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.

It took a few blog-liftings to bring this to KTM today, but I thought it was worth posting.  It was posted on Facebook by Lifesong for Orphans.  Lifesong for Orphans posts some of the best orphan care and adoption articles and links every day on FB. Become a Fan! The blog lifting does not stop there, though.  Lifesong got this from the Together for Adoption blog.
Here is what Together for Adoption wrote about this video:
Francis Chan wrote this children’s story to illustrate what God ordained the church to be in the world. Since God has called the church to care for orphans, I think “The Big Red Tractor” also applies to the current orphan care movement that is growing within the church.
And, finally, the video:

The Big Red Tractor from Jacob Lewis on Vimeo.

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.”

We’ll say it’s #5, I can’t remember.  I certainly haven’t followed up on my promise to post weekly Pensees (thoughts) by Blaise Pascal.  The pace of news related to Ludlati and other things more directly related to our mission pushed these into the background.  But, we find ourselves with a bit of a lull, which I am only too happy to fill.  Here goes:

This is our true state; this is what makes us incapable of certain knowledge and of absolute ignorance. We sail within a vast sphere, ever drifting in uncertainty, driven from end to end. When we think to attach ourselves to any point and to fasten to it, it wavers and leaves us; and if we follow it, it eludes our grasp, slips past us, and vanishes for ever. Nothing stays for us. This is our natural condition and yet most contrary to our inclination; we burn with desire to find solid ground and an ultimate sure foundation whereon to build a tower reaching to the Infinite. But our whole groundwork cracks, and the earth opens to abysses.

For context… this particular thought from Pascal is grouped with others expressing his observations on the state of man apart from God.  I think he could not have said it better.  I believe human nature, our true spirit, is in anguish without something truly permanent and solid to attach ourselves to.  We are willing to try to meet that need with almost anything, things that are at best unproductive, and are often destructive.  There is no answer other than “abiding in Christ” (see John 14-15).  I think we often fail to see and appreciate what a wonderful gift God gave us in removing our need to continue that search.  He is so good.  He is so perfectly what we need.  What a gift.  A gift that we should do our best to return to others in both physical and spiritual need.

We thank God and we thank everyone who has joined in providing financial support to the children of Ludlati in Swaziland Africa.  We have 50% of the carepoint monthly financial support raised.  More importantly, we have 35 of the 70 children who have an individual or a family committed to send letters that show individual children that someone from far away knows and cares about them.  It may be easy to dismiss the value received from a gift of a few simple letters.  Try to understand, it is the difference between life and death.  A great gift of hope in a child’s distress.

It has been proven many times over that people who have hope in difficult or impossible situations are much more likely to get through than someone who does not have it.  I know a true story how a touch on the shoulder and a simple statement of “See you in the morning.” made the difference between giving one’s life up, and fighting to live on to the next day.  Another story about a man who was in a bad car accident and the doctors projected the need to amputate his leg due to decreasing blood flow and gang-green.  In his pain and weakness he had given in to the inevitable loss until a volunteer advocate came along side this man.  Through simple visits and encouragement, this man was able to find hope.  Over time this man’s leg was saved, and he was able to walk again.  He said the visits and simple acts of kindness made the difference for him to have hope.  Without this hope, he would have lost his leg.

Do you remember your own excitement as a child receiving a letter in the mail?  If not, I can tell as a child I loved it, and my own children receive mail with great excitement.  They treasure the letters and cards.  Now imagine a child who has nothing but a few tattered clothes, maybe some worn shoes, and lives each day wondering if he/she will eat.  When this child receives a letter in the mail, the value to them is extremely high.  I have been there, and seen the excitement from a simple handshake greeting, playing together and many hugs.  Much hope is drawn by these children from these encounters.  The letters are equally valued, and will be kept as a treasure.  We call the children of Ludlati our “Neighbor Kids” because we know if Ludlati was our neighbor hood, we all would reach out to help the many orphans and at-risk children.  If you visit your “Neighbor Kid” someday as I plan to do this September, you will find this child values your letters and care, and you will never forget the true joy you share together.

I encourage one or two more people to decide today to become an advocate for an orphan or at-risk child in Ludlati.  We have two children taken from the front and back of our list featured today.

Sethu is a girl who is turning 5 years old this year.  Sethu’s current home is a 30 minute walk to the Ludlati CarePoint where she lives with her Grandmother who is unemployed and lives with six other children.  Both of her parents are living, however they are both unemployed.  The unemployment rate in Swaziland is 60%.  Even if someone has employment, jobs often pay $3 per day for more than 8 hours of work, and the cost of living is the same as here in the midwest of the United States.  Sethu needs an advocate to give her hope along with the meals, school support, health training and discipleship to give her a chance to grow and live.

Thabo is a boy who is turning 13 years old this year.  Thabo’s current home is a 25 minute walk to the Ludlati CarePoint.  Thabo currently lives with his Uncle who is employed.  Both of his parents are deceased.  Thabo lives with four other children on his Uncle’s homestead.  Thabo receives an education at Joy Primary School and is in the third grade.  He is one of the 45% of the children who are able to go to school in Swaziland.  They do not have a public or government system to provide education.  Fees must be paid in order for children to go to school.

All of the children who come to Ludlati carepoint are children at-risk.  The development plan for Ludlati carepoint includes providing basic food needs, education and support of school fees so children can be educated, health training to teach children about AIDS, and discipleship training by young men and women Swaziland mentors and role models who show the kids how they grew and changed through tough circumstances, how to love God, love each other, and find hope for improving their families and community.

I believe if many of you met either one of these children in person and saw the living conditions they have to deal with everyday, you would be moved to act on your compassion.  It’s as if one of these children showed up at your house in their dirty tattered clothes seeking just one meal.  Let your heart and mind be moved to action as other KnownToMe members have been to give hope to a Ludlati child.  The development plans we have in cooperation with Children’s HopeChest rescues children from starvation, and provides support through native Swaziland workers and role models committed to lead children toward self sufficiency through education, health and AIDS training, and discipleship.  I have seen the work personally in Swaziland.  I have met the devoutly committed people on the ground in Swaziland, visited carepoints where kids are getting care, met the ladies cooking the food and teaching the children, seen the inspiration given by the young men and women discipleship trainers, and I have been to carepoints just getting started where starvation, neglect and dangers are still a heartbreaking reality.  I am looking forward to visiting our and hopefully your Ludlati Neighbor Kids in September this year.  Please start now by picking this link to select Sethu, Thabo or another available child on our list.  I know you will find joy added to your life as we have through this act of giving.

Click here, and start supporting a Ludlati Child today!