But I don’t have much time today and this is really good… so, discuss amongst yourselves:

“He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”  - Jim Elliot

Introduction by Barbra
Our KTM blogger today is Melanie.  She is a KTM member and friend who has helped us with Ludlati projects and is now organizing a project for a missionary family and the poor neighborhood they live in and love in Reynosa, Mexico which is right across the US/Mexico border.  Get to know the Soriano family, their love for their neighbors, and read about how you can help!

The last time I was in Mexico was 9 years ago this August.  Blistering hot.  Sunburned feet.  Stomach issues.  Struggling with the fast Spanish speaking (this is not like college class spanish).  Traveling with someone I had never traveled with before.  Uh, no, it was not for a “mission trip”.  It was my honeymoon!  Yes, it is VERY hot in August in Mexico.  But when you’re in love, crazy love (stealing a phrase here) you will do some things that just defy the world’s sense of logic.

Now we find our hearts turned toward Mexico in a love way again.  This time we would like to assist the people and children living in the Reynosa, Mexico area.  This city is located 22 hours south of where we live in Illinois.  This “project” started because Salome Soriano came to visit our church a few months ago to update us on their progress.

Felix & Salome Soriano, along with their 3 young children, have been friends of our church family for a few years.  We have been blessed & privileged to see them grow as a family, and as servants of the Lord.  They left for Reynosa last June.  We are excited to partner with them on this project of donations, and look forward to establishing a greater bond with them and the ministry near Reynosa, Mexico.  They have joined a group called La Vina Ministries.  You can check out their website for other programs (this one is listed as “yet to come) La Vina has established.  http://www.vineyardmcm.org/

In Salome’s words:  “The people in our neighborhood are very poor and struggle daily to meet their basic needs.  Most days they don’t have water.  Here are some of the ways that we have brought the Kingdom of God into these people’s lives this last year by meeting a physical need: weekly feeding program, food distribution, clothing distribution, medical clinics, shoe distributions, school supply distribution, and educational classes. We are most excited about the growth that we have seen in our church outreaches.  This last year we have added three vacation Bible schools, two weekly Bible study groups, weekly kids program, and Sunday service. It is amazing to see what God has done in this neighborhood this last year.”

If you would like to pray for this family, Here is a Top 5 prayer request list for them:

1. An outpouring of the Holy spirit.
2. *Provision for the construction that still needs to be done.
3. A reliable water source for the colonia.
4. Financial support for the Soriano Family.
5. Protection for the new believers.

The have some other needs, as well:  School supplies in Backpacks, clothing all sizes all seasons, shoes, pots, pans, sheets, blankets, towels, washcloths, Spanish books, Spanish Bibles, diapers, toys, canned food, flashlights/batteries, Cash donations for a 16ft. flatbed trailer to carry items across the border.

The exciting news is that a backpack drive is now under way!  They have about 390 students in their care area, and that seems to be growing all the time.  I set a goal originally of 25 backpacks from our church family. If you or your bible study group, youth group, homeschool group, family,  etc.would like to join us, we just may be able to get closer to that 390!

I have a flyer here for you to see all the information in one place. Please feel free to print and share.
http://www.knowntome.net/index.php/site/Backpacks_for_Amigos/
Click on the flyer for one to print.

A truck is heading down to the Soriano family mid-August. So if you would like to pack a backpack or organize a group to do that, please let us know (see emails and phone numbers on the flyer). We are happy to pick up your items!

Thank you!

Here is a video from last years delivery!

Thanks so much again to everyone who worked for or participated in the Aprons for Orphans fund raising event.  Funds raised (see amount below!) will support the Swaziland Travel Team and items given to the kids/families the group will visit this September.  Below we are sharing the wonderful comments posted afterward on Facebook and some pictures from the event!

• Generous friends! We are so thankful for your coming out and giving today! The apron and dessert auction gifts FAR exceeded what we dared to hope! In the words of one of my favorite bloggers, Linny, YIPPEE, Jesus!!!
• Yes much fun…so will we ever know how much was raised? or maybe a general we could buy x amount of stuff with what we raised? I think that would be very cool to know.
• You all gave just over $2100.000. AMAZING!! It will go to the trip fund which helps our travelers to go and provides funds for the items that will be given (i.e. shoes and food packages) to the kids/families the group will visit.
• It was a great event!!! You all outdid yourselves!
• The BEST $12 ice cream creation I have ever eaten!! I did it for the children…
• It was WONDERFUL! You all did an amazing job and I am so glad God blessed your work…I knew He would. On behalf of our Ludlati kids….THANK YOU
• It was so wonderful to see so many people there caring for those beautiful kids. Thank you all for everything you’ve done to help them. I had a wonderful time there even if I didn’t win an apron.
• HALLELUJAH!! You guys earned every dollar! I can’t imagine all the hours & weeks you all put into this! What a blessing! I pray a hundred fold over each & everyone of you! I have never tasted coffee, but after the marvelous mocha brownies i think you have created a monster in me! L O V E THEM!!
• I am so sorry I missed it, but I am SO THANKFUL, for your success! God is truly working!
• It was such a good time. Everything was so pretty and the desserts were great. You all had to have spent months preparing and it showed. You all blessed me in more ways than you know. YIPPEE is a great word. Thank you for all your hard work.
• WOOT WOOT!! God is so good!
• We had so much fun ! My husband laughed so hard when I told him that me and my daughter were bidding on a cheesecake against each other !
• I love being part of such a cool thing with such great people! Hope to help out more before the trip. I had a wonderful time.
• LOVE my little apron! The auction was awesome. It should be a yearly thing. Hope you guys made a lot towards the trip!
• I had a great time today. You all did a great job!!! Love both my aprons!! Even my husband said they are cute. My mother said these are made so well. Thanks for the invite.
• So, most things don’t look as good after you get them home and out of the box. This is not the case with the apron. It is so cute and well made. I’m going to save it for a gift. You guys did an awesome job!!

Thanks to Michelle Jacob for the pictures.

Three NFL football players, Cornell Green, George Foster, and Anthony Hargrove, went on a trip to Swaziland to offer their time and energy in service to children and people in need.

The video linked below gives a brief overview of their trip.  Once again it is illustrated, when a person meets people where they live in poverty and the weight of so much death around them, a person gets to know the people, and begin to understand the situation.  It is quickly realized that something must be done.

One of the players said, “How can I live the American Dream knowing that Swaziland people are dieing everyday.”

“Help is needed…we can’t let Swaziland disappear.”

You can see their story after you get through the short NFL commercial.  Click on the image below to see the video.

Scott Borg who works with Adventures in Missions and Childrens HopeChest was their trip host and leader.  For more details of their trip, you can read how God answered these men’s prayer for protection and rain for a family of orphan children headed by two teenage girls with a garden of crops facing drought.

I asked, “God, why do you allow such suffering in the world?” to which He replied “Why do you?”—Mother Theresa

These words hit me like a ton of bricks in a good way.  I have read it before, but it was so good to read it again at this blog post link http://hopechestindia.blogspot.com/  These words shake me out of a way of thinking that is steadily being extracted from my mind.  The blog post also shakes me out of focus on my life, needs and daily schedule.  It is so easy to see suffering and evil in the world, and allow an overwhelming feeling to take over to the point that I feel like I can’t do anything.  Or perhaps feel nothing, and just ignore it.  Maybe I am beginning to see that the selfish side of my being likes to have an excuse to check out and pursue comfort.  My selfish response is to shrug my shoulders, ignore, forget, do nothing, and be comfortable again…it only makes economic sense, right?

According to the man’s logic:  RIGHT!

According to God’s logic:  NO!  THERE’S A HIGHER WAY!

The bible is full of scriptures that ask us…no…check that…command us to do difficult and counter intuitive things.  But He also said He would give us everything we need to do these things!  Left to our own power we could not do these things…not very long anyway.  Thank God He provides EVERYTHING we need to find ourselves doing those things that He wants to get done…oh and by the way it also pleases Him.

A recent study of the book of Romans revealed that God is completely in control of everything, and He will get all the praise and glory in the end.  He chooses to be patient with evil and evil men…who seem to be the source of a lot of suffering.  This is the most merciful and loving response God can give, and it only makes sense from an eternal perspective.  Because God desires for all men to find Him, submit to Him as Lord, and be saved.

Thankfully God offers true joy in the midst of our suffering and our neighbor’s suffering, because His ways are true and pure.  Part of receiving that joy comes when we choose to trust and obey Him.  He loves us, and He told us if we love Him, we will obey His commands.

So how did God instruct us to respond to evil and suffering?  I have a favorite verse I believe reveals God’s strategy which He planned in advance for us to do.

Romans 12:21
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

If you feel overwhelmed by this post, I encourage you to let that feeling go, and ask God to turn it into compassion, motivation, action and joy.  He is in control, and thankfully He wants us to be part of His work and plan.  In my ‘onion’ opinion, it’s the only way to live!

There was another famous quote in the blog post where a lot is said in just a few words…

“Preach the gospel always, if necessary, use words.”—St Francis

We have assembled a team of nine wonderful people planning to travel to Swaziland to visit our Neighbor Kids at Ludlati Carepoint Sept 4th through the 14th, 2010.  As Christ works in and through the team members and each of you, there are many things planned for the trip, but…

  ...one need we want to meet is making sure every child at Ludlati Carepoint receives a new pair of school shoes.

For many of the children, this will become their only pair of shoes.  It is estimated we will have 100+ children attending Ludlati carepoint during our visit, and shoes cost between $10-$20 a pair.  This is our initial presentation of an opportunity for everyone following or involved in sponsoring a child at Ludlati Carepoint to contribute to the purchase of shoes for the children.  We currently have just under half the children matched with sponsors.

So to cover every child we are hoping for the 1 for 2 deal!  “1 sponsor for 2 children”

If you can give the gift and/or make the sacrifice, we suggest donation of $30 to cover your sponsored child and one more child.

Even if you are not currently sponsoring a child, we ask you for the same gift of $30 to cover two pairs of feet.

I look forward to sizing up and shoe-ing the little and big feet of our Ludlati Neighbor Kids, and sharing pictures back home of their and our smiling faces as we help them come to know Christ through this tangible gift of God’s love.

As best can be expressed through a blog post, I sincerely and humbly thank you for letting us make you aware of this need.  We will send out a couple more notices and updates on progress with the shoe drive over the next 8 weeks.  It will work best if gifts are sent before August 7th, 2010.

No gift is too small or too large for God to multiply.  Please consider sending donations in the following ways:

On-line Donation:

  Pay securely on-line through Childrens HopeChest on-line payment system:
  https://secure.pursuantgroup.net/pursuant4/hopechest/chcselect/donation.asp

  In the “NOTES:” box on the web page, please add the following information:
  Trip identification:  SZ100901T - Shoes

Donation by Mail:

  Make checks payable to:  Childrens HopeChest
Add trip identification to memo:  SZ100901T - Shoes

  Please mail to:
    Don King - Swazi Team Leader
    860 CR 2100E
    Sidney, IL 61877

  I am collecting and organizing donated funds for the trip, and will forward your mailed gifts to Childrens HopeChest.

Thanks in advance for your interest, support and love for the Ludlati Neighbor Kids and the people in their community.  We also appreciate your prayers for the trip and team members fund raising and planning efforts.  To God be all the Glory!

Yours in Christ,
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
217-390-6798

p.s. Jumbo and Kriek Gerber will be helping us in Swaziland during our trip, and are the full time missionaries working with CHC and AIM.  Here is a recent post on their blog describing another travel group bringing shoes for two carepoints.  There is also some fun news about Jumbo and Kriek’s coming baby. http://jumbogerber.myadventures.org/?filename=world-cup-and-another-great-trip

From David Platt, in a series on The Gospel, Possessions, and Prosperity (my last post was based loosely on the first part of this series, this one is a quote from the final part in the series.  As shocking as it sounds at first, Platt’s explanation makes sense and I found it to be both challenging and freeing - that’s a good mix.

We do not owe Jesus anything.

So we do not live and give sacrificially because we are in debt to Christ, we live and give sacrifically because we are indwelt by Christ.  This is the beauty of it – we’re not trying to pay Jesus a debt in salvation; instead, everything we’re doing is His work in us.  It’s His grace in us, His life overflowing in us.  He is indwelling us, and our possessions are now being used by Christ in us for His glory in the world.  We interfere with that in our sin.  But this is why we are not motivated by guilt – we are always motivated by grace.  So we needed the sufficiency of Christ on the cross to free us from sin, but we also need the sufficiency of Christ today to free us from our lust for possessions and to free us to run after Christ as all satisfying and to use the resources Jesus has given us for His glory in the world.

The entire series is here (4 parts).  I highly recommend it.  Really… it is an encouragement and a joy, while making the urgency of obedience clear.  Good stuff.

http://www.brookhills.org/media/schurch/secret-church-the-gospel-possessions-and-prosperity/

by Joshua Mikeworth

I would characterize the first 4 months of this year as being very explosive in my walk with the Lord.  He is so good and so amazingly full of grace and mercy towards us.  How incredible he is to sit in majesty with thousands of angelic beings proclaiming his glory and worth night and day with lightning and thunder encompassing his throne as he watches over all of the universe that he unleashed and yet…He knows my name…He is concerned for my well being…He wants me to succeed in knowing him intimately…He works in me to grow me to the point that he can continue to reveal more and more of himself to me…He loves me THAT much.  I have enjoyed the fruit of his goodness towards me these past few months in growth that I haven’t seen in many years.  God has brought me into connection with fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord that have been a tremendous encouragement and blessing to me and my family on a local, national, and even international level.  I literally have people that I now communicate with, support, and pray for half way around the world.

A year ago I was simply praying for God to show me how to love people period.  Now I feel continually compelled to be in motion to be doing something for Christ.  I know this to be God’s working in my heart for in and of myself, I am nothing.  I know the scriptures are true when they state my righteousness is as filthy (literally translated “menstrual”) rags because I’ve tested this to the extreme.  I’ve been putting forth those rags most of my life and now I see the worthlessness of my former offerings.  It is purely God in me that is driving me to do these things.  It is as Ephesians 2:10 states - the good works that he designed for me from the start and the amazing thing is I can’t do them on my own.  Praise God!

Tremendous growth requires strengthening…

One of my former vocations was as an Arborist for a local community.  I ran the city foresty program and one of the things I continually witnessed was when a home owner would install a new young tree they would stake the tree in.  By this I mean they would place usually three to four stakes around the tree and then secure ropes or wires from the tree to the stakes thereby creating stability in the tree from being blown over and allowing the tree to remain perfectly straight.  The problem with this was they always had the ropes/wires completely tight which was detrimental to the tree.  Staking was a good practice if you left the ropes be somewhat slack.  The reason was that you actually want the tree to sway in the wind.  The more sway the better.  Critical to a tree’s development for trunk strength is the swaying motion the wind creates.  The wood fibers will actually respond to this motion and increase proportionally in the trunk and in the root flare, where the trunk meets the ground, as a response to the wind thereby strengthening the tree over time.  When you overstabilize the tree - you eliminate the tree’s ability to do this and actually harm the tree in the long run.

The past few weeks the winds in my life have picked up to gale force and I’ve been encountering resistance on every front - in my spiritual walk, in physical health, my relationship with my bride and children, our finances.  I’ve been buffetted from just about every direction I can think of and to be honest, I don’t think the ride is over.  We very much would like to enjoy the fact that we have a loving Father who wishes us to be his children, who wants us to become empowered as his representatives on this earth.  If we’re serious, we even begin to realize that we need to give no less than all of ourselves to the one who gave everything of himself for us.  Then we really start to become spurred into motion to pursue him at all cost, even if friends abandon us and co-workers start to look at us differently.

But these are not the winds, this is not the resistance.  The winds come when an ages old demonic power recognizes he no longer has sway in your life and determines that he will end your new-found piety and devotion by pitting everything in his arsenal against your faith in this Word.  The winds come when your plans to evangelize go out the window because sickness invades your family and suddenly the condition of other people’s souls is a little less of a concern than that of your sick child curled up in their bed.  The winds come when the finances you were counting on for those necessary home or vehicle repairs fall through and you are suddenly faced with crisis as bills keep piling up.  The winds come when you can feel the gazes and new found friction between you and your co-workers as you no longer participate in the daily gossip pool or supervisor-slam sessions and they direct those efforts of malice towards you behind your back.  The winds come when both you and your spouse are simultaneously exhausted and the kids have far to much energy for this late at night and you didn’t really appreciate the tone in your spouse’s voice or the way in which they dismissed your feelings when you were talking to them about something that was important to you.  The winds come when your very own attitudes are less than what they should be and you feel yourself sinking into them, but rather than seeking God out for deliverance, you choose to flesh over spirit.

Listen to what James says in James 1:2-5

“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.  For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”

My growth in this life is fully dependent upon these troubles, these testings and shakings.  Without these, I will never know the perfection of patience as stated above.  Patience is defined as being consistently constant, enduring.  This endurance, this steadfastness, is the mark of maturity and strength and is something that is to be strongly desired.  But to desire it is to desire the very trials that make it possible, and this is where we falter.  I know I have on too many occasions.  We desire to be upright, straight as an arrow Christians with strong supports all around us.  We have our small groups, weekly bible luncheons, our community activities, our sunday services - all neatly staking us down.  Every minute accounted for in our weeks, schedules tight, cinched off with precise tension from multiple sides just like those young trees.  And just like those trees, we’ve insulated ourselves against the winds and the trials, the very things that will strengthen us.

Now don’t get me wrong, I believe small groups, bible studies, and the like are beneficial and cause growth in their own right.  I enjoy participating in them and love the encouragement I gain from “iron sharpening iron” in discussing God’s word with my brothers and sisters.  So many of them are so much wiser than I and I love gleaning from that wisdom.  But how many of us have replaced our deep and intimate walk with our creator with these meetings, these gatherings.  How many times have we replaced meeting God with meeting others to talk about God?  I have.  I have often met my Lord at scheduled times in scheduled buildings and in between in uttered prayers during the day only as I needed him.  Where is the love and devotion in that?  Where is the intimacy and relationship in that?

This addresses the 2nd half of the tree - the roots.  Psalms 1:1-3 reads:

“Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers.  But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night.  They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.”

This daily meditating and communion with my Lord is the development of solid root structure.  The tree in the wind topples for one of two reasons - it snaps at the trunk for week stem development or it is uprooted for weak root zone development.  We fall for one of two reasons - we are broken for lack of strength and endurance or we simply are not rooted deeply enough to withstand.

God is still working in me to show me how to have “great joy” in trials and troubles, but I do find great encouragement in the fact that God uses those things to perfect me, to strengthen me.  Those things that at first seem detrimental and even profoundly uncomfortable have eternal benefits and work for my good.  God is strengthening me little by little, fiber by fiber to stand in the wind.  Trials will come, they are promised, but they only serve to strengthen us, to increase our capacity to bear fruit and be a blessing to others.

You may read more of Joshua’s thoughts on his personal blog:  http://joshua-asforme.blogspot.com/

In May 2010 the ministry, Salt and Light, sent out an urgent message into the community: “We have run out of food!”  They also stated that the need has nearly doubled due to the recent economic troubles.  After issuing the emergency message, some donations came in to build up the food stock.  This past week 380 families were served, but more support is needed.  As many of you may already know, the first annual “canless” food drive is taking place during the month June 2010 to raise money to purchase food from the Illinois Food Bank.  Monetary donations are more cost effective way to obtain food, as they can purchase an equivalent of $100 of food for $10 from the Eastern Illinois Food Bank.  Over 200 businesses in the Champaign-Urbana and surrounding area community will display cans to accept donations for the drive.  You can view a list of participating businesses at the following link:  http://www.knowntome.net/saltandlight_yes_stats.html

When I see communities of people participating to help people in need, it reminds me of the teachings of the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 8.  In the first few verses, we learn that the Macedonian churches were living in poverty themselves, but were eager and thankful for the opportunity to give to Jewish Christians suffering from a famine at the time.  Paul wrote in verses 3 and 4, “3For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.”  It was not given as a command, but Paul certainly encouraged people to earnestly give as others have given according to the example of Christ.  ” 8I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. 9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”

Paul concludes this section of his letter by offering a desired goal for giving.  It describes a quasi-socialism if I may use the term to produce an equalizing effect of provision among the people.  He certainly does not suggested that a committee or government body be set up to collect, manage and distribute funds.  I believe the scriptures do describe a desire to see each individual, managed by his own desire to emulate Christ, give to those in need and produce an equalizing effect in the community.  “13Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. 14At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, 15as it is written: ‘He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little.’ “.  Wouldn’t we all like to see this powerful sense of community spread throughout the world?!

Thanks to the people who work with Salt and Light, we are given the opportunity to fulfill the goal described by Paul.  Let’s help spread the word to fill those cans during the month of June at the participating businesses, and/or send a donation directly to Salt and Light ministries!

There are times when evil, poverty, starvation, abandonment, destruction, disasters, etc. on the earth can become overwhelming.  It can cause people to look to the sky, and cry out for God, “Where are you!?”.  “Why does this happen!?”.  There are times when personal struggles, sickness, disease, death, loss, etc. feel equally overwhelming, and we might cry out again, “God, where are you!?”.  “Why did they die!?”.  “Why am I going through this!?”.  “Why did you make me like this!?”.

In the Old Testament we can read about the evils of slavery inflicted on God’s people by Egypt for 430 years.  In Romans 9:16 Paul reviews God’s motivation for allowing Pharaoh to stubbornly resist God’s command sent through Moses to “Let My people go!”.  The bible says God raised Pharaoh up in this way to ultimately display His power to His people, so God’s Name might be proclaimed in all the earth.  Based on Pharaoh’s example, Paul asks the question in Romans 9:22, what if God bears with great patience all evil to make the riches of His glory known to all His ‘saved people’?

In Romans Ch 1, we understand God has made his invisible qualities, eternal power, and divine nature to be clearly seen in His creation by men.  Many still choose to suppress this truth by their wickedness.  Many exchange the truth of God for a lie, and God turns them over to their desires to the point where they even invent new evil ways and encourage others in wickedness.  In the end, God will destroy the objects of His wrath, and He will show great mercy to those whom He justifies through salvation in Jesus Christ.

1 Timothy 2:4 tells us God who loves man wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.  But we also know He is the God of justice (Romans 3:25).  Once His plans and purposes are fulfilled, a final judgment day is coming when His wrath will be revealed.  In the end, He will ultimately use all men and all things, whether evil or good, saved or unsaved, to reveal His glory to those upon whom He has mercy and compassion.

Whether for Him or against Him, God is all powerful and in control.

When we watch others or personally go through difficulties and struggles, it is important that we cry out to God in our weakness, cast our burdens on Him, and make our requests known.  We can take great comfort in knowing He is God and also knowing our place with God, especially if our cry is something like Romans 9:20, “Why did you make me like this!?”.  “Who are you, O man, to talk back to God?”.  If, how and when God decides to bring wrath or mercy is up to Him.  This does not depend on man’s desire or effort.  Thankfully, God loves us beyond human measure, He gives us a choice to receive His free gift of mercy through salvation, and He sanctifies us and calls us His own children!

I know God performs miracles and uses his children to love and help men on the earth today, even though He doesn’t always do things how we may think it should be done.  I think the answer to Paul’s question in Romans 9:22 is, yes, I believe God is being patient with evil for now.  Though difficult for us to understand at times, in the end, His glory will ultimately be revealed, and all the ‘saved’ will respond appropriately to forever praise Him because He truly is God.

Psalm 46

1 God is our refuge and strength,
  an ever-present help in trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

3 though its waters roar and foam
    and the mountains quake with their surging.
    Selah

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy place where the Most High dwells.

5 God is within her, she will not fall;
    God will help her at break of day.

6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;  
    he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

7 The LORD Almighty is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress.
    Selah

8 Come and see the works of the LORD,
    the desolations he has brought on the earth.

9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth;
    he breaks the bow and shatters the spear,
    he burns the shields with fire.

10 “Be still, and know that I am God;
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth.”

11 The LORD Almighty is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress.
    Selah

Here is a recent post I really enjoyed reading from a guy named James.  James did something potentially “crazy”.  He decided to quit his job, sell everything he owned, and live in a van among the poorest of the poor in America’s cities and hidden places. Supported by a group of average people, doing small things, with great love, James spends his time sharing food with folks living on the streets and repairs their clothing with his trusty sewing kit. He knits hats for people who are cold and distributes donated clothing which helps people get jobs and stay toasty on cold nights.  His perspective on what I think is a common phrase from our modern Christian language is insightful about the words “I am called to ______” or “He/She is called to ______”.  Similar to a previous post on KTM by Jim titled “Jesus: Personal Savior?” about the phrase “Jesus as my personal Savior”, I think this post taken from James facebook page provides similar thought provoking challenge to words I have heard myself say.

——————————————

James Barnett:  Why I’m Not Called to Homeless Folks

Wednesday at 5:21pm

People usually assume I am called to homeless people because of what I do. This, however, is not my calling- at least, no more than it is yours. I have come to see that one of the greatest travesties in Christian Fundamentalism is for one to assume that God has called them to a profession, a country, or a people group. A woman by the name of Tammy Hutchinson recently challenged my views on this. She stated that a Christian is called to Jesus and that everything else is simply context. So if Jesus spent time with those who mourn, you should too. If Jesus cared for the poor, you should too. If Jesus spent time with the sick, take some Airborne because you should too. In the twentieth chapter of Matthew, Jesus says our attitude should be like his. Had Jesus contexualized this, we would have ourselves a different story.

In the Gospel of Luke, a disciple asks Jesus who his “neighbor” is- in effect, who he is to love. As if to expose our myopic understanding, Jesus goes on to tell the story of the Good Samaritan.

There is a Jewish traveler who has been robbed and left for dead on the side of the road. First, a priest and a Levite walk by. The likely candidates ignore the man as if to ask themselves, “If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?” Later, a Samaritan comes and by his good nature seems to ask a question diametrically opposed to that of the spiritual elite, “If I don’t stop and help this man, what will happen to him?” He then cares for the mangled traveler. This would have been an unlikely altruism considering the social aversion of Jews and Samaritans. But as Dr. Martin Luther King wrote in The Measure of a Man, “[The Samaritan] wasn’t great because he had ascended to certain heights of economic security, but because he was able to condescend to the depths of human need.” And like Jesus ditching a throne for a cross, the Samaritan traded his good for that of another.

You say you want to be like Jesus. Then sit at the feet of the poor. Touch the untouchables. Give a drink to someone who is thirsty and food to the hungry. Clothe with dignity those who wear depravity. Go, be like Jesus, and whomever you find yourself among will be to whom you are called.

James

http://twitter.com/JAMESBARNETTis http://clotheyourneighborasyourself.com/

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The words in James’ post are pointed, but no less pointed than Jesus first and second commands to us.  Knowing God loved us before we existed, and has opened the way for us to choose and follow Christ even as we may daily battle our weak flesh.  We can be encouraged by these pointed words to remember our primary calling to Jesus - our Lord, Master and source.  Ephesians 2:8-10 8For it is by grace (we) have been saved, through faith—and this not from (ourselves), it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Hebrews 13:20-21
20May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, 21equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

I met a man by the name of Todd Harrington on the vision trip to Swaziland in 2009.  Todd is a pastor from Dawson Church in Birmingham, AL.  He is in Swaziland this week with a team of men and women visiting their carepoint called EsKhaleni (es-kuh-lah-nee).  We visited EsKhaleni during the vision trip.  This carepoint is near the mountains and is a place of awesome beauty, but there are real dangers that exist for the kids in this area.  We found the younger children at this remote carepoint were much less responsive than kids at other carepoints.  They had not been exposed to many people (native or foreign), and their homes are much more spread out in this region.  Many of them were left at home daily by themselves while usually a single mom tries to find work (12hrs at ~$3/day wage) or food to somehow get by.  Now that this carepoint is sponsored, the kids will get two meals a day, emotional support, education opportunities, and discipleship training and mentoring.

It is exciting to read in their blog and see pictures of the team with the kids, Gogos, and men working on the carepoint.  Blog posts and comments show how God is doing much of His working and blessing through relationship.  Relationships fostered by working and playing together and during home visits.  Similar to our calling to relate with Ludlati, God is using His people to bring His gospel of love, hope, salvation, and meet some basic physical needs for orphans and at-risk children in Swaziland.

Picture of the Dawson Church team:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?pid=5373890&id=674291457&fbid=412772191457

See some pictures of people in Swaziland this week:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=5375953&id=674291457&fbid=412920706457#!/album.php?aid=211034&id=674291457

You can read some blog posts from their trip here:
http://journeyswazi.wordpress.com/

I look forward to following the rest of their trip, and continue the planning for our trip to Ludlati this September!

While following the Dawson Church team’s trip, it is also fun for me to recognize some of the kids in the pictures.  See the shy little girl in the lower right corner of this picture from the Dawson Church team?  She is the same girl in the video below from the vision trip in 2009!

Shy Sweet Sweet Little Girl from KnownToMe on Vimeo.

As we assemble team members and make plans for a trip to our Ludlati Carepoint in Swaziland in September 2010, I have enjoyed reading a blog from a team that visited their Swazi-Carepoint recently.  They worked hard for a week with the children from their Carepoint called Mpholi.  They put on a VBS, sang songs, played games, gave hugs, shared snacks, washed feet, gave shoes, gave special provisions, and visited homes.  Typically, a person who meets the kids and their families (if they have one), develops a love and understanding that is deeper than stories and pictures they share - even though the stories and pictures are quite moving to the heart.  The latest post from one team member moves my heart as he shares his deep thoughts and expressions of compassion for the children and people in Swaziland.  To me it sounds like a cry out to ANYONE who claims Jesus as Savior to remember the great gift He freely gave to us, and please remember to help those suffering and in distress.  God’s word to us in James 1:27 seems particularly applicable to the post shared by dmicah.

James 1:27 - Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

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Imagine If…
by dmicah
link to this blog post:  http://micahpattisall.wordpress.com/2010/05/01/imagine-if/

As many of you are aware, the Salem Chapel Swazi team is home.  I am processing some of my thoughts from the trip and I want to share some food for thought. I want you to turn off the TV, radio, Pandora, Itunes or any distraction for just a few moments. I want you to unload your brain for a short time. I am asking you to just use your imagination as I throw out some scenarios from Swazi.  These were just from a week of our experiences. The needs are deeper than these, but this should start you down the path. Needless to say things are a lot different in Swaziland than in America.

Imagine dropping off two little girls 5 and 7 years old at their home. No one is home. The house is locked. It is getting dark. This happened at one of our team’s home visits. After VBS, we would split into two teams of three and visit homes of our sponsor kids. We would give extra supplies for the home and try to get to know the family, whomever that might be since it usually was not a parent.  On this particular occasion the other team had to leave two young girls with no supervision at their home and hope they would be ok.

Imagine sending your 4 year old with their two 4 year old friends walking along a busy two lane road, mind you without shoes, to a Carepoint.  These little ones would walk a mile or more with no supervision to get a meal.  This happens every day in Swaziland.

Imagine sending your 9 year-old daughter with her 18 month old sibling strapped to her back on the same one or two mile journey to get a meal. Happens every day in Swaziland. Don’t believe me? I have pictures. At least three came to our Carepoint. I choked back tears on more than one occasion as I saw an older sibling unwrap their baby brother/sister and split their bowl of rice with the little one. The next time you have trouble deciding which restaurant to go to, stop a minute and thank God for your blessed life, and pray for the kids at Mpholi.

Imagine knowing that your child will never be educated beyond the 2nd grade because you can’t afford the whopping $100 per year to pay for tuition, since you only earn $1 per day. Government stops free education beyond the 2nd grade. And 953,000 people are fighting for about 100,000 jobs.

Imagine for a minute your kid having one outfit.  Literally one set of clothes. And second-hand charitable gift clothes at that. I watched children show up to the Carepoint every day in the same ill-fitting clothes, some without shoes or undergarments.

Imagine knowing that your life expectancy is roughly 31-33 years.

Imagine living with the fact that almost ½ of your friends will die young because of disease. 45% of Swazis have HIV or full blown AIDS.

Hard to imagine isn’t it?

As I’ve mentioned before in this series on Swaziland, I am not attempting to lay a guilt trip. I am just throwing out some information that has rocked me. If you give it serious thought, it should open your eyes to a world around you. Hopefully you will be able to draw from the deep well of Christ’s love. He didn’t look at his world and think, “Well they did this to themselves. If they just wouldn’t sin, they wouldn’t have these problems. They are just so far away.  I have plenty of things to do here.  They just need some education.”  Jesus did the opposite. He sacrificed, gave up his own will, left his own comfort zone and experienced our world in order to lead us to a new life. Keep that in mind when thinking through the challenges in Swazi.

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Thank you dmicah for posting your thoughts and experience in a public forum.  I appreciate the challenge and reminder your words are to me.  In light of today’s post and the previous series of posts Jim has shared on KTM about thankfulness, I offer a prayer of thankfulness, encouragement and intercession for Swaziland.  Please share in this prayer and add to it in the comments!

Lord God, Creator and Father, Thank you for giving us relationship with you through your gift of salvation.  I want to humbly receive your gift of life by giving up mine to you daily.  I want to humbly receive all Your provisions as a steward without ownership.  Help me to remember to obey your commands to love You first and my neighbor as myself.  Thank You for each of Your children who currently gives love, hope, prayer, money and time to help the least of these.  May more abundance You provide to me and all your children be released and used as You will.  I press on to these high goals in love and compassion with Your help to share in the discomfort - the suffering shared with us by Jesus.  Please use your body - use me - to pray and watch over each child in Swaziland and all the people who face death all day long.  Defeat the source of their fears, send them peace, give them hope, send them love.  Help the full time Swazi-workers, myself and others collectively to do these things one person at a time.  Save my life and each one of their lives eternally.  Amen.

Josh Mikeworth attended a Voice of Martyrs (VOM) conference held at First Christian Church in Champaign, IL. on April 10th, 2010, and he documented the effect the speakers had on him in his personal blog/journal:  http://joshua-asforme.blogspot.com/2010/04/bound-with-them.html
Josh is a member of KnownToMe, and we appreciate his participation and perspective.  He willingly shared his post with us here:

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Bound with Them
by Josh Mikeworth

This entry is a heavy one, I’ll warn from the start.  I imagine I’ll read and reread it many times in the future to reconnect, re-anchor because the content and message is so fundamentally important to my obedience to my Lord that it will shape my very Christian walk from this day hence.

It starts by my having attended a conference.  We’ve all done it - particularly as youth/teens, maybe even went to some as adults.  Remember the exhilaration?  Coming home fired up for God.  Gonna make those changes, gonna read that Word daily, pray an hour daily, be that light at school/work/etc.  No fear.  Bold.  Joy and courage flooding the heart.  Truly the epitome of the mountain top experience.  Did you stay there?  Hopefully some alteration in your path did actually occur.  Hopefully some change in the way you were living did truly happen.  I have lost track of the number of times that for me, it did not.  I cannot recall how many of those experiences I’ve encountered God only years later to look back on with vague remembrance.  Memories of “wow, I was really on fire for God back then”, wondering what happened.  Wondering how I grew “lukewarm” or even cold.

Yesterday was not a “mountaintop”.  It was more like staring into the chasm of my own inaction, one that afforded me a poor night’s sleep and kept me tossing and turning and prompted my early awakening to pray.  I attended the Voice of Martyrs Conference and left repentant and challenged.  Repentant to have been complacently sluggish for so many years, inactive in the body of Christ, coasting.  Challenged to become a viable and alive member of this body, this faith, this church that exceeds the building I weekly attend but rather is comprised of people around this globe, many of them risking abuses and injury willfully to gather together to simply praise our Savior, to spread word of his love to their neighbor, the very ones who seek to harm them.

Yesterday I gained a true sense of this “body of Christ” like I’ve never had before, and it is hurting.  There is so much hurt in the body and we cannot sit idly by, content to engage only our own families and work weeks and home church activities.  We are called to more than a passing gift to the missionary who speaks in our churches once every few months.  Hebrews 13:3 says “Remember those in prison as if you were there yourself.  Remember also those being mistreated as if you felt their pain in your own bodies.”  This obviously speaks of the persecuted church in Paul’s day and I’m sure many of us are aware that somewhere out there, around the world in distant nations, someone is imprisoned for their faith, for handing out biblical literature, for witnessing.  But that’s the problem, in our minds, it’s out there - away from us - half a globe away.

This scripture is telling us to remember these saints as if it were US!  If you were beaten by a metal cable such that your back was bloodied and bruised, would you pray once or twice a month or even a year for deliverance?  If your spouse and children were murdered by locals while you were away because you witnessed to a family who’s father did not approve, would you be content to accept a one time prayer of support or would you ache for daily strength through the uplifting of others?  We don’t seem to get it here in the U.S. that we are ONE BODY with those who are suffering these things.  We have tremendous freedoms that everyone around this globe can only dream of but we do nothing with them except enjoy them.  We have at our fingertips tremendous technologies and resources and we are/will be held accountable for our use of those gifts.

This is obviously a very condemning statement and I believe there are a very good number of precious people who God is rising up to make a difference, who are answering the call to make the difference, to stand in the gap and to meet the needs through prayer, support, finance, and getting the Word into the hands of the people.  I am so grateful for organizations such as Voice of Martyrs, Children’s HopeChest and locally the work of Known to Me as those who have orchestrated these projects/efforts have answered the call to do more, to stand in the gap, to bring awareness, to call the wake-up alarm.  There are brothers and sisters in the Lord in these and a few other organizations that I am just starting to know that I feel so blessed to have come across because they have heard this call and they are broken by it.  Broken enough to to be moved to action and to work to bring others to this awareness.

For me, however, I find myself having not done enough.  I certainly have not lived out Hebrews 13:3.  To be honest, I’ve ignored my brothers and sisters in prison.  You can’t change the whole world, right?  You can’t take on all of the problems.  I subscribed to VOM email alerts about a year ago and I am ashamed to say that when they have come, some of them I’ve given a cursory scan with good intent to further study, good intent to further pursue, further write to encourage but never gotten around to it.  Sometimes, two or three will come a week and I simply have too much email the way it is so “sorry, I don’t have time for this now”....delete.  That was person being beaten who needed encouragement…delete….or a family in which the father/pastor was just killed for his faith…delete…

We don’t like to think of a persecuted church because we don’t like to think about persecution period.  But persecution is on our doorstep.  We have no concept of it here and I think if we all honestly thought about this we’d agree.  If we’d spend time with these men and women who have been shot at, had their churches bombed, been hauled off to unknown darkened locations in the night and beaten, watched their own newly converted, newly baptized congregations slaughtered while praising the whole time…we’d all agree we don’t even know what persecution is.  To us, persecution is worrying if someone will “not like us” or if we will be “uncomfortable”.  But persecution is coming to America.  This nation is becoming increasingly God-less in its leadership, laws, and direction and furthermore - here’s the big one - JESUS PROMISED IT!

We don’t like this but we cannot ignore what Jesus said in John 15:20 “if they persecuted me they will also persecute you”.  Paul in 2 Timothy 3:12 states that everyone who wants to live a godly life will be persecuted.  Again - it is promised to each of us.  I don’t think he was referring to the rude “snicker” behind your back because that’s not where it stopped for him.  This does not mean that I need to go out and foolishly seek martyrdom, but neither should I be surprised when as my walk and my witness become more fervent and outspoken, so too will resistance to the light within me.  This is such a foreign concept to the American believer because we have never suffered for our faith, truly suffered.  And why is suffering for our faith desirable?  Because it purifies our intents and desires for God.  It causes tremendous growth and brings tremendous reward to our lives.  Jesus also said in Matthew 5 that those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, theirs is the kingdom, great is their reward.

I had the privilege to speak to a pastor from Ethiopia and another from Pakistan, both speakers at the conference.  On the stage they were amazing speakers and captivating to behold.  Certainly their testimonies were enthralling and many around were drawn to tears as they recounted not only the horrors they had witnessed but the profound joys of serving our Lord in the midst of such unspeakable hatred against His Name.  When face to face with them however, I felt their spirits, I felt their radiance, their peace, their joy.  Truly, fear had no hold on these men and they could rejoice in the face of whatever the devil threw at them.  Their lives could be taken the next minute and they walked in the knowledge of a God so loving they would willingly and gladly give everything they had, their lives, their children’s lives, if just one more person could come to know him.

I think many people left the conference staring at the same “chasm” I was - the chasm of shame.  Shame at our own inaction, but also repentant for that inaction and thankful for the Word they had received and motivated by it.  For it is the Word that lays our path and we cannot afford to ignore any part of it.  We cannot afford to fail to share any part of it.  Our next breath may be our last.  So many around the world are purposefully placing themselves in harm’s way to spread this Word, this life, knowing that their next breath may be their last, may actually be taken from them in hatred against what they are trying to do in love.  Hebrews 13:3 cannot be forgotten, it is the very least we can do for we are one body, one church and we are bound with them.

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If you are inspired by God’s Word and the report above to actively remember and support our brothers and sisters in Christ who suffer persecution and even lose their lives to gain Christ, you can visit Voice of Martyrs website for a lot of opportunities to get involved:  http://www.persecution.com/

Read about Asia Bibi currently in prison for her Christian faith in the predominantly Muslim nation of Pakistan:  http://www.prisoneralert.com/pprofiles/vp_prisoner_197_profile.html

The title of this blog post is borrowed from the title of a letter we received from TALKS Mentoring. Kent Hollis is a brother and friend in Christ who is the Mentor Coordinator in this organization. They recruit adults to volunteer 60 min a week, and each person meets with three children for 30 min in school to teach some basic communication skills and provide much needed encouragement and critical guidance to children. Without this loving input, many “at-risk” children in our society wind up like Adam in the story below.  This is a powerful example how God uses an individual with a heart for a young man in trouble to bring hope and love one person at a time.  The name of the young man is changed to protect his identity.

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Who Cares?

I’ve been working with a young man named Adam for about 2 months now. I met Adam when he was locked up at the Juvenile Detention Center. He had been arrested for skipping school, drinking a beer, and stealing a $5 item from a store. It was not his first time he had been in trouble. The judge made him stay in jail for an extra week because he had a bad attitude while locked up. Adam cried when he heard that.

I meet with Adam about three times a week now. He is actually a nice kid and seems to be teachable. I can tell he likes me and appreciates our relationship.

As I’ve gotten to know Adam I’ve learned that his dad died from cancer about five years ago. Since that time he has sort of existed on his own. For the past few years he has constantly been in trouble for doing stupid things like drinking, skipping school, and hanging out with the wrong crowd. The problem I see is that Adam doesn’t have anyone in his life who cares about him. There is not a single adult who is looking out for him. He lives with his mother, but she is barely existing as well. There are no men in his life giving him any sort of guidance, discipline, or encouragement.

Can you imagine being Adam? It breaks my heart to think of living the way he does. He is supposed to have healthy caring adults in his life providing him the stability, discipline and support every kid needs in order to mature in to a healthy adult young man.

The TALKS Mentoring Thesis Statement says “Every boy needs a man in his face challenging him with wisdom regarding critical issues and decisions in his life.” We believe that every boy needs a man who will firmly, unflinchingly and lovingly correct him with wisdom when he has made a bad decision. Our prisons are full of young men who had no one to get in their face and tell them that they were wrong and then provide them with a solution.

Please pray for Adam. You and I might be the only people who have ever mentioned Adam’s name before God. I believe God has great plans for Adam, and that He can redeem all that Adam is dealing with. Pray for me as well as I strive to help Adam grow and mature.

I believe Adam is slowly discovering that someone else really cares about him. That’s a big deal!

Thanks for caring as well!

Kent Hollis

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Thanks for sharing this with us Kent.

As an added comment, I believe God is utilizing Kent to reach many “at-risk” children in the Champaign County community.  Kent is one of the few in our community working to break down the walls around marginalized kids in our society.  Please pray about taking action to join Kent, and give 60 min a week and/or financial support to the TALKS Mentoring organization. You can read more about their excellent program at this “About Us” link to their webpage.

Home page for TALKS Mentoring of Champaign County
Champaign, IL
351-5889