Dear Friends and Partners,

After God, people are next on my list of priorities. My family is first and after that, I am all about people. I get so excited and try to welcome each new person into my life with the love and kindness of God. I believe that each encounter is divine and that no creation of God should perish, and desire that all would come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

This summer my wife and I will celebrate twenty-five years of marriage. In her own words, here's Vickie's experience with a husband who loves people –

My first glimpse of how many friends Chuck Watson had came as we were planning our wedding. I had requested his list of names for the wedding invitation list. I waited and waited and waited. This was not like him to be this late. Each time I asked about it, he responded, 'I'm working on it. It's almost done.'

After several weeks he showed up at my door one night proudly bearing the finished product—a computer print—out of 1,100 family units! My image of a nice church wedding was fading away. This man was planning a convention, not a wedding!

As calmly as possible, I questioned him, 'Is there any way you could at least cut the list in half? Maybe you could invite the closest of your friends instead of everyone you know?'

He assured me that these were people he considered close, but that he would do his best to shorten the list. We added my friends to the computer list, and he promised to work at bringing back a shorter slate.

A week later, he brought the new print-out over, apologetic and yet proud that he had shortened it to seven hundred family units. 'That includes both of our lists so I really did cut out lots of names. But this was a painful process for me,' he explained. I still could not imagine anyone having that many people so close to them, but I was starting to get a clearer picture of the volume of people in this man's life.

Several days later as I worked my way through the list of names, I noticed that he had marked through the name 'Mrs. Chester Austin.' This was interesting.

I called him and questioned him about it. 'Vickie, I know you teased me about not even knowing who some of those people were since there were so many names. I must admit that you caught me on that one. I do know her, but I admit that I couldn't remember who she was. So you will see that I did mark her off.'

'Honey, Mrs. Chester Austin is my grandmother!'

It became a precious story to me of who this wonderful man Chuck really was. There were five hundred people at the wedding and fifty in the wedding party, and that was only the beginning of a life filled with wonderful friends. (excerpt from MIRACLE HEIDI—When Doctors Couldn't... God Could!)

I am learning, the closer I get to Jesus, the greater my capacity to enlarge my circle of love and find room for more people in my heart. I have learned that people come before projects and stuff and even church traditions in my busy schedule.

JESUS Film Harvest Partners is all about telling people around the globe about JESUS, in over 100 countries with 360 teams! Your prayers and support make this people ministry possible.

Whether you are meeting someone for the first time, or greeting someone at your church, or sitting next to someone on the airplane, or whatever the situation, representing the heart of God to love people is why we partner together. I hope you don't have to reduce your wedding list or anniversary list—just love people into the Kingdom of God. You will spend eternity with them.

Blessings,

                               

Chuck Watson
Director of Strategic Relationships
chuckwatson@JFHP.org
817-427-4900

P.S. - Have you ever sold anything on eBay?

If not, we want to encourage you to give it a try and both you and JESUS Film Harvest Partners will benefit! Our goal is to raise $1 million to help support the JESUS Film Teams through this donation method. Please share this idea with your friends and Sunday School Class. For more details on how it works, CLICK HERE for the pdf.

P.P.S. - Some of our Jesus Film Partners who went on a JESUS Film Partner Trip a couple months ago to Nicaragua share the following comments:

Marvin & Marcia McKinley

"This was the best trip ever.

"God did speak to us on this trip. I was overwhelmed by the poverty. The cardboard box houses were in every direction as far as the eye could see, yet these people seemed clean, well dressed, and had big smiles. There didn't seem to be any envy toward us for all that we possessed. They just loved us!

"These JESUS Film Harvest Partner Trips really motivate us."

Vance Smith

"The Lord opened my eyes to the spiritual and physical needs of Central America. The JESUS Film reminded me of His love for all types of people and how quickly He is to forgive all sins no matter what it may be. It was a great trip!"

Michelle Hogue

"So many things stand out in my mind—the open hearts of the people, the reality that poverty truly is a state of mind, the obvious movement of the Holy Spirit, the willingness of the people to receive our group, their remembering our names, and their anticipation. This anticipation was not just for our return visit later in the day, but as one young woman shared, 'the joy in our reunion when we meet in Heaven.' This was an impressionable moment for me to hear a sister in Christ, who I do not know, lovingly embrace me and show a heart of thanksgiving, repeatedly stating that she will see me in
Heaven!

"Another special moment was at the JESUS Film showing on the second evening. I held a baby who was quite dirty, with only a small sibling to tend to his needs. A Christian girl next to me (14 year old Ashley) shook her head at me as these two approached, but we offered them love. As the night progressed, the Holy Spirit worked with Ashley's heart as she watched the movie. She told me that she now understands love and that she and I had a special connection. Leaving that night was especially difficult.

"And then there was Maria! Her soul was so wonderful in that she has much faith and praying with her was a joy. She was truly an example of a woman who trusts in the Lord at all times. It will be a privilege to continue to cover her in prayer."

If you would like to see JESUS work on a JESUS Film Partner Trip, please join us on one of the upcoming trips! These trips are a great opportunity to personalize missions and experience the ministry first hand.

• Senegal - Dates: August 14-23, 2009; Deadline: June 24, 2009; Cost: $550/each - double occupancy, $700/each - single occupancy (airfare not included).
• Zambia - Dates: September 3-12, 2009; Deadline: June 15, 2009; Cost: $1,800/each - double occupancy, $2,100/each - single occupancy (airfare not included).
• Costa Rica - Dates: December 10-15, 2009; Deadline: October 1, 2009; Cost: $950/each - double occupancy, $1,200/each - single occupancy (airfare not included).
• Dominican Republic - Dates: January 14-19, 2010; Cost: $900/each - double occupancy, $1,000/each - single occupancy (airfare not included).
• Bangladesh - Dates: February 18-27, 2010; Cost: $1,225/each - double occupancy, $1,325/each - single occupancy (airfare not included).
• Mexico - Dates: February 25- March 2, 2010; Cost: $850/each - double occupancy, $950/each - single occupancy (airfare not included).
• Nicaragua - Dates: April 22-27, 2010; Cost: $825/each - double occupancy, $925/each - single occupancy (airfare not included).
• Ecudador - Dates: July 3-10, 2010; Cost: $1,295/each - double occupancy, $1,375/each - single occupancy (airfare not included).
• Honduras - Dates: November 11-16, 2010; Cost: $925/each - double occupancy, $1,025/each - single occupancy (airfare not included).
• Nepal - Dates: TBA; Cost: TBA/each - double occupancy, TBA/each - single occupancy (airfare not included).
• Sri Lanka - Dates: TBA; Cost: TBA/each - double occupancy, TBA/each - single occupancy (airfare not included).

Contact Alicia at 913-663-5700 x108 or e-mail her at alaser@JFHP.org for more information or to sign-up for any of the trips mentioned above.