Letter writing is an important part of sending messages of encouragement, love and hope to each child at the Ludlati Carepoint.  Children’s HopeChest makes it quite convenient for sponsors to write to their children.  You can directly type your letter and include a picture on their website at the following link:

http://www.hopechest.org/write-your-child/

Please follow the guidelines provided on the website for the recommended frequency and suggested “Do’s and Don’ts”.  For children who are able and wish to reply, they will have the opportunity to respond to your letters one or two times a year.

We can all be encouraged by a testimony for the type of work we feel God is doing through sponsors who write letters and people who visit and work in Swaziland with our Ludlati Neighbor Kids.  The following video shows how God used a sponsor’s letter to impact one man’s life.  He was a child in Kenya sponsored by a young man through Compassion International.

What is the opposite of love?  I think the general response would be hate.  A different answer to this question was given at a Justice Institute session about Injustice in Education.  It was suggested by one speaker the opposite of love is indifference.

What is indifference?  Several definitions can be found and include:  unconcern, emotionlessness, unbiased, impartial, apathy.  The speaker shared this in context of confessing his own indifference to people who are suffering in our local city, Champaign, IL.  Prior to getting involved as a volunteer at one of the schools, he had no idea how strongly biased the local public educational system is against poor families and children, especially minorities.  In the course of the session, the group of panelist proved with facts and stated a destructive message is being effectively communicated to this group of children by the school system and the community at large.  Our society does not care about them, and we want them out of our way and sight.  Once they enter society as young adults and commit crimes as many do, we are happy to put them in jail to protect our property and personal safety.

Perhaps “hate” is not on the same scale as “indifference”, but the results produced are quite similar over time.  I believe I now realize and accept that my own indifference does contribute to the problem in my community.  I am excited that myself and others in this session have gained new insight and awareness.  I am thankful my heart is now opened and sensitive to this specific community issue.  My prayer is I and all of us actively seek to do our part as we serve our Lord by serving the members of our community, especially the members we consider the least.

1 Corinthians 10:24 - Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.

This article was written by John Bentley of Harmony Outreach.  Harmony Outreach works with special needs orphans and vulnerable people in China. This article appeared in a recent newsletter from Harmony Outreach.These newsletters have amazing stories every time!  Go here to find out more about them: http://www.harmonyoutreach.org/

Here is John Bentley’s article:

It’s about life not success.

Since we get only one life, isn’t it really important that our lives are meaningful? I think so, and I think Jesus would agree because He said, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:1O). But somewhere between Satan, society and our own flesh many believers get deceived into pursuing a cheap counterfeit to abundant life called “success.” Our lives are so short-described in the Bible as a vapor that appears for an instant and then is gone. What a wasted opportunity if we spend the short years given to us chasing worldly stability, comfort and success instead of producing the “fruit that remains” that Jesus described in John 15.

In her book The Hiding Place, Corrie ten Boom describes an encounter which I hope illustrates this point. During the Nazi occupation of Holland, Corrie’s family began working with the Dutch underground to hide (and thus save) Jews. They built a secret room in their small house to hide as many Jews as they could and helped others to find safety living in countryside farms with other compassionate Dutch families. One day a young Jewish mother, with a brand new baby, was brought to Corrie. With no more room in their home, and all the homes in their “network” filled to capacity, Corrie struggled to think of a safe place for the mother and baby. The next morning, into their shop walked the perfect person—-a clergyman who pastored a small church in the countryside. I will let Corrie describe what happened when she asked the pastor if he would be willing to take them in.

Back in the dining room I pulled back the coverlet from the baby’s face. There was a long silence. The man bent forward, his hand in spite of himself reaching for the tiny fist curled round the blanket. For a moment I saw compassion and fear struggle in his face. Then he straightened. “No. Definitely not. We could lose our lives for that Jewish child!” Unseen by either of us, father had appeared in the doorway. “Give the child to me, Corrie,” he said. Father held the baby close, his white beard brushing its cheek, looking into the little face with eyes as blue and innocent as the baby’s own. At last he looked up at the pastor. “You say we could lose our lives for this child. I would consider that the greatest honor that could come to my family.” The pastor turned sharply on his heels and walked out of the room.

So we had to accept a bad solution to our problem. On the edge of Haarlem was a truck farm that hid refugees for short periods of time. It was not a good location, since the Gestapo had been there already. But there was nowhere else available on short notice. A few weeks later we heard that the farm had been raided. When the Gestapo came to the barn where the woman was hiding, not the baby, but the mother began to shriek with hysteria. She, the baby, and her protectors were all taken. We never learned what happened to them.

Although it has been little more than 50 years since the events Corrie described, all of the characters are now gone. Gone are the Gestapo agents, the pastor, the mother and child, the family who sheltered them, and gone are Corrie and her father. The vapor of their lives has vanished and all that remains is the fruit of their lives-what was done for good, what was done for evil, and what was not done. Corrie’s story involved both heroes and villains, the courageous and cowards. Some of the heroes were ordinary people. Some of the cowards were in ministry. What mattered was not the job they had but how they lived their lives. Some years ago I made the decision to change the course of my life, leaving the practice of law and coming by faith to China - knowing little more than that God had called me. It has been a long and often difficult journey. But just this past month alone we took in two new at-risk babies, tiny Wanda and little Daniel. When I look at their sweet faces I feel love for them and am rewarded with the overwhelming satisfaction that comes from knowing that we are going to save and transform their lives. I suspect that feeling is the “abundant life” that Jesus was referring to. What about you? When the vapor of your life vanishes what will remain? Will you have any regrets about how you chose to live and the priorities you set for yourself? Jesus warned that when we appear before our Heavenly Father we will have to give account of our lives and present our talents (fruit) to him for inspection. And the quality and quantity of that fruit will have consequences, either good or bad, for all eternity.

(Matt 25: 14-30)
Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. Anyone, then who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins. (James 4: 13-17)

“If there were no Carepoint I think my whole family would be dead…I pray for God to help me live a good life and my future be like a miracle.”—Quote from a Swaziland Teenager shared by Tom Davis, CEO of Children’s Hopechest on his facebook page.  This quote provides a real word picture for the life giving hope we plan to give to Ludlati.  A Ludlati Development Plan is set up to intervene in the lives of Ludlati orphans and at-risk children by helping them come to know Christ, provide support needed to thrive physically, and teach the skills needed to sustain themselves and their family as they mature.  A critical aspect of the development plan provides support to native Swaziland community leaders and mentors who already show a commitment to help these children, but lack the resources to do it.  This promotes in-country growth and sufficiency for long term development and sustainability.

Ludlati Development Plan:

1.    Obtain land from the village leadership, typically available as an empty plot. - DONE

2.    Provide food, water, and basic preventive medical care to orphans and at-risk children in the area using the land as a gathering place.  Funded through monthly contributions. - IN PROGRESS

3.    Develop facilities:  Fence, kitchen and a well (if possible at this location).  Funded through capital project contributions.  - IN PROGRESS

4.    Provide support for school fees and on-site schooling for all children at Ludlati Carepoint.  Funded through monthly contributions at 100% monthly funding level.

5.    Develop facilities:  Build a building for school, training, and discipleship activities.  Also used as temporary shelter on the grounds.  Funded through capital project contributions.

6.    Deliver ongoing care and education to provide immediate and long-term hope.  Funded through monthly contributions at 100% monthly funding level.

7.    Move beyond orphan care into the community to develop micro-enterprises that provide a means to earn both income and dignity.  Funding plans for this stage will be developed at a later date with the goal of long term self sufficiency.

We are excited to be started on working through the development plan steps, and are currently in the midst of Step 2 and 3 above.  50% of the monthly support needed is raised for Step 2.  We are thankful for each family and individual who has committed to give!  But there is 50% more to go…help spread the word.  Step 3 is a capital project to build a kitchen and fence around the carepoint grounds.  We were given a quote from Children’s Hopechest of $15,000 to build the kitchen and fence.  We are so thankful and blessed to have $12,500 raised for this project before wide spread publishing of the need for Ludlati capital funds!  If you will help us close the funding gap, we want to raise the remaining $2500 in the next two to four weeks.  Pick this link to learn how to give by mail or on-line to the Ludlati Capital Project.

More Ludlati Development Plan details are posted and updated at the following link or menu bar pick:  COMMUNITY > SWAZILAND > Ludlati Development Plan

Please understand how a Carepoint effects the life of children in Swaziland from another true story given by a boy in Swaziland named Musa (from Children’s HopeChest):

“My name is Musa. I am five. My mother and father are dead from AIDS. Now my sister Zodwa is taking care of me. She’s 12. After my parents died, we ate grass for food, but now that is changed. Every day the go-gos cook food for us at the carepoint. At the carepoint, Zodwa and I eat two meals each day. I no longer think about food so much. Now I dream of school. Thank you for making this place for me and Zodwa. Please do not ever forget us. I do not want to be hungry again.”

I am pleasantly struck this morning by another insight after reading about the “Rich Young Man” or the “Parable of the Rich Ruler” that I have missed in the past.

If you are familiar with the story documented in at least three places in the bible (Mathew 19, Mark 10, Luke 18), it is a memorable moment when this “rich guy” walks away sad after hearing Jesus response.  I gather from Mathew, Mark and Luke’s perspectives, this man was everything most humans on earth would want to be.  He was a good man.  He was young.  He was rich.  He was a Ruler, so he had power.  Nothing is written about his looks except his general age….but if you have all that, there is plenty of evidence to show he doesn’t necessarily need to be handsome.  I think it is safe to assume, most of us would see this person, and think I want to be and live like him.  We can also cipher from their response that people nearby were impressed.  If this guy can’t be saved, “Who then can be saved?”

Now let’s set up the scene.  This rich man was standing in a crowd listening to Jesus teach people how they can obtain eternal life.  After He was done he starts walking on His way, and this guy runs up to Him, falls on his knees, and asks Jesus, “Good teacher! What must I do to inherit eternal life?”  I would love to see the faces of this man and the people nearby when Jesus responds with, “Why do you call me good?  No one is good-except God alone.”  I can see the blank, questioning look on each of their faces.  That would have been my expression too for that matter.  Huh!?  You are not good!?  Then Jesus says in so many words, “God has these commands see…and no one can follow them all see…”  And the rich guy’s eyes get wide as he looks up with excitement and proclaims, “Teacher!  I have kept all these commands since I was a boy!”.  Jesus replies, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”  This is the pivotal moment where so much is happening.  Jesus is feeling a deep sense of love for this man, because he knows his response will be sadness and rejection of His instructions.  The people nearby will be drop-jaw’d because they don’t understand why this good man can not meet the requirement for eternal life.  This is where I as the reader in the past have thought, “Hmm…I am a Christian, but sell everything, and give it all to the poor?  Wow.  That would be tough for me to do.”  This is where suddenly it hit me!

Jesus did not say how much to give.  Jesus asked the rich man to change his lifestyle.

In my mind, I often thought Jesus asked him to give ALL his possessions to the poor.  If you did too, then look again.  The instruction was simply, “give to the poor”.  The amount was not specified.  The second part of Jesus instruction was, “follow me”.  It is an important point that Jesus loved the rich man, and wanted to be together in relationship with the rich man.  He wanted to live life together, both in the present and eternity.  The rich man’s response revealed his true desires were for his current lifestyle and everything that went with it.  He was excited by Jesus’ teaching how to obtain eternal life.  He thought he had passion for God.  He had followed God and been good his whole life!  He looked like a sure candidate, just ask the people nearby.  In my opinion, the rich man was sad because he could not have it his way.  Jesus was sad because he cared for this man who rejected his love and things of eternal value.

Though this is a sobering story that challenges all of us to test our own desires and heart, I want to bring us back to what I believe is an insight about giving.  Jesus’ instruction was simply, “give to the poor”.  Again I point out, the amount was not specified.  In our on-line discussions we have seen the questions repeated that we are all wrestling.  How much should I give to the orphans and widows in distress, brokenhearted, wanderers, and strangers?  For clarity, let’s state the word “giving” implies gifts of time, money, energy, love, compassion, etc.  I think we all understand that God wants us to give all of our life to Him.  What that means in practical daily life is the challenge.  There are many scriptures about giving, and how God feels about it.  Yes, God wants us to give our entire life to Him.  But how we work this out on a daily basis is not spelled out explicitly in God’s word.  I believe He wants each of us to seek this instruction from Him.  We do have explicit guidelines at the extremes.  For example in Mark 25:31-46, the parable of “The Sheep and the Goats”, and I paraphrase - if we “didn’t give to the least of these” we are rejected, and if we “do give to the least of these” we are given eternal life with Him.  This parable can stress us out unless we realize that salvation is freely given and received.  No one can earn it, so no one can boast.  Once one understands salvation, works and giving are part of Jesus plan for our lives (Ephesians 2:8-10).  Now that the extremes are stated, I think most of us believe we are somewhere in between.  Again, we come back to the question of how much?  To explore one answer to this question, let’s go back to a story that I learned as a child through a Sunday school song.

“Zacchaeus was a wee little man, and a wee little man was he…”  Remember that song?  Because of this song, I have always pictured this little wimp with Jesus scolding him, “Zacchaeus!  Get down out of that tree!  We are going straight to your house young man!”  Brings back memories of my parents shouting, “Donnie!  Cut that out! Go straight to your room!”  As a child, I also learned Jesus loves everyone - even little, dirty rotten tax collectors - so he must love me too.  Judging by my parents reaction to the word, I also figured he was probably extra bad since he was associated with the word “tax”.  Recently, my picture of this guy has changed.  Let’s review the story.  Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector, was wealthy, and most everyone hated him.  We probably wouldn’t know he was short except to explain why this guy was up in a tree so he could see over the crowd.  It probably should be added to Jesus list of miracles that Zacchaeus didn’t fall out of that tree when He turned His head and said Z’s name.  Boldly, Jesus invited himself to little Z’s house in front of everyone.  The people were shocked and appalled Jesus would talk to this guy and even go to his house to eat with that dirty tax collecting thief!  Zacchaeus was all those bad things, but look at his response to Jesus.  Luke 19:8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”  Zacchaeus got it right away.  Now I choose to call him BIG-Z.  He decided on the same day he met Jesus to change his lifestyle.  He gave more than half of his possessions, but more importantly, he understood giving his life to Jesus meant acting on Jesus instructions and commands.  I believe these are actions of a big man.  I would love to know the rest of BIG-Z’s story.

Peter is one of Jesus’ disciples who had a couple wimpy episodes, but eventually turned into a big man himself with the help of God’s spirit.  At the end of the story about the rich man, Peter was excited about the disciple’s prospects.  Luke18:28 Peter said to him, “We have left all we had to follow you!”  29"I tell you the truth,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God 30will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life.”

We have God’s love for us, His promises and blessings of life, and we have many inspirational role models for “giving” in the Bible, history and in the world today.  As part of my current prayers I seek the works I am supposed to do, and I trust and see He is working in my life to lead me this way.  Some days are routine and “uneventful” and I have to decide to trust and have faith anyway, but He gives me opportunities daily to act on my faith in seemingly small and some bigger ways.  Other days He has given me insights to show me He is leading me toward the answer to these questions.  How much should I give?  How should I live my days?  What should my lifestyle look like?  I pray that we all be inspired, encouraged, seek and trust that God will guide each one of us to our specific actions and work.  Just for fun, let the children’s Sunday school song play in your head, and imagine the collective impact we will have on the orphans, widows, strangers and the world when we all respond like the rich man, Zacchaeus, and change our lifestyles in Christ.

Recently, my wife, Barbra, received this information, and we want to share it with you.  I think it is safe to assume most everyone is affected by the earthquake disaster in Haiti.  I have heard several people express desire to do more that are not able to go themselves.  You can take advantage of an opportunity to do something for Haiti in the Champaign-Urbana, IL area!

First Christian Church and Haitian Christian Outreach have partnered together to collect much needed items to earthquake stricken Haiti in the next 30 days. They will be accepting donations on Saturday, Feb. 13, from 9am to 3pm at First Christian Church on South Staley Rd. (Corner of Staley and Curtis in Southwest Champaign). Needed items include:

• Peanut butter, bottled water, cooking oil, canned meats, protein bars, canned pasta—already prepared
• over the counter medicines: tylenol, Benadryl, prenatal vitamins, etc. (all items need to be new and unopened)
• medical supplies: dressings, gauze, gloves, tape, crutches, alcolor, peroxide, vaseline, ziplock bags, etc.
• Baby items: Pedialyte, baby cereal, baby bottles
• Financial donations
• Children’s shoes, but no clothing is needed at this time.
• Please make sure all food and medical items are unopened.

The HaitianChristian.org website states that financial contributions can be used to purchase higher quantities of food at much lower prices than we can buy at a store.  Again, they will accept financial contributions Saturday.  If you have specific questions, please use the following information to contact the organizers:

For more info. go to http://www.haitianchristian.org
Or contact Don & Deb Orr .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Haitian Christian Outreach is an organization lead by Executive Director, Mac Burberry, out of Mahomet, IL near Champaign.  Read more about their organization at their website.  If you miss out on the opportunity Saturday, and you want to give.  Please go to the website and find out how where to send donations.

Thanks for Caring. Here is a video update found on Haitian Christian Outreach website. From their website:  Watch the video, especially the last 1 minute and you will see the helicopter land on our buildings in Port-au-Prince with supplies and the many smiling faces there.

A story from Children’s HopeChest shows how the Lord called a poor pastor in Swaziland, Pastor Walter, to give out of his pocket.  Pastor Walter describes how his heart was so moved to obeyed God’s word and call in James 1:27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress….

Watch how God has blessed and continues to bless Pastor Walter’s obedience and work…

The Pastor Walter Story from Children's HopeChest on Vimeo.

During my visit to Swaziland in October 2009, I met Pastor Walter and his wife, saw the carepoints he started and are now supported by people through Children’s HopeChest.

The video below shows progress made toward Pastor Walter’s vision by October 2009 as the walls are built onto the Church building at Bhalekane. It is not shown in this video, but a primary school is also added to the grounds, and a field on the grounds was freshly plowed to grow cash crops. More importantly, there is a noticeable improvement in the countenance of the children at Bhalekane carepoint relative to children of Ludlati carepoint who did not have this level of care and resource.  We are so happy to get started with Ludlati, and we look forward to watching love turn into hope and joy.

Progress at Bhalekane Carepoint through Pastor Walter from KnownToMe on Vimeo.

Though we are not “pastors”, all followers of Christ are instructed by Jesus to obey God’s commands to love one another and care for the needy, and we are blessed with joy when we obey.  We can share in some joy now by reading a young swazi boy’s perspective how his life is changed through the support of a carepoint…

Story from a boy in Swaziland named Musa (from Children’s HopeChest):

“My name is Musa. I am five. My mother and father are dead from AIDS. Now my sister Zodwa is taking care of me. She’s 12. After my parents died, we ate grass for food, but now that is changed. Every day the go-gos cook food for us at the carepoint. At the carepoint, Zodwa and I eat two meals each day. I no longer think about food so much. Now I dream of school. Thank you for making this place for me and Zodwa. Please do not ever forget us. I do not want to be hungry again.”

Both Hands is a great name for this organization, but I keep wanting to call it something else. When you hear more about it, you will know why (in my mind) the alternative name for Both Hands is Extreme Makeover: Widow and Orphan edition!

According to a message from their founder J.T. Olson,  Both Hands began when a friend refused to sponsor him in a Charity Golf Game. The friend denied J.T’s request saying that he wouldn’t sponsor him for the golf game, but the friend did say that if J.T. was doing something like working on a widow’s home to raise funds for the charity, he would be interested in sponsoring that.  While I am certain that was not the response J.T. expected, it was certainly a response that provoked some thought.  Out of those thoughts, Both Hands was born.  From their website http://bothhandsfoundation.org/, “Both Hands is a non-profit organization with a two-fold mission. We serve widows in a very practical way in our communities, while raising funds to help willing families adopt.”  Both Hands work with Lifesong for Orphans http://www.lifesongfororphans.org/ to make this innovative fund-raising method a blessing for widows and adoptive families.

Imagine being a widow with limited ability to do home repairs or landscape projects, what a joy it would be to have a team arrive excited and prepared to do just what you need. Imagine being an adoptive family working hard to save for an adoption. Wouldn’t this type of project be a great way to help and be helped at the same time?

Lifesong explains the program like this, “When adoptive families are accepted into this program, Lifesong and Both Hands helps the family to remove financial barriers to their adoption and help benefit a widow’s home.” In this program, an adoptive family asks for 10 volunteers to work on a widow’s home for one day. Prior to the work day, those volunteers send out sponsorship letters to ask friends to sponsor them in the work on the widow’s home. Those sponsorship funds go to Lifesong who gives these funds in the form of a grant to the adoptive family.  These projects raise an average of $10,000 for the adoptive family.  What a great way for so many to get involved helping widows and orphans!

Of course, there are many more details in the online manual for this project.  http://www.lifesongfororphans.org/bothHands.html  There you will find instructions on things like recruiting volunteers, choosing a widow’s home-improvement or landscaping project, finding a superintendent (any retired skilled construction workers among you?), making a project timeline, finding materials,  and much more.

Local families, if you are considering a project with Both Hands, let us know!  We think there are some of you out there considering this.  We would love to help. Also, if you would be interested in being a construction superintendent on this kind of job or if you know of a widow with a project, can you let us know?  Maybe we can help connect everyone to make one or more of these projects a go! 

A KTM member posted this on her FB this morning. Thank you, Christine.
Thought I would share here! Pass it on!

If you have arrived on your way to the Ludlati profiles, please click on the multi-colored hand print button to the right of this message.
Alternatively, the kids are found under the Community button above on the menu bar. When you hit the community button, just pick Swaziland off the pull-down menu then go to Meet Our Neighbor kids.  There they are!
For more information on Ludlati, choose Ludlati Info-Video off of the same menu or search Care Point or Travels from the Blog Categories on the right-hand side bar of this page.
Glad you are here!

Christmas is recently past, but everyday could and perhaps should be Christmas.  In the spirit of keeping Christmas going, I would like to share this precious story of Jesus’ birth from at least one orphan’s perspective…

An Orphan’s version of CHRISTMAS STORY reference link

After the fall of communism, the Russian government welcomed many American Christians to be guest teachers in Russian schools and to help restore a respect for moral and ethics. In 1994, two Americans answered an invitation from the Russian Department of Education to teach morals and ethics (based on biblical principles) in public schools. They were invited to teach at prisons, businesses, the fire and police departments and a large orphanage. About 100 boys and girls who had been abandoned, abused, and left in the care of a government-run program were in the orphanage. They related the following story in their own words:

It was nearing the holiday season in 1994, and time for our orphans to hear, for the first time, the traditional story of Christmas. We told them about Mary and Joseph arriving in Bethlehem. Finding no room in the inn, the couple went to a stable, where baby Jesus was born and placed in a manger.

Throughout the story, the children and orphanage staff sat in amazement as they listened. Some sat on the edges of their stools, trying to grasp every word. Completing the story, we gave the children three small pieces of cardboard to make a crude manger. Each child was given a small paper square, cut from yellow napkins I had brought with me. (No colored paper was available in the city.) Following instructions, the children tore the paper and carefully laid strips in the manger for straw. Small squares of flannel, cut from a worn-out nightgown an American lady was throwing away as she left Russia, were used for the baby’s blanket. A doll-like baby was cut from tan felt we had brought from the United States. The orphans were busy assembling their manger as I walked among them to see if they needed any help.

All went well until I got to one table where little Misha sat – he looked to be about 6 years old and had finished his project. As I look at the little boy’s manger, I was startled to see not one, but two babies in the manger. Quickly, I called for the translator to ask the lad why there were two babies in the manger. Crossing his arms in front of him and looking at this completed manger scene, the child began to repeat the story very seriously. For such a young boy, who had only heard the Christmas story once, he related the happenings accurately until he came to the part where Mary put baby Jesus in the manger.

Then Misha started to ad-lib. He made up his own ending to the story as he said, “And when Maria laid the baby in the manger, Jesus looked at me and asked me if I had a place to stay.” I told him I have no mama and I have no papa, so I don’t have any place to stay. Then Jesus told me I could stay with him. But I told him I couldn’t, because I didn’t have a gift to give him like everybody else did. But I wanted to stay with Jesus so much, so I thought about what I had that maybe I could use for a gift. I thought maybe if I kept him warm, that would be a good gift. So I asked Jesus, “If I keep you warm, will that be a good enough gift?” And Jesus told me, “If you keep me warm, that will be the best gift anybody ever gave me.” “So I got into the manger, and then Jesus looked at me and he told me I could stay with him – forever.”

As little Misha finished his story, his eyes brimmed full of tears that splashed down his little cheeks. Putting his hand over his face, his head dropped to the table and his shoulders shook as he sobbed and sobbed. The little orphan had found someone who would never abandon nor abuse him, someone who would stay with him – forever.

As shared by Richard Lian, Milwaukee.

It’s crazy, if you think about it.  The God of the universe - the creator of nitrogen and pine needles, galaxies, and E-minor - loves us with a radical, unconditional, self-sacrificing love.  And what is our typical response?  We go to church, sing songs, and try not to cuss.  Whether you’ve verbalized it or not… we all know that something is wrong.  -Francis Chan, from the back cover of Crazy Love

... which, by chance, just happens to be our next book study.  We’ll start this Sunday, Jan 3 at 8:30PM, covering chapters 1 and 2.  Hope to see you there.  If you miss the first night, or need to play catch-up, please don’t let that deter you.  I’d like to see our chat group grow.  Site Guide link for On-line Chat Room Instructions

The following post was written by Todd Harrington, and published on his blog on November 2nd, 2009 (reference link to his blog and article).  I met Todd on my trip to Swaziland.  He is a pastor at a church in Birmingham, Alabama.  Members of their church are supporting a carepoint in Swaziland in the Nsoko region.  His article shares insightful perspectives about our role in doing good works Christ has planned for us.

————————————————————-

Haggai 2:21-22 “I am about to shake up everything, to turn everything upside down and start over from top to bottom——I will take you as a signet ring, the sign of my presence and authority. I’ve looked over the field and chosen you for this work.”

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

We have the responsibility and the privilege to be a part of a great shake up! We have the invitation to live and play in God’s kingdom which is a great shake up! This kingdom is topsy turvey and it is subversive. In this kingdom the first will be last! The weak will be strong! The wronged will forgive! People will pray for their enemies! What seems obvious is made unclear in this new shake up! You are and I are invited to join in the work of this kingdom. According to Ephesians, this is what we were created for. We were created to join in the work of God here and now in this world. We are created to care for the orphans, the widows, the poor, the disenfranchised, the marginalized, the lost, and the needy. If you and I are not, then we are not fulfilling our ultimate purpose. We are to be about a great shake up! This shake up is beyond us, greater than us, and one that we can not accomplish….we simply join in the work and serve well, serve thankfully, and serve until the end…...knowing that we have played our small role in this great shake up!
“A FUTURE NOT OUR OWN”

Poem by Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador;
He was assassinated for speaking Up for God’s kingdom and justice in 1980

It helps, now and then, to step back and take a long view.
The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts, it is beyond our vision.

We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction of the magnificent enterprise that is God’s work. Nothing we do is complete, which is another way of saying that the kingdom always lies beyond us.

No statement says all that could be said. No prayer fully expresses our faith. No confession brings perfection…..No set of goals and objectives includes everything.

This is what we are about:
We plant seeds that one day will grow. We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise. We lay foundations that will need further development. We provide yeast that produces effects beyond our capabilities.

We can not do everything and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that. This enables us to Do something, and to do it very well. It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning
a step along the way
an opportunity for God’s Grace to enter and do the rest.

We may never see the end results….
We are prophets of a future that is not our own.

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“Khisimusi lomuhle” (sounds like: giseemoosee lahmoolah) is how to say “Merry Christmas” in the language of Swaziland, Siswati.  On October 24, 2009 in Swaziland, our team traveled to Mahlabaneni Carepoint to participate in a Christmas party with nearly 200 kids.  I want to share with you a group of young boys I met around the ages of 10-12 years old.

Several of them spoke English well enough to carry on conversation with me.  I felt a real connection with them, and it seemed they had the same with me.  I was able to encourage them with actions and words.  They were so open and eager to allow me to do that.

In this picture, you can see my hand on one of the boy’s chest in a gesture of acknowledgment and reassurance that I think he is alright!  At the same time, he is holding my hand in a gesture of acceptance and appreciation which touched me in return.

I met these boys as I was standing on the outer edge of the shade provided by the open shelter where the Discipleship team was giving a Christmas program for the children and adults in attendance.  They came up to me with smiles and a chair which I accepted.  Then they gathered around my chair, and we began to get to know each other.  We shared about our families, and I learned about some of their needs and struggles. 

The young man in the yellow shirt is named, Siyabonga.  He seemed to be the leader of this group of boys, but also seemed to have the biggest needs.  He did not have shoes like the others and his shirt has several holes and tears.  He mentioned that he would like to have a pair of soccer shoes size 6.  He also mentioned he would prefer to have shoes so he could go to school without feeling uncomfortable.  He has to live with his grandmother during the week so he can walk to school.  During the weekends he goes home to be with his father.  I asked him if I could pray for him and his needs, and he agreed.  We thanked God for the day, that He is the provider, and that He knows Siyabonga’s needs and requests.  I told him I have seen God answer prayers, and I believe God answers his prayers.  I hope I get to hear how this young boy’s needs and requests are met.  I wanted to run and get him what he requested, but logistically could not get this done on the trip.  On this Christmas Day, Siyabonga’s requests are still on my heart.  I hope he has what he needs today, but I hope to find out his status through letters.  And I just want to get to know him and his friends better.

My wife and I love this video.  Please listen to this young man of 11 years (in the olive green collar shirt) sing verses from the well known 23rd Psalm.  He wanted to show me he could sing well, and chose this song.  Of course some of his friends joined in and added some great supporting musical lines.  I feel these words have significant meaning considering the poverty in Swaziland in this region near Big Bend.

The Lord is My Shepard - I Shall Not Want from KnownToMe on Vimeo.

I would like to say “Khisimusi lomuhle” to you young men.  I know you can’t hear me or most likely read this post, but I really enjoyed meeting all of you.  You have a place in my heart, and I pray for you.  I know life is too hard for you, and I hope to see conditions improve.  It was a special time for me to hang out, shake hands, put arms around each others shoulders, share troubles, pray, sing and have fun together.  I hope I can see you on my next trip.

For all of you chatters, the topic this Sunday at 8:30 in our chat room is the David Platt video I posted Wednesday.  I’m not sure where it will lead us, but we’ll just dive in and talk about it.  If you’ve not yet joined one of our chats and would like to, please do not hesitate.  Log in as a member (become a member first if not yet a member), and you’ll see the chat room on the drop-down menu under “Member” on the right.  You may need to adjust your browser’s security settings so try it ahead of time an contact one of us if you have any problems.

This site is drawing lots of views and I am very encouraged that people care about these things, but we really desire more participation.  That doesn’t mean you have to give money or fit any specific mold.  We’d just like to get to know you and what you are thinking.  Here’s an informal survey to start the process:

What are we doing that is of value to you?

How have we disappointed you, and how can we “fix” anything that brings disappointment or offense?

What are we not doing that you would like to see us do?

Is there anything specific you would like to do to get more involved?  (Off-the-wall ideas are encouraged, doesn’t have to be the things we are already doing.)