Teachers Saving Children® Inc. - National
Newsletter
Volume 11, Number 5
June 2001
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"But just as you excel in everything - in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us - see that you also excel in this grace of giving."
God wants every member of His family to be at his or her best. There is so much work to be done for Him and for others in His name. Daily, each of us need to be earnestly seeking to develop the gifts and graces that He wants to manifest in and through our lives.
Practicing the grace of sharing with others is a very special and joyful privilege. Over the past seven years the Lord has blessed Teachers Saving Children® in so many ways as many have shared their gifts in and through this organization. We give thanks with grateful hearts for each TSC member and others who have supported us with their prayers and their financial giving. We have sought and continue to very carefully seek the Lord's direction with all of our financial decisions. Financially TSC has been able to work with a very limited budget and still be effective with the resources that the Lord has provided.
During the September 23, 2000 TSC Board of Trustees meeting, the trustees made a decision to make application for an exhibit booth at the NEA RA in Los Angeles. This decision was made by faith as there was no money neither budgeted nor available for this endeavor. As requested by the board, the application was prepared and mailed on November 4, 2000. On May 23, 2001, written approval was received for the exhibit space and no restrictions were received regarding our materials.
We praise the Lord as over the past eight months He has been faithful in providing the finances needed to cover the exhibit rental and miscellaneous fees. Thank you to each of you who have already given towards this special endeavor.
The theme of the exhibit is "The Wonder of Life" with the purpose being to promote and provide educational classroom materials, especially for science and health teachers. All materials that will be displayed and distributed are age-appropriate, positive, colorful, and scientifically accurate regarding the wonder of life in utero. It is our hope to prepare 300 bags of free educational materials for distribution. The initial estimated total cost of this distribution endeavor would be approximately $1000. Although seemingly a large expense to provide these free materials, the Lord will provide the financial means for the materials He wants distributed.
As I have been checking inventory to determine what materials need to be purchased, I find that financially the "exhibit" line item balance is very low. Furthermore, this year we will need additional funds to ship the entire display and all the materials to California. The time is very near for us to make the final order for display and distribution materials. The final order must be made no later than June 15th since materials must be received and prepared for shipping by June 22nd.
Not many individuals may be able to give large amounts of money to work of the Lord, specifically towards this ministry opportunity that TSC has in Los Angeles. But regular giving can amount to a great deal. If each of the 349 TSC members would contribute $5 - less than the cost of one meal - $1745 would be generated. Imagine the amount of educational materials that could be purchased and distributed! Imagine the many educators who will be touched by this display! Imagine the smile of a baby boy or girl who has been given life because a heart was touched and changed!
The Lord has laid a mission field before us by opening the door for TSC to go and be the "light" in a place of darkness. I believe that in this battle to defeat the stronghold of abortion the Lord will use this display and these materials to educate and change the hearts and lives of hundreds of individuals. The harvest is ripe! Why not excel in the grace of giving as we faithfully use this opportunity from the Lord to promote the respect for life. Prayerfully consider being a part of this special endeavor by sending in your contribution today. Each child born into this world will thank you for your contribution towards educating teachers about "The Wonder of Life".
Note: Please make checks payable to "TSC Inc. - National". Please carefully note how the amount given is to be designated ("NEA Exhibit") so that the contribution will be appropriately allocated.
When she became pregnant a few months later, she was overjoyed, but at 12 weeks into this pregnancy she again thought she miscarried. Her doctor prescribed the usual D&C. Catherine felt God was telling her that she was still pregnant and she refused the D&C. The doctor prescribed an ultrasound. On the screen were two babies turning in different directions. Catherine knows that God spared her twins' lives that day. She was thankful and wondered "Why a double miracle for me, God?" Catherine was sent home for bed rest, told she was at high risk for loosing the babies, and that her life was in danger if the placentas tore again. While home on bed rest she began to research prenatal development to track the growth of her twins to 24 weeks gestation, the age of viability.
Catherine is a full time elementary art teacher and owned a small home business sculpting one inch scale dolls for doll house stores. Naturally Catherine began to sculpt life size models of her pre-born twins so she and her daughters could see how big the twins were as they grew. She read many different medical texts, obstetrical charts and measurements, and found many photos of pre-term babies to make her models as accurate as possible.
At 5 months into the pregnancy Catherine contracted pleurisy and was again hospitalized. A team of doctors came into her room and said "You have a very contagious and deadly strain of pneumonia. We don't know what this medicine will do to your twins, but if you don't take it, you will die." Catherine prayed, asked God to spare her twins, and with peace in her heart, she took the medicine. God granted her prayers.
At 31 weeks gestation her water broke and she was hospitalized again. One week later an emergency C-section was preformed. The twins were born at 32 weeks gestation and were put in the NICU for three weeks. While in the NICU Catherine saw several "Children's Miracle Network" babies who were born at 24 weeks gestation. Catherine and her miracles, John & Calvin, came home with her husband and two daughters. The twins grew and so did Catherine's desire to do something with her talents to honor God for sparing her life and her twins.
God has given Catherine in her free time over the past 6 years the ability to hand sculpt life size portrait doll/models to represent preemie babies ages 2-32 weeks gestation. Catherine has also researched and learned a doll artist technique to make silicone molds of her original dolls. They are hand cast, one at a time, in her own home. These pro-life dolls are called "God's Little Ones." Inspired by the words of Jesus in Matthew 18:14 (KJV) "Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish," Catherine has donated free of charge, one of each of her finished dolls to TSC to take to the NEA Expo 2001. Please pray that God will used the models to open hearts to the truth and beauty of human development.
Editor's Note: The TSC National Board of Trustees expresses their deepest gratitude and thanks to Catherine Jacobs for this special donation.. You can learn more about these dolls/models @ www.godslittleones.com or by writing to the artist %God's Little Ones, Box 4069, Elmira, NY 14904. Catherine knows the answer to "Why me, God?" is "Because it will bring honor to His name."
It is vital that you contact your delegates to the NEA Representative Assembly, letting them know your philosophy on various issues. If you have a delegate(s) from your local attending the NEA convention, contact should be easy. However, many locals do not or cannot send delegates to the NEA RA. Therefore, state at-large delegates or cluster delegates need to be contacted. If you need the names and addresses of your delegate(s), please contact your local president or your NEA State Affiliate office.
Get involved by contacting your NEA delegates! Remind them to vote according to the wishes of the membership they represent! And then hold them accountable! They are your representatives!
"Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously ruled that the amount unions spend to organize new members and new locals cannot be charged to non-members in the form of agency fees. The decision overturned a ruling by the National Labor Relations Board. The financial impact on unions is unknown, but it does leave them with an internal public relations problem. If organizing refunds are small, it will constitute an admission by the unions that they're no longer devoting the resources to organizing that they used to."
We are currently accepting new memberships for the 2001-2002 membership year. Any new memberships received after June 1st are good until August 31, 2002. Renewal membership information will be sent to all current members in early July.
Please help the TSC office keep accurate records by verifying all membership information. Please make sure your membership forms are accurate, complete, signed, and dated. Thank you.
Ohio: The Ohio TSC Board of Trustees met on February 24, 2001 at which time they elected their officers for the 2001-2002 fiscal year: Connie Bancroft, Executive Director; Gary Winney, Assistant Executive Director; Lisa Rudloff, Secretary; and David Kaiser, Treasurer. The Ohio Affiliate State Chapter currently has 143 members. (TSC Inc. of Ohio, PO Box 125, Damascus OH 44619-0125).
Pennsylvania: The Pennsylvania TSC Board of Trustees met on March 31, 2001 at which time they elected their officers for the 2001-2002 fiscal year: Michael Grella, Executive Director; Robin Ross, Assistant Executive Director; Linda Burroughs, Treasurer; and Barbara Purcell, Secretary. The Pennsylvania State Chapter currently has 53 members. (TSC of PA, Inc., PO Box 214, Pen Argyl PA 18072).
Other State Affiliates: Although the time for formal application may not occur until later, there is definite potential for an Affiliate State Chapter within other states. Individuals from Massachusetts, Minnesota, and New York have contacted TSC requesting information to start an Affiliate State Chapter. These individuals are looking for other who would be willing to help them with the affiliation process. If you are interested in helping individuals from any of these three states or are interested in getting a TSC Affiliate State Chapter started in your state, please contact TSC for further information.
A special thanks to those individuals who have distributed brochures and have encouraged teachers and other concerned citizens to join. Thanks for your support as we work together in educating our colleagues and friends about the value and sanctity of life.
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