Inside Haiti

Editor’s Note: This article was scheduled to run today weeks ago–long before the earthquake. Haiti needs the prayers and actions of Christians everywhere. It’s hard for many of us to comprehend the devastation they are experiencing, much less realize the depth of poverty that was part of their lives before the earthquake. Sarah’s article gives us a glimpse into the needs of Haiti through the eyes of a Christian nurse. If you can give, find out if your denomination is sending in teams. If not, consider Sarah’s church (link below) or well-established and trained groups such the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, and  Samaritan’s Purse (Franklin Graham) emergency response teams. Kellie Renfroe

When I awoke to the sound of roosters crowing, I quickly remembered that I wasn’t home. I had the enthralling opportunity to spend eight days living inside another culture this past February when I went with a group from Chichester United Wesleyan Church on a short term mission trip to Haiti. This country is considered by some to be the poorest area in the western hemisphere. My reason for going was because Jesus’s love changed me and I want to share that with others. Looking back, I must say that I gained much more than I gave on this venture.

My first stop was the Walls International Guest House in Port au Prince, which advertises 24-hour armed guards. The walls are topped with barbed wire, and I noticed that the guards continually have their guns in hand. The landscaping is beautiful, and it is quite a contrast inside the walls compared to the dusty, barren streets outside. As all the guests enjoyed a buffet meal together, those who had been there before didn’t miss a beat when the lights flickered or went out briefly. They explained that in Port au Prince sometimes you have electricity and sometimes you don’t.

The next morning the adventure continued as I took a two-hour drive to the dock. We travelled over roads ranging from stretches filled with huge ruts and potholes to newly paved areas. The drive was like nothing I’ve ever experienced, with no real discernable traffic patterns and random sights like baby goats crossing the road and people in a wide range of attire walking down the streets. The dusty road did not prevent one pedestrian from wearing his beautiful white suit.

The Wesleyana, a sailboat with two power motors was the next mode of transportation. It carried me 12 miles from the Haitian mainland to the island of La Gonave, where the Wesleyan mission station is located. This trip took about 1 hour and 40 minutes in the brilliant, hot sun. I was very thankful that I had a water bottle with me. The Caribbean Sea was a gorgeous blue, but again there was a strange contrast as I noticed an abundance of plastic trash floating in the water.

Beth Gould is an operating room nurse from Canada who is currently serving as a full-time missionary. She gave me a tour of the La Gonave Wesleyan Hospital, a 32 bed facility which is the only hospital serving the approximately 120,000 residents on the island. The staff of the hospital has an amazing knowledge base that enables them to care for a wide variety of patients. There are no specialized areas; all the nurses care for all the patients.

What is lacking in resources is definitely made up for in resourcefulness. For example, the nurses were caring for a premature infant. They kept this baby in an incubator in the nurses’ station to watch him more closely. The incubator was not heated, so they placed a hot water bottle in with the baby and a thermometer to monitor the temperature. They had also inserted a small feeding tube to provide nutrition.

Their “intensive care unit” is simply the hall directly outside the nurses’ station. They place any critical patients on a stretcher within view in order to monitor unstable patients. When I visited, this space was occupied by a woman who had been brought in during the night unresponsive and with a high fever. She was treated with IV fluids and antibiotics. She responded well to the quick and appropriate treatment and regained consciousness by the next day.

One fascinating aspect of hospital care in La Gonave is that families always accompany the patient. As a matter of fact, it is common to see at least 2 people in each bed (and several beds per room) because family members stay with their loved ones 24 hours/day. The families are responsible for providing meals for the patient, as well as doing their laundry and taking care of their basic needs such as bathing. Meals are cooked right in the hospital courtyard. There are a few vendors who also sell food and drinks.

After the birth of a baby, it is common practice for the family to take care of disposing of the placenta. The hospital staff places the placenta in a basin for the family. I was reminded of cultural differences in other ways as well. There are no washers or dryers, so all the laundry is done by hand. The autoclave is the type from an old MASH unit, and there is only one electrocautery machine and one suction machine. Chickens, roosters, and dogs roam freely through the hospital courtyard. In the marketplace there are medicines for sale right alongside shoes and other assorted items.

After a day in the operating room I was again impressed by the skill of the nurses. Complex surgeries are carried out with excellent sterile technique and precision, in spite of the limited equipment. Medicinal supplies are meager as well, so that most surgeries are done with spinal and local anesthesia. It was strange to realize that a young man was awake during his hernia repair. He was shielded from seeing the operation and was attentively monitored throughout his surgery.

The expertise of this hospital staff is remarkable. From premature babies to motorcycle accident victims to septic patients to surgical patients, all are cared for with proficiency. They share the love of Jesus by meeting the practical needs of the Haitian people.

Most of the methods used are helping Haitians to stand on their own. For example, Beth Gould was in the midst of training Haitian nurses to work in the operating room so they will have a team of surgical nurses.

I had the opportunity to see some of the other projects helping the Haitian people of La Gonave as well. There is an orphanage that provides a home and education for approximately 40 children. It was great fun playing with the children and seeing their amazement when they were shown their own pictures in the digital camera display.

I thoroughly enjoyed this adventure and the many experiences it afforded, but also came home with a deeper appreciation of all the readily available supplies and resources in my own hospital. I do miss the beautiful Haitian sunrises and the warm greetings of Bon Jour, though!

Sarah Riddle
To find out more visit www.chiunited.org/Missions/Haiti

Hope for the Helpless

The crowd at the airport waited expectantly, holding gift bags and pink balloons. Finally, the anticipated flight number from Los Angeles flashed on the arrival screen. Within moments, a couple in their mid-thirties walked toward the cheering group. Two teenagers stretched wide the banner that read, “Welcome Home, Jenny Sue.” Everyone crowded around the young couple, wiping tears and hugging, while a wide-eyed Chinese nine-month-old clung to her new mother’s neck and peeked at all the strange, round-eyed faces.

A few minutes later, holding a stuffed panda by the foot, Jenny giggled while being cuddled by her new grandmother. Little did she know how greatly her life had changed. Jenny had traveled halfway around the world to join a family who had prayed for a child for years. Love and faith had fueled her parents’ dream. And a number of people had helped make it happen.

Sharing Hope

Scenes like the one above have been repeated thousands of times as families adopt children from other lands. The waiting list for infants available to be adopted in the United States is often long. Because of numerous restrictions on the age of the parents, family size, and income level, many have turned to international adoption. Unfortunately, international adoption can be quite expensive with agency fees plus travel costs. Many whose hearts ache for a child are deterred only by a lack of funds.

Shaohannah’s Hope, a non-profit ministry, helps Christian families by providing financial assistance for adoption. The ministry receives approximately 125 applications per month and has helped more than 2000 families with grants. An average grant is from $3,000 to $4,000 and is awarded based on need. Children from more than 30 countries, including the U.S., have been adopted with help from Shaohannah’s Hope.

Hope Changes All

Christian recording artist Steven Curtis Chapman and his wife Mary Beth founded Shaohannah’s Hope after adopting their first Chinese daughter named Shaohannah (pronounced “show-hannah”). The Chapman name is familiar to many. A singer-songwriter in Christian music, Steven has millions of fans, is a five-time GRAMMY winner who has sold over 10 million albums and won more than 50 Dove Awards. Yet the center of his life is–and has always been–his family.

In 2000 the Chapman family consisted of three birth children: two boys and a girl. Daughter Emily, as a teen, read a book on international adoption which impressed her deeply. She began a crusade to convince her parents to adopt. Mary Beth admits that she had doubts, “I thought I might be the evil stepmother-type who would treat [adopted] children differently.” But she was willing to research it. Two years later, the Chapmans received a fax from China about their little girl. (Although many countries allow international adoptions, China is the source for many adopted girls. Mainland China’s laws allow no family more than one child. Because their culture values boys more than girls, Chinese couples sometimes abandon their baby girls in order to try again for a boy.)

Soon the Chapmans were on their way to China to pick up Shaohannah. Like so many adoptive parents before them, they found that origin or race didn’t matter. When they opened their family to adopt a child, God immediately filled them with love for her. “The minute they handed her to me,” Mary Beth said, “at that moment everything changed.”

The Chapmans fell in love not only with Shaohannah but with the concept of adoption–of adding unwanted (by others) children to their “forever family.” They created Shaohannah’s Hope so that more people could experience the same joy they had. Steven says, “Our eyes and hearts have been opened….at moments I’m overwhelmed [when] I think we could have missed what God wanted us to do.”

Practicing what they preached, the Chapmans went on to adopt two more Chinese girls, three years younger than Showie. Stevey Joy and Maria were only seven months apart in age. “We refer to our biological children as ‘natural’ children, while we refer to our adopted children as ‘supernatural,’” Mary Beth said. “Three were born from my tummy and three were born from our hearts. The girls think that is SO cool.”

With three nearly grown children, three adopted daughters, a stellar career, and a compassionate ministry, the Chapmans’ lives seemed idyllic. But in May 2008 Maria, their youngest daughter from China, was killed in a tragic driveway accident at the Chapman’s home in Tennessee. She was 5. That day the family was celebrating one son’s high school graduation and Emily’s engagement. Suddenly they were where no family wants to be—planning a funeral. The news was broadcast around the world. Two thousand people attended Maria’s funeral, trying to comfort the family who have helped so many. The Chapmans asked that memorials be directed to Maria’s Miracle Fund of Shaohannah’s Hope so that more orphans could be adopted.

Hope’s Voice

Shaohannah’s Hope responds to a world overflowing with needs. The ministry quotes statistics such as: more than 143 million children have lost one or both parents. At least 16.2 million children worldwide have lost both parents. More than 1.5 million children live in public care in Central and Eastern Europe. At any given point, there are more than 500,000 children in the U.S. Foster Care system.

Funds donated to Shaohannah’s Hope do more than just provide grants. The ministry concentrates on three areas: adoption assistance, adoption awareness, and orphan care. One facet of the ministry encourages churches to form their own adoption funds for their members. The ministry even offers a kick-off matching grant program to participating churches.

The ministry’s Mackenzie Fund pays for surgeries for orphans with cleft lips and palates. Such children are often considered unadoptable. Some are abandoned, even though these conditions are surgically correctable, at a cost of $500 to more than $2,000. The initial surgeries paid for by the Mackenzie Fund took place in China through a connection with Love Without Boundaries, a medical missions organization. A 3-year-old and an 11-month-old boy, both from Guangdong, received corrective palate surgery to improve their health and speech. Such surgeries not only improve the quality of life for children; they also increase their chances of being adopted into a forever family.

A Message from the Chapmans

Recognizing that adoption is a perfect picture of what God has done for each of us in making us His children through Christ, Shaohannah’s Hope has been established to care for orphans by engaging the church and helping Christian families reduce the financial barriers to adoption.

Psalm 68:5-6 tells us that as the Father to the fatherless, God delights in setting the lonely in families. It has been our experience that the scriptural mandate of caring for orphans, such as the one found in James 1:27, is really a wonderful invitation to experience God in a profound way by being a part of His sovereign plan for His precious children.

Shaohannah’s Hope exists to enable children living without the love and hope of an earthly family to be adopted into “covenant homes.” These families can provide not only the love and support needed for this life, but also provide a child with the knowledge of God’s plan for his or her eternal life with a forever family called The Body of Christ.

(This article by Vicki Huffman first appeared in Power for Living in 2009. To learn more about adoption and how you could help in this ministry, visit the website:  www.shaohannahshope.org or www.showhope.org.)

Blessed to be a Blessing

Last year at church I listened as a sweet sister in Christ shared how someone provided her family with a Thanksgiving dinner. A man said that the Lord impressed him to do this for her family. My friend is a stay-at-home mom whose husband had been out of work for over six months. Things had been hard but, as she shared, God has met every need and continues to be good. After losing their home and moving in with another family, her faith and trust in the Lord continues to shine as a testimony.

This week as we go into the homestretch to Thanksgiving, it is the perfect time to purchase items to give to others in need. Dinner rolls, vegetables, baking supplies, and turkey are just a few of the foods that will be on sale. Invite a family facing hard times to Thanksgiving dinner and send them home with groceries. Try something fun such as leaving groceries on the front porch, ringing the doorbell and running. Of course, make sure they are home so the food does not sit out too long and melt or spoil.

It’s easy to think about basics, but also include cookies, cake mixes, and chips for a nice treat. Fresh fruits and vegetables are especially good. When money is tight, fresh foods are often overlooked in exchange for cheaper canned goods. Find out what their favorite soft drink is and include it.

Another idea is to purchase some fall decorations for the family you will bless. Wal-Mart has marked all their fall decorations down by at least 50%. Pick up a beautiful wreath for less than $10 or maybe some fall napkins for $1. Little things such as napkins or seasonal paper dessert plates can add a festive note.

On MMCW we have an Abundant Living page. Some call it being thrifty, others may say frugal living. I think it is truly living in abundance. All we have comes from God. We are a blessed nation with riches those in some countries can only imagine. I have always believed we are blessed to be a blessing financially in our communities and world. Living abundantly is about living within our means so we have resources to bless others.

This week be a blessing!

Christmas in a Box

Started through the ministry of Samaritan’s Purse, Operation Christmas Child began in the United States in 1993.  In their first year they gave 28,000 shoe boxes to children across the globe.  This ministry has grown to well over 8 million boxes distributed to over 100 countries on 6 continents.  Each box is hand delivered by Samaritan’s Purse and their national partners with a flier offering the salvation message to each recipient.

Our church began to participate in this ministry in 1999 in memory of one of our young adults who had been tragically killed in a car accident earlier that year.  We have been able to give over 1,000 boxes during our first nine years and hope to once again prepare at least a hundred.

Each year we strive to draw our congregation together with this project by having various ministries prepare at least ten boxes.  One year we had a fun competition to see which adult Sunday School class could make the most boxes, knowing that each box represented another child who would receive one. The winning class received a prepared breakfast from the losing class.  We collected over 200 boxes that year!

This year we had a couple donate plastic boxes while others collected items such as soap, wash clothes, candy, and toys for each box.  As we gather for a fellowship meal, we plan on packing the boxes together.  We take donations at that time for the $7 shipping fee, so families unable to afford it after preparing several boxes can still participate.

Operation Christmas Child provides a video explaining their outreach ministry for churches to use.  The video always includes the reaction of the children as they open the box and discover stuffed animals and treats.  Jesus’ words about giving a cup of water to a little one (Matthew 10:42) comes alive for us when we witness the happiness expressed by these children when they receive what we take for granted—a pair of socks, a comb or toothbrush.  Not a dry eye remains when the video concludes, and we know we made a difference for a little one that Christmas season.

Operation Christmas Child boxes must be packed and sent by mid-November.  For more information about how you can participate with Operation Christmas Child, including dates and your local drop off location, please visit their website: http://www.samaritanspurse.org.

Spiritual Freedom

Freedom. What an interesting term.  It can be defined in many ways.

In the United States of America we pride ourselves in having freedom to say what we want, go where we desire, and do whatever pleases us.  When we look at countries like Cuba, we think of anything but freedom.  Since 1959, when Cuba officially became a communist country, the people have experienced the loss of many freedoms we hold dear.  The trade embargo instituted by the U.S. made life even more difficult.
Upon a recent visit to Cuba I witnessed first-hand restrictions placed upon Cuban nationals.  There are few stores.  They receive all of their food and health care from the government.

One of my favorite stories was of a Cuban pastor who visited the U.S.   He called his wife to report, “I went to this place called a Winn Dixie and there were fruits and vegetables as far as the eye could see.”  He was overwhelmed with the choices of so many different food items. Cubans have very few restaurants and until a few years ago, nationals were not allowed into hotels unless they were accompanied by a guest of the hotel.  Government leaders did not want to feed discontentment in their people.

On my trip we were warned not to say anything negative about the government or political leaderships.  Most taxies, hotel rooms, and phones are tapped and careless words may result in a visit from governing authorities.

Despite their limitations, I have never been in a place where there was more freedom in the hearts and souls of believers.

From 1959 until 1992 atheism was proclaimed by the government to be the religious stance of Cuba.  In 1992 the government changed this label to secularist.

In 1998 Pope John Paul II visited Cuba raising the hopes of many that more freedom would be given to those who desired to worship.  Since that time a revival has begun and churches have sprung up in homes, under trees, and in buildings across the island nation.  There are still regulations in place prohibiting large public gatherings, but the church is alive and spreading the good news of Jesus!

During my visit I worshipped with four different congregations and witnessed over 50 baptisms in lakes, rivers, and baptistries.  My heart thrilled to see hungry souls crowd into limited spaces to sing praises and hear the gospel preached.  When there was no more room in a building, they would peer into windows and stand three and four deep in doorways to be a part.  Worship services lasted hours as hungry souls praised the One who gives freedom, promises hope, and eternity.  Crowds gathered and would wait an hour or more for a pastor to arrive to bring teaching from God’s word.  The nationals not only listened, they took the message home to share with friends and family. The kingdom continues to grow in Cuba.

As I witnessed the freedom of Spirit the church in Cuba has found, my heart hurt for the spiritual bondage many in my home country experience.

We have churches where pews are rarely filled though we have air-conditioned buildings and padded pews.  There are churches where people are present, but they do not experience joy in Spirit.  They do church because their attendance is expected.  Oh, how I wish they could know true freedom.

In the July issue of Christianity Today a Christian leader in Cuba said, “Of course I want more freedom, but I wouldn’t want it to come at the expense of our current passion for the gospel.  Perhaps God is limiting our freedom to teach us to strengthen the church so that when more freedoms are granted us, we will be better prepared to serve.”

Please join me as we pray for passion and spiritual freedom in our churches in America and around the world.

Pray for the churches in Cuba that they will continue to see revival and that it would spread abroad. Pray  their Christian leaders will continue to have the freedom to preach the gospel and be safe.

Helping Others by Listening

I recently read a short devotion to my children that impacted me greatly. The devotion was about a poem that was comprised of two short stanzas written by a man who had buried several of his sons.

In the first stanza a man came to visit this father and stayed a long time. The visitor talked and talked while saying all the right things. The grieving father could not wait for his friend to leave.

In the second stanza another man came to visit the father who listened, interjected briefly and listened some more. This friend was a great source of comfort and encouragement. The father hated to see his friend go when it was time for him to leave.

Since reading the devotion and poem I’ve had opportunities to use the advice. My children have also been able to put into practice what they have learned and know the better of the two approaches is to listen. There are hurting people all around us including Christians who are not immune from heartache and challenging situations. Whatever our gifts, we are all called to be obedient to His calling. I see Him growing me in this area of serving others because of my willingness to trust and respond immediately to His promptings. He sees the whole picture and can use me to be a comfort and a blessing to someone else when I’m obedient. I have learned to ask questions of those who are gifted in serving and to learn from their mentoring. One such thing my family has learned has been to have ingredients on hand for recipes we call ministry meals–meals that can easily be made for others.

When someone is hurting, it is vitally important to follow God’s promptings. I have found myself stepping out of my comfort zone on numerous occasions. I’m prone to think:
I can’t do that!
What if they already have paper products? I’ll feel ridiculous showing up with just that.
I can’t go and sit with her. I have no idea what to say.
I can’t offer to take her to dinner. What if she says no?
I can’t clean her home. What if it offends her?
Each time I have made excuses, I have put my insecurities ahead of trusting the Lord.

It is actually quite fun and exciting being on this journey of helping others with the Lord. He suggests something, and I’ve come to the place in life where I do it. I am always amazed at how His timing and His ideas are just right for every situation. Today I was having lunch with a new friend. I learned that she has a few friends that live out of town who have cancer and are undergoing chemotherapy. As we talked, the Lord clearly said to me, “Buy her a ticket.” With the track record of how spot-on God’s plans are, I went home anxious to do this anonymous deed. I’m not a detailed person so my daughter actually booked the ticket and found a direct flight at a better deal. (Side note: allow other people, even your children to use their gifts and talents to assist you.)

God has equipped each of us with abilities to be a blessing to someone else. Ask Him to use you in the life of someone and then as soon as you hear His prompting of an idea, trust Him! Be obedient. Choose to be the second man in the poem who had a listening ear and you will be a blessing to someone who is hurting.

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
~ Galatians 6:2

A Week of Poverty

This year during the holiday season, my family is celebrating what we call a week of poverty. My husband and I decided to educate ourselves and our children about poverty during the holidays because many people go hungry and cold while we have plenty.

On Thanksgiving Day we had a family time of devotion where we shared with our boys that the first week of December would be our poverty week project. To begin the week of poverty we held a family devotion on Monday and again the following Monday as we ended the week.

Our budget of $50 for the entire week was quickly consumed in just gas and parking fees. The heater was turned off and we only ate what was in the pantry. There were no trips to the grocery store for the entire week. Showers were cut short and entertainment eliminated for the week. My children’s lunches were homemade and simple.

During the week we exposed our children to benevolence projects at our local church and in the community. The purpose? To teach our children that while we have a comfortable life, there are those less fortunate who can live on a lot less and still have a smile on their faces.

By the second day, our children were already experiencing emotions about poverty they could not understand. This gave us the opportunity to teach them what the Bible says concerning poverty. My children loved poverty week and have shared what they learned with their friends. They have already asked us to do it again so their friends can join in too.

Everyday Ways to Bless Others

Single Moms
* Add an extra pack of chicken or beef to your grocery list each week for a single mom. By doing this on a consistent basis you can help her fill her freezer. Also take advantage of buy-one-get-one-free grocery sales–one for you and one for her.
* Does she have a Christmas tree and ornaments? A friend once bought and decorated a tree for a newly single mom with small children. My friend left the fully decorated tree on her front porch while she was at work.
* Give gift cards to Wal-Marts, Target, and local grocery stores.
* Invite her and her children to share Christmas dinner with your family.
* Let her know you are praying for her and her children. Be a constant source of encouragement to her.

Check-Out Clerks
* Ask (or have your children ask) your cashier what her favorite candy bar is. While you are checking out have one of the kids get the candy bar and put it with your purchases. As you leave, give her the candy bar and let her know you appreciate her service.
* Get to know your cashiers. Let cashiers see the love of Christ in your attitudes of kindness, gentleness, and joy.
* Listen. Does she have a need? Once while standing in line my cashier was asked by the check-out boy where she was going to lunch. She replied that she would love to get a hamburger and fries but only had $2. When she handed me my change I gave it back and said ‘have a great day.’ Sometimes it’s just about listening and responding.

Waiters & Waitresses
* I’ve often heard that the hardest day of the week for wait staff at restarants is Sunday. Go out of your way to be nice and friendly to those who serve your food. And, bless servers with a good tip. I have friends who have made it a ministry to bless their servers. They leave a card for the server with a nice monetary gift letting them know they are praying for them.

Missionaries
* Bible study supplies. Do you have a Beth Moore study with the audio CDs you no longer reference?
* VBS supplies. Everything from curriculum to craft supplies.
* Help them to set up a family blog or website by using your computer skills or fianances.
* Send their favorite candies or baking supplies such as chocolate chips which may be hard to get.
* Magazine subscriptions.
* Good books and movies.
* Books on tape.
* Ask what is hard to obtain on their mission field. It could be as simple as Oreo cookies to ink cartridges for printers to a needed medical supply.
* Remember the family’s birthdays and anniversary with cards and gifts.
* Be consistent in emails and cards expressing encouragement and prayer support.

On the Spot Needs
I believe in divine opportunities and many times that’s exactly how God works. He will put us in situations where we see a need and we have the choice to respond or walk away. God’s Word tells us that when it is in our power to do good, to do it.

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As is it written: ‘He scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.’ Now he is who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of this service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.” 2 Corinthians 9:8-13 NIV

Share God’s Love in Personal Notes

During the holidays, write personal notes to people who have impacted your life. Let them know what their support, generosity, kindness, and godly witness have meant to you. These treasured presents cost no more than a postage stamp, yet will spread the joy of the Lord. This is especially important if you send a note to those who are non-believers — let them hear how God has used them in your life and how much you love and appreciate them. Let your light shine brightly!

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“God has put gifts in you. So stir them up! Don’t be afraid to use them, because God has filled you with strength, love, and wisdom.”
~ 2 Timothy 1:6-7
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Offering Spiritual and Practical Help

A couple of weeks ago we had an interesting service at church. During the alter call as my pastor was praying for people he began to see a pattern developing. Everyone was asking for prayer because they had either lost their job, their salaries had been cut back significantly, or they were about to lose their home. Sensing a God moment, he asked for anyone who had similar needs to come forward for prayer. I stood amazed as 45 to 50 individuals came for prayer who were experiencing these challenges. It was an eye-opener to the reality of the economic problems we are facing in our nation today.

Following this service, church leadership began strategic planning to help our people–not just our church body, but the community as well. A plan was put in place to host a job fair at church. Applications were prepared for anyone who needed a job. A group of marketplace believers got together and created a network of business owners to work diligently to find the right job match for each applicant. An information area was set up in the church designed specifically for job search applications and help wanted ads. We did not just stop there; as a church body we have been spreading the word about the needs within our church family.

I couldn’t be more proud of the massive amount of support I have seen between believers during this time of economic uncertainty. After all, isn’t this what it is all about? Jesus said, “Love your neighbor as you would yourself’ and I strongly believe what my church as does qualifies as loving our neighbors as ourselves.

Sometimes we think it is just about counseling people when they are in need, or simply praying for them. Those are important elements and need to be present at every encounter we have with hurting people. We must also include the physical part of compassion. My feeling sorry for my sister’s situation will not put food on her table, but my offer to buy her a loaf of bread will do both–fill her belly and strengthen her faith.

Everything we do should be done out of a heart of compassion but also an immense amount of wisdom. Be compassionate, but do not allow people to become co-dependant or take advantage of you. Many Christians cannot seem to make the distinction and end up in a whole lot of trouble and even become resentful. Always pray for God’s leading and His spirit to give you discernment and wisdom as you tackle each need that comes your way.

My family is no stranger to these types of situations and we have not always used wisdom. About five years ago we were leaving church on a Sunday and met a young homeless couple. After hearing their story, both my husband and I felt compelled to help them. We decided to host the young girl at our home and another friend hosted the young man. The couple was not married and very young. We took them under our wings and began pouring into their lives. We fed, clothed them, and helped them find jobs. My husband even offered to officiate their wedding. During all of this time we were pouring the Word of God into their lives and taking them to church with us.

Three months later after they were both on their feet, the young man was able to get an apartment and against our wishes she moved in with him. Later the young woman left her boyfriend to return home to her family. Sometime later we received a phone call from the young man saying his girlfriend was coming back to live with him. He needed us to pick her up at the airport. My husband asked him if they would be getting married to which the young man replied absolutely not. My husband kindly declined to help them out this time. He told him, “when you were in need we helped you out of a heart of compassion, but you are now on your feet and you know where we stand on this issue, therefore we cannot in good faith be part of the lifestyle you choose to live.” The young man understood and there were no ill feelings between us.

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