of our final building at the “new” location.

A Big Thank-You to Our Faithful Bible Study Teachers

At each of our three missions we present a Bible lesson twice daily—at 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. (five to seven days a week, depending on the mission). Members of our staff teach the majority of these sessions but we have several men who have been coming almost every week for 20 to 25 years to testify and teach God’s Word to our staff and residents. What an encouragement to us to know they are sold out to God and willing to share their knowledge, life experiences, and teaching abilities with the homeless. We earnestly pray that God will bless, guide, protect, encourage, and empower you to keep on keeping on.

Nancy Gentry

“For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.”   1 Timothy 6: 7&8

So You'll Know:

May 2017

1st-26 people

31st-23 people

Total helped-57 people

Praise the Lord!

     May brings us the Kentucky Derby, Indianapolis 500, Memorial Day, end of school year and graduations. All this as we swim into summer with fun holiday trips, Vacation Bible School, weddings, water parks and lots of sunscreen.

EMPLOYMENT REPORT:

New jobs-1

GED classes-1

Still working-4

Praise the Lord!

“But godliness with contentment is great gain.”   1 Timothy 6:6

    

May was a month full of drama and crisis. There was Deborah, who had been here before. She left daily and came back at supper time. One evening she came in tettering and tottering. She had been drinking. Even though we gave her one more night to stay, she decided to go that evening.

Linda (not her real name) had been here before. She and her boyfriend landed on our doorstep the end of April. The plan was to get jobs and move out when ready. They have a son and he came one day for a visit with his parents. The days passed and Linda and her boyfriend, Jeffrey, did not make a serious effort to find employment. Jeffrey found a few day jobs around the neighborhood. However, this is not full time employment.

One day, Linda was upset about something. She called the crisis line to ask for help. After crying and yelling she went to the hospital. Jeffrey stayed a few more days waiting for Linda to return. When she was discharged she did not come back to GODTEL. Our hearts hurt when the residents hurt. We know the healer of broken lives and hearts and that is our Heavenly Father. He is the Great Physician. And we share this truth with the residents twice a day through our Bible Studies. Jeffrey soon left.

Jane (not her real name), also, has been here before. Jane has a lot of emotional issues. Even so, she has not let this stop her from attending Angelina College. She is almost finished with her two year plan and will graduate soon. Jane became agitated and needed help. It took awhile to find the best place for her to go. She left with a ride to the hospital. As you can see, we have a full list for those in need of prayer.

Kenneth and Teresa stayed a few days. They just needed a short time to work and get bus tickets back to west Texas. And so they did.

Our guest cooks arrived throughout the month with pallet pleasing meals. Fried steak with rice, barbeque chicken and yellow squash, pizza, pulled pork sandwiches, spaghetti, meatballs and gravy and more pizza. There was plenty of food designed to keep us filled and happy.

The school year ended and we were blessed to receive the healthy food items of carrots, tomatoes and cucumbers from Hudson ISD. Baked food snacks, also, came in.

Squash, green and yellow, and cucumbers have been seen in the kitchen. The garden harvest goes from the garden to the counter then to the refrigerator and finally into the very capable and creative hands of our cook Dolores. The last part of their journey is on the plates and into the residents. We are still waiting for the tomatoes and okra and zipper peas to make their appearance on our plates.

Paula has had a few detours in her life. This time when she checked in her desire was to get her GED. She left each morning and went to the Adult Learning Center at Angelina College. She heard of the opportunity to earn her GED at the Mosaic Center. She went there and was accepted. She went to class each morning. One day she was told of the Certified Nurse Aide class that was going to start at the Mosaic Center. She applied for that and was accepted. Paula will attend class for 6 weeks. When finished she will complete her GED classes. By the end of the summer she will be ready to start anew. Please pray that Paula will stay focused and committed to reach her goal.

Joseph is on a “medical leave” of sorts. His mother had surgery last month. He has gone to help her during the slow recuperating process. She is having some rough patches but is slowly healing. We miss Joseph but we support him as he willingly “honors” his mother. And Warren has stepped in easily with the extra responsibilities.

“Honor your father and your mother: that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God gives you.” Exodus 20:12

Thank you for the umbrellas and jelly you brought this month. The umbrellas have come in handy more than once this past month. And it looks like they will be employed, again, soon.

The jelly is used to add to the peanut butter on a sandwich as well as a sweet topping on that piece of toast for breakfast. Delicious!

Last month we hugged our moms. This month we hug our dads. They aren’t perfect, but they are our dads. But we do have a perfect and loving Heavenly Father. My daddy has been gone many years now. But I do have memories that bring a smile to my face. There are even a few laughs and stories to share. I treasure these memories and guard them in my heart.

I am glad that I have a Father who never goes away. By my side HE stays through thick and thin. He comforts me. He is fair and just in His teachings and correction. He loves me unconditionally. And His grace is amazing.

Thank you for your support. We are in service together.

Have a cool and safe summer. Come by and visit. There’s some cold water in the frig.  

   Because of Him we serve,

   Martin and Mary Baker

 

So Many to Thank, So Much to Be Thankful For

        Our hearts are full of praise and thanksgiving. God is so-o-o very good ... all the time. We are blessed at each of our mission locations by individuals, churches, Sunday school classes, various civic groups, public-school classes, and businesses who take the time to provide and serve meals; bring canned goods, staple foods, needed towels, sheets, clothing, household items, etc. In addition, we greatly appreciate our faithful supporters who send monthly financial contributions to help meet our operating expenses. There are times when the expenses are greater than usual and God impresses a regular donor to give more than their “normal” amount, or an intermittent donor to send just what we need to end the month in the black. Praise His Name! In Nacogdoches, we have a variety of campus groups from Stephen F. Austin University which volunteer in various ways. Recently, the Impact group had a rally at a park to learn more about the homeless and express their youthful, enthusiastic support for GODTEL. Mike Lahr, one of our Board members, and Kathleen Smith-Parram, my office assistant, were guests at the rally to speak to the group about GODTEL and the work we do with the homeless. It was an encouraging and enjoyable afternoon and we are thankful for the food, clothing, and money they collected. We pray that God will guide and bless these young people throughout their lives. We are very grateful to Kroger Co. for their yearly Souper Bowl of Caring event during which people can purchase pre-bagged food items and/or make a monetary contribution. This year the proceeds totaled almost $15,000 which went into the building fund for the women’s dorm. There are just too many people who help us get this job done to try and list the names of everyone, but God knows who you are and we pray He will bless you. Thank you. The photo, below left, is of a morning Bible study led by Brother June at the Nacogdoches mission. (The large banner is a quote of Acts 17:26, “He hath made of one blood all nations of men.”) The photo on the right is the same scene but taken through the serving window from inside the kitchen and shows four trays of delicious donuts and other pastries (donated by Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks) waiting to be served with breakfast. The picture on the back side of this page is a view from my Nacogdoches office, looking toward the main building and staff house which is serving as our women’s dorm and Christian Help Center. Finally, just FYI, Bro. June is working on a two-disc Gospel music album which includes 28 songs written by a variety of composers. We are busily obtaining the required licenses prior to duplication.

Nancy Gentry