A Worthy Cause: Samaritan's Purse

 "Let my heart be broken with the things that break the heart of God." Bob Pierce wrote these now-famous words in his Bible after visiting suffering children on the Korean island of Kojedo. This impassioned prayer is what guided him as he founded and led the ministry of Samaritan's Purse in 1970. His mission for this organization was "to meet emergency needs in crisis areas through existing evangelical mission agencies and national churches." (From the Samaritan's Purse Website)

Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child

“A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead.

 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’  Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?”  He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.” (Luke 10:30, 33-37)

A Worthy Cause: Gabriel House

Jesus said:

"Whatsoever you have done for the least of these.....you have done it to me."

Mathew 25:40

Gabriel House is a not-for-profit Christian residential home dedicated to the total care and rehabilitation of profoundly handicapped children and children with immune deficiency disorders.

Gabriel House strives to extend hope and dignity to the children at no cost to their impoverished families.

In August my son and I went to Ensenada Mexico.  I have gone before with my daughter to build houses with Hands of Mercy but this was something entirely different.  Gabriel House is an orphanage for severely disabled children.   Some have no families. Many have families that are unable to care for their needs, and have found the Gabriel House a loving place where their children will be cared for.

With Hands of Mercy you work all day Saturday.  You have a goal of building a house and presenting it to a family who have saved for years to buy the 40 by 40 plot of ground they will call home.  You feel useful and there is always something to do.  You work and are rewarded with a job well done and fantastic fellowship.

At Gabriel House there were jobs to do; sanding, painting, washers and dryers to repair, laundry to be washed, dried, folded and put away and a roof to be repaired, but for at least half the day there was nothing to do.  When you have nothing to do... you wait... sit... talk to your friends... talk to your son... walk across the street for a soda... walk around the orphanage...

Eventually you figure it out... you don't have to do anything except sit down with some kids, your own included, and toss a ball back and forth.  You read a book aloud in Spanish, even though you don't know what 70% of the words mean. You sing songs in English, while others sing in Spanish.

Sometimes Godly service means waiting, sitting, playing.  You do not have to do.  You have to be there and... be there.

At the border.

Stopping for dinner on the way.

A professional painter being a mentor to my nine year old...

See more of the pictures at my wife's blog

More pictures of the kids at Gabriel House

A Worthy Cause: Covenant Community Services

There is no doubt that it is around the family and the home that all the greatest virtues, the most dominating virtues of human society, are created, strengthened and maintained.
Winston Churchill

The family is a haven in a heartless world.  

~Attributed to Christopher Lasch

Covenant  Community Services serves abused and neglected children by finding, training and supporting foster families to care for children in need of a loving family.  They also support and guide former foster children as they transition into adulthood, providing life skills and care through mentoring.

All that and a cup of coffee.  Covenant Coffee. Drink a cup, save a child.