Victory MagazineNovember/December 2015 Hidden With Christ Ministries

FromTanzania

to America - A Miracle Journey for

an African "Treasure"

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VICTORY MAGAZINE is a publication of Hidden With Christ Ministries. All rights reserved. Copyright ©2015

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OUR VISION:To demonstrate the love of God through mercy ministries and by freely teaching God’s Word around the world. OUR MISSION:To care for orphans and abandoned children and other needy persons through practical outreaches and by producing free Bible materials and training.

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Every Gift you send and every prayer you offer helps change lives around the world!

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Donate securely online at:www.hiddenwithchrist.comwww.treasuresofafrica.orgwww.myeverydaybible.com

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Hidden with Christ Ministries is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization in the USA registered with the IRS and donations made to HWCM are tax deductible under the law.

Hidden With Christ MinistriesP.O. Box 3267Tustin, CA 92781USA

Hidden With Christ MinistriesP.O. Box 383 MoshiTANZANIA

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We would love to hear from you!

Please email us at:info@hiddenwithchrist.com

Or call our U.S. Office Phone:(714) 665-0407

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We were privileged to have film maker Kendall Bryant, Executive Producer of Chaos2Love Productions of California, at Treasures of

Africa Children's Home in October. He spent ten long, hot days videotaping interviews with children, staff and community leaders, as well as filming daily life at the orphanage in order to gather footage that would accurately "tell the story" of TOA. His goal is to create a top rate documentary about Treasures of Africa in order to gain exposure for the orphanage and to share the amazing and miraculous stories of the lives of the children who live there.

Mr. Bryant described his trip to Tanzania as “life changing.” He said, “I'm amazed and blessed at the story I was able to capture! This IS a story worth telling!!!” He also explained that now the hard work of documentary making begins, assembling a talented

team of editors to help “sculpt” the story before “shopping it” to the major networks. This phase of the project is also the most expensive and labor intensive.

If you would like to help see this documentary become a reality, we would encourage you to make a donation to this project through the “crowd funding” site called “Go Fund Me” – where Chaos2Love has set up a donation page. You can find it at the following URL:

https://www.gofundme.com/TOADocumentary

The making of this documentary will be a monumental boost for Treasures of Africa Children’s Home as we know that it will take the story before the eyes of many across the world who have never heard of TOA. We hope that it may inspire people to become involved in helping us build the Treasures of Africa Leadership Village on our land outside of Moshi, Tanzania.

Please pray for this project that it will be anointed by God with a spirit of excellence and that it will find favor with networks who will desire to see it broadcast.

Kendall Bryant filming on locationin Tanzania

Film Maker Kendall Bryant in Tanzania

Film Maker VisitsTreasures of Africa

Children’s Home

A Library Dream for Treasures of AfricaBy Rita Langeland

A house without books is like a home without windows. - Horace Mann

Many leaders can point to a book which gave them inspiration to pursue the path of life which they eventually chose to follow. Reading about the lives of courageous men and

women has always been a personal passion of mine since I was a child. I read every biography I could get my hands on in the library of my elementary school and without a doubt, they inspired me to dream big and believe I could make a difference in the world. I want to provide that same opportunity to the children at Treasures of Africa.

Currently we have a few shelves holding a random assortment of books at the orphanage, but we have never systematically sought to obtain specific types of books (aside from required school books) to make available for reading by the children. So we are hoping to set up a lending library – where the books must be “checked out” and returned in order to avoid loss or disappearance.

Now that all of our children are attending English Medium schools – meaning they are required to read and write in English – it is the opportune time for such a library to be developed. We will start with biographies of leaders in various fields - scientists, inventors,

historical figures and Christian leaders and missionaries as these are often more compelling reading for a child’s “free time” than say a reference book.

Since books are heavy to carry in a suitcase, it will take time to move the books over to Tanzania, but we will do it methodically on every trip we take and also send a suitcase full with any visitors who are planning to visit TOA.

If you would like to help us build this library, you can choose one of the following options:

Go to 1. www.amazon.com and type Treasures of Africa Children’s Home Wish List into the search box. When our Wish List appears, you can scan through it and you will find books we have chosen. These include a variety of biographies for different reading levels.Donate “child appropriate” used books by sending them or dropping them by our office: 17662 2. Irvine Blvd. Suite 6 Tustin, California 92780 (Please call (714) 665-0407 to be sure someone is in the office to receive them or if they are not too thick – they can be dropped through the mail slot in our door.)Make a donation online or by check and specify “TOA Library Project” and we will purchase the 3. books.

We believe the old adage that says “readers are leaders” and we want to encourage our future leaders at Treasures of Africa to become great readers.

Reading changes your life. Reading unlocks worlds unknown or forgotten, taking travelers around the world and through time. Reading helps you escape the confines

of school and pursue your own education.Donalyn Miller, The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child

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Maggie reading a book at Treasures of Africa

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Mary Migiro ready to travelto America

FROM TANZANIA to americaA Miracle Journey for an African"Treasure"

It is the dream of many people living in countries around the world to one day travel and visit the United States. Our children living at Treasures of Africa Children's Home in

Tanzania are no exception. And perhaps they have even more desire than others, because many of them have sponsors who live in the U.S. and they have met many American missionaries and visitors who have come to Tanzania over the years.

Mary Migiro will be the first of the Treasures of Africa children to experience traveling to the U.S. We applied for a travel visa for Mary at the U.S. Embassy in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania and were thrilled when her visa was approved. It felt like a huge miracle since we had experienced the disappointment of being denied a visa for one of our children to travel last year.

We chose to pursue a travel visa for Mary as a reward for her incredible hard work in her studies. She is number 1 in her class and was just voted the "Academic Student Leader" at Northern Highlands Secondary School. She will be the guest of honor at the Charity Gala to benefit Treasures of Africa Children's Home in Palm Harbor, Florida on Saturday November 14th. She will share her life story with the guests and give a firsthand account of living at Treasures of Africa Children's Home since she was the very first child we accepted when the doors of the orphanage opened in March 2007. You can be a part of this history making event as tickets are still available for the Gala! Go to our website to secure your tickets: www.treasuresofafrica.org

While she is in the U.S., Mary will tour the campuses of several Universities with the hope that one day we will be able to raise the funds or obtain scholarships for her to attend college in the U.S. With Mary's stated goal of becoming a medical doctor and eventually running for President of Tanzania, we hope to assist her to achieve a world class education.

She will be escorted to the U.S. by our orphanage Chaplain, Christina Oberst, so she won't be traveling alone. Treasures of Africa Children's Home was the beneficiary of a free round trip airline ticket from Ethiopian Airlines so we only had to purchase one additional ticket in order for Mary to travel. As it turns out, Mary will celebrate her “sweet 16th" birthday while she is in the U.S. on November 17.

Mary will spend time in Florida, California and the state of Washington. We would love to have an event in each state where she can share her story. If you would like to host or help us set up such a venue for California or Washington, please contact our ministry office at (714) 665-0407.

We have always believed that our children at TOA would become world changers - and a little world travel will help Mary expand her vision and set the stage for a great future!

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Maggie at Graduation

Graduation is quite an accomplishment, especially here in Tanzania, East Africa. So many children never even get the chance to go to school, let alone graduate. When we see our children graduate from any level of school, we are greatly reminded

of God’s grace in each of our children’s lives and how they have made it through such insurmountable odds. With that said, school graduation here at Treasures of Africa is a joyous occasion. Just recently we had several children graduate from different levels of school. We have two new Primary School graduates, Magdalena and Samweli. Maggie and Sam will soon be starting Form 1, which is equivalent to starting High School in America. It is a big step for these two young graduates and we are so excited to see them enter into this new season.

When I talked with Samweli about how he felt on graduation day, he shared his heart openly and honestly. He spoke of how he feels happy, but at the same time he is also a bit uneasy about leaving the friends and teachers that he has been surrounded with at

Moshi Academy. It is a big change for him, but he is trusting God to take him into the new season. He said, “Though I feel uneasy about leaving good friends and teachers, I am encouraged because God has already spoken to my heart about Form 1. God has a good foundation He is going to lay within me that is necessary for my future.”

Samweli is very aware that it is the Lord who has taken him from one step to the next in his life thus far. And he is confident that it is the will of God for him to take this next step. “Secondary School is a step which I know will be important for my life and for my future. And I want God to continue helping me more and more, step by step.”

We are so very proud of all our graduates and it is a blessing to see them aspiring to new heights. God has destined great things for each of His “Treasures”. It is a blessing to see their hearts encouraged and full of hope for His great plans and future.

Your continued love and support is producing much fruit in the lives of our children here at Treasures of Africa Children’s Home. Thank you so very much to everyone who has given generously to support our children. And a special thanks goes out to all those who have made donations to the Education Fund or have been Academic sponsors. Investing in their education is an investment in their future! God bless you!!!

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV

Sam at Graduation

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Helena’s VictoryBy Rita Langeland

There is something so rewarding about seeing a child reach a milestone in their education. But in Africa, it feels even more profound because the journey to

reach that milestone is often very difficult to reach.

The statistics for graduation from Secondary School in Tanzania are low. UNICEF figures state that only 25% of the Tanzanian population ever attends Secondary School with no current figures available for the actual percentage that make it to graduation. The average Tanzanian's education ceases after 7th grade. If you check the available statistics for Secondary School attendance among orphans, the percentage is less than 5%.

So for us to watch our fifth student from Treasures of Africa Children's Home graduate from Secondary School, we can only marvel at the miracle that it truly represents for the life of that child.

Helena came to live at Treasures of Africa (along with her younger sister Glory) when she was 9 years old, after the death of her father. She dreams of becoming a teacher. Her

Secondary School graduation is a real victory for her and another step toward that dream. We hope to enroll her in Northern Highlands Teachers College in Moshi.

We need an academic sponsor for Helena, to assist her to attend the Teacher's College. If you have a heart to help an orphan overcome the statistical odds that are against her - consider making a monthly or one time donation to our Education Fund for Helena's academic expenses. You can donate online at:www.treasuresofafrica.org or send a check to:

Treasures of AfricaChildren’s Home

P.O. Box 3267Tustin, CA 92781

Helena on her Secondary School graduation day

Helena outside the Teachers College

DDED

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Jessica with her very first Christmas stocking last Christmas Eve at the

Mission House

C hristmas Is Coming!Christmas in East Africa looks nothing like a classic

Currier and Ives Christmas card. There are no sleigh bells ringing and no snow from which to make a

snowman or have a snowball fight. (Except on the peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro!)

Yet the anticipation of that wondrous day called Christmas transcends the heat of the African savannah. The children at Treasures of Africa Children’s Home giggle with delight as they exchange lively imaginations as to what Christmas Eve and Christmas morning will bring this year.

Though an orphanage is not an ideal setting for a child to spend their formative years, it has been our deepest desire to provide as much of a sense of “family” as is possible and give all the children special memories which they can carry into adulthood. Christmas provides an excellent opportunity to do just that.

Over the last few years, we have started some special “traditions” which the children look forward to so much. Here are the Treasures of Africa Christmas traditions:

New pajamas for all the children handed out on Christmas EveChristmas Eve movie - “The Nativity” - at the Mission House with everyone wearing

those new pajamas - eating popcorn, Christmas cookies and drinking hot chocolate with marshmallows and Christmas stockings full of goodies hung along the staircase for the children to find when they arrive

One special gift (such as a watch) for each child given out on Christmas morning One new set of “Christmas clothes” for each child - worn to church on Christmas

morningChristmas Day Feast after church with staff and children sharing a very special meal

outside on the grounds of Treasures of AfricaA special outing for all the children taken together during the Christmas holiday

break – last year we arranged a special luncheon at a safari lodge that had wild animals on the property – staff and kids alike LOVED that outing – so we may repeat again this year as it was such a huge hit!

In order to keep these Christmas traditions alive and well, we have set up a “Christmas Fund” so that anyone interested can help us fund the purchase of the Christmas clothes,

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pajamas, Christmas gifts, the Christmas Feast, the Christmas outing and all the Christmas stockings and goodies for Christmas Eve. If you would like to be a part of blessing the Treasures of Africa children at Christmas – please consider making a donation of any size and designating it for the “Christmas Fund.” Donations can be made online at www.treasuresofafrica.org or a check can be mailed to our office in California:

Treasures of Africa Children’s HomePO Box 3267

Tustin, CA 92781

A second way that you can help is by going to www.smile.amazon.com and type “Treasures of Africa Children’s Home Wish List” in the SEARCH box. This will bring up a list of items that we need or desire to have at the orphanage. Amazon will ship your gift directly to our office in California and then we will carry them over when a small team travels back to Tanzania in December. From DVDs and books to backpacks, clothing and shoes, there is a great variety of “gifts” you could choose from. Make sure you choose to add a free “Gift Card” which will give your name as the donor – otherwise we won’t know who sent the blessing and we won’t be able to acknowledge your gift. Any of these items on the Wish List would be a blessing to Treasures of Africa.

Another way to help the orphanage is both simple and painless – yet is a real blessing! If you shop on Amazon for your own personal needs or for Christmas gifts – you can sign up to have Amazon give a small donation to this ministry EVERY TIME you shop! You must go to www.smile.amazon.com and register to have Amazon donate to Hidden With Christ Ministries as your designated charity. We are registered with them and they have all of our non-profit organization information. Then make sure when you shop online – that you are always using the www.smile.amazon.com portal. When you are in www.smile.amazon.com you will see in the top left of your screen that it says “Supporting Hidden With Christ Ministries” and you will know that Amazon will donate a percent of your purchase to HWCM. Every penny and dollar count – so please help us spread this word to everyone that has a heart for Treasures of Africa Children’s Home!

Thank you for helping Treasures of Africa C hildren’s Home to have a veryMerry C hristmas!

Boys Christmas outfits from a Christmas past at Treasures of Africa

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Antoni’sNewAdventure

By Warren OberstAdministrative Director

Treasures of Africa Children’s Home

Out with the old and in with the new, so the saying goes, but to fully appreciate the new – we need to start with the old. Antoni has been with us at Treasures of Africa Children’s Home for over 8 years now. He’s 13 years old and just graduated from Primary School in September. He has never had any aspirations of attending Secondary School but

instead has always dreamed of becoming a “fundi.” The Swahili word “fundi” means a fixer of things. You can use the word to refer to a mechanic, a plumber, an electrician, a welder, a carpenter or anything in between. In Antoni’s case it also refers to designer, dismantler, inquisitor, requisitioner, inventor or maybe just plain entrepreneur. For certain, Antoni is some kind of “imagineer” in the making. Being around Antoni for any extended period of time is always an adventure.

One day some years ago, when Antoni was younger, one of our staff members went out to start our red truck, turned the key and voila’ – nothing happened. After a thorough investigation, it was determined that Antoni had opened the hood, disconnected the battery, and many of the wires, nuts and bolts and then simply closed the hood. As if no one would notice. Where did he get the tools? We’re still not sure if he needed some materials for a current brainstorm or if he was just seeing what might happen. Sometimes I think he just likes to see what might happen.

I’ll never forget the portable sound system we had brought from the States some years back, to be used for conferences and any musical events that might come up. It served us very well until Antoni decided to experiment. He went down to a room where he knew he wasn’t supposed to be, plugged in the sound system and just started playing with the buttons. When he hit the switch that changed the voltage from 220 to 110 there was a little flash, some smoke and a lot of silence. The next day when one of the children went down to play the keyboard there was a lot more silence. It took 3 more days to figure out exactly what happened but we should have known. It takes a little time to get information out of Antoni. I tried to use the incident

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to explain “understanding the design of something” before tinkering with it, but I don’t think I got through to him at that moment. The sound system is back in the States still awaiting repair.

Then there was the very recent time when we purchased some electrical equipment to upgrade our solar back-up lights in the dining area. When the equipment turned up missing from the supervisor’s desk, we should have known. But it wasn’t until Antoni came forward a few days later to show us his latest creation, that we found our curiously absent equipment. Antoni was proudly showing off how he hooked the small radio in his room to the adjacent bedroom down the hall by running wire outside the bedroom windows through holes he had punched in the window screens. The wires were then connected to the computer speakers that he had “requisitioned” (without permission of course) and had reconfigured in his little fundi lab. He explained that he just wanted the boys in the room next door to be able to hear what he was listening to on the radio. His explanation for requisitioning the materials he needed was profound. The equipment had been sitting there for a few days and no one was using it. After he took it, no one asked him for it. So, it should have been OK – right? He’s been living this life for quite a while. Finding, tinkering, imagining, inventing, getting in trouble, having fun. We love this boy!

Now for the “new” part of this story. Since Antoni successfully graduated from Primary School, he was able to move on toward his long-time dream. He is now attending the Hai Institute of Technology – a vocational school in the nearby town of Boman’gombe. The school offers two year courses in Auto Mechanics and Electrician Training, among others. These courses are right up Antoni’s alley. A new course in alternative energy will be added next year to coincide with the first of its kind (in Tanzania) solar powered “fluoride filtration” water system recently constructed on the Hai Institute campus. The school has also applied to participate in a government pilot program that will allow for Secondary Education credits to be earned while studying the technical material. This is a huge opportunity for Antoni.

The new school year doesn’t officially start until January but we were allowed to bring him a semester early. We thought it would be best for Antoni (and for us) to not have idle hands around the Children’s Home for too long. Fortunately, the founder of the school is one of our local Hidden With Christ Ministries Board members, so Antoni has an inside track with his new headmaster. In fact, the headmaster told us that Antoni has already impressed the staff. During his first week at the school, Antoni fabricated a small car with a solar panel on top that is now zipping around the campus. Antoni’s getting a head start on everyone else and loving it. After all of the years of paper mache’ propeller helicopters and spinning make-shift motors he previously created from perfectly good (but now dismantled) equipment, Antoni finally has a real workshop with a real fundi mentor. He’ll no doubt be upgrading the new bike he just got, fixing, fabricating and fixing again. He’ll be dreaming of what’s possible and what he can do to make it happen. But most importantly he’ll be using the talent and passion his Creator put inside of him and taking his abilities to the next level. He’ll be in an atmosphere that will allow him to learn to do things the right way so he can be successful later in life. What a gift. What an opportunity.

I would like to express my deepest thanks to all who support this ministry. You are making a real difference in the lives of orphans in Tanzania and giving them both hope and a future. Antoni’s new adventure is just beginning and he needs an academic sponsor. Please keep him in your prayers.

TOA Directors Warren and Christina Oberst withAntoni at his new school

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As Christians, most of us are very aware about the importance of forgiving other people who have hurt or sinned against us in order to live an emotionally healthy and spiritually free life. However, there are three sources of hurt that we are often unaware of that may need forgiveness. They are ourselves,

institutions, and God.

When we are plagued with regret-filled thoughts of things we wish we didn't do, or wish we had done, it is a clear sign that we need to forgive ourselves as if we were someone else. For example:

I wish I had called my mother more often…•

I wish I had not had a child out of wedlock…•

If I had only finished college…•

If I had been quicker to see the signs of abuse, I could have …•

I made a mistake in trusting…•

I should have known better…•

The accusations against ourselves will run rampant because we are self-producing them. If we do not forgive ourselves, we can end up in regret and self-hate. Regret and self-hate, make us vulnerable to infirmity, suicide, unexplained headaches and migraines, immune disorders, fibromyalgia, ulcers, any disease that eats up the

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body or prevents the body from functioning as it should.

Not forgiving “self” is also a form of idolatry. The Bible clearly says God WILL forgive you when you repent. If God can forgive you, are you someone greater than God that cannot forgive you? You will need to repent of setting yourself up as greater than God.

Prayer for forgiving yourself: "Lord I forgive myself for _____ (getting myself fired, dishonoring my parents, not spending more time with my children). I release me from any debt to me. John 20:21 says, ‘If I forgive, I am forgiven. If I retain the sins, they are retained.’ I now accept the forgiveness from me.”

The second source of sin is institutions that do not have a personal face e.g. the Department of Motor Vehicles, the university, the hospital, the insurance company, the police department, the IRS, etc. Just because these do not have a person we can go to, it does not mean we don’t need to forgive. Unforgiveness will fester and

can grow into a root of rage. Rage, expressed violently, harms others and ourselves. We see this today, where persons believe they have been treated unfairly by the police. Their rage is taken out on any policemen in uniform. Enough of these in a community erupt into escalated violence. “Peaceful” protest marches turn into ugly confrontations because there is no forgiveness. Remember, forgiveness does not mean the hurtful act is condoned. Forgiveness means I will not require restitution but I will seek justice. When we forgive, God can intervene to bring justice.

Prayer for forgiving institutions: “Lord I forgive _____ (the hospital, insurance, university) _____ for _____ (losing my records, delaying my payments, making me do the work all over again) _____. I release them 100%. I look to you for justice in this situation.”

The third source of hurt is God. When we have a grudge against God, we turn Him into a non-personal being. We cut off personal relationship with Him. When He does not perform the way we wanted or expected, we perceive He has hurt or sinned against us. Although the mind says, “God does no wrong,” the heart says, “He has let me down.” It is the heart that needs to forgive. Be specific.

I lost my first child in pregnancy because of rubella. I was angry at God because I believed he could have prevented the disease from affecting me and He didn't. He let me down. I had to forgive God if I wanted to go forward. You cannot be angry at God and still worship Him in spirit and in truth. Your emotions and head are in a major conflict making you feel like a “push-me-pull-you.” Platitudes which people may offer such as, “God meant for it to happen,” “Keep being grateful for what you have,” or “There is something good here,” do not work! You simply must forgive God.

Here is a simple prayer for forgiving God: “Lord, I forgive You for… (letting my child be molested, not curing the cancer in my husband, letting our home be destroyed by tornado, etc.) I release you from anything I believe you owe me. I forgive you for letting me down. I forgive you 100%.” If you have something against God, you are preventing blessings from reaching you. Don’t let any more time pass by with this blockage between you and God. God is waiting for you to confess your anger and disappointment and choose to forgive Him, so He can begin to pour out His blessings upon your life.

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Marci Vogl is the Director of Bethany Projects and she is an ordained minister in partnership with Hidden With Christ Ministries. She holds a doctorate in Practical Ministry from the Wagner Leadership Institute with an emphasis in Women’s Ministry and deliverance. She is the author of the book, “The Path Forward” which is available on amazon.com.

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You Can Be a Part of the

Charity Gala AuctionTo Benefit Treasures of Africa Children’s Leadership Village Building Project

Even if you can’t join us in Palm Harbor, Florida on November 14th for the Charity Gala to benefit our Treasures of Africa Building Project, you can be part of the Gala Auction. We have received many generous donations of wonderful items for the auction, and you are welcome to put in a pre-auction bid by phone or by email. If your bid is the highest received on the night of the Auction, you will be notified that you are the winner. Think of Christmas shopping when you read this list!

Here is a partial list of Auction items: (complete list online)

Private Luxury Box Suite• at the Tampa Bay Buccaneer Stadium for one game for 16 people – includes unlimited food and beverages – 16 tickets and 3 parking passes.

Gorgeous woman’s Aquamarine ring• - 2.77 carat Aquamarine stone set in a beautiful white gold setting with two diamonds on either side - great Christmas gift!

Beautiful diamond hoop earrings• - great Christmas gift!Premier Jewelry Gift Basket• – a gift basket full of

beautiful jewelry by Premier Jewelry – includes earrings/necklace/bracelets/watch - great Christmas gift!

2 Club Level tickets to the Tampa Bay Lightning• vs. New York Rangers on December 30 paired with autographed hockey stick & a dinner gift certificate for a fun night out.

1 week in a Palm Springs Time share• - studio unit with full kitchen in The Villas of Palm Springs available May 1 - November 1, 2016.

Mike Alstott framed and autographed NFL jersey• - another great Christmas gift idea!

Original oil painting by Tampa Bay artist Ginger Shaw• – “The Artichoke Forest”

We also have beautiful décor items from Tanzania that we will be auctioning off and can be seen on these pages. To make a pre-auction

Beautiful 2.77 carat aquamarine gemstone ring in white gold

Exquisite Hand carved Rosewood bowl

Set of 3 original oil paintings from Tanzania

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bid – please email: rita@treasuresofafrica.org or call the ministry office at (714) 665-0407.

All proceeds of the Charity Gala Auction will go to the Building Fund of the Treasures of Africa Leadership Village and will not be used for daily orphanage expenses such as food, medical or education, so please continue to support the children’s care through one time or monthly donations and child sponsorships.

Outstanding hand carved rosewood globe on stand

Framed batik of giraffes paired with hand carved wooden giraffe

Large hand carved solid Ebony oval bowl

Gorgeous hand painted African tapestry and matching pillow covers paired with ebony wood candlesticks from Tanzania

IntroducingThe Welch

FamilyNew Missionaries at

Treasures of AfricaC hildren’s Home

Vince and Vicki Welch are no strangers to Africa. They have lived in Tanzania for more than three

years and feel comfortable with both the culture and the language. Vicki’s Southern hospitality (she hails from Georgia) makes everyone around her feel like an old friend and Vince’s quiet wisdom and loving gentleness make children feel safe and secure around him. Along with their teenage daughters, Madison, 16, and MacKenzie, 14, this wonderful family had already been volunteering and loving on the children at Treasures of Africa children over the past year and a half, while also serving another missions project in the town of Moshi. But we are thrilled to make an official announcement of their addition to the Treasures of Africa family, serving part-time (for now!) to assist our lead missionaries, Warren and Christina Oberst, in the goal of raising up godly leaders for the nation of Tanzania.

The Welch’s both have backgrounds in Education, with Vicki having been a school teacher in the U.S. and Vince serving many years on staff at a Christian College. They have assisted TOA with math tutoring of our children – a big need we have had – and Vince will now undertake the monumental task of preparing the ministry to establish our own school when we open the Treasures of Africa Leadership Village.

The children at Treasures of Africa are already very comfortable with the Welch family, the younger ones love the individual tutoring they receive from Baba Vince, and the teenagers enjoy “youth group night” at the Welch home twice a month. When asked about how they feel joining the Treasures of Africa team, they replied, "We are so excited to partner with TOA and the heart of the Lord in caring for children who have no earthly parents, but have an amazing heavenly Father who loves them and has appointed them to be kings and priests for the Lord! We look forward to working with Treasures of Africa to build His kingdom. We love the children and believe in the work that is happening here.”

We feel honored and blessed to have such outstanding missionaries join our dedicated team in pursuing God’s dream for orphaned and abandoned children in the Kilimanjaro Region of Tanzania. Please keep the Welch family in your prayers!

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The Welch Family - Madison, Vicki, Vince and MacKenzie

ow in its fourth year, #GivingTuesday is

a Global Day of Giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. Observed on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) and the widely recognized holiday shopping events - Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving. Since its inaugural year in 2012, #GivingTuesday has become a movement that celebrates and supports giving and philanthropy. This year #GivingTuesday is on Tuesday, December 1st.

PayPal – the online payment service – is getting involved with encouraging people to give by adding an additional 1% to every donation made through PayPal to a registered charitable organization. Hidden With Christ Ministries is registered with PayPal and thereby we will be a beneficiary of their generosity if you donate online starting on #GivingTuesday, December 1st through December 31st. Here are the official terms and conditions from PayPal:

PayPal Giving Fund 1% Donation Match Campaign Terms and Conditions

Make a donation using PayPal starting on Giving Tuesday, December 1, 2015 through Thursday, December 31, 2015 and we’ll match 1% of every donation of $10 USD or more that you make through the PayPal Giving Fund (“Offer”). In order to receive this Offer you must:

a) have a U.S. PayPal account in good standing, and b) complete a minimum $10 USD donation on the PayPal Giving Fund page, designating the charitable organization of your choice, (Hidden With Christ Ministries) using your PayPal account no later than December 31, 2015 at 11:59:59 PDT.

You can help the work of Hidden With Christ Ministries in Tanzania by posting to your social media pages like Facebook and Twitter that you are participating in #GivingTuesday and donating to Hidden With Christ Ministries to help orphans and abandoned children.

Make a difference this year – GIVE and encourage others to GIVE on #GivingTuesday!

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The Power Of Giving Thanks

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Why Everyday Should beThanksgiving Day

by Rita LangelandExecutive Director

Hidden With Christ Ministries

Of all the holidays we celebrate throughout the year, my personal favorite is Thanksgiving. It is not because of the traditional meal made from recipes pulled out only once per year and certainly not because of the marathon of football games on television. The reason I love Thanksgiving is because of the original purpose of the holiday. To me, setting aside a special day

to gather with family and friends to focus on remembering all that God has done in our lives and to give thanks for it – is priceless. If you are ever invited to my house for Thanksgiving, you will only be required to bring one thing – a willingness to share a simple but heartfelt statement about that for which you are thankful. (But feel free to bring your favorite Thanksgiving dish as well!)

In 1863, when President Abraham Lincoln established the last Thursday in November as an official holiday in the United States, he never envisioned that the over - consumption of turkey and pumpkin pie would become the main focus. Instead, his intention for establishing Thanksgiving was clearly stated in his national proclamation:

We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven; we have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity; we have grown in numbers, wealth and power as no other nation has ever grown.

It has seemed to me fit and proper that God should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November as a day of Thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father Who dwelleth in the heavens.

Lincoln was a wise man who recognized the danger inherent in becoming an ungrateful nation. His wisdom is borne out in the following scripture which clearly points to unthankful hearts as a sign of spiritual deterioration in society.

But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy… (2 Timothy 3:1-2 NASB)

This scripture places the attribute “ungrateful” in a long list of sinful traits that will be displayed by people in the “endtimes.” It also reveals both God’s displeasure with the sin of ungratefulness and the fact that it will be a sign of the corporate spiritual decline

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of society as the last days approach.

In every person’s life, the path to an ungrateful heart begins with complaining. The word “complain” means “to express displeasure or unhappiness about something; to find fault; or to make an accusation.” Have you ever observed a person who has a hard time talking without complaining about something? This habit of grumbling about circumstances and other people is a reflection of their heart condition. Jesus said, “...out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.” (Matt. 12:34) An amusing story was told of a monk who joined a monastery and took a vow of silence. After the first ten years his superior called him in and asked, “Is there anything you want to say?” The monk replied, “Food bad.” After another 10 years passed, the monk had another opportunity to express his thoughts. He said, “Bed hard.” Another 10 years went by and he was again called in to appear before his superior. When asked if he had anything to say, he replied, “I quit!” His superior shook his head and said, “It doesn’t surprise me one bit. You’ve done nothing but complain since you got here!” Many people spend their whole lives complaining about what they don’t have or focusing on what is wrong, rather than giving thanks for the good things that God has given them. The Bible is very clear in exhorting us to avoid complaining. Do all things without grumbling and faultfinding and complaining… (Philippians 2:14 Amplified Bible)In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. (I Thess. 5:18 NASB) Complaining will quench a grateful heart but choosing to give thanks will chase away that ugly spirit of complaining. God would have us choose the latter course of action on a daily basis! A thankful heart can always see something to be thankful for in every situation. A person who constantly complains about his job or his boss should consider the jobless person who would be grateful to be employed! And so it is true about every condition in our lives. Keeping a proper perspective will help you to appreciate and give thanks in every situation.

A Scottish minister named Alexander Whyte was known for his uplifting prayers in the pulpit. He always found something for which to be grateful. One Sunday morning the weather was so cold, miserable and gloomy that one church member thought to himself, “Certainly the preacher can’t think of anything for which to thank the Lord on a wretched day like this.” Much to his surprise, however, Whyte began praying, “We thank Thee, O God, that it is not always like this!” God wants us to cultivate a perspective of gratitude at all times. Are you aware that giving thanks is God’s anti-anxiety prescription? Anti-anxiety medication is one of the most prescribed pharmaceuticals in the United States. Many millions of dollars are spent on anti-anxiety pills each year. Yet the Bible gives a clearly stated (and free!) prescription for the relief of anxiety: Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7 NASB) Verbalized thanksgiving is powerful – it releases the peace of God to your heart. It is vital that we utilize God’s anti-anxiety prescription. When you are tempted to give into fearful, worrisome or anxious thoughts, PRAY but do so with thanksgiving. This means to speak to God by giving thanks for the past answers to prayer, miraculous interventions, deliverances and provisions He has made in your life as well as His promises in the Word. This very act of thankfulness will build up your faith as you recall God’s faithfulness to you. And it will drive back anxiety and fear because genuine gratitude to God and anxiety cannot cohabitate simultaneously in your heart.

We live in an age when complaining comes much more naturally to people than expressing thanks. In order to overcome that tendency, we will have to pursue the cultivation of a grateful spirit in our lives with intentional effort. Make a choice every day to look for things and people for which you can give thanks. But be aware that it is important to express your thanks not only to God in prayer, but to people as well.

A university professor once pondered the many “unthanked” people in his life. He decided to write letters to each one of them. This act brought amazing results not only to his own heart, but also to those to whom he had written to express his thanks. One elderly schoolteacher who had influenced him greatly as a child wrote back to tell him that in 50 years of teaching, his was the only letter of thanks she had ever received. It had touched her deeply.

Practice giving thanks in a variety of ways. Express your thanks verbally to others, in writing, in prayer and with your actions. If you have small children, start a tradition of having each family member express thanks for something or someone each night before they go to bed. Establishing a lifelong habit of giving thanks daily will yield powerful results in their lives.

Cultivating a grateful heart will help you cure a habit of complaining, protect you from discouragement, guard your heart from anxiety, and help you mature spiritually. It will dramatically enrich and transform your life. So don’t go to sleep tonight without taking time to give thanks!

Hidden With Christ MinistriesP.O. Box 3267 Tustin, CA 92781

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