FHL Update: Kindness Weekend - Faith Is Renewed, Hope Is Nurtured, and Love Is In Action In Our City!

With a heart filled with faith, hope, and love, mountains can be moved and work made light. The Lord's workers proved the truth of that by offering themselves throughout a very busy weekend for FHL International on several projects.

Kindness Weekend for October 18th and 19th began with prayer outside the new FHL International corporate offices located in Castleton! There were over 30 volunteers working in four shifts from Northview Christian Life who worked not only on the FHL office, but the entire complex. They picked up trash, raked leaves, cleaned windows and worked on the inside of the new FHL corporate offices. The Northview Christian Life volunteers also completed several other projects throughout Indianapolis, all under the direction and coordination of FHL International.

Over 80 volunteers from Northview cleaned up 6 blocks of the 25th and Dearborn neighborhood and several volunteers through BRAG cleaned up the Binford and 71st neighborhood.

FHL was also blessed by our Lord with the means to provide frozen food to Living Water Ministries. Edward Figueroa and his wife, Gena, have literally, over the past 5-6 years, provided shelter in their own home to over 500 homeless people!

Many people were blessed this weekend by the loving hands of their neighbors. As, Merlin Gonzales, Founder of FHL International, Inc. said: "Truly, faith is renewed, hope is nurtured and love is in action in our city!". Praise the Lord!

If you want to become a Faith, Hope, and Love volunteer and work on a 'mission trip in your own backyard', please contact info@fhlinternational.org or call 317-372-0371

Please Note: FHL Mobile Food Pantry at Save The Youth Center on October 25!

Please Note: that the date for the Mobile Food Pantry has changed from Nov 1st. It has been moved up to this SATURDAY, OCT. 25, 2008. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. FHL International, Inc. endeavors to meet the needs of those in need where they are and this sometimes causes plans to be changed. (Prov. 19:21) We thank God for you and for your willingness to be flexible and stand in readiness to help. - FHL, International, Inc., Merlin Gonzales, Founder and CEO.


Please mark your FHL calendars for October 25, 2008. The Mobile Food Pantry will be located at the Save the Youth Center on Saturday to serve those in need in the area. If you need help, please come by. If you would like to help us and your neighbors by volunteering, please contact us by phone at (317)923-5642 or email us at: info@fhlinternational.org or visit our website @ http://fhlinternational.org Thank you and God bless you

Time: Saturday, October 25, 2008
Location: 1704 Trumbal St. , Indianapolis IN, 46218
Contact: (317) 923-5642

FHL Update: New Prayer Groups, ESL Classes, and Kindness Weekends

A few weeks ago, during the Transform Indiana meeting, FHL shared an idea of forming and empowering prayer groups in Indianapolis. If we could agree to pray together and ask the Holy Spirit to speak to our hearts, Christians in Indy would be more open to work together. After only 2 meetings, several prayer facilitators agreed to work together to provide 24/7 prayer groups around the city. We feel that there will be more exciting news to come about this development . If you are interested in getting involved with this group, please contact info@fhlinternatonal.org

Several months ago, Merlin Gonzales was approached by 21-year old volunteer of FHL International, Inc. regarding leading an English as Second Language (ESL) Class . He asked her to wait until the FHL Week (and the many FHL-related projects) were over. So she approached him again a few weeks later. After many prayers and much planning, the first ESL Class was launched on Thursday, Oct. 16th with 20 students.

The FHL Kindness Weekend in Castleton will be held on Saturday & Sunday, Oct. 18 & 19. There will be dozens of volunteers from various organizations who will be serving the community unconditionally. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact info@fhlinternatonal.org

Faith, Hope, and Love, International, Inc. is dedicated to transforming our city, one neighborhood at a time.

Simple ABC's of Ministry

Identify needs and identify resources. From the very start of the ministry that God had me started, the ministry had been focused on 2 items: Needs and Resources. So I contacted several pastors and community leaders and asked them to meet together to identify those 2 items in our community. We came up with less than a dozen projects, mobilized 7 churches and inspired 200+ volunteers to serve unconditionally. What turned out to be just a one-time 'local mission' became an international ministry within 3 years. The concept (which is not new) is now adopted as far as Cartagena, Colombia.

Join in with what God is doing (and with others who has the heart to transform our community). 2 quick stories:

Southport Presbyterian Church (SPC) was looking for additional projects for their youth. I hooked them up with Jerome Jorman to paint his newly purchased house to be used as 'Group Home' and with David Woodrupp to paint a house of an elderly near the urban area. The result: 2 houses were painted and several changed lives.

Northview Christian Life Church in Carmel was looking for additional projects to mobilize their congregation (see www.nvcl.org for more info on Life on Loan). I contacted the city of Indianapolis Neighborhood Liaison Office and shared with them the opportunity. They came up with projects, hooked them up with Northview. On the 18th & 19th, dozens of volunteers will be helping our city unconditionally.

Identification, connection and mobilization. Identify the needs and resources and connecting them through mobilization of the community. Simple ABC's of Ministry...