Both Hands

Posted on by Spanky Rouse
I know that you have heard those stories before too. The ones that make something in side of you leap, your heart melt, and passion overflow. Today I meet with a friend that went to Uganda with us a couple years ago and he shared one of those stories…he and his family call it “LIFE”. 


After returning 2 years ago from Uganda Matt and Kim felt the Lord leading them to adopt a child from Africa not because they are unable to have children, they have 3 of their own, but because God called them to stand up for the needed of this world. Matt, Kim, and their children know that as Christ followers we are to love and take care of the orphans.  As they have learned it can take a long time and it is extremely expensive to adopt one precious boy or girl from Ethiopia, so they decided to just go ahead and take home siblings. They are leveraging all that God has given their family to change the lives (forever) of 2 children that have been discarded. Heros of the faith!


It is going to be just a little bit longer until they can bring these beautiful children home but until then…


Matt and Kim partnered with an organization call Both Hands to make a difference in a widow’s life and her 4 children. They took James 1:27 serious, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress…” I would love for you to read about this project and watch the short video showing the work they did… and did all in the name of Jesus! http://bothhandsfoundation.org/matt-and-kim-ward.aspx I would also encourage (implore!) you to support them as they are still in need of $15K more for their adoption.


What if we all took the responsibility to stand in the gap for a life like an orphan or widow. You could be someones miracle that they are waiting on, YES even you.

Teacher Appreciation

Posted on by Spanky Rouse

As you all know this year I have been focusing much of my time on this community project with Piney Grove. We have been able to serve the families and staff of this school in many life changing and impactful ways. Loving and serving for the purpose of His fame in this community!photo-24-2

Last Wednesday it happened again and we weren’t even expecting it. We were able to bless the teachers and staff at Piney Grove Elementary in a simple but powerful way. Last week was teacher appreciation week so we thought we would do a little something for this amazing staff, they truly are amazing too. **From their mouths, “we are called to this and there is nothing we would rather do than teach these children that don’t have much help or hope.”** We completely under estimated the effect it would have on these teachers and us. It was a simple breakfast and lunch done up in an exceptional way that touched their hearts.

“You have no idea what this does for these teachers, to know that a group of people really care about them and this school.”

“We never get anything special here, this is a real treat!”

“LOVED not having to make my breakfast and lunch this morning!”

“We really feel loved today. Thank you!”

“We are not allowed to leave school for lunch, so to get a special lunch like this is great!”

“RIDGE CHURCH, RIDGE CHURCH, RIDGE CHURCH”

“WOW you are have been here all day serving us?!?!”

“Can you guys come back every week? We love having you guys here.”

To top it all off we left 4 gift baskets full of candy, chocolates, snacks, sunglasses, pins, markers, etc. I can only explain what happened when we brought them out by referring to what happens when you bring out a bag of candy in a third world country and the kids spot it. It was like Christmas for these teachers and I found out why from my contact at the school. She told me that NO one has ever gone this over the top and done something like this for the staff at Piney Grove Elementary, and we really didn’t do much we thought.

As we were leaving that day I got multiple high fives, hugs, smiles, and Thank You’s which leaves me thinking of how big of an impact this day is might be on the teachers but also the children they care for each day. We will never know the fullness of our serving and giving to this community but we know the gift there is in being obedient to the Father and loving those here, THERE, and everywhere.

Cancer crushes – Generosity brings hope

Posted on by Spanky Rouse
rtIMG_1706I walked into Piney Grove Elementary this morning to drop off some presents that a family had left Sa
turday at the Unexpected Christmas Store and was reminded what a difference Ridge Church is making in this community

. I was bombarded with hugs and ‘thank you’s from the principal and the administration as I walked into the office, because of the ripple effect the Unexpected Christmas Store and Ridge Church’s partnership has already had on these families.

When I left there this morning I was reminded of one the most heart breaking stories that

has come from the 14 families that were able to come shop at the Unexpected Christmas Store. This family ca
me to the store Saturday morning with a life story that would break the
average person into and leave them with no hope. As this single mom came in I could again see the heaviness on her face but could have never imagined what she is going through. We began her shopping experience by piling bags upon bags on a table and all around the floor for her and her 4 childre

n. When I brought her into the room to look over everything and she was in absolute shock.

“This is ALL for us?!?!”
“Yes ma’am. We wanted to make sure we could take care of your wish list and give you a bunch of household items that you could possibly use.”

Hugs and tears flowed but more than that smiles and joy began to appear. When she was done looking through all of it I told her that we still wanted her to go shop and pick out some cool toys and things her children would love to open from her on Christmas morning. But before she finished her shopping I told her that we had one more big item for her. I showed her a very nice dresser that The Blacklion had donated to the store for this family. She did not not
ice what a nice piece it was at first, she noticed that it had 4 drawers. “God must have known that I needed this since it has 4 drawers. Now we have one drawer for each child!”
This is when she began sharing her family’s story with me. Her oldest son who is ten years old was diagnosed with Lymphoma cancer last year. This crushed her and this journey was crushing the whole family. The only option for saving her son was to try and have another child. She did get pregnant and had a wonderful little baby boy, who was there with her at the store. The doctors saved the stem cells from the baby’s umbilical cord to use for the older son’s cancer treatments. So with the cost of having another child, having to pay for cancer treatments and becoming a single mother of 4 the family began to lose everything. They gave up their house, car, sold all they had even furniture, and now live in an extended stay hotel. The mother told me that this entire Christmas break they are spending their time at a cancer hospital in NYC. That was the extent of their Christmas until the Unexpected Christmas Store. This mom was so happy when she left that she went and got her children and came back. This time when she walked in her face was full of hope.
Most of us could never imagine having to go through what this family is faced with and most of us would never imagine being as generous as the small group was that took this family’s wish list and went over and beyond. I truly believe that when we realize how blessed we are and with what responsibility comes with those blessings we can change the world and make a lasting impact…maybe one family at a time.

Thank you Father for allowing us to be apart of this family’s transition from being crushed by life to a season of HOPE. We don’t always see the effect of our generosity but thank you for allowing us to see just a glimpse of the reward this day and allowing us the opportunity to give!

The Gospel Coming to Life

Posted on by Spanky Rouse

This week the staff of Ridge Church were sitting around sharing stories and talking about wins from the past weekend at the Unexpected Christmas Store (http://rousehousehappenings.blogspot.com/2011/12/unexpected-christmas-store.html) Patrick our Family Ministry Director was telling us about the lady that he was able to help host at the store Saturday. She is a mother of 2 elementary age children that attend Piney Grove school and she also volunteers there at the school. This mother was previously in the military for 10 years and she has some deep emotional and mental scares but not from what you would think. Anyone who serves our country probably has some degree of emotional damage from war and horrific combat situations but this lady’s troubles while serving our country were brought on by her fellow soldiers. She was sexually abused for many years in the military.IMG_1570

Now being removed from that environment this mother of 2 still faces her past every day. When she walked through the doors of the Unexpected Christmas Store I saw hurt, defeat, sadness, and trouble on her face. Our host team quickly greeted her when she walked through the doors and took her on a ‘red carpet’ shopping spree through this store that was set up just for her and the families at Piney Grove Elementary. Our goal was to bless them with much needed household items items and gifts for Christmas but even more importantly we wanted to let these families know that Jesus loves them and has not forgotten them during these tough times they face.

While Patrick was helping pack her car full of wrapped presents and Christmas decorations this mother that is burden with her past shared this with him. “I often feel like I’m not loved, but today I know that you guys love me and my family. Today I’m loved.” As Patrick said in this meeting, “this is the fullness of the Gospel.” Taking people who don’t feel loved, giving ourselves to them for the purpose of showing them that someone great loves them more than anything else, and then they see Christ in all of it. This is the Gospel coming to life!

“Little children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and truth.” 1 John 3:18
“And the King will answer them and say, ‘As you did it to one of the least of these my brothers you did it to me.'” Matthew 25:40

Unexpected Christmas Store

Posted on by Spanky Rouse
IMG_1608Saturday was one of the coolest day’s that I have every been able to experience and be apart of! At Ridge church we signed the lease on our first 24/7 facility and less than 12 hours later we had created a Christmas store for 14 families from Piney Grove. This year we have chosen to serve and partner with the Piney Grove Elementary community to make a lasting difference and show Jesus’ love. This Christmas store is just one of the ways Ridge Church wants to bless this community by providing Christmas for families. We received the wish list and list of needs from 14 families in this school that are facing tough times this year. With the Christmas store set up parents were able to come do their own shopping and this would allow them to be the heroes in their home not Ridge Church.

Saturday morning was the first day the store would be open for the parents to come enjoy this red carpet shopping experience. We had no way of knowing the impact this would have on these parents and we were left speechless and yes full of tears. We heard some heart breaking stories that will now be filled with hope this season. These were not just families that were struggling but families that are in desperate need! A mother that had be sexually abused, a single mom of 3 whose husband died a couple years ago, a teenage daughter who has to raise 2 elementary age children, and a grandma of 4 who received chemo moments before she came shopping and she just told the children that they were not going to be celebrating Christmas this year because they had no money for gifts or decorations. The one story that I can’t get out of my mind is this one of a foster mom trying to help the real mom get established with her children. IMG_1621

I had the opportunity of hosting these two ladies on Saturday, the mom and foster mom. We had bought toys, shoes, coats, pi’s, underwear, socks, blankets, sheets, and a lot more for this family. The foster mom shared with us on the families wish list that was sent home of her desire to help this mom since she has just moved into her own apartment, so we bought somethings for the mom too. When we brought out the multiple bags full of gifts they were in amazement and the tears rolled down their face. They could not believe all of this. The mothers thought that they were just going to get a few little toys for the kids not bags of gifts for the whole family. After they had time to look at all of the gifts I told them that I we had one more gift for them. I took them over to these boxes and said, “you told us that your kids needed a bed to sleep on so…” The foster mom said, “NOOO WAAYYYY! You did not get some beds?!?!” I said, ” we actually got you brand new beds from Ikea with new mattresses, mattresses covers, and down comforters.” ** And a side note, a family in our church felt like the Lord was telling them to go buy some beds when they heard about the store. How cool is it when people are obedient to His leading!** The two mom’s began crying, hugging me and each other, and yelling over and over, “THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!” It was like an episode of Opera’s Favorite things giveaway. The foster mom told me that this would definitely be the best Christmas that these 2 children will have ever had.

This day was about two things: blessing families that needed it and providing a way for the people of Ridge to be generous and serve together. Mission accomplished, no wait mission exceeded! We have one more day of the Unexpected Christmas Store this coming Saturday so please be praying for Ridge Church and the 9 families that will come shopping.

Proverbs 11:25, A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.

Thank You from Piney Grove

Posted on by Spanky Rouse

This is a pretty cool ‘Thank You’ card that I received from the school and the PTA after our last work day out at Piney Grove. I am so thankful that I am the one that gets to see all of their appreciation and excitement. We are not serving and giving to this school, these families, and community so that our church name can be made more famous, or to make us feel good about ourselves. We are not even trying to convert people to our belief each time we go out there. Our purpose is to give more fame to our Father, show this community and these people His love, and be about good works that He has prepared for us. I do believe that in our continuing support and service,His name will be more famous in that community and our hearts will be more satisfied.

Ephesians 2:10 (The Message) No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and the saving. He creates each of use by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.

Serving and Creating Community, part 2

Posted on by Spanky Rouse
Ridge Organizing Bookbags
serve·ice: noun /ˈsərvis/ services, plural / serving, verb
The action of helping, assisting, or doing for someone

When I think about the “church”, God’s people, I think that this should be one of the main pillars of who we are and what we are doing. Serving those around us, those in our world, country, city, and especially in our community. Doing for others, giving of our resources, spending our time investing, using who we are and what we have for the purpose of loving on those that are not in the church and those who are just in need! I think about that popular section of scripture in the beginning of the book of Acts where Jesus says,”…and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all of Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:7b

Let us get started right where we are, our Jerusalem, with the people in our community. I feel like for years and even the past generations we have been talking about what needs to be done and now is the time to do! Church, let us be bothered by the things that bother our heavenly Father and do something about it. Let us be the Gospel in action and take steps to make a difference ! This is where this passion for serving our community has come from in me and Ridge Church. We looked at the community around Piney Grove Elementary School and said something has to happen. We were bothered with the drugs, gangs, poverty, low test scores, challenges, and homelessness of families that is growing just 3 miles from our church. We got together and said that we were not ok that this and something has to change! This something we knew that was going to have to start with the “church”. Ridge decided that we were going to take our time, energy, resources, and volunteers and try to make a difference among this community. As we began making plans and putting it into action we found that others had this same passion but just needed the opportunity to do “something”. As a result we have partnered with 2 other churches in our community to make a lasting difference in the Piney Grove neighborhood. And so, we began by providing book bags and school supplies for the families that would not be able to do this for them self. This seems small but we believe that this first step has truly made a huge impact on families in this community. And the exciting part of is that this is only the beginning!

If we are not making an impact for Jesus in our community, city, and so forth are we really His Church? Are we fulfilling His purpose for our lives? Where can we start? What needs are there? What resources and opportunities has God given us to use to make a real difference?

We are created for good works (Ephesians 2:10) for His glory! Serving is fun,satisfying, and sometimes serving can even bring a sense of meaning to this life! Try it and see what can happen in your community.

Serving and Creating Community

Posted on by Spanky Rouse

photo-10Serving others in our community is one of he most valuable things in my life along with creating spiritual/relational community. With out community in our lives who is going to listen, love, and help lead us week after week, year after year, and season after season of life. I believe that we were created to be relational and if we don’t have the relation aspect in life then we will ultimate feel less fulfilled. I want to share over the next few blogs about the latest opportunity my family and I had to “serve” our community and how that in its self built community in lives.

I have been working on putting a project together this summer and it just took flight this week. I have been working with Ridge Church, New Charlotte Church, and others to provide 600 bags full of school supplies for children at Piney Grove Elementary that are among some of the neediest in our area. This is one of the first steps we are taking this year to see a difference in this community. Simple and easy way to connect people.

I really wanted to take this first blog to share some of the responses and excitement from the families, teachers, and volunteers of that evening. It was an amazingly touching night. More details of the actual project to come later. It was a fun and exciting event that will produce life change over and over.

So, here is what we heard from parents, kids, teachers, and administration that evening when we passed out these book bags:

“FREE? Really!”

Brother, “I got a free back pack!” Sister: “Me too! and mine is BRAND new!” They then sat down on the sidewalk so they could see what was inside. It looked much like a Christmas morning. Sister: “Look everything in new, like never been used! Notebooks, paper, and even pencils!” Mom stands over them with a big smile.

Teacher, “Wow! this is amazing! How did you get so many book bags and why?”

Administration, ” What a blessing, what a blessing, what a blessing. Thank you so much. You have no idea what this will mean.”

Principal, “This is amazing! We appreciate your help! We love you Ridge Church.”

Councilor, “A parent said to me after they got a book bag with supplies ‘Did you know that they gave us a new book bags and school supplies…for FREE!’ They are making a difference!”

“I love my backpack! It looks cool.”

“I bought my daughters school supplies but I haven’t been able to buy my boy’s yet.” Volunteer, “He can come get a book bag and school supplies here for free.” Mom, “Really, thank you so much.”

“Hot-dogs too!!”

Administration, “Speechless”

“I saw the kids faces and you don’t know what this real means to these families…my family. I love Ridge Church”

Volunteer responses:

5th grade kid from Ridge, “This is so much fun! It just feels good too.”

“Man, I love this kinda stuff!”

“If I could have a job doing this all day everyday…That would be great!”

“better than I thought!”

“How cool is this!”

“I have already teared up once and I just got here”

“What an awesome day!”

Teenager, “Can I go give that kid a hot-dog and book bag!?”

“This is the best way I could think of ending the summer!”

“I feel so blessed to be apart of this!”

Mac, my son, “I love serving and giving to others. This is fun!”

“What is the next project we can serve at here at Piney Grove?!?!”

Hearts were touched, and we were able to take one step closer to seeing real life change here in the Piney Grove community!

A story worth telling

Posted on by Spanky Rouse

UG11D Gulu 200
We were all crammed in the back seat of an old 4 wheel drive Landcruiser when Joseph began telling us about his previous interaction with the Karamajong people. Joseph Nelson Elyanu is an older man with some white hair, big belly, and a huge smile. He brings joy to everyone that is around him. Joseph loves and truly lives for Jesus everyday. He was going with us to this new area called Karamoja to make relationships with the Karamajong people.

Ovre the past couple decades the Karamajong have been known for being violent and brutal. When someone would ask us where we were traveling to and we told them Karamoja, they would either laugh because they didn’t believe us or get a look of fear on their face. For me this place and these people were just stories and pictures of a far reaching people group, until Joseph told his story.

In the back seat of the car Joseph began telling us his encounters with the Karamajong. He said that many years ago when he was in bible school they came and raided his village and eventually made their way to his house. Joseph and his family heard the guns so they ran and hid in the bush so when the warriors came to their house they could not find them. The Karamajong warriors yield for them but none of them came because they knew that they would kill them. A few years later the warriors came back to Joseph’s village this time when they couldn’t find Joseph, his wife and 4 boys they got mad and set fire to their house, books, clothes, and everything they had. Joseph and his family had to look on from a distance and watch everything they had be taken away from them. They then had to live in a refugee camp for many years until the government could take control. Joseph was finally able to finished school and rebuilt his home, but it took many years and was a hard struggle.

As Joseph is telling me this story I am felling anger build up in my own heart. I asked him, “how in the world could he ever think about going to this village even though it has been so many years. Do you not have any hate in your heart towards them for all that they have done to you and your family?” Joseph turns to look at me and with an intense face he says, “how can I hate these people after all that Jesus has done for me? If anything I praise God for giving me the opportunity to go with you and share the love and forgiveness of Jesus with them. God sure is writing a good story.” This conversation and Joseph’s commitment to the Gospel left me almost speechless for the next 4 hours. I keep thinking about the “story” that God is writing.

The time we spent with the Karamajong was so amazing. One of my high lights was to see how Joseph played with the children, talked to every person that came anywhere near him, and how he had the biggest smile on his face as though it was Christmas. Joseph’s story is one that I will never forget. It’s about love, forgiveness, and the difference that Christ can make when He is the author of your stories and life.

Rodeo Viejo – Even the frogs praise!

Posted on by Spanky Rouse
PA10J-Rodeo Viejo 053
A few nights after we had been there in this village of Roedo Viejo we saw God doing great things. The second night at our cell group meetings the local christian men and woman broke up the crowd into small groups. We like to teach and demonstrate that small groups of people studying the bible, telling stories, and heartfelt questions being ask is the best type of ministry, church, and discipleship.

We had a small hand held generator that we hooked up a strain of 6 light bulbs or so. This gave us just enough light so that we were able to invite the village to the meetings at night after they got home from work. I was sitting back watching what God was doing with these people as they read the bible, some for the first time and while the local believers, some just baby Christians lead this discussion based bible study. It was so cool to see the faces light up with smiles of relief when they learned about grace and freedom in Christ!

I went off by myself to praise God for what He was doing in the lives and families of this village. As I sat there in the dark I realized that the bugs and frogs were making some of the loudest noise that I have ever heard. It was making it hard to pray but at that moment I thought, “what if they were praising the Creator?” I believe that creation can’t help but to worship the God of Creation and it is going to be loud. I joined in with the frogs and worshipped my awesome God.

Psalms 134:3, “Praise the Lord for He is good. Sing praises to His name for it is pleasant.”

Psalms 150: 6, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!”