Dear Friends, April 2011

It was a Tuesday, March 22nd in New Orleans as 1,200 people gathered for the WOW JAM and everything was going strong. We already had thousands attend the fi rst one with hundreds accepting Jesus. The 10-day Mission Week was off to a great start but 20 years of ministry has taught me to approach everyday desperately needing the Lord’s presence because there would be people that day desperately needing the Lord’s salvation.

I was on the stage in the middle of a singing contest with much more to do before I would preach. I brought out a nine year old boy with a slight limp who was going to sing “His Eye is on the Sparrow.” As he sang the opening phrase “why should I feel discouraged” the loud, boitous crowd suddenly erupted in joyous applause as the power of God fi lled that place.

When he was done, I knew it was time to give an invitation for people to accept Jesus. I had him sing it again and this time it was different as suddenly the crowd went still as the words went deep. When he got to the chorus, a tear ran down his cheek as he sang “I sing because I am happy.” I looked into the crowd of hundreds and hundreds of people and saw faces full of pain and hurt with tears streaming down their faces. (I encourage you to watch both times of him singing on youtube.com. Search for ‘WOW Jam Eye on the Sparrow 1’ and ‘WOW Jam Eye on the Sparrow 2’) or on our Facebook page at WOW International.

Over 400 adults, teenagers and little kids came forward to accept Jesus. The prayer time went for a long time as people sat in circles getting their bibles and being prayed for. We had a blow-up pool for water baptism but by now it was dark, cold and late. Just as I announced that they could come back Sunday to be baptized, one of our workers, Trent, told me that a 74-year old man with a cane was standing by the pool saying he was not leaving until he was baptized! So I said “OK the baptism is on!” WOW! We were all blown away as 33 people of all ages got baptized! They just got in with their clothes and went for it.

Hundreds crowded around the pool and fi lled the air with praise, music and applause every time a person came up out of the water. It was glorious! Four hard-core gang members all got saved and at the very end they all got baptized together. The neighborhood was buzzing about that WOW JAM for days!

Thank you for investing in that week where 5,250 were blessed at the WOW JAMS, 606 accepted Jesus and and 53 were baptized. The 18 interns from Life Pacifi c College led by President Robert Flores and his wife Dee Dee, plus Danielle Lewis on her fi rst Mission Week, were awesome and will never be the same. They visited 27 homes of people that got saved at the WOW JAMS. The hundreds of local workers from our host pastors’ churches are the best people in the world to work with. We even had horses at the last WOW JAM and gave horse rides to 153 children! The week ended at the beautiful home of Mr. and Mrs. Piner who graciously let us all come there and eat the best food in the world including 70lbs. of crawfi sh!

His Eye is on the Sparrow

WOW International • 2060 Lincoln Ave • Pasadena, CA • 91103 • 626.296.8800 • www.wowjam.com • info@wowjam.com

God was faithful and blessed us the entire week with perfect weather every single day. The day after we left, a terrible storm hit New Orleans with 100 mph winds, hail and rain. One block from Pastor Jimmy Autry’s church, where we met each day and had that great Tuesday WOW JAM, a church was struck by lightening and burned to the ground.

Windows of opportunity open and close and we have to hit when the window opens. Our next WOW JAM is April 9 in Po-mona, California, just 5 days from when I am writing this letter. In that city alone there are 27,000 people living below the poverty line with 42% of them being families with no fathers. Please pray for our strength as we gave out everything we had in New Orleans. We also need your fi nancial support as 4,500 are expected to come with many needs. Would you pray about what the Lord would have you give fi nancially for this mighty outreach to desperate people?

Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed”.

I would much rather be blessed then simply repaid. I know God’s promises are true, so I pray you will be blessed as you give this month. Please pray for our health too as Linda is still recuperating from the recent car accident. Thank you for your prayers and support.

God bless you!

Stephen TavaniPresident & FounderWOW International

WOW International • 2060 Lincoln Ave • Pasadena, CA • 91103 • 626.296.8800 • www.wowjam.com • info@wowjam.com