Gayla's Magazine

My Projects Revealed

I am ready at last to launch the project that has been near and dear to my heart for my entire life. And today I share it with you!

First of all, when I was a child living in Africa I saw for myself as a little girl, children just like me, except their bellies were swollen and they suffered from many diseases.  I could see the difference in how they looked even though we would be close in ages and heights. They were  little girls with spindly legs and skinny arms and giant tummies.  We played together, while they often had terrible coughs, and running sores  on their bodies. I remember how we fought against the flies that followed us while we tried to play together as children.  Holding hands and running together I remember the little girls hands were rough, very dry  and often dirty, yet we were all kids and tried to understand each other through language problems and vastly different cultures. It seemed everyone was always hungry, even us. I will never forget those early days, and through the years we have arranged many shipments of supplies to help the hurting in the world.

Today I am revealing what we have been doing quietly behind the scenes for years, and now we are ready to openly present 'Moms Against Hunger' through our years of experience.  We have fed thousands and thousands over the years, now I am reaching with a greater tool to be more effective in the nations of the world. Here is my project.

www.momsagainsthunger.org

Role Models of America also has grown and now has blossomed into Role Models International.  www.rolemodelsinternational.com is ready and it is a tool of the Lord to testify of His goodness in the earth towards all peoples.

This is the mission of my life. And together the Bishop, my husband and I hand in hand go into the future in the will of the Lord according to His plans for us.

  

A day of video shoots

Practice practice practice...... we are working on an online project for Role Models International and I am prompted over and over to get it just right.

No your eyes are closed too long try again! Not loud enough try again.  Note the vocal inflections and make each word count.  Look to the right but not at the cue cards.  Smile at me but not too happy.  Watch your step and don't wrinkle the backdrop. 

Ok ..... when you walk out, you need to walk over 6 more inches to get exactly where we want you to be. But don't look at the floor, just be natural..... 

Woo hoo I got it right.  Now my part is done and the invisible web masters that no one ever sees -  take over and mix and match and coordinate everything to work together.  And this video will be done and I will walk out onto a screen as if right on a page!

 

"Uhhhhh you are not done yet, please just change  and come back, we have 4 other sections to video today". 

So the next cue cards go up and I am concentrating  to get my words, actions, looks and heart all perfectly done at the same time.     

A special thanks today goes to everyone who is working so hard on this project.  Without each of you this would not be happening!  And I think of the hundreds of thousands of little hungry children that will be fed as a result, and I feel the weight of this undertaking and ask for God's divine help for each of us.  

Hungry Children

Seeing little children scratching in the dirt desperately looking for anything..... anything at all to eat. A grass root.... a bug.... a single seed of any kind.  A crumb... a little grain of rice somehow to magically appear.  These children are breaking my heart!

My 'Mom's Against Hunger' Program is gathering food and information to begin a campaign to help support the tremendous needs around the world. 

If you have not heard much about starvation - it's the silent agonizing killer of children in our world.  I will set quiet no more about this. It's completely solvable.  If all of us look around and keep saying, "someone needs to do something about this".  Nobody will.

Are you someone who cares too?  Email me.     

I am writing Pastor Gayla's Blog today

    Hi I am Chris and I am an Intern for the Bishop's office. Today I am writing Pastor Gayla's blog as she is too busy!  Here is what is happening, and what I have been doing all day. Today we have two special guests with us at the church.  They are doing the friday night presentation for our children's revival weekend called The Big Bang.  Today we helped them step up the stage with all of their props they need to teach the young kids, they have alot of interesting things with them such as chalk drawing, light show, and multimedia program with them. I finished helping them set up all of their stage props and got the sound ready for tonight, it looks like their program is going to be awesome.

Then I'm going to have to clean the Palace Theater because we had a rental today - and now I need to set up for the children's revival tomorrow, like move tables and chairs and decorate the Palace so that it will be enjoyable for young kids and keep their attention.

Also today I did a inventory of the food we have for the kids lunches today, because we can't let the kids go all day without eating lunch, so we have enough food to feed at least 150 kids. I also had to clean the main room so the guests will feel a comfortable as possible, also had to clean some of the props for the Revival that the kids get the best.

Tonight I'm going to help Pastor Gayla and the special guests in whatever they need during our Childrens Revival. After service I am going to help the special guests move all of their props and different things back into their van.

Then were going to have to set the stage for our Big Bang drama Sunday, I'm sure Pastor Gayla will write to you about that another day!    

I Love My Life!

Traveling across America towards the Full Gospel Fellowship Convention earlier this month, my mind surged around the different areas of ministry we are involved in just this month.  We are so blessed to be a part of so many different fields and missions across this world.  Many locations and many details all happening in a matter of 4 weeks!

Earlier we ministered in Decatur Illinois, then  it was to Dallas Texas, then to Las Vegas Nevada, then to Las Banos California. While at home our missions reach local needs across Houston, such as food and clothing and furniture needs. New Life - our home base will receive ministry at the capable hands of our pastors and staff.  The nation of Guatemala will receive a large container shipment of clothing, shoes, and household supplies for the needy. Then Honduras and Philippines will receive 6 million $ worth of medications for their hospitals. And our missions in Mexico continues onward and upward. 

There was an extensive ministry event at home base this month for several Bishops, and Pastors to come together from several States to commission a US Army official into the full time work of the Lord across America.  And before the month ends we will travel to Budapest Hungary for yet another type of ministry function for the Bishop and I.

Our logo at home says, 'Around the Corner Around the World' - it's certainly true. I am so proud of God!  Look at His movements! It's certainly a busy life for this Bishop's Wife!! When you will be reading this we will have completed all assignments for this month except Hungary.  And we are now winging our way across the mighty ocean in the night on a steel bird.

I will write more later as I am able to post from Europe!!

www.newlifeinternet.net check it out to see some of what New Life does.

 

Smart Business Sense

I saw this interesting sign beside a business in Cleveland Tennessee. (Put your cursor over it and double tap to enlarge it and you will see why)

But you know..... the more I think about this business and the person who is responsible for it - he or she is really a savvy business person.  Just think if you put all your eggs in one type of basket and that basket unexpectedly tips over - all can be lost.  But by diversifying, this smart business owner has created two fields from which to draw support. And in a smaller town - this really is good thinking on their part.   

This person is using their property in an expanded form. It seems to me that somewhere in their past was a deep mistake where they may have suffered loss deeply.  And they told themselves - when we get out of this mess we will never again rely on just one form of income.  And from that experience came the wisdom to multiply their talents into two areas. 

It takes concentration to multi-task at two businesses.  It's a good break if they are able to use the same building to run two operations within.  Here is the admiration I have for multiple business - owners.  It takes fortitude and strength to manage the loans to start up one's dream.  Lots of energy to create the logistics pathway.  Charisma to draw in customers.  Wisdom to manage employees.  Knowledge to solve problems along the way.  And faith to trust God when the pressures are extreme.  And it helps to have steel in your veins, to cope with the criticisms and cutting remarks made by other people who mock your efforts.  (Not to mention usually it's those without resources themselves who form opinions)

How do I know these things?  Because we ourselves manage 5 businesses as well as serve as the Bishop and Founding Pastor over New Life. 

It takes one to know one!  My congratulations to this business owner and today I say a pray for them - who ever you are, may God bless your efforts.   

By the way have you ever heard of the Jabez prayer? You know.... enlarge my territory Lord.  Here is a thought for you.

If territory is to be enlarged - multiplicity in your work must take place.  Okay there's one basket, now where is your second?

I just read my husband's blog today - it's so funny how our minds run along in the same thought pattern.  I guess after 31 years of marriage - we do start to think alike sometimes. Go see what he is talking about - www.gregoryholley.com   You will smile!      

Baby Baby

How about a glass of fresh summertime lemonade, while I tell you about one of the things that happened today.  A sweet baby shower. As a Bishop's wife one of my functions is attending and supporting the families in the church.  And when a baby shower is being held, I have the privilege of being invited to be a part of the private family affair. 

This is a baby boy about to be born.  His name will be Elijah and we will all love him when he makes his arrival.  Look at how creative these are.  Tiny baby blue shirts made out of the napkins!  Too cute to use.

This table had a quilt under the puppy that was used by the grandmother when she was a baby!  Now that is a real keepsake that is the centerpiece on one of the tables.

And the great grandmother painted this heirloom that decorates another table. 

And here is another I thought you would enjoy seeing.  It's a towering 'cake' made out of diapers! 

Now how creative is that!   And a useful one for mommy after the baby gets here.  No mom ever has too many diapers to be prepared for the never ending diaper need of a baby.

And the food was elegant, beautiful to look at as well as to eat.  Fresh fruits, and veggies, along with the mom's currant cravings for some junk food!

  Food and drink gets everyone ready for a fun afternoon with friends and family members.

  And the cake which must be at every shower to be complete.  And by the end of the shower, Mommy has received gifts of all kinds and she feels a little more prepared for the life changing moment of giving birth to her firstborn child. 

And the cutest of all the decorations was this little floral arrangement setting on the food table.  Click on this to enlarge it - it's worth looking at closer. Rhonda you outdid yourself girl!

The three generations stand beside the newest mommy for the picture of a moment in time. We wish you well Amber! 

10,000 Mad Little Hangers

One of the things in my life that is a joy to do, is to organize and create a system for a disorganized challenge!  And today was one of those days in my schedule to help solve a chaos problem for our staff. Here at the Role Models of America store, the staff has an ongoing hanger problem.  When one owns 10,000 plus hangers - it does get a bit messy  - when so much is happening and everybody is busy doing different things to keep up.  The donations are pouring in the back door, from people in our communty.  The mission pick ups are taking place, headed to the warehouses from the store, with full truckloads going to overseas locations.  And the front door of the store is constantly opening with shoppers, looking for that great deal. And families with their vouchers from our Family Client Services Ministry, are also coming to receive aid in their time of need.  Our Role Models of America Store is a very busy busy place 6 days a week!

So one of my designated jobs this week, is to find a solution for the staff with their hanger issues.  Sometimes the clothing doesn't stay very long on a hanger, and there's not time to properly set it in a box with all the hooks going the same way- for packing purposes.  So often they end up in huge messes - always an eyesore for us to see. And even the hangers are starting to complain - 'no one cares about us, we just feel like we are in the way.  Everyone just shoves us around, and look at how we are mistreated - this is awful for us! 

Because we have a constant flow of hangers - both currant and old ones, I am making a new rule.  We will be using only the clear  hangers from now on.  This will help thin out things a little, as well as give every article the same standard of presentation.  Can we do it?  Of course - no doubt.  And along with my trusty Community Service workers we set about creating a working solution for this ongoing problem. With this many hangers the logistics need to be in place for a smooth way to handle this small but big detail in a retail business.

One of their currant hanger walls looked like this when we started.  Hangers going every which way, and all of them seemingly reaching out with their little hanger hands and grab each other to keep one of them from being separated easily from one another.  And when one is taken, others fall to the floor with a tragic voice, 'nooooo' you should have picked me....' 

Well I can see this is no way to work smoothly.  And while the staff continue on with their customers, and the huge operation of gathering and sorting donations, I take my faithful CS workers and we go upstairs to one of the large storage rooms to look around.

  Long story short - at the days end, we have created a hanger wall put in a section of unused space.  And the slow process begins of putting the correct hangers in their new locations.  Skirt hangers with skirt hangers, suit with suit, baby with baby, you get the idea.  So now when a tub is full of hangers (the right ones now) a CS worker will bring them upstairs to The Center for Hangers and put them properly away.  Everybody is happy.  The Staff is thrilled to have a good solution, the hangers are happy as they all feel like they have their own home now, and I am happy because the bothersome messy areas are all cleaned up. 

And this room of clothing that is ready for the racks down below in the RMA store - is neat and orderly. No messy piles to trip over anymore.

Winter clothing is being gathered and ready for the cold season which will come in it's own good time. All hung on hangers ready to go when needed.

  Now this is what makes me satisfied.  Tired but glad to have a solution in place that makes everyone's life a little smoother.

Then it's time to run back downstairs and use my remaining time here to find a place to display 200+ pairs of pantyhose.  The CD's and Tapes have been complaining that no one sees them in their location, so they get moved and the pantyhose take up their residence.

Seeing others find this new product - and getting excited over their 'find'  gives me a charge as I silently smile, watching the shoppers from a distance. Their joy is mine and it's time to walk out the door headed for the next adventure.

Organizing is part of my dream job and I love doing it!      

   

Never a Dull Moment.

I need a plan first thing this morning. Today is the day to start moving the product into our system that came from the Beauty Supply store last week. So it's my job to go to the warehouse where it was unloaded and decide what items to start putting into the Store. 

Our staff divided everything into categories when it was unloaded so it's fairly simple to look through the stacks -since I went to the packing of it, I kind of know what is here. So walking up and down the rows looking for the stock items, decisions are made about what is going to be moved first. 

Meanwhile our phones are ringing and the juggling begins between duties, staff and church functions.  The Bishop and I stay on go - during daylight hours! This week we have a major rental all week long in the Palace, a rehearsal and a Wedding in the Sanctury, and a area school Graduation also in the Sanctuary - not to mention the regular weekly church functions already happening.  Thank God for great staff!   

There is everything here from hair products such as shampoos to hair bows.  Specialty socks and beautiful little girls dresses and little boy tuxedos.  There are wigs and manikins, sunglasses and jewelry.  Plenty of make up and nail care products.  Perfumes and sandals. Pictures and silk flower arrangements. This was a unusual store that had some of everything it seems.  So the decision is made to take all the makeup and jewelry, hair products and clothing to start with this morning.   

After leaving instructions with the staff, about what  to load up, and it's on to the Store where all of this is coming.  And start the preparations to clear off areas to receive the stock as soon as it arrives.

Many hands make light work - and soon we had the truck arriving and the boxes, bags, and fixtures unloaded and a line of workers bringing out the boxes and some putting pricing on, and others setting items on the shelves.  While things are being unloaded customers are already looking things over. So it's a big happy mess for a little while.  But the shoppers don't mind and simply walk around the disarray.  And some buy things before they are even set on the shelves!

By mid afternoon all the shelves are full again and the new fixtures look great.  It makes things go quickly when a plan is in place, and one has hard workers to work alongside.  Gratitude for a good staff cannot be expressed enough, as it's the only way 4 businesses are managed along with pastoring a church also.

Making sure the right product gets put on the right fixtures - it's all in the presentation.  Walking from front to back and department to department gives me plenty of exercise that's for sure!

Checking the socks and little girls dresses - all is the way it needs to be.  Time to leave this location and go pick up my grandson from school and get ready for the next part of my day.  Leaving instructions for the rest of the boxes - run out the door and head for the School. 

My pride and joy!  What a happy boy - and he is ready to have MiMi's total attention to tell about his day.  He will be graduating from Pre-school in 2 days and together we talk all about what a big day it's going to be.  He's not ready to go home - so we head for my house to make him a smoothie and have some special time alone with me.

And then PawPaw takes him home, get some supper on the table, and it's off to teach my Marriage Class.  Ready?  You bet!  My study time happens in the pre-dawn hours while all is quiet, so yes preparations are done and when class time starts - we switch gears and enjoy this part of life also. Never a dull moment!  

Plan Your Work - Work Your Plan

Somebody ask me this week, 'how do you guys do all the things you do'? To be honest it does not seem like it's a big deal.  Having a store that exists because we need a way to feed the hungry and clothe the needy  requires provisions to do such, so we receive donations to help us do this effectively  and  often the donations that come to us are truly special.  A special thank you goes to all of our donors that help us do this work.  We could not do this without you!  Thank you for your financial support.  Together we can make a difference in the world.  

What gives one compassion for others is - suffering personally.  This, the Bishop and I understand having lived around the world in different situations, and so we care for others who are in a tight spot and are hurting.  Thus our creation of Role Models of America Stores. 

Today was one of those days.  We had the responsibility of taking care of clearing the inventory of a beauty supply store.  The Company ask us to please take all of the inventory, including the removal of all store fixtures.  No big deal.  It just requires pre-planning. We have a system that works well for us.  It says:  Plan your work and then work your plan.  True.

So the plan is to load up boxes and tools at the Warehouse - take a couple of staff members and vehicles and go.  We arrive at 9;00am sharp  at the store with the key and get started. 

  Back the trucks in, unload the tools - everybody has their own set (including me) And we look around to see what and how much is really here. 

We estimate it will take 2 days max to complete this job.  We will take everything and leave the store clean and broom swept.  It's a service to the retail industry - and a real help to our work. 

Now the biggest job seems to be all the slate wall on the walls.  It will all need to come down.   So some of us (there are 5 of us altogether) start loading boxes and others start on the walls.  We put everything in categories while we are packing.  Shampoos with shampoos, socks with socks, hair supplies, clothing, wigs, blankets, make up, pictures, floral arrangements, hosiery and jewelry all go into different boxes and placed in their own stacks.

And in no time most items are boxed up and ready to go!  I think the great team that we have, work together so well that each of us know what to do and just get with it.  It's like a good running machine.  Also we believe in supernatural days, as we have so many other things we must take care of so we MUST  have such miraculous days!

So by noon we are basically packed up.  Let's go to lunch!  There are more than 5,000 items here - but it did not take long with a good work ethic in place. 

After lunch let's load up all the manikin heads for the wigs - and start packing the truck.  No one can pack a truck like our staff!  Slat board is taken down, and loaded with the shelving units.  Then it's the glass shelves and the racking.  then the stock is put on as it will need to come off first to become store stock as we absorb the store fixtures next. 

So by 4:10 we are done loading down the trucks and are ready to leave for the day.  It's a 45 minute drive back and then a fast shower, change of clothes and leave for church to teach my marriage class.

Tomorrow the large store fixtures will be loaded - the store swept and left neat as a pin. Should be done around noon -   

See Ya!   Next!