First, a round of applause for Don and Barbra. Sometimes I worry that I’ll be perceived as putting the most into KTM because I do so much of the writing. But that’s just because I’m a loudmouth (at least when I write) and I like to do it. Don and Barbra have made this happen – the website would not even exist without many late nights from Don, and that doesn’t even begin to address the Swaziland trip and everything else they do. Thanks guys.
We’ve given answers on WHAT and WHERE in previous posts, although we will be continually expanding on those topics. Also, if you’re new or if you still have questions on WHAT and WHERE, comment on this post or contact us. Please… we want you to know what we’re all about and get to know you. We can do both if you ask questions.
HOW?
We will support our Ludlati carepoint in several ways:
Monthly financial support – We are seeking commitments of $34 or more per month to provide food, school fees for education, and regular visits from a team of Swazis who teach about God and his love.
Personal relationships – We will build one-on-one relationships with our kids at Ludlati - many of whom have no one to go home to (and no home for that matter) – through regular correspondence.
Capital projects – Delivery of meals, education, and training can be done without shelter and facilities… but not nearly as well as it can be done with them. A complete development plan is being prepared for Ludlati, but we already know that a well, kitchen, and fence are the first priorities. That will require $15,000 - $20,000, and we already have $10,000 pledged toward this effort. Additional capital projects in future years will probably require another $20,000. No problem. God is big enough. He will do His part. Which, in this case, is to multiply our loaves and fishes. Remember the widow’s mite. Her gift was the most significant to Jesus. Our first priority is to gather monthly commitments. However, if God puts it on your heart to do more, this is the next priority. If you can’t make an ongoing commitment, this is another option – no amount is too small (I’m going to digress on this point at the end).
Travel – We will travel to Ludlati 2-3 times every year. “We” does not mean Jim, Jen, Don, and/or Barbra. It means anyone and everyone from our group who feels led to go. If that’s you… now or any time in the future, contact us. God will make the way.
Ok, but HOW will we do the HOW?
Our financial support will go through Children’s Hope Chest (CHC), a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (tax term there, can’t help myself). Delivery of food, discipleship, and coordination of travel will be a joint effort of CHC and Adventures in Missions (AIM), another nonprofit organization. Daily cooking and food distribution will be a volunteer effort of a handful of local Swazi women who are already giving of their own scarce resources to do what they can for these kids. Combined, our monthly support, capital projects, travel, and the efforts of compassionate volunteers and CHC/AIM staff will turn an undeveloped piece of land into a source of life and hope for kids who currently have, at best, a tenuous grasp on both.
Details regarding the actual execution of donations to our carepoint are currently being arranged with CHC. But we need to begin gathering our support now. If you want to help in any of the ways listed above, comment on this post or contact us. If not us, who? If not now, when?
I promised to digress (of course you know by now that I’ll do that even without a promise to do so). The widow’s mite. Consider that for a moment. Let me tell you a story. A true story about a family that does not have much money. A family with a lot of kids (I lost count a while ago). When we invited our KTM group to participate in the cost of Don’s trip, they had nothing to give. So these kids painted rocks, took them around their neighborhood, and sold them as paperweights. They gave all of that money for Don’s trip. Here’s the point: I don’t give a flying rip about the accounting measurement of what I have given compared to what they have given. Their gift is immeasurably greater than mine. From this day on, I will strive to live up to their example. They gave all they had – their time, their effort, and when they generated money, they considered $0 of it to be theirs and gave it all. I have given from my abundance, they gave their all. Seems like Jesus had something to say about that widow’s mite.
Now here’s the really good part. This is all joy. None of this is a guilt trip, none of this is arm-twisting. I spent 39 years searching, praying, fighting for the peace and joy that I knew should be part of my walk with God. Never got it. Maybe glimpses, but certainly not in full. It was always there, but I was standing to the side while the river flowed by. He will do His part. He was always yearning to do His part for me. All I had to do is step into the river to be washed over. Stepping into the river is only accomplished by doing our part. Not by standing outside His will and demanding that the river move to us. Perhaps my experience cannot be generalized to all of us. But read His Word critically, read the scriptures under “About” / “Perspectives” on the menu bar above. Maybe I’m right… maybe.
Look, I’m not going to pretend to have it all together. I don’t. That’s the beauty of this. You don’t have to do anything great, just take one significant step into the river, the joy you receive will draw you in as deep as you are supposed to go. He will do His part. In this case, part of that is our joy and part is multplying our loaves and fishes. If he is God, what is the difficulty?
Posted by Jim at 01:38 PM. Filed under: Care Point • Scripture •
