Great Results from the Brace Family Fund Raiser!

Remember the phrase, “Together We Can Accomplish More”? That was evident at the benefit for the Rod Brace family on Saturday, January 21, 2012. People from three of our area churches (Carroll, Harlan & Manning) brought dessert bars and served, and members and several pastors from churches in our state fellowship attended. Unsaved people from western Iowa as well as the Des Moines area who know the Braces were there too.

We praise God for His blessing on that event. All of the food and supplies were donated. Area businesses gave napkins, cups, plates, bowls, etc. Some businesses gave gift cards or cash so that we could fill in and purchase supplies that were not contributed. The menu consisted of pork loin sandwiches, potato chips and soup. We had asked ladies to bring bars, and you can tell Baptist cooks were involved because we had more than enough to cover five eight-foot tables! Jeff and Lori Swensen from Grace Baptist Church in Harlan, own Border Fare, a Harlan restaurant. While most people think of it as a Mexican restaurant, the talk of the day was how delicious their cream of potato and vegetable medley soups were.

Osborn Auctions of Harlan donated their services for the auction of over 100 items. It was quite a surprise when Wayne and Rita Dwyer from Faith Baptist Church in Carroll brought 16 dozen brown, farm-fresh eggs, and each dozen sold for $7.50! Modern Woodmen of America said they would match up to $2500 raised. With that grant, the donations from the food, and the proceeds from the auction, over $19,000 came in to help meet Joy’s medical expenses and other family needs.

The benefit was from 11:00 to 3:00 with the auction starting at 1:00. Before the auction began, Pastor Joe Earle from Grace Baptist in Harlan welcomed everyone and opened in prayer. Then Rod Brace spoke briefly and shared the gospel. Rod’s cousin Becky and her husband John Crawford, who own Alpha Copies in Ames, designed and printed all of the flyers we used to promote the benefit. They also printed a brochure for that day designed by Kevin Mungons from Regular Baptist Press. It contained the article about Joy from the Baptist Bulletin, some messages of thanks to those who had helped with the benefit, and a special message from Rod containing the plan of salvation. Since nearly 250 people attended and we expected twice that number, Rod has been using the extra brochures as a witnessing tool. As you continue to pray for this family, please also pray for Rod as he shares the gospel and for those who hear it.