April 2015 EHC Newsletter

April 2015

You can be in Jerusalem at the Garden Tomb in September this year with Every Home for Christ!

Come to Israel, DAVKA Now ... jONATHON fELDSTEIN

Despite what the worldwide media portrays, resident Jonathon Feldstein says

Israel is a safe place in which to travel. (Wikimedia Commons)

I'm often asked whether it's safe in Israel. I can't help but feel a palpable sense of disbelief when I tell people that, despite the challenges we have, I feel safer here myself, and raising my children here, than when we lived in the United States. I understand the disbelief because I see how Israel is portrayed by the world media. If that's what you go by, how could you not have a sense of terrorism or other dangers being as common as the vast religious and historical antiquities that are part of our legacy?

This week I needed to order a part for my camera. I called a distributor in New Jersey and asked if they could send the part to me in Israel. The whole order took a minute but I was on the phone with the woman taking the order for over 15 minutes. She couldn't stop raving about her trip to Israel a year ago and how she felt so safe and at home. That's the pervasive feeling among the first-time visitors and one thing that makes people want to come back.

Coming to Israel is more than simply a bucket-list item. It's a place to come back to and have a relationship with the land and its people.

That reminded me of a wedding I attended a few years ago. It happened during one of the times of heightened conflict with Hamas in Gaza, characterised by the terrorists shooting as many rockets as they could to create a sense of fear and dismay, if not harm and death.

I sat with Polish business associates of the bride's father. I asked what surprised them most about being in Israel. They each agreed it was how safe they felt. I didn't have the heart to tell them that the wedding location sat in complete range of Hamas' rockets.

So, whether you've been before or are looking for a way to come back, or never been here and always dreamed about it, now is the time to come visit Israel. "Davka" now. (Why not now?)

You can come to Israel with Every Home for Christ, September 5th - 13th this year.

For a brochure phone Australia 02-9570 8211, New Zealand Freecall 0800 900 200, United Kingdom- London 020 8940 1873 OR tick enclosed Reply Slip.

It Took a Miracle nicaragua

By Kathy Gowler

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arcia was a single mother with four daughters. Though she owned a small business, it brought in barely enough to meet their needs— anything more was simply out of reach.

Having suffered for years with degenerative glaucoma, she had lost the vision in one eye and was down to 30 percent in the other.

Without sight, Marcia would be forced to abandon her store, leaving her family penniless.

Doctors said it was imperative to extract the useless eye, but she had no money for the surgery, and certainly none for the needed prosthesis. So when EHC pioneer missionaries knocked on her door during last year’s Easter Outreach in Nicaragua, she received them kindly, but told them not to waste their breath.

“If your Jesus gives me back my sight, then I might give my life to Him,” she said.

The visitors left her with some gospel

literature and an invitation to a nearby church.Then they prayed over her, declaring her eyes healthy in the name of Jesus, and politely went on their way.

The following Sunday, Marcia showed up at the neighbourhood church. When she walked in without any assistance, the EHC workers stared in wonder. Beaming, Marcia told them that just a few days before she’d seen her ophthalmologist to have her eyes rechecked. To his surprise he discovered Marcia could see out of her “dead” eye. Not only that, her other eye was totally healthy too!

With tears in her “new” eyes, Marcia thanked God for the miracle and surrendered her life to Christ. All four of her daughters accepted Christ too, and now the entire family is involved in the local church.

Sometimes it takes a miracle to open hardened hearts to the Gospel. We serve a God of miracles.

There’s Power in the Printed Word!

Home-to-home delivery of gospel literature has been Every Home D i c k for Christ’s primary method of evangelising the world for more Eastman than 68 years. The printed messages we provide, thoughtfully written in native languages and hundreds of minority dialects, are being distributed all around the world, systematically and home to home, by hundreds of EHC staff and teams of local volunteer workers. Sharing the Gospel in this manner is both personal and non-threatening. It allows the Holy Spirit to minister to seeking hearts in His timing as gospel literature can be read and reread, then passed along to others. The printed page is particularly strategic in reaching nations where openly sharing the Gospel puts both the messenger and the receiver at risk. Sadly, there are many areas of the world today where to be caught investigating the Christian faith can result in ostracism as well as social and political persecution—even to the point of imprisonment or death. In those regions, the evangelistic tool of ink on paper has literally set millions free from spiritual and cultural captivity.

As part of EHC’s method of delivering the Gospel home to home, our global teams take advantage of seasonal opportunities such as school breaks, vacations, and national holidays. With the help of additional pioneer missionaries and local church partners, these special events help expand our reach, and the gospel message is delivered to thousands of people who have not yet heard.

As I write this, Easter Outreaches (often two to three weeks in length) are underway all around the world. Thousands of men, women, and student volunteers are devoting their time and energy to reaching great numbers of people who need to hear they have a Saviour who died for their sins and rose again. In the coming weeks, we’ll receive their stories of divine interventions, victories, and miracles that lead to their salvation!

I’m excited to share with you stories from last year’s Easter Outreaches. I believe you’ll marvel as you read about how God, in His providence, led the ministry teams to souls ripe for harvest. I can only imagine the stories we’ll hear from the current outreaches, and can’t wait to share them with you in the months to come!

Will you join me in praying for the many pioneer missionaries who, at this very minute, are involved in the 2015 Easter Outreaches? The harvest they reap will be a direct result of prayer.

Yes, prayer makes a difference, dear friends. Your prayers make a difference. And would you consider sowing a gift into the EHC ministry to help provide the follow-up courses for the many thousands who will respond? Together, we are influencing the spiritual landscape of nations all over the globe. Thank you for 4 partnering with us.

“I will give them hearts that respond to me. They shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with great joy.” Jeremiah 24:7 (tlb)

DEFEATING THE POWERS OF DARKNESS sierra leone

By Kathy Gowler

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t appeared to be a substation of the power plant providing electricity to the area. But once inside, the EHC team quickly discovered the engine room wasn’t what they thought.

Instead, they’d walked right into a seedy warehouse where alcoholics, drug addicts, and prostitutes engaged in all sorts of illegal activities. “Warming their engine” (their heads) was a term used for selfmedicating with alcohol and marijuana.

It was a dangerous and unpredictable place to minister the Gospel, but many hours of prayer and fasting had gone into the outreach. They had asked God for divine guidance, and believing they were not there by accident, the team prayed for strength and went inside. They sought out the owner and asked his permission to share a gospel message. To their surprise, he agreed and gave them full access to his establishment.

Equipped with a booklet called “The Way to God,” the EHC workers began witnessing to the patrons and preached the Gospel to the audience of addicts and prostitutes. When they finished with an altar call, 20 of the 25 confessed their sins and surrendered their lives to Christ.

They’d prayed for months in preparation for last year’s Easter Outreach in Sierra Leone. The event would be challenging, and the EHC staff knew they needed to increase their numbers.Pagan worship and the occult have held a grip on this nation for centuries. Now with a growing Muslim population, the culture is becoming even more resistant to the Gospel. But as they set out to engage more churches in an evangelistic push, they were met with another challenge—a shortage of pastors and church leaders who knew how to share the Gospel. Though they desired to reach their communities, they simply did

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not know how to evangelise. With no formal training, many had little knowledge of Scripture or biblical doctrine. Discouraged, they’d become stagnant in their own faith, unable to grow their fledgling congregations.

An evangelism workshop was offered using EHC’s Discovery discipleship curriculum.

For three days, the struggling leaders were instructed in biblical theology, study of the Word, and how to effectively share the Gospel and disciple new believers. The event was intense but breathed new life into the group and took them to a whole new spiritual level.

At the end of the training, a capable team of 114 pastors, church leaders, and pioneer missionaries were fully prepared to take the Gospel to their communities.

Ministering the Gospel home to home 1 in their nation is not easy. It requires bold faith and spiritual discernment. The kingdom of darkness has had a stronghold there for centuries and is not pleased when the powers of hell are threatened. Devoting many hours

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to prayer and fasting, the ministry team armed themselves for spiritual battle. As they took the Gospel to the streets some experienced a good response. Others were treated harshly, even threatened with physical harm for speaking the name of Jesus.

It was the young people whom they found to be surprisingly open to the Gospel.

A number of Muslim university students were very curious when approached with the message of Jesus Christ. Though they asked many questions, the EHC team addressed them all, backing up their responses with Scripture.

As they considered what they had heard, many of the students could not deny the truth of the Gospel, causing them to question the faith of their ancestors. Some surrendered their lives to Christ that very day but chose to keep it private. Others confessed they would have but feared the unbearable persecution they would surely endure. A bold few publicly proclaimed giving their lives to Christ, inciting

“The blatant indifference to their threats caught the attackers off guard. Stunned and disarmed, they simply turned and walked away...”

angry mobs. Arming themselves with weapons, they set out to silence the EHC workers however necessary.

But the workers were also armed—with the powerful weapon of prayer. In a bold gesture, they simply turned their backs against the mob pretending not to notice them.

The blatant indifference to their threats caught the attackers off guard. Stunned and disarmed, they simply turned and walked away—a glorious victory against the powers of darkness.

The group of 114 believers involved in the Sierra Leone Easter Outreach last year accomplished an amazing feat. They delivered the gospel message to more than 13,000 households and received 3,888 responses to the gospel message.

One was an angry young woman EHC workers just couldn’t forget after they knocked on her door.

Rudely abrupt, she wouldn’t even let them explain the reason for their visit, so the workers thanked her and politely went on their way. However, something about her response haunted them. Unsure of what it was, they looked for a quiet place nearby and began4 to pray. Though they didn’t know it at the time, the 29-year-old they’d just met was the leader of a prostitution ring that had a strong presence in the community. After spending time in prayer,

they decided to go back and tapped on her door one more time. Seeing them return, she let them tell her why they had come.

They could tell her calloused heart was pricked by their message of forgiveness and second chances. For ten years she’d been estranged from her family who strongly disapproved of her lifestyle. The news that God’s love and forgiveness was available even to her was almost more than she could bear. Weeping, she shared her tragic story, confessed her sins, and prayed to receive Christ. With follow-up discipleship and a lot of encouragement, she worked hard to put her past behind her and has been reunited with her family—another amazing victory for the powers of heaven.

Taking the Gospel home to home is often the only opportunity to reach the broken people not likely to go to a church for help. By taking the message of salvation to them, EHC teams have seen millions restored.

During the 2015 Easter Outreaches, thousands of needy people will hear of God’s saving grace for the very first time. Those who are going out to find them depend on our prayers. Stumbling upon a brothel in West Africa was a divine appointment. Many more such appointments are currently taking place all over the globe. Will you take a moment and pray that God will lead our teams right to them? Prayer releases the powers of heaven—yours, added to ours, will make a difference.

Thank you for partnering with us and other believers around the world who are committed to reaching every home for Christ.

THe Power of Twelve INDIA

By Kathy Gowler

“Those who trust in the Lord are steady as Mount Zion, unmoved by any circumstance.”

(Psalm 125:1, The Living Bible)

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t was an outrageous undertaking.

They were only 12 in number, but their passion for people without Christ burned hotter than the Indian sun. Their goal for the Easter Outreach was to distribute gospel messages home to home in three neighbouring towns and 296 nearby villages.

It would be a herculean feat in the best of circumstances—a total of 60,000 households.

But what this group encountered along the way made their mission nearly impossible.

They expected it would be difficult, and it was. With a large area to cover, the team of 12 divided into smaller groups and began their ministry. They were prepared to encounter some hostility, however nothing close to what three of the pioneer missionaries experienced, which nearly cost them their lives.

A hostile group attacked our workers, running them out of the village. Then they

followed them, knocking the missionaries from their bicycles, brutally kicking them as they huddled on the ground. One was injured so severely, his two companions were sure he was dead.

Those two were then taken back to the village where they were mocked with antiChristian slogans while their gospel literature was set on fire. Once more, they were evicted from the village, this time stripped of all their gospel materials.

Somehow, all three missionaries survived the attack and made it back to their base.

Remarkably, they were back out the very next morning, knocking on doors, and sharing the Gospel in spite of their traumatic experience.

With God’s help, the committed group not only met their goal, they surpassed it and reached 63,966 homes with gospel literature—nearly 4,000 more than they’d hoped for.

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“Last year’s Easter Outreach made a significant impact on this nation. During those few weeks, EHC workers took gospel literature to 1,495,313 homes and recorded 7,845 responses to the Gospel.”

Another team was ministering in an area of the country where many different dialects were spoken.

Armed with gospel literature in nine different languages, they faced persecution of a different kind. Because some of the material was written especially for Muslims, opposing factions took everything they had with them and threw it into the town well. In spite of the setback, this resilient team replenished their supply and met their goal, reaching 186 communities.

Not all our EHC workers faced such traumatic situations though. Many encountered open hearts seeking fulfillment from something other than the ancient religions of their ancestors. One husband-andwife team knocked on the door of a depressed and desperate business man who had given up all hope of finding happiness. Separated from his wife, he’d turned to his gods but his efforts came up empty. The man had hit bottom, seeking comfort in the contents of a bottle.

When the EHC workers met him, alcohol had become his god.

The couple told him why they’d come, handing him a gospel booklet entitled “Are You Happy?” That one simple question struck the man at his core and he melted in a puddle of despair. Happy, he was not.

As they shared the Gospel and told him of the God who loved him, the devastated man listened intently.

He’d never heard such news before, and had many questions. For three days the couple went back to his home, fasting and praying the entire time for his salvation. Each day, they answered his questions and read to him from the Word of God. On the third day, he surrendered his life to Christ.

With the help of these new friends, this broken soul was able to overcome his drinking problem and put his life back in order. Now reunited with his wife, he’s dedicated his life to serving Christ.

Last year’s Easter Outreach made a significant impact. During those few weeks, EHC workers took gospel literature to 1,495,313 homes and recorded 7,845 responses to the Gospel. As a result, EHC India is experiencing exciting growth, opening ministry in two more districts in the past few months.

Seasonal events like the Easter Outreaches are an effective way to reach people who wouldn’t seek out a church on their own. Millions around the globe have come to faith in Christ during these events all because someone knocked on their door and invited them.

Bible Readings: This month the daily text will be taken from Job and Psalms.

For those wanting to do the one-year Bible reading program these chapters are in brackets.

APRIL 2015

PRAY FOR ISRAEL, THE NATIONS, THE WORLD'S PEOPLE. Rev 12:11 "They overcame him (Satan) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony: and they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death." Speak your prayer!

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EXODUS 15:26 - God said, "If you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His eyes, if you pay attention to His commands and keep all His decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I bought on the Egyptians for I am the Lord, who heals you." Pray God's healing for yourself and the understanding to know His will for your nation and the nations of the world. Job 35 (Leviticus 8-10) EXODUS 12:23-24 - God said, "... he will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down." Pray for protection for yourself and your family in this evil world. Pray for the USA, the UK, Australia and New Zealand governments to give protection to their people and the world. Job 36 (Leviticus 11-14)

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POLAND - Pop. 38,300,000 Map 84. EHC leaders here are seeking to partner with some of Poland’s largest denominations to mobilise prayer for the evangelisation of their country. Pray today that this movement would inspire the Church in Poland to reach every home in their nation for Christ. Job 37 (Leviticus 15-16)

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CONGO REPUBLIC - Pop. 4,700,000 Map 20.

This team requests prayer that the Lord will miraculously open doors for them to connect with more local churches in order to mobilise more believers for home-to-home evangelism. Pray also for open hearts among the people to receive the Gospel.

Job 38 (Leviticus 17-22) CREATIVE ACCESS - He is risen! The National Director says, “There are hundreds of thousands of refugees in the northern part of our nation.

Pray for a revival among these refugees!” This Easter, pray for open doors for ministry and for open hearts to the Good News of Jesus Christ. Job 39 (Leviticus 23-27)

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FIJI - Pop. 900,000 Map 150.

EHC Fiji relaunched earlier this year in January. Praise the Lord! Pray for this ministry to grow and bear much fruit. Pray for local churches to embrace the vision of going home to home with the Good News. Pray for unity among believers. Job 40 (Numbers 1-4)

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MALAWI- Pop. 17,400,000 Map 15. Because of heavy rains and flooding during recent months, several EHC pioneer missionaries lost their homes.

Pray for these workers and volunteers who sacrifice daily for the Gospel, that the Lord will meet their needs and provide them with shelter. Job 41 (Numbers 5-7)

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CREATIVE ACCESS - Ministry is difficult in this closed nation. In recent days, EHC teams have seen an increase in persecution. The government is seeking the arrest of one leader because he converted from Islam. Pray for safety for these workers and for open doors for the Gospel! Job 42 (Numbers 8-10) CREATIVE ACCESS - Praise God for a government-approved printing of the New Testament in this nation’s language! EHC workers are sharing this new version and have heard many positive responses. Pray for the right group of people to assemble as EHC leaders launch 24/7 prayer for their nation. Psalm 1 (Numbers 11-15) THAILAND - Pop. 67,700,000 Map 136.

During recent outreaches from cell to cell in prisons, 85 prisoners prayed to accept salvation in the Lord. Praise God! Pray that these prisoners would experience new life in Christ and grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus. Psalm 2 (Numbers16-19) BURKINA FASO - Pop. 18,400,000 Map 40. Join us in prayer today for ministry in an area where EHC pioneer missionaries have faced many difficulties, including being thrown out of a village by people who oppose the Gospel. Pray for encouragement for these workers and for open doors. Psalm 3 (Numbers 20-24) LEBANON - Pop. 5,900,000 Map 114.

This team requests prayer for 12 members of a Christ Group who are taking the step of being baptized. All of the 12 are from an Islamic background, so being baptized can be dangerous. Pray for their protection and continued spiritual growth.

Psalm 4 (Numbers 25-27) GAMBIA- Pop. 1,900,000 Map 48.

Praise the Lord for the healing of a Fula Muslim who had suffered from a serious illness for six years. An EHC pioneer missionary prayed for him, and he was healed and gave his life to Jesus!

Pray for Muslim converts in this nation to grow in Christ.

Psalm 5 (Numbers 28-31)

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COTE D'iVOIRE - Pop. 22,800.000 Map 41. During a recent outreach, EHC workers met a young girl who had suffered from a stomach ache for four years and had lost hope, expecting to die. She was prayed for, healed, and she committed her life to Christ! Pray for her testimony to reach many more hearts. Psalm 6 (Numbers 32-36)

WRITE YOUR PRAYER REQUEST, send it to us in the enclosed envelope and we will pray for you.

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SLOVAKIA - Pop. 5,400,000 Map 81. EHC workers here have been sharing an evangelistic newspaper during home-tohome outreaches. Already, 30 people have asked for follow-up Bible courses as a result—praise the Lord! Pray that these 30 seekers would commit their lives to Christ.

Psalm 7 (Deuteronomy 1-4) CREATIVE ACCESS - Praise God for His protection during recent training, where EHC leaders trained 21 believers in evangelism and discipleship. Pray for many Christ Groups to be planted, to flourish, and to multiply as a result.

Psalm 8 (Deuteronomy 5-8) CREATIVE ACCESS - EHC pioneer missionaries in this restricted nation recently took gospel literature home to home in a border city known for its large population of fanatical Muslims. Pray that the message of Jesus Christ would pierce their hearts.

Psalm 9 (Deuteronomy 9-11) TANZANIA - Pop. 49,600,000 Map 16.

Today, pray for this EHC team’s current ministry plans and programs. Pray especially for breakthrough in reaching Muslim people groups. Pray also that Christ Groups would be fruitful and multiply and that churches trained in rural areas would be faithful in ministry. Psalm 10 (Deuteronomy 12-18)

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CREATIVE ACCESS EHC teams here organised an outreach to a people group with no known Christians. Together with four medical doctors, ten pioneer missionaries visited this people group’s villages. Pray for a great harvest, for open hearts, and for effective follow-up!

Psalm 11 (Deuteronomy 19-26)

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ESTONIA - Pop. 1,300,000 Map 97. “We are thankful for the opportunity to hold a radio talk show for Christians to encourage them to pray for and evangelise their neighbours,” the National Director says. “Pray for the believers in Estonia to adopt these spiritual disciplines.”

Psalm 12 (Deuteronomy 27-30) NIGER - Pop. 17,500,000 Map 36. - Join us in rejoicing today over the salvation of 15 new believers! Pray for these new members of the family of God, especially for those who are experiencing persecution from their families because of their new faith. Pray for strength and protection. Palm 13 (Deuteronomy 31-34)

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MEXICO - Pop. 120,300,000 Map 178.

Praise God, He is opening new doors to mobilise churches in Chihuahua. In the community of Cholos—where the people are immersed in drugs and alcoholism—EHC workers spread the Gospel and planted a Christ Group. Pray for growth and multiplication! Psalm 14 (Psalm 91)

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SOLOMON ISLANDS- Pop. 600,000 Map 152. EHC leaders in this nation request prayer for the pastors and believers they’ve trained in evangelism and discipleship. Pray that those who have been trained will embrace the vision of reaching every home and carry it into all provinces of the Solomon Islands!

Psalm 15 (Joshua 1-5) CREATIVE ACCESS - A daughter of a wealthy family had severe headaches for years. The family travelled in search of a cure, but nothing helped. Finally, they visited a pastor and she was healed. Her whole family accepted Christ. Praise God! Pray for multiplying fruit to come from this testimony.

Psalm 16 (Joshua 6-8) BELGIUM - Pop. 10,400,000 Map 87. A team of ten pioneer missionaries took the Good News from home to home in Antwerp, delivering gospel literature along with their personal testimony. Pray for open hearts in those who heard the message, that many would commit their lives to Christ.

Psalm 17 (Joshua 9-12) CREATIVE ACCESS This team requests prayer for two specific EHC workers— one who is losing his hearing, and another who is having health issues after a heart attack. Pray for healing for these two workers, that they might return to the frontlines of ministry in this nation! Psalm 18 (Joshua 13-17) SEYCHELLES- Pop. 90,000 Map 145.

Praise the Lord for the new EHC ministry launched in this nation! Today, join us in lifting up in prayer the new EHC team here as they connect with churches from as many islands as possible and share the vision of reaching every home for Christ.

Psalm 19 (Joshua 18-21) CREATIVE ACCESS - EHC workers here have been studying the Gospels with a woman over the phone in recent days. She has been interested in Jesus for a long time, but she does not know if she is willing to suffer for His sake. Pray that she would see her need for His great love. Psalm 20 (Joshua 22-24)

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CREATIVE ACCESS - “We are so grateful to have literature in our nation’s native tongue to take from home to home!” the National Director says.“We are already receiving responses from many who have been touched by the message. Pray for fruit that remains.” Psalm 21 (Judges 1-3) TOGO- Pop. 7,400,000 Map 38 This team requests prayer that the bondage of idol worship would be broken in many villages of their nation. Oftentimes, the people tell EHC workers that their idols are simply “tradition” and nothing evil.

Pray for freedom! Psalm 22 (Judges 4-5)

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Australia: PO Box 168 Penshurst NSW 2222 Telephone: (02) 9570 8211 Facsimile: (02) 9570 4738 New Zealand: PO Box 31-260 Milford North Shore City 0741 Telephone: Free call 0800 900 200 Facsimile: 0061 2 9570 4738 www.everyhome.org.au ehc@everyhome.org.au