Dear Friends and Intercessors,

This week I wanted to feature our CedarWood Outreach. The Lord spoke to Mom (Nita) in 2012 to begin an outreach to the poor. It began very small and quickly grew into the operation it is today. Without your support, the support of local grocers, and our CW Crew, CedarWood would not be possible. Thank you for supporting this arm of our ministry!

I wanted to share a little about our CW Crew, they are the nameless servants of the Lord in this hour. The past two months have been particularly difficult for them, with Covid raging through the ranks we were very shorthanded during our busiest time of the year. However, those who remained refused to shy away from the public or lock themselves behind closed doors, instead, they pressed into God for their strength. In so doing, they were able to demonstrate the love of Christ by being His outstretched arms to everyone they encountered. Whether it’s a family that comes to the Pantry, or a homeless individual we encounter on the street, we are called to be His outstretched hands to all we meet. We must learn to love the lost, serve the needy, and care for the sick.

This is what I’ve observed our CedarWood Crew doing all year long.

With Christmas just days away, our CW Crew is hard at work ensuring struggling families have the privilege of providing a nice family meal on Christmas along with a gift for their children. In total, through your contributions, and local store contributions, we provided gifts for 194 children along with full meals for over a hundred families!

For almost a decade now, our CW Crew faithfully served the community. I am honored to know each member of our team. Many outreaches in the area closed their doors amid Covid concerns. Our team met and considered our options, everyone agreed, we stay open! So, instead of closing, we chose to modify our method of service to a drive thru so we could keep our doors open. Transitioning to an outdoor pantry insured families would still receive these weekly provisions but it was not easy; Seattle winters are brutal, and they fought through record heat this past summer.

They pressed on and chose to be His outstretched hands.

Since April of 2020, we’ve watched our CW Pantry numbers increase each week as unemployment rates spiked. Our CW Homeless outreach nearly doubled their numbers as well. It takes incredible coordination to cook a hot meal and serve 150-200 from a van while making sure to bring shoes, coats, socks, and go-bags with toiletries and such for those living on the street. They put in long hours both Friday and Saturday to make this happen.

 
Again, they are His outstretched arms in the earth.

Friends, CedarWood beat every service record we’ve had since opening. These are not the type of records we set out to break, yet, week after week, we did. Why? The need is simply that great.

Today, I honor our CedarWood Crew. When the stakes were at their highest, they pressed in and pressed on. In serving the lost, ministering to those who are in desperate need, they’ve come to rely upon the Lord more than they ever thought possible. Through His grace, they have become His outstretched arms in the earth. By refusing to allow the fear of sickness to stop them from serving each and every day, countless lives have been impacted, and they are witnessing the love of Christ each and every week.

Mom and I are truly proud to call them our co-laborers in this commission and even more honored to call them our friends.

We cannot conclude this without thanking YOU! Those who help support this arm of our ministry. Without your support, it simply could not be sustained. This makes YOU part our CW Crew too! Thank you!

Thank you for your faithfulness dear friends!

Mom and I and the rest of WFJM/JA/CW wish you a very Merry Christmas!

Ricci Johnson-Wilson on behalf of Nita Johnson and our entire team!