Drown dry.

“Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20

I read a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson recently about the purpose of life.  He wrote; “The purpose of life is not to be happy.  It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”  Today we celebrate Memorial Day and remember those who sacrificed their lives so that we might live in a land of freedom.  If you served in our Armed Forces; thank you for your service.  We celebrated Pentecost yesterday and give thanks for those souls who 2,000 years ago lived their lives being inspired by the Holy Spirit. 

I would have liked to have added ‘being Spirit driven’ to the words from Emerson.  We aren’t all soldiers, but we are all God’s children and we all have a purpose for our life.  This title today may seem odd, but the term “drown dry” will always be chiseled into my memory storage bank.  I may have written about this topic before, but trust me, it will be a little different this time around.

Back in the day. while working for the State of Nebraska, one of my duties for a couple of weeks out of each year was to pair my civil engineering training with my SCUBA diving experience and inspect bridges; underwater.  Our dive team consisted of four SCUBA divers who had passed the FHWA Bridge Inspection course and each of us were from a different State Agency.  At that time, there were 90 bridges on Federal, State and County roads in Nebraska that had a river or canal water flow with a depth of over five feet year-round.

For me, this part of my job. was a dream come true; get to use the better equipment then I owned and get paid to dive.  This was like a paid vacation.  It wasn’t like diving in a clean sandpit.  The water was typically zero visibility and most of our work was done tactically; by feel and in current.  The attached photo is of me after putting on my gear in Gosper County and was ready to go into the Tri County Canal.  The main point of my story today is the mask.  It is a full-face AGA mask with three-way communication capabilities.  Diver to diver and diver to surface. 

When we were being trained to use, clean and repair this mask, the instructor said something very profound to us; “drown dry”.  Those words brought me to the reality of the dangers of my job.  Drown dry!  If you become entangled on underwater debris your normal reaction would be to release your weight belt, the tank, pull off mask and swim to the surface.  Drown dry!  Being entangled in barbed wire, tree limbs or fishing line will hold you while you are stressing out twenty feet under flowing water in zero visibility and current; trapped…drown dry!  When the rescue diver eventually comes down to pull your body to the surface and begin CPR, the chances of bringing you back to life are much greater if there is no water in your lungs; drown dry.

Each of us has a calling to do something for our Heavenly Father on this side of Paradise.  We are celebrating Memorial Day this weekend and recalling all of those who went before us.  Souls who served their country, worked in the soil, healed the sick, raised their children, taught in school and so many more vocations that God wired each of us the way He prepared to use us.

The two verses from Matthew are our Great Commission.  Bring people along your journey closer to Christ.  It won’t always be easy, but Jesus is always with us.  Stay in the Word, keep your mask on…drown dry so you can continue the work He prepared you for on this side of Paradise.

Dear Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown.  Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

May God be with you,

Jay

Is today the end of ALL things?

“The end of all things is near.  Therefore, be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.  Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.  Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.  Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.  If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God.  If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.  To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.”  1 Peter 4:7-11

These words in the fourth chapter of First Peter don’t get any easier for the residents of this sin filled fallen world; love each other deeply no matter how much you dislike them, offer hospitality without grumbling.  This world tells me this is crazy talk; people who follow this kind of thinking are probably not competent to stand trial.

Perhaps the end of all things is really drawing near, because this world that we live in just keeps moving farther and farther away from the truth that our Savior encouraged us with and to live and instructed us how to serve.  At times, it seems like the best service I am capable of doing is serving Him by helping children in a foreign country who are poor, don’t speak a word of my language and do not get to eat on a regular basis.  By the grace of God, this sinful wretch within me is capable of helping to feed the children at this Lutheran School in Ouanaminthe who are getting their hands washed before they eat.  For this simple act of service; He uses my gifts, my prayers and my continual thoughts to do His work while preparing them to go and share the Gospel message in Haiti.  Thank you for joining me in this simple service of feeding them, and helping them to become His missionaries in Haiti.

Dear Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown.  Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

May God be with you,

Jay

Why we follow Christ.

“Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin.  As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.  For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.  They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you.  But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.  For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to human standards in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.”  1 Peter 4:1-6

Suffering for Christ, how often have we been oppressed or beaten or been humiliated because of our faith in our risen Savior?  Chances are that none of us have been really been physically persecuted because of Whom we proclaim as our Lord and risen Savior. 

The teens in the attached photo attend the Nouvelle Semence school in Port-au-Prince and living in the capital city of Haiti with a population of 3 million people and sixty five percent of them practicing vodou, a large area of their capital run by gang; it is reasonable to say that they have been asked why they attend a Christian school. 

The verses in 1 Peter mention a list of sinful qualities; they are prevalent in both North America and also in Haiti.  You and I have seen them on our television, computer, on our phone, at the movies, at work and possibly next door.  Why don’t we follow in the ways of this fallen world and follow the ways that the world tells us is the normal thing to do, have fun, after all, it is all about me.

We follow Christ as He died for us.  The teens attending the school in PAP follow Christ and turn away from the lies of the vodou priest and his followers.  It is a difficult road at times, for them and for us.  Please keep them in your prayers and also ask that our Triune God will continue to provide you with strength as you support their spiritual and physical lives.   

Dear Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown.  Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

May God be with you,

Jay

Another well.

“For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.  The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.   And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”  The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.  Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”  Romans 8:14-17

Seeing a well in Haiti, whether in a school yard, in an urban setting or out in the middle of nowhere in the mountains; it is a Spiritual moment.  The question arises, are these people or this single person saved?  Do they know the Son of God?

The young woman at the well in the school yard in Cap Haitian in the attached photo has surely heard of Jesus Christ as the pastors there share their water with the neighborhood and also the news of our risen Savior with those who come for water.  I heard a song recently about the woman at the well in the 4th Chapter of John.  This woman at Cap Haitian and the words of this simple song resonate a truth of every well in Haiti that I have ever seen and also holds true for each of us.

“Jesus’ feet were growing weary as he journeyed on His way.  So He rested at a well side; a comfort in the heat of day.  There He waited for a woman, black with sin and bound for hell.  When she arrived, He plainly told her, “what you need is not in the well.  He’s still waiting by the well and He’s holding out His hand.  If you’ll drink this living water you won’t have to thirst again.  He’s been waiting by the well side knowing you’d be passing by so take advantage of the moment; He’s not gone, He’s still waiting by the well.  Are you tired of being thirsty even though you’ve had your fill of the water that the world gives?  Does it leave you longing still?  Well, there’s good news up at the well side.  A woman’s voice rings loud and clear, she says this man changed her forever.  And if you need hope, you can find it here!”

The children attending this school have heard the good news and are sharing the news of living water with those along their journey back into their neighborhoods still listening to the lies of this world; the lies of the vodou priest.  Thank you for helping to prepare them for their journey by supporting their school feeding program through Trinity HOPE.

Dear Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown.  Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

May God be with you,

Jay

Our purpose.

“Now he had to go through Samaria.  So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph.  Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon.  When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?”  (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)  The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?”  (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)  Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”   John 4:4-10

Our purpose as Christians is to seek and save the lost; wins souls for Christ.  That can be difficult if we are picking and choosing who we are seeking.  We can instruct our children to stop living sinful lives and start being more like us, repentant Christians.  We can sit in Church meetings and get a list of names of people who have been delinquent in their attendance and divide up the names and make telephone calls.  We can hire staff to seek and save the lost and train volunteers.

Jesus created the model of our work with the Samaritan woman that He met at the well.  This woman appeared at a well just outside of the town in which she lived. Jesus knew who she was; how she had been living her life; he even knew she was currently living with a man to whom she was not married.  He could have really unloaded on her; after all, He was the Son of God. 

Rather than seize the opportunity to use what the Law instructed, Jesus shows us that offering hope to the lost is the better choice.  Whenever I see a photo of people around a well in Haiti this story comes to mind.  These two girls at the well at Eglise Lutherienne in Cap Haitian probably come from homes where vodou is practiced and a neighborhood with souls that need to be saved.  The water in this well in Cap Haitian is free for them and this gift, while not the living water Christ has to offer, is a gift of life for their thirsty lives.  They are not drinking out of the ditch; they are drinking on Holy Ground that is dedicated to Jesus Christ.

The school is filled with young missionaries that you have helped to prepare as they are blessed with a Trinity HOPE feeding program and daily are given the Word of God that makes its way into the neighborhoods of Cap Haitian.  You and I didn’t choose to feed these kids, God did.  It wasn’t our plan reach out to these two children by the well; it was His plan to use the children in the school to do that.  He chose you to help, you had a choice.  Thank you.

Dear Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown.  Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

May God be with you,

Jay

Been healed recently?

“A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”  Jesus was indignant.  He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!”  Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.  Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: “See that you don’t tell this to anyone.  But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”  Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news.  As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places.  Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.“ Mark 1:40-45

The healed leper was truly full of joy and could not keep quiet about ‘his’ miracle.  How would you have responded to being healed?  Your illness had been healed by Jesus and then you had been told not to tell anybody but it would be okay to show yourself without the scars of your illness to your Pastor.  What would you have done?  I can only imagine that it would have been very difficult to contain my joy.

An Online dictionary provides the following definitions for the word ‘heal’.  1. To restore to health or soundness; cure.  2. To set right; repair: healed the rift between us.  3. To restore a person to spiritual wholeness.  4.  To become whole and sound; return to health. 

To me it seems that each of these definitions would cause one’s eyes to brighten and cause a wide smile to stretch across a face; healing brings joy to the one being healed and also to those who may have had a part in the healing.  Consider the children in the attached photo, they attend the one of two Christian schools in Ouanaminthe that have a Trinity HOPE feeding program; they are being healed.  Their relationship with our Triune God is either being formed or restored and their physical hunger is being restored and satisfied every day. 

I heard a quote on BOTT Internet radio recently when an Evangelist said “We cannot make people love us, but we can let others love us.”  As a Trinity HOPE supporter, I have no intentions to ‘make’ these children love me, but rather I smile knowing their spiritual welfare is being strengthened each day as they draw closer to God and farther away from the vodou priest and become less fearful of the neighborhood gangs.  When I visited these kids in Ouanaminthe, they ran and hugged me, but all the glory belongs to God as He is the reason for their healing and also for my healing.  I close today with the words from a song that I heard on the internet written by Lenny Smith called ‘Our God reigns.’  

“How lovely on the mountains are the feet of Him who brings good news, good news; announcing peace, proclaiming news of happiness: our God reigns, our God reigns!  He had no stately form; He had no majesty that we should be drawn to Him.  He was despised and we took no account of Him.  Our God reigns, our God reigns!  It was our sin and guilt that bruised and wounded Him.  It was our sin that brought Him down.  When we like sheep had gone astray our Shepherd came and on His shoulders bore our shame.  Meek as a lamb that’s led out to the slaughterhouse, dumb as a sheep before its shearer, His life ran down upon the ground like pouring rain that we might be born again.  Out from the tomb He came with grace and majesty; He is alive, He is alive.  God loves us so, see here His hands, His feet, His side; yes we know, He is alive.”

Dear Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown.  Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

May God be with you,

Jay

Stay awake!

(Jesus said) "Therefore stay awake; for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning; lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake." Mark 13:35-37

These verses in Mark give each of us a reminder to STAY AWAKE!  When I read these verses yesterday, I was thinking that perhaps Jesus was telling me to stay busy today, stay awake as the master may return at any time; nobody knows when, but He has promised to return. 

Do you suppose that we are to be just staying idle and watching and waiting for the Master to return?  It wouldn’t seem that is what Jesus would be asking us to do, considering the Great Commission in the final chapter of Matthew.  It would however seem that we are to be working to bring more living souls into the Kingdom and protect those that are already in His fold; protect the property and bring in more as the harvest is ready.  Be alert, don’t close your eyes and go to sleep, no…stay alert and watch for the Master.

The children in the attached photo appear to be waiting…and watching.  Waiting and watching for that wonderful moment when they will receive their Trinity HOPE lunch at Petit Paradis in Port-au-Prince.  They belong to the King and have been told about the Master’s return.  The temptations, pressures and many challenges of their world, and our world attack each of us every day; temptations that try to lure us into falling asleep, stop working and stop believing.

We need to stand ready to receive our Master at each hour of the day; waiting and watching for that glorious day when the door will open.  Thank you for staying awake and helping to prepare these children to be ready for that day when each of us will meet our Savior face to face and be taken from this sinful world in a new Heavenly home.

Dear Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown.  Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

May God be with you,

Jay

Love lifted me.

“Do not repay anyone evil for evil.  Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.  If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.  Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.  On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.  In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”  Romans 12:17-20

Revenge!  Are you familiar with that word?  Have you been wronged by anyone recently or have you been on the other end of a bad situation where you are tempted to enact revenge?  Our Savior instructs us to just suck it up and realize that it is satan causing the problems.  Don’t seek revenge, be nice to the ones who have injured you.  It was our Savior who turned the other cheek.  Our Savior will be the Judge.

While reading this scripture from Romans 12 the song “love lifted me” came on my laptop radio.  If you didn’t know by now, I am a Southern Gospel junkie; when you get to Heaven and can’t find me, head over to the Southern Gospel arena and I will either standing on healed legs and singing or sitting on a comfortable folding chair and tapping my healed toe.  I might even be clapping my healed hands.  The words from this song gave me a nice response to the Apostle Paul’s words.

“I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore, very deeply stained within, sinking to rise no more, but the Master of the sea, heard my despairing cry, from the waters lifted me, now safe am I.  Love lifted me! Love lifted me!  When nothing else could help love lifted me!  All my heart to Him I give, ever to Him I'll cling in His blessed presence live, ever His praises sing, love so mighty and so true, merits my soul's best songs, faithful, loving service too, to Him belongs.   Love lifted me! Love lifted me!  When nothing else could help love lifted me!  Souls in danger look above, Jesus completely saves, He will lift you by His love, out of the angry waves.  He's the Master of the sea, billows His will obey, He your Savior wants to be, be saved today.  Love lifted me! Love lifted me!  When nothing else could help love lifted me!”

Sometimes it is hard to think about being lifted by love, His love, but it happens every day throughout our lives on this side of Paradise.  It is happening now in the life of the child attending Mammou Lutheran School in Port-au-Prince in the attached photo.  They will probably still be in school until mid-July because of the turbulent gang activity in their neighborhood.  Consider the last verse that Paul wrote above ‘Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good’ and know that while she is a sinner, she is not evil.  Satan, the vodou priest and the gang members don’t want her in school and don’t want you to even consider helping to educate or feed this one small child.  That is evil and this fallen world has plenty of that kind of thinking to go around. 

On this Saturday morning, I want to thank you for resisting satan and this world’s evil directions and distractions.  Thank for you supporting this child, this school and the other 62,400 children attending Schools in Haiti with a Trinity HOPE feeding program.

Dear Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown.  Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

May God be with you,

Jay

He is here!

“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.  Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.  Live in harmony with one another.  Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.  Do not be conceited.”  Romans 12:14-16

Much of this text that was written by the Apostle Paul goes against the grain of our fallen world today; bless those who persecute me and do not curse.  Don’t curse?  Have you watched the television, been online, read the newspaper or sat in a public gathering recently? 

As Christians living in North America, we have our challenges and struggles and the children attending the Lutheran school in Mammou have their own struggles with simple things like having to listening to the vodou priest down the street sacrificing animals at night or the gangs killing their neighbors.

There is a song ‘He is Here’ by a Gospel group called the Talley’s that reminds me that God is in fact here and in Haiti and is calling out to each of us living on this side of Paradise.

“He is here! Hallalujah! He is here! Amen!  He is here, holy, holy, I will bless His name again; He is here, listen closely; Hear Him calling out your name; He is here, you can touch Him; You will never be the same!  I sense an awesome moving of the Holy Spirit; I see His countenance resting on your face; I know that there are angels hov'ring all around us, for the presence of the Lord is in this place.  He is here! Hallalujah! He is here! Amen!  He is here, holy, holy, I will bless His name again; He is here, listen closely; Hear Him calling out your name; He is here, you can touch Him; You will never be the same!  I searched for peace among the shadows dark and lonely, gave up on finding that strong and lasting love; I tasted all the things that sin could think to offer me, but today, I feast on manna from above.  He is here! Hallalujah! He is here! Amen!  He is here, holy, holy, I will bless His name again; He is here, listen closely; Hear Him calling out your name; He is here, you can touch Him; You will never be the same!”

Rejoice with the children at Mammou, knowing that our Triune God sent His only Son Jesus Christ to rescue us from the lawlessness and sinfulness of this world.  He is here, with us every day and the ‘high and mighty’ of this sin filled world cannot separate us from our Savior.

Dear Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown.  Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

May God be with you,

Jay

Not sure what to do?

“Love must be sincere.  Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.  Be devoted to one another in love.  Honor one another above yourselves.  Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.  Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.  Share with the Lord’s people who are in need.  Practice hospitality.”  Romans 12:9-13

Today we celebrate Ascension Day.  For believer’s it is an important day that for some reason, doesn’t get a lot of attention on this side of Paradise.  It should because the Second Coming of Jesus surely will fulfil His promise.  That will truly be a day of great importance.  Between now and that day, what are your plans?  Travel plans?  One last family reunion?  A few items left on your bucket list?

There are people in this world that always seem to know where they need to go and what they need to do before the Second Coming and know only one speed; full speed ahead.  They epitomize the saying “lead, follow or get the hell out of the way” that was credited to Gen George Patton.  And on the other end of the spectrum are those who cannot seem to make a decision along their journey, reluctant to go, unsure that their spiritual gifts are sufficient for the task presented to them; immature and insecure.

The attached photo was taken at Mixte Lutheran School in Port-au-Prince.  They are eating their noon meal; for some of them their only meal of the day.  They have their ‘tickets’ punched for the Second Coming.  They know their plans on this side of Paradise.  They, like us, have heard our Savior telling us to seek and save the lost living in their neighborhoods. 

In the early 1990’s my home congregation in Lincoln was introduced to a ‘new’ song that written by Daniel L. Schutte in 1991.  If you are sitting on the fence and not sure of where God needs you, read the words and pray about your future.

“I, the Lord of sea and sky, I have heard my people cry.  All who dwell in dark and sin, My hand will save.  Here am I, Lord.  Is it I, Lord?  I have heard you calling in the night.  I will go, Lord, if you lead me.  I will hold your people in my heart.  I, who made the stars of night, I will make their darkness bright.  Who will bear my light to them?  Whom shall I send?  Here am I, Lord.  Is it I, Lord?  I have heard you calling in the night.  I will go, Lord, if you lead me.  I will hold your people in my heart.  I, the Lord of snow and rain, I have borne my people’s pain.  I have wept for love of them.  They turn away.  Here am I, Lord.  Is it I, Lord?  I have heard you calling in the night.  I will go, Lord, if you lead me.  I will hold your people in my heart.  I will break their hearts of stone, Give them hearts for love alone.  I will speak my words to them.  Whom shall I send?  Here am I, Lord.  Is it I, Lord?  I have heard you calling in the night.  I will go, Lord, if you lead me.  I will hold your people in my heart.  I, the Lord of wind and flame, I will send the poor and lame.  I will set a feast for them.  My hand will save. Here am I, Lord.  Is it I, Lord?  I have heard you calling in the night.  I will go, Lord, if you lead me.  I will hold your people in my heart.  Finest bread I will provide, 'til their hearts be satisfied.  I will give my life to them.  Whom shall I send?  Here am I, Lord.  Is it I, Lord?  I have heard you calling in the night.  I will go, Lord, if you lead me.  I will hold your people in my heart.”

What is your reply when our Lord calls you in the night?  There are twenty hungry children sitting around the two tables in the photo.  Is the Lord calling you to help?  You don’t have to get a passport and a bunch of shots and disregard the travel warnings and fly to Haiti with a 60-pound bag of rice and a 30-pound bag of beans.  You don’t have to rent a taptap to transport them to the school, you don’t have to walk a mile with a bucket full of water, you don’t have to cook and you don’t have to do dishes after the kids are finished with their lunch.

One five-dollar bill in your wallet or purse will cover the meal of every child in the attached photo for this particular day; two dollars and fifty cents for each table.  It is almost too easy to say “Here am I, Lord, it is I Lord, send me!”  Are you not sure what to do in the remaining days of your journey? 
“Here I am Lord!”     

Dear Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown.  Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

May God be with you,

Jay