Saturday morning displayed the utter beauty of Spring--new buds blooming on trees, bright sunshine, soft aromas--all reminding us of the New Life God has given us through His Son, Jesus Christ.

At 9 a.m., volunteers started to arrive at the HIM Chapel, ready to work. Some picked up sticks and raked, others organized the closet full of ministry resources. Some worked on landscaping, others windows. Some people mopped, vacuumed, dusted, organized, cleaned, oiled the pews, and did all sorts of odd and end jobs. And, even though we didn't have as many volunteers as we expected, it is amazing how much got done!

Nancy and I had the task of reorganizing and cleaning the kitchen. I don't think I have ever seen that many spatulas, spoons, and ladles before in my life (which, I know, isn't very extensive). But, we went on undetterred, antibacterial wipes in hand. We took utensils out of drawers and cupboards, wiped down all the surfaces, and reorganized most items, to make the kitchen more efficient. After (and before) that, Nancy and I went off to see how else we could be of use.

All in all the Chapel now looks pristine, full of that post-Spring cleaning glow. I know how hard everyone worked and we at HIM want to say a huge THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts.

_As the newly appointed Administrative Assistant to Fred Kornis and Vicky Rogers at Heartland International Ministries, I see exciting times ahead for all of us at H.I.M. Headquarters.  I am very eager to get started with what God has placed before me to accomplish His will.  I am thrilled to have joined a team of people who share the same goal of bringing the Gospel to all who need to hear about the beauty of Christ’s love and forgiveness.  I know there will be challenges ahead, but I fully trust in God’s faithfulness to see us through as we trust in Him. 
I have much to learn, but look forward to becoming familiar with all the various functions and projects within H.I.M.  I covet your prayers that I will be able to absorb all that lies ahead of me, and that God will lead the H.I.M. team to assign the responsibilities we believe to be the top priorities. These would include, but not be limited to, assisting with clerical tasks and management of the office, as well as designing teaching tool aids, and maintaining the website.  I will be posting regular blogs with updates of my progress and specific prayer requests regarding this transition time.  It is my desire to be as available as possible, so please feel free to contact me anytime by email:  vickia@heartforhim.org.

My main goal at H.I.M. is that Jesus is glorified in all that I say and do.  So, I guess my first prayer request would be that I will keep that at the top of my list of goals; to not lose sight of Jesus and HIM glorified.

I have been volunteering for a little more than a year now at HIM. It started as just a ploy to alleviate some of Fred's stress, helping out a friend. It turned into a ministry. Almost every Saturday (and let's face it, whenever Fred has an idea), I help out, whether it be designing postcards, the newsletter, or simply uploading pictures onto the computer.

See, how this all began was God bringing my husband Tim and I to Kansas City. I had an internship at WordAction Publishing Company and at the end of the 8 weeks, we both had Salmonella. Lo and behold, Tim's grandmother, Mary Edna Starner, was a dear old friend of Fred and Barb's; so we called them up. If Barb Kornis hadn't graciously accepted us into their home for a few days to heal, I don't know what we would have done. That's how we were introduced to HIM, but that's not the end of the story.

I got a full-time job here in KC, but I wanted to help and do my part in the community by volunteering. We tried Salvation Army, but no one responded to our e-mails. We tried Habitat for Humanity, but they were scheduled for a few months in the future. So, knowing that I have computer skills, and Vicky was in need of help, I offered my services (and Tim offered his carpentry skills).

Most recently, I designed the very website you're looking at. I'm not gonna lie, it was a lot of work, but seeing how many people have responded positively, and used its features, is payment enough.

I have learned that volunteering sometimes doesn't have a schedule, but always has a positive outcome. While I type up documents or update the website, I know that I'm helping people in Nepal and India and Mexico and Nigeria. While I'm organizing files or designing a brochure, I know that the Gospel is being preached to more and more people. If that isn't a reason to volunteer, I don't know what is.