Oasis International
SUMMER SERVICE
Barbecue, Bikes and Blessings... that’s the menu for the Oasis Outreach. Every second
Saturday of the month a church hosts an Oasis Picnic for the refugees. You will see a very
diverse community as nations from around the world gather for a free festival of food, games
for the children, a bike raffle and give aways; from t-shirts to Bibles, to toys. Many refugee
moms tell us their children are so excited and can’t wait to come to the Oasis party. The June
outreach was sponsored by Grace Union Church who took pictures of
refugee families, framed them and presented them as a gift.
At the July 14 outreach, we will be
giving away backpacks filled with school
supplies. Your donations would be
appreciated. School will start next
month and the refugee children will need
their class lists filled.
Thank you so much for helping us
reach the nations in our city.
Building Projects Completed
We are excited to have the front of the building painted, new floors in our
children’s area and front room, the old furnace taken out and walls painted.
We could never do it without the help of the teams who come and pay for the
materials and provide the man/woman power.
Thank you to Rich Olson and his Just Around The Corner flooring company for
providing the free hardwood and labor for the front room.
Mark & Joani Akers Founders/Directors
5035 Gravois Ave. St. Louis, MO 63116 Office: 314-353-3800 Fax 314-353-3808
Email: [email protected] Web: www.oasisinternational.info
Volume 24
Issue 7
July2012
Mark & Joani Akers
5035 Gravois Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63116
Our Mission is to serve and assist new refugees
who have relocated to the St. Louis area with the love of Jesus.
Oasis In he City: “Stories from the heart”
“oasis” a pleasant or peaceful area in the midst of a difficult place: calm in the city
We met such a sweet family who just arrived from
Kurdistan this month; Dunya, Pshtiwan and their
daughter, Saya. When we visited them, Dunya said
to me in very broken English, “Saya will have a
birthday next weekweek-end, but no friends, no family.” I
know it is a little thing to us, but the following
weekweek-end when we brought the birthday cake and gift,
we saw that little act of kindness make a very special day for them.
Spreading the Word
Joani and I were privileged to speak at Life Community Church in Columbia, IL and Destiny Church in West St. Louis,
county. Our heart is to share with churches the simple strategy God has given us to reach the refugees with the love of Jesus. First of all, to love and have compassion for the lonely and hurting families who have come from other countries.
Second, to meet basic needs; helping them get started in their new homes with furniture, clothes and learning English.
Third, and most importantly, to connect them with an American family to establish friendships; friend to friend and
family to family, helping them during the first year of their transition in a new country.
FANS
Thank you to all of the churches and
individuals who have brought fans or gave
money to buy fans in this historic heat
wave. We can always use more!
“This is what the LORD Almighty said:
Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another.
Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor.
Do not plot evil against each other. ” Zechariah 7:9