The Lions are HUGE!!

This is "Art being Art..." You've heard the saying, "He's got the tiger by the tail"... Well this is "Art's version" of that... (it's not real--but would it surprise you  if it were?)
At this posting he's on the third leg of his 24 hr journey home -- Babati, Tanzania to Kisumu to Nairobi, Kenya to Kilimanjaro, to Amsterdam then Detroit, MI and finally Erie, PA. I'll meet up with him in Detroit tomorrow (7/29) between 11a-noon and we'll be on the same flight (sitting next to each other) from there to Erie and then we'll find our way home. "Stay tuned" for more adventures...

Children of Promise sign in Babati, Tanzania.  There are 845 children sponsored here and it is the largest of the all the Children of Promise programs in the world.

Art and Bob Edwards, Director of Global Missions have been in Tanzania this week, meeting with National Leaders of the Church of God. Meetings went well and Art ran into Eliazer Mdobi, a former National Leader of the Church of God and an alum of Warner University!  

Beginning our Africa Adventure - July 2011

Art arrived in Africa July 18th with Bob Edwards, the Director of Global Missions for the Church of God, and will be attending the Board meetings for KIST (Kima International School of Theology) and their graduation of this year's students.  While there, they will also be meeting with the missionaries on the ground and national leaders and then traveling to Tanzania to do the same.
There have been "technical challenges" with Art's phone and email service and this is the only picture he's been able to get out to me. So, when more is available, I'll update you. (Technology is great WHEN it works!)
We will continue to live in Lake Wales, FL and Art will "commute" to Africa as needed. We anticipate he will make 3-4 more trips to Africa this year and I (Suetta) hope to be on the next one with him when he plans to visit each of the 7 countries where we have missionary presence.
Please be praying with and for us as we need God's wisdom and insight as we "fill-in" for Global Missions while they seek a Regional Coordinator for Africa this next year.

Our Next Step

Wanted everyone to know what we will be doing next... See the announcement below and keep us in your prayers.

Art & Suetta

------Original Message------
From: Bob Edwards
To: AClawson
To: Suetta Clawson
Subject:
Sent: Jun 15, 2011 5:12 PM
Announcement of the appointment of Art Clawson as Africa Liaison

Dear colleagues in Africa,

I am pleased to announce to you the appointment of Art Clawson as Africa Liaison. This is a newly created position as we continue to search for the right couple for the Regional Coordinator for Africa. Art will be under contract with Global Missions of Church of God Ministries. This will be a one year commitment that will begin August 1, 2011, and will have specific tasks to do on the continent. He will be reporting directly to my office. The tasks will be similar to that of the RC, and he will have the same authority as the RC, but will have a more relational aspect to it. He will be visiting all of the Church of God missionaries in Africa at least one time during that period. Art will continue to live in Florida as he makes specific visits to Africa.

Art has a long and distinguished background in missions, and education. He is a graduate of Warner University and has a Master of Science and an Education Specialist Degree both from Florida State University. He has worked for many years as Director of Health Education at Florida State, and as Assistant Professor of Family Medicine and Rural Health at the school. Art served as the Vice President for Advancement at Warner University, before being called to be the Interim Director of H.E.A.R.T. Missionary Training Institute at Lake Wales, FL. Perhaps more important to you is that he and his wife, Suetta, were missionaries with the Missionary Board of the Church of God in Haiti from 1986 – 1991 working as Community Development Directors.

Most recently Art has been working with the Church of God Disaster Relief Committee (DRC) in the relief efforts for the devastation that took place in the Haiti earthquake. In fact, he continues to be under contract with the DRC, until he takes up this new ministry in August of this year. Art is one of those rare finds that we are so pleased to come into association with. I am sure that you will find in Art an open ear and a desire to understand your ministries and challenges.
His e-address is
art.clawson@comcast.net

Sincerely,
Bob Edwards
Director, Global Missions
Church of God Ministries
(765) 208-1062 (Cell)
bedwards@chog.org

Home from Haiti

Hey Family and Friends,  It is true.  I am home after an amazing 10 months of relief work in Haiti. God has done some truly amazing things.  My heartfelt thanks to my Haitian Brothers and Sisters that I was privileged to work with and to those whose families we were able to help.  This was the toughest and one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.  I am forever grateful to all of you who have prayed and helped in any way you can both here and in Haiti.  I am blessed to be home with my incredible wife who, next to the Lord, has been my greatest help and source of encouragement through all of this.  There is a tremendous amount of hope in Haiti through the way the Lord has worked this past year and with the recent inauguration of the new President, Michel Martelly.  Pray for President Martelly and our Haitian Brothers and Sisters as there are still huge mountains to climb and lots of families to be reached.  Thank all of you so much for all of your prayers and the numerous ways you have supported us through this amazing adventure.  Suetta and I are blessed.  God Bless, Art

Drs. Duncan and Myricks in Haiti

Dr. Ron Duncan, General Director of Church of God Ministries and Dr. Chuck Myricks, Chief Operating and Development Officer of the National Association of the Church of God came to Haiti to meet with the National Church of God leaders, see the work that has been accomplished, and thank all of those who have truly worked together in this Kingdom effort of helping build homes for families that have lost their homes in the devasting earthquake of January 12, 2010.

CBH Taping in Haiti

Jim Lyon and John Walters from Christians Broadcasting Hope spent the past week (May 9-13) in Haiti seeing the devastation and interviewing people for upcoming segments of the English-speaking CBH broadcasts.  Pastor Jean Marie and Art were just two of the persons they talked to.  "Stay tuned"... :)