Merry Christmas from NBISC! Here's a look back at our ministry highlights from 2021
It seems like yesterday that we were so eager to say goodbye to 2020 and to usher in 2021 with hope for an end to the Covid-19 pandemic. Well, Covid is still affecting the world and changing the way we work, live and conduct business. But some things don't change, praise God! and Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever! (Hebrews 13:8) And it is in His name and power that No Boundaries International South Carolina has persevered and ministered to our communities. As such, We are a 100% volunteer-run, 501 c3 organization. We hope you'll enjoy this look back at 2021 and all the Lord has provided for us and those we serve, including the launch of our Food Truck ministry which served over 1,600 meals in the first 8 months of its use. Thank you and Christmas Blessings to you and yours! -- Acton
Our Women's Deep Water Bible studies met weekly throughout the year at The Abbey. Our studies included Matthew, 1 Peter, the book The Cure, and the Journey to Restoration. Our next study begins on Monday, January 10th at The Abbey, 5pm-6:30. We'll be doing a Red Letter study of the Gospel of Mark. Contact Acton at actonbeard@gmail.com to register. Bring a friend!
This summer, eighteen women participated in No Boundaries International's discipleship course, A Journey to Restoration.
It is a healing/ restorative/ discipling e-course written by NBI founder Dr. Lori Bassey that can be done by yourself or in a group. We'll be offering the course again in 2022. Email Actonbeard@gmail.com if you're interested in taking it.
For Valentine's Day 2021, NBISC baked cookies and prepared 120 gift bags for staff at Project Lighthouse, Sea Haven, Friendship Place and New Horizons Homeless shelters. The purpose: to encourage our fellow workers in bringing healing and the love of Jesus into the lives of others in the midst of a pandemic.
At our plant sale fundraiser in May we rolled out our new Food Truck which literally gives us NO Boundaries to reach those in need of Spiritual or Physical Food. We have served over 1,600 meals in Pawleys Island, Georgetown and Myrtle Beach since then. You can find us 2 Wednesdays a month at the Baskervill Food Pantry serving up lunch, and beginning in January we'll begin regularly scheduled lunch visits to Project Lighthouse in MB. We also cooked and served food at several church and community events for both Pawleys Island Community Church and Pawleys Island Presbyterian Church. You may have seen us at Trunk or Treat or Shine Bright at PIPC. If you'd like the NBISC Food Truck to serve at a community event for your church, drop us an email. Building community among the body of Christ is another goal of our food ministry.
We were blessed to serve and celebrate with the CHRSC Community Garden as they kicked off their summer program and later, unveiled their new mural produced by the children and artist Scott Adams. We recently served over 100 dinners to Georgetown residents who participate in CHRSC's Food Share program and attended a Live Well Georgetown healthy eating seminar. We gladly serve alongside Carolina Human Reinvestment and its executive director, Giany Guedjo in their efforts to "grow, feed, teach" children in the community about gardening and healthy food for the body and soul.
In September we hosted our third Princess Party for a dozen women to encourage restored perspective and empowerment as Daughters of the King. These are "five star brunches" with gifts, tiaras, teaching, singing and healing prayer over each participant. Our next Princess Party will coincide with Valentine's Day . Donations of perfume samples, makeup, bath soaps and other pampering items are welcome for the gift bags we give out. We also feed our guests a hot homemade breakfast. Your donations help us to pamper and love on these women who are coming from hard places and need to know their worth is invaluable to our Heavenly Father. Safeira and Clarce, pictured, facilitate these bootcamps.
In November, NBISC came alongside RBLC and Friendship Place to offer a free support group through the program Friendship Fund which offers free mental health services to the community. Many of the group members were guests at NBISC's Princess Party in August. This month, we've started the 12-week online course from NBI, "A Journey of Restoration." Join us for praying for these women, that they may experience the healing power of the Holy Spirit in their lives and believe their standing with God as beloved daughters.
Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 3:16-18 that when WE allow God to lift the veil from our faces, we are able to see Him (and others see Him through us) and in Hebrews 12:1-2 we are exhorted to throw off every hindrance and sin that entables/thwarts our running the race marked out for EACH one of us. For these verses to be lived out in our lives, we must be healed and equipped to be transparent, "REAL" and prepared to run the race set out for us. Discipleship and restoration or healing prayer are key aspects of NBISC's mission and ministry all year, every year to anyone ready to live into their original design & destiny. At our fall retreat this year at Ft. Caswell, AJ Sherrill, pastor, author and globally respected authority on the use of the enneagram as a tool for spiritual formation and discipleship, spoke to 40 women from across the low country. Their testimonies after the weekend spoke of lives & marriages saved, and captives set free from years of oppression as the Holy Spirit was invited and released to do His thing within us! We were so blessed to have Ms. Sonya Cooper at our retreat with copies of her self published children's book to sign. We first met Sonya at one of our Princess parties. Our own Cyndi Garris illustrated this sweet story about Pinky the hippo. Ms. Sonya has a beautiful testimony of God's faithfulness and redemption.
This year, we planted a Salsa garden for Project Lighthouse and this summer we took the Food truck there for a lunch and some prayer time. We're taking the truck there this Friday with a taco lunch and Christmas treats. In January we'll have regular monthly visits to PL to provide lunch for the youth that visit the drop in day center, and for the staff who so lovingly mentor and encourage these teens. We are excited to see how God grows this partnership. Project Lighthouse inspired NBISC to register our Food Truck as a "Safe Place". The "Safe Place" national program provides immediate help and support services for youth in need. We are privileged to join this program. Look for the yellow Safe Place sticker on our truck and in area schools, libraries and businesses to know where someone in crisis can go for immediate help.
We are very excited to have received 2 grants for 2022 to hold at least three retreats of encouragement and support for the other 501 c3 charities we partner with, including the staffs of New Horizons homeless shelters in MB, the CHRSC Community Garden, RBLC, Safe Haven Crisis Center, Project Lighthouse and Baskervill Food Pantry. Covid has hugely exacerbated the stress of these servant ministers as they serve a population of homeless children, youth and adults in hygiene-unfriendly situations which are challenging and stressful for all involved. The grants cover a portion of the expense for these retreats, but not all. Would you consider a donation to help us shower these "boots on the ground" staff with a time of fellowship, food and spiritual refreshment?
Please remember us in your prayers and year end giving.
As our reputation grows, we are receiving lots of invitations and opportunities to expand this ministry in 2022, but we are in great need of volunteers to join us and the financial support to cover growing expenses with our food truck that is out providing free food and prayer weekly. Your contributions allow us to continue the ministry opportunities we've highlighted in this newsletter edition. You are helping us to literally feed people, body and soul, with your gifts to NBISC.
Finally, a huge thank you to all of you who have partnered with us this year, read our newsletters, attended our Bible studies, purchased plants from our fundraisers or donated directly to our ministry. Merry Christmas and may God bless you in the New Year. We are grateful for you! And we can't wait to see what our Abba Father has planned for NBISC in 2022.