Marathon Ministry Newsletter for March 2007 (archived)

So I also address you as Friend,
Dear Friend,

* * * * * Marathon Ministries in 2006* * * * *

Here’s what happened in 2006. Even before Chase joined us on February 1, we went out to deliver blankets and clothing in coalfield towns, elderly housing and homeless shelters. Chase joined the Ministry on February 1. We opened the new office on March 15, and began giving food & blankets from there until July 6, when we opened the distribution center next door.

“For with God nothing shall be impossible” (Luke 1:37). Without our donors we couldn’t have done any of these things in Christ’s name. We give Him all the glory, praise and honor. “To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever” (Psalm 30:12).

* * * * * Truckin' On Down * * * * *

Our “New To The Ministry” 2000 International Diesel truck has a DT466 (great) engine, new automatic Allison (best) transmission, 18 foot box, carries 8 pallets, and a power lift gate on the back. With only 100,000 miles, for a diesel that’s like new and it looks like new. Our license plate reads: “GOD TRUK” Priced at $22,452, Ryder took $3,000 off so we paid $19,452. When we left for Indianapolis on the 9th we had $13,450 in the truck account. By the 23rd the truck was fully paid off. Any extra will be used to pay the insurance.

* * * * * Good News From Peru * * * * *

“Greetings all. Don’t have much time as I’m getting ready to go out and use the rest of last year’s gift from Marathon Ministry to feed the poor and then get the church open for silent communion. Want to thank you for your prayers and support”. Johnny & Anita Cleaver, missionaries to Peru.

* * * * * Are You Ready for Spring? * * * * *

It’s time once again for the Feinstein (proportional matching) Grant food & funds drive in March & April. We have participated for four years now and in 2006 we received enough to buy 1,661 pounds at the Second Harvest Food Bank. We receive the grant based on how much money and food we raise toward it in those two months. See the enclosed information and coupon.

* * * * * Easter Special for YOU * * * * *

Buy two of our copyrighted Resurrection Mugs in March or April and we will send you a free gift of our exclusive Hebrews 12:1 mug. See the enclosed flyer.

* * * * * Memorial Gifts * * * * *

* * * * * Food Drives for Marathon Ministries Needy Families * * * * *

Two Castlewood High School student organizations have blessed us, Youth Alive (a Christian club) and FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America), held food drives in December for Marathon Ministry. Youth Alive collected food among its members, taking in 73 pounds of food. FBLA conducted a school-wide drive, collecting 889 pounds of food. CGI-AMS Corp. of Lebanon, VA conducted a December food drive among its employees. On December 28th we received 111 pounds. Chiropractor Dr. Stephen Childress of Lebanon did a special November-December food program for us. New patients got a complete evaluation (worth $100) for a $30 donation to Marathon or $30 worth of food for Marathon brought to his office. Food from his program = 12,284 pounds.

* * * * * Bibles for The World * * * * *

Emails from Pastors in India, Nigeria, Kenya and other African Countries ask us for Bibles and Bible study materials for those who cannot afford them. And they tell us the need is urgent! One in India told of 50,000 people at one day’s services. He says: “They all ask us to come and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to the people”. Thus Marathon Ministry’s new “Bibles For The World” program. Send us used Bibles in very good to excellent condition or new bibles to send to these poor but faithful Pastors. This month we sent 20 to Nigeria with 6,750 AIDS gospel tracts. Please also include $5 for each Bible you donate for shipping to other countries. Send the Bibles and your check to: Marathon Ministry Bibles For The World – 19380 Milton Shopping Ctr. US Hwy 58 Castlewood, VA 24224 And mark your check item line: Bibles for the World.
God bless you as you help us to spread the Word of God to the poor!
Jesus is coming soon! (Rev. 22:12)

* * * * * 3 Meals, 1 Day, 1 Dollar * * * * *

We buy our food for 18 cents per pound at 2nd Harvest Food Bank. That’s about 6 pounds for $1. That’s enough for 3 meals. So $1 feeds 1 person 3 meals for 1 day.
See the enclosed flier & coupon. Print your name and number of people you want to feed. Indicate “Feed the Hungry” on your check item line, and it will go for this new Spring program. Cut the coupon and send it with your gift of $1 for each person you want to feed
Donations for this program qualify for the Feinstein grant.

* * * * * Pizza Turns Into Food For the Poor * * * * *

We have sold 157 Pizza Hut cards, and received $1,099. That bought 6,105 pounds of food for our needy coalfields families. The card is good for twelve free medium pizzas. Buy one large, get one medium free worth about $10 - $11. It never expires and it’s good at any participating Pizza Hut in the country. Buy the card from Marathon Ministry for $10 and we get $7 for each one sold. That equals 39 pounds of food. We’re still selling them to buy more food. You can buy yours on our website – www.marathonministry.org, or by phone, call us toll-free at 1-888-736-3684 or by mail at PO Box 771 Castlewood, VA 24224. We ship same day as ordered with no shipping charge.

* * * * * Marathon's First Annual Golf Tournament * * * * *

On April 21st, my 75th birthday we will hold our first ever Golf Tournament. We hope to raise enough money to buy 75,000 pounds of food at Second Harvest Food Bank. That would be 1,000 pounds for each year of my life.

See the reverse side for all information. Copy it and give to any golfers you know.

If you play golf or attempt to this will be a great event with wonderful Christian fellowship and lots of fun (and laughs at the bad shots, especially mine).

Businesses or Individuals can sponsor a hole or tee for $100 donation.
You can even dedicate a hole or tee as a memorial or honor for $100.
A sign commemorating the sponsorship, memorial or honor will be placed in the appropriate spot at each hole.

There will be a Tournament program brochure printed for the event with a special section dedicated to memorials or honors.
There will be memorials and honors for golfers we have known and loved.
There will be memorials and honors for non-golfers we have known and loved.
Each program brochure memorial or honor listing is $50.
I have already donated for two memorials, for my brother Milton and his wife Helen, both of whom loved the game. We played together often in younger years.

For more information or questions call us at 276-762-2378.

* * * * * Marathon Ministry Prayer List, November 2006 - March 2007 * * * * *

“The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16)
The order of names does not reflect the importance of the prayer or the need, if any. It's how they come to us.

Beech Grove UMC * Curtis Brickey * Marlene Chafin * Erika Clay * Keri & Madison Edmonds * Jordan Heranney * Loretta Herndon * Gracie Herron * Anna & Peggy Holbrook * Peggy Ingle * Jon Johnson * Lebanon Memorial UMC * Carl Lewis * Matt Norreus * Wilma Patrick * Lance CPL Christopher Ramey * David Ramsey * George Sargent * Woodmen of the World, Lebanon * Virgie Vandyke
Donna Chappel * David Chase * Ron Cole, Quality Sportscard Show Promotions * Iris Draper * Nehemiah Draper * Jack Fields family * Ethel Hileman * Jimmy & Donna Hileman * Pat Jones * Rev. Bruce & Joyce Martin * Mountain View Community Church * Tim & Lisa McMurray * Cole & Stephanie Osborne & New Baby Girl * Robert & Rachel Roark * Angela Stilton * Denver Stilton * Lois Wright
Brandi Alsup * Angela, Ron, Josh & Chris Anderson * Jason & Julie Bakker * Eddie Cox * Steven Duncan * Jack Field * Gary, Mary, Natalie & Patrick Gardner * Tana Gibson * Jordan Heranney * Wilbur Hurt family * Timothy Olago, Christian Bible Church in Nigeria * Sadie Skeens * Louise Surcey
Jennifer Lee Diel * Derek Duty * Robert Fuller * George & Annette Gosselin * Billy Halcomb * Kathy Hughes * Joseph * Josh & Jessica Lane * Roger & Lawanna McConnell * Robert Pickett * Ellen Ramsey * Ashley, Sarah & Lorrie Ann Ridenbaugh * Jeanette Robinson * Someone in need
Frances Adkins * Whitney Burks * Ingrid Conley * Brenda Dotson * Beth & Tony Easterly * Josh & Jessica Lane * Wayne & Glenda Lane * Bob & Gladys Lapinski * Lebanon High School Fellowship of Christian Athletes * Dennis Leonard * Junior Lester * Nancy Lester * Steve Lester * Monti Thaxton’s daughter
Ronald Adkins * Family of Gerard Doyon * Ralph Duncan * Roger Edmonds * Linda, Harlis & Deanna * Monica Harris * Mike James & Mother * Family of Paul Moore * Pastor Timothy Olago – Nigeria * Dr. Chan Park * Flora & John Pratt * Louise Purkey * Lenutza Rusinac – Romania * Donna Street * Joe Thomas, Jr. family * Jerri Whitner * Lannis & Donna Yeary
Brandi Alsup * Melvin & Barbara Blevins * Roy & Jean Castle * Brad Eure * George Kennedy * Alma Martin * Ashley Mashburn * Rhonda, Heather & Rhyli McGee * John Paire * Pattie Rasnake * Abel Tyson * Evelyn Wright
Katlyn Almany * American Legion Lebanon * Terry Armstrong * Earl & Fina Baker * Brick Baptist Church * Mary Baker * Beech Grove UMC Men * C-Health Lebanon * Calvary Baptist Church * Don & Patricia Carter * David, Missy & Maleah Castle * Jill & Mark Converse * Destiny Outreach Ministries * Rev. Lester Ferguson * Worley Fields * Tana Gibson * Chasity Higgins * Diana Hileman * Tina Hill * Virgie Killen * Scott & Pamela Kroh * Carl Lewis * David & Jennifer McCain * Hettie McConnell * Angie & Patrick Meade * Lois Meade * Morning Star Church * Rebecca & Tim Mowery * Anthony & Melissa Mullins * Cecil & Janice Musick * Rose Porter * Eddie & Debbie Powers * Louise, Ken Purkey * Rita & Willis Rasnake * David & Elaine Riccoboni * Keith Ritchie * Mary Robinson * Arlene Rock * David & Kim Snell * Grace Stratton * Chris & Leonard Summers * Dan & Ecaterina Susman * Nancy Taylor * Cora Lee Thompson * Philip Thompson * Julian & Jan Thorp * Tina & Mark Trent * Dick & Pat Westfall * James White * Jim & Connie White
Alcoa, Inc. * Family of Cora Buckles * Johnny Duncan * Richard Greer * Lisa Hicks * Nancy Jessee * David Mefford * Daven Phillips * Sulphur Springs UMC * Tim Price & Jennifer White
Ada, David & Andrea Hope Cantrell * William D. Clay * Java J’s * David & Mona Lis Justice * John Landry * Harry & Marjorie Lindner * Lillie Mae & Woodrow * Pastor Bruce & Joyce Martin * Praiseworthy News * Children of Jackie Williams
Karis Castle * George Kennedy * Bill & Sandy Lawson * Orville “Steve” Lester * Leonie McCoy * Montana McCoy * Lynn Mitchin * John Pratt * Pastor Denis Ruhorimbere – Rwanda * Jessee Stillwell * Union Mission
Sarah Adams * Joanne, Mark, Sierra & Brandon Allen * Mike Altenbach * Josh Anderson * Luella Bartee * Lisa Blackson * Billy Hayes Blankenship Thomas Blankenship * William Blankenship * Zenaida, Letty, Gerry, Rey & mother Bongato * Abel, Adam & Rachel Briggs * James Deary * Mary Deary * Linda Ford & her father * Bob Hancock * Betty & Ann Holbrook * Joe’s Barber & Style Shop * The Albert Justice Family * Craig Kaderavek * Pam Keith * Judy Little * Manila, Philippine Bible Study * Medical Mission to Philippines 2008 * Linda McCoy * Lynn Mitchin * Margie Munsey * Corbin & Frances Nash * Jennie Patrick * Brenda Phillips * Dee Quesenberry * Carroll Rasnick * Jessica Robinson * Jackie Townsend * Jessee Stillwell * Connie Vance * Abe & Glenna Wells * Vickie Willerson * Tina Williams * Ralph Wilson * Ellen Winkler * WXLZ Radio
Margaret Akers * Alice Arbuckle * Lisa Blackson * Bristol Animal Clinic * Veronica & Greg Broadwater * Cora Buckles * Natasha Christian * Josephine D. * Patricia Davis * L. Jackson Doyle II * Robert Ferrell * Mary Greer * Jim & Suzanne Heckman * Sam Hileman * Kenneth & Helen Hilling * Peggy Holbrook * Denise Jessee * Nancy Jessee * Jerry Jimeson * Jeff Jones * Dickie & Sandra Justice * Karen Keebler * Autumn Killen * Kitty & Buck Kiser * Teddy Kiser * Lauren, Steve, baby in womb & 2 year old * Chester Lark * Joyce Lawson * Steven Lester * Mary, Carter & Augusta Long * Ralph Lowe * Jennifer St. Marie * Pam McCoy * Lester McKinnon * Elisha McNeil * Mary McReynolds * Ramona Mefford * Morgan McClure * Kaylee Mae Mullins 13 mos. * Roger Mullins * Stacie Mullins * Shatan Newman * Onesmus Mark Omesa * David Owens family * Randy Parris * Jimmie Perkins * Tim Price – Iraq * Joseph Puckett * Shannon Rice * Jim & Darlene Rice * Kerri Robinson * Oscar, Elsie & Elaine Sheldon * Jennifer St. Marie * Amber Steffey * Darlene Steffey * Betty Stevens * Lisa Sykes * Tops & Bottoms * Our Friend in China * Roy Treadmore * Mary Tunnell * Ike Turner * Erik Vinson * Velena Wheatley
Ron & Angela Anderson * Josh Anderson * Mona Austin * Dr. Dwight & Debbie Bailey * David Bennett * Cody Bentley * Blevins Tire * Bookkeeping Service of Coeburn * Zenaida Bongato * * John, Candy & Nathaniel Luke Bush * Joyce, Gary & Jay Camper * Dale & Nancy Carter * Castlewood Signs * Donna Chappell * Audrey Chisholm * Steven, Christie, Samuel & Luke Childress * Beth Cooper * Scott, Jan, Ben, Natalia, & Martha Cooper * Ruth Cooper * Louise, Nancy & Kenneth Couch * Nina Cox * Shayne & Vicki Crenshaw * Claude & Steve Crumley * Eddie” & Cynthia DeVincent * Gerard & Lorraine Doyon * Lewis Epstein * Ernie’s Drug * Brad Eure * Family Health Care Assoc. * Philip, Shelia, Brittany & Tiffany Fleming * Sherrill & Glenda Flick * Spencer Foster * Sharon Gobble * Katie Gorski * Larry & Betty Haas * Sami & Mari Havrisciuc & children – Romania * Jack & Carol Healey * Peggy & Anna Holbrook * House of the Lord Church * Morgan & Gloria Houser * J & C Industries * Pastor Greg & Karin Kain * John Keesee * Rev. Joe & Carolyn Kost * Alvin & Josephine Kutka * Dora & Sarah LaVenture – Canada * Brenda Lay * Lebanon Insurance Agency * Jeremiah Lieberman * Stan & Barbara Litchfield * Dennis & Sandra Leonard * Lone Pine Exterminating * Mary Mallari * Aurius J. “Pat” & Bertha Mahue * Bob & Shirley Mumpower * Northgate Chevron * Pleasant Hill Baptist Church * Allen, Rhonda, Chase & Amber Porter * Doug, Jackie, Jennifer & Jessica Pounds * Joan Preisendanz * Daniel, Constanza, Samuel, Gabriel, Benjamin & Roxanna Purdel – Romania * Pastor Joe & Freda Ramey * Al & Agnes Sanchirico * George Sargent * Travis & Rachel Shortt * Chester Sikorski III * The Smith Family Trust - Wayne Smith * Bob, Pam, Esther & Rebecca Spiegle * Terry Stone & children * Goldie Townes * Tri-State Signs * Joe Vasques * Terry Vicars * Diana Wallace * Sharon & Bill Wilmoth * Lillian Worley * Charlie & Nola Wright * Mary & Sandy Wyatt * Yellow Springs Independent Church * John C. & Audrey Zanellis * John M. & Denise Zanellis * Chris, Charlene, Rachel, Trevor, Matthew & Jennie Zanellis * Ted, Barbara, Joshua, Sarah & Daniel Zanellis

For the Peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6)
For Israel at war
For our church partners.
For President George W. Bush, our Nation and Government Leaders, For God to intervene
For the victims of terrorists, natural disasters, and their families around the world to know Yeshua HaMashiach
For our troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and around the world, for God’s safety & salvation for lost
For the businesses that display our donation jars and their customers that put in the money
For our distributions to the poor at our distribution center and in the coalfield towns
As always, we ask that you keep me, Chase and Marathon Ministry in your prayers.
For God to provide Marathon Ministry a new truck and warehouse Distribution Center