In these pictures Short Term Missionaries are painting the toe nails and finger nails of widows that live in Rwanda. The Word of God, jewerly and hair products were given to all the women present.
AFRICA REPORT
Pastor Don Schwarz: Poured Out For Africa
Philippians 2:17 Yea, and if I be offered (poured out) upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.
Psalm 41: 1-2 Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble. The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.
So many followers of Jesus today are very concerned, and legitimately so, about the days ahead. However, the “need” to prepare can be a bottomless pit into which our adversary would like to push us. I think it is wise to prepare, even with provisions, if the Holy Spirit has led His child that way. But then how much is enough? And with what do I fill my little corner of creation? Is food for me and my family enough? What about others and how about water, and heat for the cold, and what if it gets really bad and I need to defend myself, and what if the bad guys have a better plan than me?
Here is where I begin to look further into the Lord’s word for His plan of preparation and here is the direction our family is taking.
We are today considering the poor. We are going to them, encouraging them, giving them resources for food and clothes, doing all we can to sow into their lives in a way that can only be described by them as this “Now we know the Lord has not forgotten us, because He has sent you.” That is what a widow, who had been raped by men in Rwanda during the genocide there, told one of our team members at a special meeting we had for widows.
There are countless stories I could share of times in churches, the streets of slums, garbage dumps where animals and people try to find a meal, and the Lord has sent us there to comfort and bless people.
In one church service in the slums of Nairobi we asked the pastor to buy some food for all who were there (about 50). They bought many loaves of white bread and a soda for each person. You should have seen the looks on their faces. It was the look of someone in America sitting down to a steak dinner, something these have never had in their life. I have heard people say “but Don there are poor right here in America.” That is true and we should help whoever the Lord gives to help. But think of this, most poor in America have never experienced or imagined “poor” like this. My wife, who has been seeing pictures and listening to my stories for years, recently went with me to Kenya. She was so overwhelmed on this occasion in the Nairobi slums that she could hardly speak the rest of the day after we returned to our hotel.
These are the ones to whom the Lord has sent me. If you look at the world today poverty and famine are sweeping the globe like King Jesus said it would in the time of the birth pangs just before His return. I cannot help them all, but I can help the ones the Lord has given me and Lord willing I will be faithful in this regard and on their behalf.
Many use to believe, and I think tragically many still do, that poverty and famine could not cover the landscape of America. I personally believe that it probably will, maybe sooner than later.
Proverbs 19: 17 He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD, And He will pay back what he has given.
Here is another great passage that tells us how to invest wisely. Think of those who have invested in banks and other financial instruments. How have many of them done in the last few years? Conversely, an investment in heaven’s economy always pays back with dividends! This is our investment strategy—to have mercy on the poor. We are certainly not rich by American standards, but compared to these in Africa we are in pretty good shape today.
So, me and my house are preparing mostly by considering those who are in poverty and famine today. From what I see in Psalm 41 since my heart is motivated by the love of Jesus and faith in Him my future during time of trouble is already secure. He has promised me deliverance and I will simply trust Him at His word. Oh how I love Jesus, Oh how I love Jesus, Oh how I love Jesus, because He first loved me! He loves the poor and helpless too, and I want to show them!
See our blog and website for more information, and our blog has some new pictures and videos of some of our latest trips to Kenya and Rwanda. Also find contact information there to be placed on our monthly newsletter.
If you would like to join us in helping the poor by praying, giving, and/or going contact me for more details.
In King Messiah Jesus Christ!
Don Schwarz
Pouredoutforafrica.blogspot.com
Pouredoutforafrica.com
Cell: 832-878-0756
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment