Recently, at the Budget rental location near Milwaukee’s General Mitchell Airport employees servicing a returned vehicle were cast in the sequel to “Snakes on a Plane.” To their surprise and ophidian affliction they opened the glove box to discover a four-foot red-tail boa constrictor staring them in the face (the opening scene to “Snakes in a Car”). The man who returned the car said he was glad he didn’t know the snake was there or he might have passed out! My wife who told me this story was delighted with the serendipity and prospect of finding a friend in the usually cluttered catch-all of a car. Certainly a silky affable pet is a better discovery than broken sunglasses, hairy lifesavers, crumpled maps and assorted receipts from fast food runs? Well, at least if you are under the impression that snakes in car is a happy fortunate turn of events… in Pam’s defense she did say she wouldn’t just try to pick up red without a proper introduction (snakes do bite you know).

As I have confessed many times before I suffer from ophidiophobia (fear of snakes) and though I have held snakes it has only been with fear and trembling and considerable consternation. I respect Pam’s love of all God’s creatures but I still maintain that Satan’s first and lasting form was not a ruddy complexion, nor a pointy goatee or tail but rather the form of a snake! So I feel the bible backs me up on this one… but that’s not really the important lesson in this story. What strikes me as spiritually challenging and eye opening is that one never knows what is on the other side until the door opens. My Dad was fond of saying, “Never, say never.” That is, we can never know what is possible and should expect that life will have a few surprises for us.

Jesus is kind of bold in this area…Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you…Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish will give him a snake? ...your Father in heaven gives good gifts to those who ask him (Matthew 7:7-11). You don’t know… I don’t know… WE don’t know what will be on the other side of the doors of life but WE will pray that the God of good gifts will bless us with whatever we find –even if at first we think it’s a snake only to find out it’s a pet… even if it looks like trouble and turns out to be a blessing! -DAN

Mission Report

Traditionally, the definition of "mission work" has been to supply the spiritual needs of humanity while the term "benevolence work" has been to vide the physical needs. Often situations in the world's political and economic conditions become such as to require the division between the two "works" to be removed. Such a condition now exists in the country of Ethiopia because of a sever famine created by several years of limited rainfall.

For decades. the congregation of Christians at the Woodward Park Church of Christ in Fresno, California has conducted mission programs in Ethiopia that have resulted in hundreds of congregations with thousands of Christians being established. Unfortunately, many of the congregations' members in Ethiopia are on the verge of starvation. In fact, deaths of small children caused by malnutrition have been reported. The Woodward Park congregation, in conjunction with the White Ferry Road congregation and others are diverting some of their mission work resources to obtain food for the starving Ethiopians. 23 Ethiopian men, all church leaders and preachers, have been selected to survey the needs of the various congregations and to distribute the limited resources to those most urgently in need. A project of this magnitude will require more resources than can be supplied by one or two congregations. Financial contributions are needed immediately to prevent starvation for many of our Ethiopian brothers and sisters. Contributions can me made through our local congregations if they are properly identified.

The work of Christians cannot be limited in its scope. if we see a brother or sister in need of food or clothing and do nothing, our faith is dead (paraphrasing James 2:14-17). --ODELL

Senior Saints will be meeting at Ranch Cordova Church of Christ on October 14. For more information, please see George Smith.

The Fall Fun Festival will be on Oct. 31 from 6 to 9 at the building. We are in need of candy donations. if you have any questions or can help, please contact Donna Johnson.