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Gratefully HeartbrokenGratefully HeartbrokenGratefully HeartbrokenGratefully Heartbroken

Dear Friends,

Being human, Patty and I know what it is to be grateful in life,

and we know what it is to be heartbroken, but right now we

are living with a strange and heart rending mixture of the both;

we are “gratefully heartbroken.”

In the last few months we have

seen huge examples of God’s

faithfulness in our lives; even as

we have been dealing with the

news of impending tragedy in our

family. For those of you who

have not seen the e-mails or our

prayer requests on Facebook; last

December, my sister Brenda was

diagnosed with Breast Cancer for

the second time.

Since then she has had a bad prognosis, been led through some

false hope and then had reality come crashing back in the form

of a time line - 6 months to a year.

This is not something you expect at age 54. After having been

cancer free for 10 years, you expect that you have dodged the

bullet and will be able to live a full life.

However, that is not the case and the cancer had metastasized

to her bones and lungs. We are heartbroken. Short of God,

there is no good outcome.

Yet, even as we go through this, we recognize God’s hand in

things. If this had happened three years ago or even next year,

we would not be living in Canada and our 15 year old nephew

Zachary may well have ended up being a Ward of the Courts.

Instead, we will soon become a family

of five even as we continue to serve

God in the nations.

Please be praying for my sister

Brenda, for Zachary and for our

family. We are still hoping and

praying for a miracle.

Celebrate Christmas

In the last few years we have dedicated a lot of time over the

Christmas season to obtain presents and groceries for needy

children and their families in Colombia. One of the things that

inspired us was the nation’s civil war. Many children have

suffered as a result of the conflict & many of them were

recruited by these armed groups precisely at Christmas.

The conflict in Colombia is

coming (hopefully) to a close.

Security in most of the country is

now excellent and guerilla

soldiers are deserting by the

thousands. Yet in the poorest

most remote areas of the country

the conflict holds on.

Speaking with former fighters we heard the story of how they

became involved with these groups. Several told our leaders

how strangers arrived at their home with gifts and candy.

Many of those gifts were toy

guns; pistols with rubber bullets

or water guns. Later on they

returned to invite the children to

hunt with them in the mountains

and thus be able to bring food

home for their families. In the

mountains they loaned them

real firearms, with real bullets and they showed them how

to use these new “tools.” Finally they seduced and/or

threatened them so that they would not return to their homes.

This was how they began theirs lives of terror.

When we heard these stories we asked ourselves; “what are

WE going to do for Colombian’s children?” Could it be that

we as Christians can do something for them?

In the last 4 years, 12000 needy children have

received Christmas presents from Jesus!

Each year it has been a huge challenge. Many have not

understood the purpose - which is to give much more than a

Brenda & Zachary

gift; it is to help change lives.

It is to show the love of Jesus

through a toy or a piece of

clothing. The children’s

smiles show their gratitude

for a present that they never

imagined would arrive; even

as they hear the story of

Jesus’ love for them.

Thank you for being a part of expressing God’s love through

your gifts and support.

Shoes for Bubba

Two years ago God spoke to me about tracking down many of

the people who invested in the life of this street kid so many

years ago; to thank them, honour them & encourage them.

Since then I have found several: Cindy, Jim, Doug, and others,

but many have been lost to a clouded memory; or so I thought.

Over the last few months we have visited dozens of churches,

both to raise funds and stimulate interest in sending Outreach

Teams to Colombia. It has been tiring, but we have seen

results as we strive to bring our budget to where it should be.

This summer we will see the of first several new teams.

In January, I was sharing about our work with one Pastor and

he noted that I am from London, ON. He asked me if I knew

where the Embassy Hotel was and I had to smile - that area

was my old stomping grounds, but my smile quickly turned to

astonishment when he said that his brother used to pastor a

church across the street in 1984.

That was my first year as a Christian and Christmas was

coming. For the first time I really knew the “Reason for the

Season” and I could feel him working in my life. I was on

welfare at the time, but even though funds were limited, God

put a profound desire in my heart to buy presents for the

family that I was largely separated from. I had the desire, but

after paying rent and buying my groceries for the month I only

had $30 left and was desperately in need of shoes.

It was a decision that I fought with, really agonized over,

because of the desire in my heart, but after days of struggling

I concluded that I had no choice. It was December and with

the freezing cold I could no longer suffer with the slush

coming through the holes in my shoes or having to spend

hours at home just trying to get my feet warm again.

That was Saturday and Monday I would have to go shopping.

The next day I was in service at that little store front church

across from the Embassy Hotel. I attended there for the first

four months of my Christian life. After service a couple came

up to me and did something that for them was so small, but for

me was life changing. “Bubba,” they said, calling me by my

street name, “we were praying and felt God was telling us to

help you out. Here’s $30, go buy yourself some shoes.”

I had told no one about my battle, but for the first time, God

had lovingly and miraculously provided for me. I have told

that story dozens of times over the years as it changed my

heart and world, but with the fog of time I could not remember

the name of that church or that couple.

That afternoon, I was able to share the story again, but this

time, with the pastor’s help, was able to put names to that

memory. The next day I called Rick & Ellen after 28 years to

say thank you once again; to tell them how something “small”

they did for God has helped to impact the nations.

And the kicker? Two weeks

later I was scheduled to speak

at a church in Dorchester, ON,

a church that had recently

adopted our family as

missionaries; the very church

where Rick & Ellen have been

attending for the last few years.

It was a fun Sunday!

Gratefully,

ÆÆÆÆ WtÜÜxÇ? ctààç ? ]tÅxá 9 WtÜ|xÇ WtÜÜxÇ? ctààç ? ]tÅxá 9 WtÜ|xÇ WtÜÜxÇ? ctààç ? ]tÅxá 9 WtÜ|xÇ WtÜÜxÇ? ctààç ? ]tÅxá 9 WtÜ|xÇ ÆÆÆÆ

If you wish to be a part of our work in Colombia and the worldwide community that we are called to serve,

please consider partnering with us through your giving.

In Canada: Make your cheque out to the: “PAOC.” Please

include a note mentioning the ministry of Darren & Patricia

McCrea.

PAOC2450 Milltower CourtMississauga, ONL5N 5Z6

In the USA: Make your cheque out to: “YWAM.” Please enclose

a note mentioning the ministry of Darren & Patricia McCrea.

YWAM - Accounting

P.O. Box 3000Garden Valley, TX

USA 75771-3000

International Phone Number (Miami Area Code) - 305 677 0100 E-Mail darrenmccrea@aol.com

Online giving is available through our website - www.ourlovingfather.com

Darren, Rick & Ellen