Rollin Rollin Rollin God is really Rollin

Things are rollin right along here. We are so excited what God is doing!!! Yesterday we picked up 6 pallets of ham hocks. WOW, YEAH, CHA!!! Thank you God.

Then we have a church that has a food ministry that we give to. They take a lot I mean a lot not just from us but from other wholesalers only problem at this moment they don't have a truck to pick it up in. So supplying needs (that's us) has offered to help them pick up the food if they would share with us the items we pick up so we can give to other groups. They agreed. So after we gave all the ham hocks away we picked up 12 pallets of chips for them. They wanted to give us a few pallets but we could only take one because we need the truck empty for today. Yeah that is right we are picking up over 3,000 loaves of bread today. Soon in an hour and 1/2. We are so excited what God is doing.

My mind keeps going in circles with God. "Okay God we really need a warehouse now, well I guess that isn't true because you would have already provided one if we REALLY needed it. But God we are getting all this food, oh God you already know we are getting all this food cause you are the one giving it to us. So could you give us a warehouse then, wait you would have given us a warehouse already if we truly needed it." Yeah I know that is the circle my mind is going in. For real!!!

One last story before I close this blog. When we were dropping of some ham hocks to a church they mention that a local soda wholesaler gives to them. But the wholesaler always wants to give them more then they can handle. So they asked us if we could pick up for them instead and give to them what they want and then take the rest to other churches. How awesome and exciting is that.

Any way God is really awesome and we are excited about what He is doing. I mean he was awesome before all this . . . any way.

Love you Guys,
the Butlers

Wholesalers and a Donation

We had a friend Comment that we should blog more often. So I am encouraged and inspired to write.

I have been on a high for the past few days because we got a few or couple of yes's from wholesalers. One being a meat wholesaler. Yeah I am excited. And we got a 6 pallet donation of assorted food, drinks, and supplies. The donation was mostly water but man, who can't use bottled water. Well I don't know if my parents could. They always discouraged us kids from buying bottle water because it was a waste of money. hehehe Love you Mom and Dad Wendle.

Any way so that was exciting. It was an adventure on the day we picked up the donation. When we rolled up we had a pallet from the last donation in the truck and I was thinking what on earth are we going to do with the pallet it will just take up space that we need for the donation. Joel suggested we ask the people at the warehouse if they could use it. So we just took it out of the truck and set it aside as we waited to load up our truck with the donation.

Also We had bought a pallet jack a few months ago for an occasions such as this. But when Joel went to pick up the first pallet with the pallet jack our jack broke right then and there. Oh the embaressment. But the Lord has been teaching me about having a good attitude or not showing everything I am feeling on the inside when there is a "crisis" So I put on a smile and just got to work. Do you know you can feel better just by smiling. Who knew?

That is when our pallet came in handy Joel and I quickly went to work by putting our pallet down and unloading the donations from their pallet to our pallet. We did this for 3 pallets until they came with a pallet jack that we could use to load our truck. Then things went a bit more smoothly. The workers at the warehouse commented about how hard Joel and I work which felt good because it helped me feel a little less embaressed. I mean come on it was our first time picking up from this company and our pallet jack broke, when does that happen? They were gracious and we went on our way.

Since God has not given Supplying Needs a building or a warehouse yet we parked in an empty parking lot of a vacant warehouse and went through all the banana boxes full of assorted food, water, and supplies. It was awesome and it didn't take all that long to go through each box and organize according to food, animal food, water, and supplies. We then took what we needed and for a family and then gave the rest away to 4 churches who are helping their surrounding community.

God is just so good. And we found that God had provided toliet paper (the soft kind that I won't buy but that Joel always wants. I am just too cheap) and dawn dish soap that I won't buy unless it is on sale because again I am just too cheap. But God is not and takes care of us. We also picked up food for a family which was cool because when we gave it to them they said How did you know we needed sugar, did we tell you? I said no I had no clue. God just rocks.

So that was our big adventure. We are excited they want to give to us once a month. What a blessing.

Then on Friday I was calling wholesalers about their non-sellable products and we had a few yes's. I was so pumped . . . . . still am. They are going to call us when they have something for us.

So that is about it from us. Oh wait we did get our pallet jack fixed . . . . for free. A couple that have adopted Joel and I that live in Stockton has us over to their house for dinner and holidays. Well the husband Kim wields and says if we ever need help he would love to. So when Joel brought it up that our pallet jack broke and ask if he could help, Kim was more than willing. It was such a relief to Joel because we dont' have the equipment (yet) and the supplies (yet) and the pallet jack may not have been fixed or been expensive to fix. Praise God for that kind of provision eh!?!

Okay really that is it. We love all ya'll very much. We are excited what God is doing. Thank you for all your prayers they have helped us so much.

Love Love Love,
The Butlers

Belize you Me!!!

Belize was awesome. I could have stayed there the rest of my life. I loved the people I worked with. I loved the fast pace. I loved the work. Everything about it I loved.

SO the ministry I went to work with is called LOL ministries. (aka Laugh out Loud) Ministries. They are building an orphanage in Belize by the town or city of Punta Gorda. The couple that is running and started the ministry is Jervis and Melissa. Man Melissa and I became quick and close friends. I wish we could live together and work along side each other she is just so awesome. They have 2 kids who are adopted one is an orphan and the other two they had together.

Melissa and I in our last moments together (tear tear)

They have groups come down once or twice a month to help them out and the groups go and evangelize in the local tribes. My job was to help serve the group. My main job was breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There was 42 in the group of Grade 12 (Seniors) who were on there mission trip. It was required for them to go on it to graduate. They were so awesome. I totally fell in love with them. They are such great kids. They always said thank you and please. They were really great with the locals especially the kids from Belize. Man I just loved them. They stole my heart.

So I was located in the jungle or in the woods near Punta Gorda. I was able to go in to a village or tribe near where I was staying at. I was taken to a home of a lady named Margarita. She has 9 kids. In Belize it cost 1,000 dollars Belizean money (500 U.S. Dollars) to send your kid to High school. That is not including fund raising and other odds and ends needed for your child to go to High school. So Margarita makes purses and necklaces and sells them to send her kids to school. Her husband works for LOL ministries. Margarita was so nice letting us come into her home. Most of the buildings I saw in the villages were one room. Melissa told me that is to have wind flow because it gets so hot in Belize. So Margarita lived in a one room hut with her 9 kids and husband. She and her husband slept in one hammock while her kids slept on a floor or what we would consider a table with no matteress and I didn’t see any blackest.

Margarita with her youngest Kelly. Ms. Irma is sitting on one of their beds.

Their Stove they cook on.

I also worked with 3 ladies: Ms. Irma (Her husband paid for my trip to Belize) Ms. Carol, and Ms. Bonnie. Man I loves those ladies. They are all on fire for the Lord. I learned a lot from them. And listened to them as much as possible to try and learn as much as I could. So wise, so on fire: I just love it!!!

I also got sick in Belize. The bug or virus was going around the kids (I guess one was already sick before they came and spread it around.) I got it from them. Yuck. So the last two full days I was there I wasn’t feeling so hot. My stomach was killing me. But I really wanted to work. I just can’t sit still. So the first day I got sick the kids were on their way to a village to minister and bring hot dogs. The bus broke down just before they got there. So Melissa asked if I was felling well enough to help take 3 vehicles to help them out. Oh man was I. I loved that trip. Deep in the jungle on dirt roads. On our way there a bridge was being worked on. Now our bridges and their bridges are completely different. There bridges are wood planks. Nailed down. Very narrow. Very narrow with no railing on a lot of them. I wish I could have gotten a picture. SO any way the people working on the “bridge” decided that they would let us go without finishing the bridge. Now there was a bus, a van (that I was driving) and a pick-up truck. The bus was in the lead so I had thought if the bus can make it so can I. The 4x4 planks of wood was not nailed down yet. And as the bus drove on it you could see the planks move. But it made it through and then I went and then the truck . . . NO PROBLEM . . . “Thank you Jesus” is the moral of this story!!!

We got the vehicles there and Melissa and I turned right back around in the van. What a wonderful adventure.

Also the animals in belize are so skin and bones it is so sad to me. But I kept reminding myself if the animals are this bad you know the people are not well fed either.

Okay so the things I learned. I learned about the Heart of the Leader. How important it is to know why they do what they do. There was a lot of miscommunication at times and the Lord really blessed me with knowing the heart of both sides of the story. And I found when you know the Heart of the person it is easier to do what they want or it is easier to see why they do what they do. So communicating the heart. That was the biggest thing I learned. Oh Don’t get me wrong I learned other things about leadership like why for some people it is easier to accept every one than it is for others. And when a person who is under leadership is healthy it is easier for them to do what you ask them to do. I am not going into details but I learned a lot about leadership and why it is so important to find out where people are truly at.

So that is the gist of my trip. I had the most wonderful time. I hope soon God will send me back or at least let Joel go and maybe even together.

Thanks for all your prayers and asking about it. I love all ya’ll.

Love love love,

Dess

Ms. Bonnie, Ms. Irma, and Ms Carol: I love these Girls!!!

Typical House in the Villages

Supplying Needs and Belize

So life is pretty crazy right now. Things have slowed down in regards to passing out food. On March 1st we gave out the last of our huge food donation to a church that gives to 10,000 households. Wow I was blown away by that number. I wanted to ask if I had miss heard them but when I saw they had three 40 foot long containers full of food I thought better of my question. A few days later another Christian group called and said they heard that we were giving away food. I told them we were out but they kept insisting they wanted to trade with us and asked to be put on our list of people we give to. Then they offered us food they had cantaloupe, pears, potatoes, and egg plant. We ended up going and giving them office and household supplies as well as picking up cases of the food they had for us.

SO we were able to give all the food that the grocery store with the fire had given us to about 11 groups. Pretty amazing what God can do in a blink of an eye. Each group has their own testimony of what Jesus is doing.

Right now our main focus is PAPERWORK. Our ministry has a fiscal year end which ends in February. We are now doing paperwork that we have to do at the end of EVERY year. Joel and I have been spending hours and days trying to understand and complete the long tedious work. But it is worth it if we want to stay up and running.

It has also shown me the provision GOd has done in less than a year in regards to starting our ministry. In a matter of 11 months we have received 43,013 dollars worth of product and fincial support. This includes our refrigerated box truck, the 23,000 dollars worth of food from the grocery store that had the fire, a mini bus and much much more. It is mind blowing what GOd can do with two people who do not have income coming in (aka no paying job) and with other people to help out that believe in the vision as much as we do!!! Thank you Jesus!!! And thank you every one that has supported through this. We could not be doing what we are doing with out you.

Last I am heading to Belize tomorrow. The man that gave us the refrigerated box truck asked if i would accompany his wife to Belize. She goes down 2 or 3 times a year to do mission work with a group called LOL Ministries. www.lolministry.com. I will be gone for 12 days. I am pretty excited. Sad to be gone from Joel but all the same adventure is an adventure. I don't know exactly what I will be doing but this is what God wants me to do so I am excited for what He has in mind.

WEll that is it from us. Thank you again for all your love and support. GOd has used you in a mighty way to help further his Kingdom.

To God Be the Glory

Love love love,
The Butlers

Distributing Food

Since receiving the huge donation of food and supplies in mid-January from the grocery store that had the fire Supplying Needs has been able to give out half the food in a matter of 3 short weeks. The food has gone to 7 churches who reach out to their community and some have come back multiple times to pick up the donated items. Supplying Needs has also been able to directly give food to 9 families.

Here are some testimonies:

One church has been giving food out in a time of need to their congregation. The pastor was praying and planning to open up the food pantry to the public this March of 2010. He had been praying for God to open doors for them to start receiving food when he got our call. When we arrived the Pastor had said this was an answer to pray.

Another church had given almost all their food out in November and December and were strategizing how they could get more food for those in need when we called. They came by to the office building that was donated to us for one month and took as much as they could fit in their vehicles.

Another pastor had just moved to Stockton from San Fransisco looking for cheaper rent. He saw there was such a need here that he started helping his surrounding area. We were connected to this pastor through a man that does Celebrate Recovery at one of the churches we give to. The first week we gave food to him he had two or three families by the next week he had a list of ten families that were in need of food and clothing.

One church we give to helps 60 people per week and another church over 300 people.

God continues to blow us away with His timing and His strategic planning to connect us with churches who have a heart to help the poor, hungry and lost.

On a final note we just learned that Stockton is number 4 in the nation of hungry people.
There is such a need here in the City of Stockton.

Please pray for:
1) The people of Stockton
A) They would come to a knowledge and salvation in Christ Jesus
B) Their needs would be met (clothes, food, shelter)

2) We are seeing now we need a warehouse more that ever. Please pray God would provide one for Supplying Needs

3) That food, clothing, toys, furniture, and building supplies would continue to pour in so we can be a solution to the city of Stockton and to the San Joaquin County.

God Bless,
The Butlers

Photo's of the Huge Donation of Food from the Fire!!!

Photo's of God's blessing!!!

Inside ONE out of two of our Storage Units.

Food in the truck piled high!!

More food in the truck!

Two Big card board bins full of food!!!

A fire that turned into a blessing!!!

So Joel and I had gone to over 60 grocery stores in 3 cities. One of the grocery stores in September/October said they would give to us. We put a plastic bin with Supplying Needs name on it and our phone number. We called every few weeks and went in a couple of times. But every time they said no no we will call you. Over and over they said no no we will call you.

Last Wednesday we get two calls during bible study from a number that we did not recognize. AFter bible study Joel called them back. It happened to be the same grocery store that said yes but never gave to us. They said they had a fire in their store and needed us to come pick up food. Joel asked if we needed the mini-bus or the truck. They didn't know but thought the truck would be best. We went there and as soon as we got out of the vehicle they asked us where our flash lights were. I ran to the nearest store and bought 4 flash lights. At the store the owner took us on a tour of the grocery store in the dark. We went up and down the aisles as the owner told us to take EVERYTHING. I mean everything. Then he asked if it was only Joel and I and where our help was. We didn't have any help. We called as many people we could think of. And after a few hours the youth pastor from our Church was able to leave work and come help us. HUGE HUGE HUGE HELP.

During this time we were wondering where we were going to put all this food. I wasn't worried I knew that if God had this planned out he would plan where the food needed to go.

The first day we loaded the truck from the top to the bottom FULL of dry and canned goods. And we had only been able to get clear 4 aisles.

We rented a 10x20 storage unit and got the first month for free. We unloaded it all the next day into the storage unit. Then went back on Friday to load more from the grocery store. We filled the truck up once again with as much as we could fit. On Friday we had a friend of ours come help of an hour. She heard Joel and I talking about renting another storage unit because there was no way we had enough room in the one we were renting. She said she had connections and called a friend whose husband owns a strip mall full of offices. Her husband approved us to be there for one month FREE OF CHARGE. Saturday we went to the place and unloaded our once again FULL TRUCK.

Today (Monday) we loaded the rest of the items. Look at God. He is so good.

And the guy that called us about the fire at the grocery store didn't even know us. When we mentioned the guy that had approved us he asked how we knew his brother. The only thing the guy had or knew of us was our one plastic bin with our name and phone number on it. We praise God and look forward to giving all the food out free of charge so we can spread the love of Christ and share what God does in the lives of people today!!!

TO GOD BE THE GLORY,

The Butlers