She’s a wife and mother. She’s a veteran of the US Army. She needs us!

A month ago, two American veterans were living their dream. They met while they were stationed at Hunter Army Air Field in Georgia. After their tour of duty, they married, settled in southwestern Missouri, had a child and were preparing him to start school when disaster struck.

A few weeks ago, Mom had a headache and decided to lie down for a while. When Dad checked on her, she seemed to be asleep. When time passed and she didn’t wake up, he checked on her again. He realized that she was unconscious and called 911.

She’d suffered a brain aneurysm. She’s now in a coma in a hospital in Springfield, Missouri. She beat the odds to survive the medical emergency and the resulting brain surgery. Now, she beats the odds every day that she lives.

A husband longs for his wife. A six-year-old child doesn’t understand what happened to his mommy. A mother and father want to take care of their daughter. A sister wants to be near her and help. Her family fights for her as she fights for life.

She can’t remain in the hospital. The family has a solution but they need our help to accomplish it.
The husband contacted the Branson Veterans Task Force. “Can you help?” Distraught, he told their story. As veterans, they approached a veteran organization dedicated to helping veterans. We can’t let them down.
There’s a bed waiting for her in a long-term care facility, across the street from her parents and her sister – in Washington State. There’s a pilot who has a plane. He is willing to transport her there.
The cost of the fuel for the flight is not covered. The pilot estimates $10,000 for fuel cost.

Surely, we could raise that much money over time. However, the hospital plans on releasing her this week.
The family doesn’t need help with the hospital or care facility – only the flight to take her where her mother, father and sister will be available to take care of her. The husband needs to return to work, start their son in school, and re-establish a routine for a little boy whose world is in turmoil.

They need our prayers on a continuing basis – but sometimes, action is necessary too. They need our dollars to get this American Veteran to where she will receive long-term quality treatment now. One hundred percent of the money will be used to defray the cost of the flight. Please help us help this special family!

For more information, call Tom Goldsworthy at 417-598.0323.

An account has been established at Ozark Mountain Bank. Please make all donations payable to the:
Mary Jane Gibens Endowment Fund: routing number 081518375; account number 8212883.

Ozark Mountain Bank (www.ozkmtnbank.com) 1.417 334.4125
Attn. Mail Clerk
PO Box 130
Branson, MO 65615-0130

Justin Flom, internationally awarded illusionist, was featured last week in Lima, Peru for sold out performances in the 6,000 seat arena of Callao. It was a big risk for Flom to take time off his nightly performing schedule with many sold out shows in Branson, Mo., as this has been his busiest season since first coming to Branson in 2005.

Flom, along with his family from Minnesota and 300 others from Grace Church (Eden Prairie, Minnesota) traveled to South America to minister to the spiritually lost making this his fifth trip to Peru.

Flom said, “We use the art of magic to catch their eyes, so they listen with their ears, so God can touch their heart.

“I decided to let my show in Branson be dark for a week to join others from my home church, Grace Church in Eden Prairie, Minn. We worked 18 hour days for over a week to get as many ministry opportunities in before having to travel back to the states.”

Nightly sold out crowds gathered to witness a variety of performing arts. Grace Church assembled ministry teams including unicycling, puppetry, mime, drama, choirs, and of course, magic. During the day he and the teams traveled the cities performing two and three shows at orphanages, prisons and in the poorest areas of Peru. In the evening the Callao church assembled in a soccer coliseum where 5,000 spectators gathered to see a crusade type presentation where Flom performed his larger illusions. This combined with the daily ministry events allowed for thousands to hear the Gospel.

“Our partnership with Peru’s Callao Church is vital because they take the names and addresses of those who’ve made a decision for Christ so as to keep in contact with them and helping them grow in their relationship with God through church, Bible studies, etc.,” said Flom.

“The mission field is an incredible place to stretch your own faith and to feel like you are living a fulfilling life serving Jesus Christ. I am excited to be back home in Branson to continue my dream of performing magic and entertaining audiences,” he said.

The Flom family, along with Grace Church, partnered in ministry with the same church in Peru in 1999, 2001 and 2005 and in January of 2004 Flom traveled to again minister in this unique way to the large crowds of Kenya, Nairobi.

Even though Flom is only 22, he has been performing the art of illusion for two decades. His award-winning magic has been featured for audiences all around the United States of America as well as in 10 different countries. His magic has been featured numerous times on television in the states, the cover the International Brotherhood of Magicians magazine, Linking Ring, and he recently brought home the People’s Choice Award in an international magic festival held in Malaysia.

Flom is in his third year of having his own theater, Justin Flom’s Imaginary Theatre, located on the top floor of the Majestic building at the corner of Gretna and Roark. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The Imaginary Theatre is located at 2849 Gretna Rd.