Newsletter

Year 1, issue nr. 1 June 2011

From our board

It is already over two and a half years ago that four people (two couples) - amongst others encouraged by the apostolic letter Novo Millennio Ineunte - to make a stap in Faith. Visions for houses of prayer and places to get soaked with the love of Father God, lead to the establishment of the foundation Ruah Chaim, which means in a free translation Breath of Life. Taking a stap in Faith is one. Living that Faith, deepen it and making new staps is what may follow that. Each on their own way and together the four people went on that way. Through this newsletter we want to share the developments regarding Ruah Chaim.

In this issue
From our board What follows Changes New board member Something for you? Community Purpose Spirituality Dis-coverings Thanks 1 1 2 3 2 3 3 3 4 4

What follows: live Faith and deepen it.

With the spiritual testament of Jesus (His prayer for unity written in John 17) on and in our hearts we went on. Of course we went on that way within our the own, Roman Catholic, Church. Here it is where we are being fed, where we can live and receive the Sacraments and where we can get rooted in Christ who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Meanwhile we strived meeting God in our neighbour. Each on their own, and undoubtedly failing, way and in his or her own environment. It is impossible to describe all the personal encounters. But we can share that we met Christian brothers and sisters from various denominations (baptists, Protestant Church of the Netherlands, Pentecostal, Evangelical and also Messianic Jews). This happend at many different occasions like Fatherheartschools, meetings organised by TRIN (Touch Reach and Impact the Nations), meetings in our own parishes and dioceses, retreats of the e.g. the Brothers of St. John, housemeetings, MEHR Konferenz in Germany (organized by the Gebetshaus Augsbburg, etc. In various ways we had the opportunity to be subservient to the Church and to the society, both local and in larger context and both to organsations and to individual persons. Persons whom we can align amongst the weakest in society. E.g. helping a few homeless finding (temporary) employment, a housing and meals. One of us worked for the jobless who mostly found new job through personal coaching. All of this is possible thanks to your support: in prayer, in conversation or in any other way. Please receive our deepest thanks for your loayalty and for the trust you grant to us and to what we do!

Eenheid

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Newsletter

Changes
Through the intentheir establishment in sive and personal Zandberg (in the proway we deepened vince of Drenthe, The our Faith and the Netherlands). way we looked at what (Who) moves The crystallization of the us, there arose space different visions also has to deepen the differminor consequences to ent visions. With a Ruah Chaim. Gerard and new leap of faith the Marianne Martens offered foundation Logo Johannesheerd to withdraw themselves Johannesheerd from the board, so that started past fall. both visions could be deOnly recently Johannesheerd noveloped further. Stichting Johantified their followers of a new stap: nesheerd gives a detailed description (at her internet site www.joahnnesheerd.nl) of her vision and of the groups theyre aiming for. The vision of Ruah Chaim is still under construction. A little further in this newsletter it is more fully explained. Our foundations Ruah Chaim remains connected through/in Gods Love with Johannesheerd. We wish them Gods richest blessings and pray for the success of their vision!

New board member

Even though the news of withdrawel was painfull in the beginning, we also see new chances. At this very moment and anticipating on the official change in the Register of the Camber of Commerce we want to let you know that we found a new board member in Sowyen Martina (from The Hague). In Sowyen we found a woman who feels called to share in our vision. She wants not only to be a member of the board, but she also wants to concretely participate in the community. Sowyen is a true daughter of the Father, our heavenly Abba, Daddy. She tends - just like us - a life of trial and lifted from there to continue. sonal relationship with God and by means of her personal in the middle of the Church as well as in the middle of society. Until now we fare most experienced that she is a great sparring partner and she helps us through constructive criticism and continuously bringing our intentions and those of our benefactors for God. We also heartily recommend Sowyen in the list of prayer intentions!

a great sparring-partner
On this road, she knows that she is being encouraged through the per-

Something for you?

Even though we anticipate that we will soon need expanding the number of board members, we wait with actively recruiting until we have a clearer envision of the specific tasks a new board member would have to carry out. But if you know youre called, p.e. because you have management experience or experience in human resource management, dont hesitate to contact us. We are always open for (semi) professional advice on material / financial and H.R. matters besides all advice on spiritual matters we already receive. . You can find our address and phone number in the colophon.

something for you?

Year 1, issue nr. 1

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Community
As you already might have understood or heard, we are in the preparing phase of starting a community. We had a first meeting with a group of approx. 9 or 10 people at the parishioners house of one of the priests that belongs to the group. Unfortunately the group was not complete, because some didn't have time that day and because most of the children stayed at home by themselves or where taken care of somewhere else. Uptil now more people registered concrete desires living within the themselves as interested. The community and the other one whole group exist of people from wants to remain connected closely the Roman Catholic Church and through prayer, through helping other Christian hands, and/or Churchcommunities. through financial The people vary in support. We really age between 7 and are amazed about hat 55 years. They all and about the way feel attracted to the God calls and brings idea of community / us together. house of prayer / Community retreat centre. One

Purposes unchanged
The initial purposes of Ruah Chaim (in the box a simplified description) remains unchanged. We try to achieve them by starting and maintain a 24/7 house of prayer out of a Catholic lifestyle, by organizing retreats, conferences, praise evenings etc, and (if possible) by offering space at our own location to groups with comparable purposes. Besides that we will sell religious and other items like books, DVDs, CDs, statues, crosses and jewellery. To be able to realise all these purposes, we shall work together with various persons and organizations, both from Catholic circles as well as other Christian or Jewish communities.
Purposes: Creating circumstances where one can dis-cover the Love of the Father; Form oases where one can come to an intimate relationship with Father God; Forming and equipping people so that one can grow in Christian life and one can pass it on.

Spirituality sharpened
The spirituality for the community has been sharpened. One can outline it in ability to receive and distribution. The provisional, formal, definition is:

As baptized people we are carriers of the Gospel of Gods Love for every man and woman (comp. Luk.1,26 -38) Once we received this message and keep on re-

ceiving it, we cannot act otherwise than carry it out in word and in deed. (comp. 1Cor.9,16). As a school of prayer we want to open our hearts more to the love for God and likewise letting our hearts to open for the love for our brothers and sisters, so that we are able to form history accord-

ing to Gods original plan. (comp. Novo Millennio Ineunte.33- blessed JohnPaul II).

school of prayer

Dis-coverings
In order to prevent that we are dragged in some kind of idealism, we require for our core members that they are in contact with a spiritual guide (man or woman) outside of the community. (The core members are those that live in or close beside the community-house). Ruah Chaim also must always have a spiritual guide. The spiritual guide of the community helps us deepen the spirituality and helps us keep the purity of the spirituality and living according to that. Within a short time we hope to experience a second gathering with the whole group of people who are interested in community living, house of prayer and/or retreat centre. For every one of the interested this is a very exiting periode, because being interested is one thing, but recognising the possibilities to choose between and making concrete choices and live according to that is another thing. The vision as described earlier in this letter is each other we have the opportunity to build somewhere a small peace of Gods Kingdom. Currently we are specifically looking for a place where we can shape the vision. We have contact with owners of several locations. One of these seems to us like a glove: there is enough room for a community and for receiving guests. Moreover, without realy complicated renovations we can withdraw the house. The complex seems well maintained. The agent ensured us that our plans correspond exactly to the inted purpose of the owner.. For shaping the community and for the location we desperately need your prayers. We also need to tap funds and we pray for sufficient financial means for the purchase and for the start-up period.

Helping hands

an important way to help every body to discern whether this community is the right one to live within. Under the guidance of and with help from Gods Spirit and with

Colophon
Stichting Ruah Chaim p/a Meester Strikstraat 19 5708 GA Helmond KvKnr. 17239249 te Eindhoven Triodos Bank 78.68.62.971 BIC: TRIONL2U IBAN: NL97 TRIO 0786 8629 71 tel.: 0492 - 77 12 03 e-mail: lieke@ruah-chaim.nl

visit us at: www.ruah-chaim.nl

Thanks! At the end of this newsletter we like to emphasize our gratitude towards you. Yo u have no idea how only knowing that so many are praying for Ruah Chaim encouraged us. Specia l encouraging are always the moments when som eone simply asks about Ruah Chaim and oursel ves. We promise to keep on prayin g for you and we ask you: please keep on prayin g for Ruah Chaim and for all persons who are in one way or another related to the foundation. May God bless you abundant ly! Bestuur Stichting Ruah Chaim : Sowyen Martina, Lieke Titulaer-Remkes, Pieter Titulaer.

Receive His Love and become a well for others Ontvang Zijn Liefde en word een bron voor anderen