Ready to lace up and hit the streets?  It’s time for the Haltom Stampede and the Cowtown Marathon.   The Haltom Stampede is a 5K race and 1-mile Fun Run on February 11.  We are running to support our school partner, The Academy at West Birdville.  The team with the most runners in the Stampede receives a cash prize.  We will be helping the AWB team to win this much-needed money.  It’s a good training opportunity for the Cowtown Marathon and lots of fun for runners of all ages.

The Cowtown Marathon is actually a series of five races.  On Saturday, February 25, runners will run in the 5K and 10K races.  Then on Sunday, February 26, marathoners will head out in the Half, Full and Ultra marathons.  This time we will be running in support of the Glocal Impact ministry at NorthWood.  The money raised by Team Northwood runners supports projects that help children in Vietnam, Mexico and here in our community.

And the evening before the Cowtown marathons, Team NorthWood Running club is sponsoring a Spaghetti Feed.  Whether you are a runner or not, you are welcome to come and help support Team NorthWood and our Glocal Impact projects that help children in Vietnam, Mexico and here in our community.  The Spaghetti Feed is from 6-8pm on February 25 in the Fellowship Hall at NorthWood.

Come join us for these and other great Team NorthWood Running events!

Ladies, this year’s Girls Night Out event pays tribute to our favorite indulgence – chocolate.  This delectable treat has been there for us through break-ups, breakdowns, and the baddest of hair days.  Through thick and thin (mostly thick), chocolate has been our friend.

Now it’s time to show chocolate some love.  Join us on Friday, January 27, 2012 in the Village for I Love Chocolate, a night of fun, food and frivolity with your friends.  We’ll have lots of chocolate food (including a chocolate fountain).  There will be movies, games, line dancing lessons, a free photo booth and more.

We’ll be making chocolate crafts you can give that special someone on Valentine’s Day, and we’ll have manicures, pedicures, massages, and chocolate body scrubs to pamper yourself.

Whatever your flavor – whether you an intense dark, semi-sweet or a smooth milk chocolate — Girls Night Out has something for you.  It’s a great time to hang out with old friends or meet new people who enjoy the same things you do.

Free snacks are available all night long, and you can come and go to fit your schedule.  So grab your friends, neighbors, coworkers, sisters, moms, daughters – anyone who wants to have fun – and bring them to I Love Chocolate.

Here’s one special students story:

Sung Cheo Chinh, A H’mong student in the 5^th grade expressed his deeply appreciation for GVI’s donation. He said that his family has 3 children, he is the oldest, and his family is very poor. He has never received a new winter coat before. In the winter, he often feels cold because he did not not have enough clothes to keep him warm. Walking in sandals in the winter on slick, icy roads made him tired because his feet weren’t protected and because of the cold.

When it was announced by the headmaster that he would have a new winter coat and shoes, he was so excited that he could not sleep. He wished that the sunrise would come soon so that he could meet the GVI representative and receive the donation.

When the GVI staff gave him the new apparel, he immediately changed his clothes and kept the shoes on his hands. He walked around talking to his friends about his gift. He told the GVI staff the donation will help him stay healthy during the winter season.

I love the quote:” Following the light and be the light”

For many years but this year, 2011 was the year that I could see His light so clearly and toddle my first steps to the light. My eyes were opened and my life was changed. I am so thankful for His unconditional love for me wherever I go and whatever I do. Every day I learn how to serve like He serves how to love like he loves.

With my second year with GVI, I be able to see His light through the people who I work with and I be able to show His light myself.

Seeing the light on the faces of the kids when we take them to the beach, when we ask them about their dream, when we give them a toy, when we give them a glass of milk, when we give them extra food for their lunch, when we give them warm jackets, when we give them clean water to drink, when we give them an eyecare, when we teach them a song, when we play game with them, when they move to the new dormitory we build for them, when they play on the concrete school yard, when they study computer…

Seeing the light on the faces of the elderly when we hold their hand to help them walk, when we build the shelter for them to do activities, when we bring them the rocking chair, when we talk and laugh with them…

Seeing the light on the faces of the teachers when we give them new teaching methods and techniques, when we do activities with them, when we listen while they share the difficulties they have, when they see what we do for their students…

Seeing the light on the faces of the doctors and nurses when they receive new techniques and new equipment…

Seeing light on the faces of the farmer when we give them a water buffalo, when we give them loan for buying water buffalo, when we help them to build the corral…

Seeing the light on the faces of the villagers when seeing us come to help their commune…

Just seeing that, your heart and my heart are warmed and we all know the meaningful works we are doing and we all know we are honoring Him.

If have a wish on Christmas, I will wish I can have 3 wishes. My first wish will be a day in the Heaven to visit the ones I love, to see how they are there and to hug them.  My second wish will be a better life for the whole world, there will be no pain, no sorrow, no tear, no poor, no starving, no orphan hood, no fighting, there will only be happiness, laughter, healthiness, lovingness…. My third wish will be 3 other wishes (You may wonder why I only wish for 3 wishes not thousands of them, maybe I like that number or may be because when you have less you will take time and very careful to choose what your priorities are, maybe other reasons which I don’t know yet).

To end up this article, I would like to say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of you my dear Brothers and Sisters. I wish you a great holiday with your family and friends. Thank you very much for what you do for our people. Thank you for being a link in the process for the Caterpillar to become the Butterfly.

Love from Vietnam.

Christmas at Garden Gate turned out to be a wonderful blessing and success for the Keller apartment community. Northwood students gathered in the afternoon to decorate festive wreaths for the senior residents. After the teenagers crafted their gifts, they distributed them and spent time visiting with individuals who may be unable to spend their holiday with loved ones. This was our first time to engage specifically with this demographic at Garden Gate, and they were very blessed!

After students spent time with the seniors, another wave of Northwood volunteers arrived at Garden Gate to participate in the milk, cookies, and caroling party. Together we enjoyed milk and cookies with about 75 children, and several adults from the community as well.

Refreshments were served, and then the group spread Christmas spirit throughout the property by caroling in front of each building. The children loved this opportunity to give back to their community in this way. It was the first experience many of them had Christmas Caroling, and it had never been done at Garden Gate before! The night ended with a Northwood member reading the Christmas story to the children who sat quietly and engaged with wide eyes. It was truly a wonderful afternoon and evening for Garden Gate to celebrate the Christmas season through service.

Are you curious about the international missions trips that NorthWood offers?  if so, we would like to invite you to our FAQ session on January 22.  Glocal Impact Pastor Matt Robertson, along with Vietnam and Mexico trip leaders, will be available to answer any questions you may have about our work in these countries.  During this meeting, we will be addressing general questions about international travel as well as specific questions about our work abroad.

If you are considering joining one of NorthWood’s many Glocal Impact mission trips then this meeting is a must for you.  We will be meeting at 12:30pm in The Plex.  Lunch will be provided.  For more information, contact MattRobertson@NorthWoodChurch.org.

Get your monochromatic outfits ready!  The Young Adult New Year’s Eve Black and White Party is coming up.  It’s December 31 (of course!) in The Plex.  Wear your favorite black and white outfit and enjoy live entertainment and great food while you hang out with your friends.  A free photo booth will be a fun way to remember the evening.

The cost is only $10/person.  Doors open at 9:30 pm, and the program begins at 10:15 pm.  Start your new year right with NorthWood Young Adults.  For more information, contact YoungAdults@NorthWoodChurch.org.

Then at 1:00am, everybody will get on buses and go to Whirly Ball/Laser Whirld in Hurst where you’ll be playing whirly ball (a mix of basketball, lacrosse, and bumper cars) and laser tag non-stop.  There will be drink and snacks available for purchase and we’ll provide breakfast that morning. Arcade games are also available if you want to bring money for that.

The cost is $35/person.  To register, stop by the table in the Village or go online to NorthWoodChurch.org.  If you need more information, contact DanielLangford@NorthWoodChurch.org.

Children and parents alike had a great time playing games, eating great food, having their faces painted, getting their pictures taken, and much more.  NorthWood volunteers were also able to help academy students and their families receive important health and social services they would not normally be able to access.

Here’s a look at Celebrate Community by the numbers:

·         50 Adult ESL sign-ups
·         130 NW, Haltom Middle students and AWB staff volunteers
·         145 Flu shots given
·         150 family photographs donated
·         430 families registered
·         1,600 hot dogs and hamburgers served
·         Thousands of smiles…………….

But of course, Celebrate Community is about more than numbers.  It’s about being the hands and feet of Jesus.  It’s about reaching out to our Haltom City neighbors, showing them the love of Christ.  That’s what NorthWood members did with their monetary gifts, donations of candy for prizes, and their time.

On behalf of all the Academy at West Birdville students and their families, thank you for your generous gifts.  And a special thanks to all of our NorthWood student and adult volunteers who worked so hard on Saturday, and to the Haltom Middle School and Academy staff and volunteers who helped out as well.  We hope to see you again next year as once again we “Celebrate Community.”

In the Middle School division, the Woodchucks made the sacrifices, put in the long, hard minutes of practice, and came away winners at the Watauga Recreation Center.  Team captain Stephen Cortez so eloquently distilled the overwhelming emotion of the moment in his postgame statement when he said, “Hey, we won!”

In the high school division, it was the Team Win who walked away with all the glory.  Central High School’s practice field had never seen football played the way these guys played last Saturday, and maybe it never will again.

Best of all, through Turkey Bowl V, NorthWood Youth Ministries raised funds for the Birla Orphanage in Hanoi, Vietnam.  This money will make it possible for the orphans to play their brand of football, which we call soccer.  It will provide everything they need to field two teams, including equipment, uniforms, and  transportation to the games.