Check out the full story here.

How does a first-timer like me even begin to describe this experience? I’ll start with WOW.

My time with the kids at Birla is something I will never forget, especially the two days at Do Son.
With one of the translators, I had the privilege of teaching two boys how to swim. Never could I have imagined that Father would use my old swimming experience for something like this. I befriended these boys- I don’t know their history, but I loved them instantly. That’s just how it is with these kids. Saying our goodbyes to them was very emotional. Now I understand why so many people come year after year.

Visiting the SS4 orphanage at Dam Long was new for all of us. It was fun to give these kids two days to forget their circumstances and just be kids.
Our evening at Ming’s mother’s farm was an unexpected morale boost for all of us. We were treated like royalty -it was a great time for our group to recharge and enjoy each other. It was a true Vietnamese party experience and we were blessed by her graciousness. We came here to share love with another culture, yet in so many ways we are seeing the love reflected right back to us.

Coming here has helped me better understand the intended purpose of these trips. The relationships formed here are obviously divine appointments, and I am honored to have been a part of it.

But when I get home, I do not intend to eat white rice and water spinach for a long, long time!

NorthWood’s T-Kids raised $4,081.64 for water filtration systems in Vietnam. These funds were matched by an outside source to bring the total to $8,163. Each water filtration system costs $20 and impacts a family of 5 for ten years. This project will allow 2,040 people to have clean drinking water for 10 years. It is great to have a Kids’ Ministry that holds the same values as NorthWood as a whole. Praise God and great job kids!

Hey Gang!!
I have great news!!!

Yesterday at South Bay we had the best Sunday yet! The Holy Spirit was working incredibly in people’s hearts as we challenged people to trust Christ and publicly profess their faith through believers baptism. We had 18 people publicaly identify themselves with Jesus through baptism! One girl in particular Jennifer, grew up in a Lutheran background and just recently decided to begin walking with God. She was in tears as she came forward to take the plunge. Another new believer named Radhika comes from a Hindu family, her father is a hindu priest. She stepped out with family opposition this Sunday and publicly showed the world she is following Jesus. My supervisor from the North American Mission Board was present, she said she had never seen a baptism with such a level of celebration and joy. People were cheering like the 49ers just caught the game winning touchdown for the super bowl. It was a day that I will remember for the rest of my life! I am really proud of our team and grateful to God for his work in our midst. In addition, this was our highest non launch, non easter attendance with 169 locals present! Praise God for that.

PS, click here to watch a short testimony video of some of the people whose lives are being changed as a result of your partnership with South Bay !

With love,
Andy Wood

See the rest of the pics on our Facebook album.
It begins with a flyer asking for donations, but it ends with a beaming smile.  What happens in between is a concert of numerous people and ministries working together to brighten the lives of many by putting on a Christmas party for the students of The Academy of West Birdville.

For the past few years, the pre-teens and their families have been creating holiday cheer for approximately 50 students who attend The Academy.  Through a flyer,  NorthWood families are encouraged to make giving a part of their holiday season. For a three week period in November, NorthWood children and their families purchase gifts for infants through adults, and those items are amassed at the church until the appointed day.  During the Christmas party for the Academy, the collected items are placed in a “store” where Academy students select gifts for their family members.  These gifts then make their way under the trees of the elementary students whose families might otherwise have a meager Christmas.

On this very special evening, the smell of pizza fills the air as children enjoy slices.  Laughter continues while they take part in games and crafts.  Children are paired with a pre-teen buddy from NorthWood to go through each of the game and craft centers, then on to the most exciting part: the shopping for gifts.

With the help of their buddies, the children study their lists of family members, and together they choose gifts for each of those individuals.  When students go shopping they can choose items for all siblings, parents, and even grandparents who may be living in their household, so the array of donated gifts varies.  Once gifts have been selected, those presents are then adorned with gift wrap  (also donated by NorthWood members) and then proudly taken home by the children for their families.

Not only do families receive gift items, but they also receive a basket of food items, organized and donated by the Celebrate Recovery Ministry.  “That was really special,” stated Becky Done, Kids’ Pastor at NorthWood.  “When the families saw that, they could not believe all they were going home with.  One of the mothers said, ‘Is this all for us? I just cannot believe my eyes. This is just amazing.’”  The children also receive a gift of their own, donated by the youth of NorthWood. It was a special moment for NorthWood pre-teens to see the reactions of families and the children.Becky explained that children are chosen to participate based upon recommendations of staff and teachers of The Academy.  “We rely heavily on their judgment, because they intimately know these families” and their financial needs.  After the selection process, NorthWood assists those whom the school feels have the greatest need.  Families are then contacted and given the opportunity to participate in the party and “store.”

Becky wonders if the gifts actually make it to Christmas Day or if they are opened as soon as the children get home.  We will never know.

Hey Everyone,
Wow!! Just wanted to give you a quick update on the service today! God blessed it beyond our expectations and moved tremendously. I am so encouraged to be able to share just a few highlights from the service:

• Over 279 people including 40 kids were present about 230 of these people from the community! Praise God for that.
• 9 people made a first time decision to follow Christ and crossed over into an eternal relationship with the living God! Best part of the whole day.
• 17 people recommitted their lives to following Christ.
• 61 people were there for the first time! the mailers and door-hangers continue to work and make an impact.
• We had over 50 people volunteering and serving today, I am truly excited about the team God is forming!
• Lake Pointe Church and Pleasant Valley sent teams and they made a huge impact!
• We challenged every person to bring back 2 friends next week as we continue our “Connected” series.
• Our staff team did an amazing job and having worked with an insane level of diligence over the last 6 months. I am so proud of them!
• Stacie invited one of the mother’s from the playgroup in our apartment complex, she came today and received Christ as her savior!!! YES!!!

I really can’t believe it and want to give all the praise to God! He has been amazing and blown us away with his faithfulness and provisions through this whole process! I am humbled to be a part of this process! I am so grateful to you for your prayers and sacrifices over the last 6 months. You are such an encouragement and inspiration to our team. There is no way that we could be doing this without folks like you who believe in the vision God has given to South Bay Church. You impacted eternity through your commitment to be a part of South Bay Church! THANK YOU!!!

Now, we have 6 days from tomorrow until the next one. Pray that God would give wisdom to build on what he has started in our midst and strength as we have been working around the clock! Pray that we would somehow be able to rest in the middle of all of this and rely on Him for our strength. We are just getting started and I am so excited about what God is going to continue to do in our midst over the coming months! We really are only on the cusp of what God wants to do in our midst and our job is just beginning. Still over 6 million the Bay Area and 2.3 million people in the Silicon Valley who don’t know Christ yet!!! Next Sunday we will build on what he started and it will be the best Sunday yet!

With love,

Andy Wood

www.southbaychurch.org

Andy Wood and his wife Stacie planted a church (Breakthrough Church) here in DFW several years ago.  Last year, God called them to plant again in the San Francisco bay area.  Knowing this would be a difficult task, Andy and Stacie went in faith and have been working hard.  They have had several preview services and their Grand Opening will be in 27 days.  I received an email from Andy late last night and wanted to share it with you.  Be praying for them as they work in one of the most difficult cities in N. America.

Andy’s email:

Dear NorthWood,
I just wanted to give you the good news about our 3rd monthly service today. God blessed it in huge ways! We had 188 people there, over 50 people serving, 32 people there for the first time, 1 person made a first time decision to follow Christ and 9 people made a recommitted their lives to follow Christ.  We had a number of people who came to the first two services monthly services and served today in the 3rd. One couple from our apartment complex Elaine and Chris are from Wast Asia made their first ever visit to a church of any kind. We met Elaine and Chris through doing cookouts in our apartment complex. The funny thing is they have joined our launch team before coming to a service. Chris hung about 1,000 door hangers with our staff this week. I joked with him and said, it is pretty impressive that you invited 1,000 people to church before ever going yourself!!

Hey, God is good! Only he could give such incredible results in such a short period of time. All the praise and glory goes to Him. Our launch team of locals and our staff team Filipe and Mandy, Archie and Rebekah and my wife Stacie have gone way above the call of duty and have blown me away with their leadership. I am humbled to be their pastor. Crossroads Church from here in the bay area continues to be amazing and sent over close to 30 people today to help serve and be a part of the day!

I am heading to sleep tonight with a grateful heart to God for all he is doing and to you for all of your prayers and financial support. There is no way we could be doing this without you! After a good night of sleep we are going to get up and start getting ready for the Grand Opening of South Bay Church which is only 28 days away!

Burdened people help burdened people. Severe winters plague the students of Ta Phin Middle School in Sapa, Lao Cai in Northwest Vietnam.  Most of the students in this school are Red Dao and H’Mong ethnic minorities and among the poorest in Vietnam.  People in Lao Cai have experienced many difficulties throughout 2008, including severe winters which killed livestock and ruined their crops, as well as heavy rains and flash flooding.

When Mark Weston, NorthWood’s pastor in charge of Celebrate Recovery, heard this school was in desperate need of 300 winter coats for the students, God laid it on his heart to help these children.  He committed to provide 50 of the 300 coats needed for a coat drive and then went straight to the Celebrate Recovery participants for help.  Within a month, the group had more than 50 coats and managed to send a total of 150 coats to the school.

By being true disciples, these Celebrate Recovery members, who are overcoming their own burdens, were able to help others as they spread the good news of Jesus by providing these children with warm winter coats.

One of the most important things you will learn through Celebrate Recovery is the act of giving.  You will experience the importance of sharing our resources with those who have needs by placing God first in our lives and by being a part of a team where serving brings spiritual victory. 

Are you hurting from divorce, mourning the death of a loved one or having trouble controlling your anger? Suffer from depression, anxiety, co-dependency, or addiction?  Are you drowning in financial debt, find yourself in a broken relationship, or simply have an unforgiving heart?  You may not realize it, but any one of these can be an interference keeping us from living for Jesus Christ.  Celebrate Recovery provides Christ-centered healing as we become followers of Christ in freedom.

Celebrate Recovery is for everyone.  You will find help in dealing with the origins of your issue or addiction.   By following the Eight Recovery Principles, you will experience transformation through the application of Biblical principles.  You will begin to grow spiritually and become free from compulsive, dysfunctional and addictive behaviors. Through Open Share Groups, you will build relationships with others that are based on the open sharing of life experiences and struggles.  Through these, trust will come and lead to an open and honest exchange where hurts and struggles are openly revealed and discussed.

If you are hurting or burdened and would like to become involved with Celebrate Recovery, please contact Mark Weston at extension 145 or email him at markweston@northwoodchurch.org.