Going without a map.

“Lot looked around and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan toward Zoar was well watered, like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt.  (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)  So, Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east.  The two men parted company: Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom.  Now the people of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord.” Genesis 13:10-13

Back in the day while living in Haiti, my truck didn’t have GPS, OnStar or even a AAA roadmap of Haiti tucked in the glovebox.  I had to rely upon the Haitian driver to take the wheel when we went off the highway and onto the rural roads.  The same was true while driving in PAP the first year, before I knew my way around as there were very few street signs.

I read the above verses from Genesis and the story of Abram and Lot seemed familiar in a way to my not having a map in Haiti.  Quite often, I didn’t know where to go without one.  When Lot was making a decision about which land to choose, he didn't consider God as a factor in shaping his future; Lot was in control, he didn’t need a map.  He made all his calculations based upon the potential influences of nature and humanity, never considering that God might alter the world on his behalf.  He looked in the Jordan River Valley and saw only lush, green vegetation for his flocks and rich, wholesome soil for his crops.  That had to be the place.

Lot failed to consider the potential danger represented by settling among the twin cities that occupied that valley.  Lot never once asked God for His guidance; a real guy-thing not asking for directions when the roadmap blew out the window a few miles back.  Consequently, he placed himself, his family, and his future in jeopardy as he headed for the ‘good life’.

Why not ask God for directions?  Trying to navigate without a map in rural Haiti and being limited to what you can see and hear in your immediate area will bring you to a river without a bridge.  God sees and knows everything that we cannot.  God wants to steer us through this dangerous landscape where we live and bring us safely to our destination.

There are men, women and children living in PAP today that are seeking directions towards safety and peaceful existence for tomorrow.  We pray with them to seek directions from God and then follow His lead.  Father, lead us to do likewise.

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

Look at what I did!!!

“Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.”  The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”  He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.  I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.  However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”  At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.”  Luke 10:16-21

How often are we tempted to exclaim “Look at what I did” when something went really well.  Following the earthquake that shook Haiti in 2010, there were hundreds of mission groups and individuals from North America saying “Look at what we did!” when returning from a mission trip to PAP.  North Americans spending incredible amounts of money to build a single, small plywood house for a family with North American hands; most of the funds were used for airfare, food and lodging, transportation and translators that probably could have been donated to build many homes, for many Haitian families and constructed by Haitian hands.  It is not about us, what we did but it is about Him and what He did for us and them and accomplished “THROUGH” us.

Jesus sent the 72 out into the world to spread the news of the Gospel throughout the land.  They came back rejoicing at what the Holy Spirit had accomplished.  Then Jesus gave them and us a very important lesson.  Don’t rejoice that the Spirits submit to YOU, but rejoice that your names will be written in Heaven.  It is not about us, it is all about Him.

The attached photo is of a preaching station in the Northwestern part of the Plateau Central, west of Saltedere.  It is a small stick structure with boards attached to branches for seats.  It would not surprise me to see a North American mission team to view this as an opportunity to build a new church, a parking lot, a driveway up the side of the steep hill and also provide a gasoline powered generator so there would be electricity for lights and fans.  There are well meaning minds within our synod that would do that, I have seen them in action and cringed when I listened to their plans; plans about them and their North American ministry and not about Him and the ministry plan for this Haitian Lutheran congregation that worships on a hill that is closer to the Triune God than we can imagine or begin to understand.  Feed my sheep, tend to my lambs said the Good Shepherd.  Feeding children through Trinity HOPE programs preparing them, like the 72, to go out into the world and share the Gospel is about Him, not about those of us supporting their education and preparation for the task of their lives; it is about Him.

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

God is love.

“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.  He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” 1 John 4:7-8 (KJV)

The words “God is love” that John wrote are very special to me because as a child I was given a small plastic sign that glowed in the dark after it had been held up to the lamp on my nightstand and then its message that glowed in the darkness was “God is love.”

The children in the attached photo are orphans from the Lutheran orphanage in Ouanaminthe and they are ambassadors for those words as they joyfully will tell you that “God is love.”  Have you ever had somebody tell you that you look like a parent or maybe your children looked a lot like you?  Maybe they had the same nose, the same color hair or eyes, or perhaps their smile reminded them of you when you were their age.

These children have been adopted by Pastor Daniel Paul and his wife Clynie and although they may not have any physical qualities of their new parents, they share in the joy of knowing that ‘God is love.’  For the Christian, we have a Heavenly Father and I doubt that all of us resemble Him physically but spiritually we do.  His Holy Spirit lives within us and thus we resemble His Son Jesus Christ.

When you look into the morning mirror and see an image, does it reflect His image?  Are your life’s activities about His work?  We are all similar to a vessel that is filled with living water and at times we doubt our direction or use; where should we be and are we doing His work; how do we fit into His plan for our life?  Your fit will happen when God has you where you need to be to flow.  God is at work in your life and in the lives of these orphans.  Thank you for helping to prepare their lives with physical nourishment from a Trinity HOPE program.  I close with the words to the hymn ‘Children of the Heavenly Father’ which was written by Karolina Sandell-Berg in 1658.

“Children of the heav’nly Father safely in His bosom gather; nestling bird nor star in Heaven such a refuge e’er was given.  God His own doth tend and nourish; in His holy courts they flourish; from all evil things He spares them; in His mighty arms He bears them.  Neither life nor death shall ever from the Lord His children sever; unto them His grace He showeth, and their sorrows all He knoweth.  Though He giveth or He taketh, God His children ne’er forsaketh; His the loving purpose solely to preserve them pure and holy.  Lo, their very hairs He numbers, and no daily care encumbers them that share His ev’ry blessing and His help in woes distressing.  Praise the Lord in joyful numbers: your Protector never slumbers.  At the will of your Defender ev’ry foeman must surrender.”

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

One thing we really need.

“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”  Isaiah 55:9

North American mission teams have returned from Haiti with plans to “improve” life; ministry, medical, transportation and housing in a third world country.  We are a well-educated, well-meaning culture that sadly often imposes our “improvements” on other cultures throughout this sin filled world without considering the affects that our “improvement” will have in the lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ.

The attached photo is of a first-class school kitchen by Haitian standards and this is modern by many that I have seen in the countryside homes.  This kitchen doesn’t need any “improvements” from North America.  It doesn’t need a gas powered generator to power an electric can opener, knife, coffeemaker or a microwave.

Haiti needs Jesus!!!  Too often our ways are not His ways, our thoughts are not His thoughts and our support is not what our Triune God desires for Haiti.  Feeding children attending Christian schools in Haiti is way too simple for many or our mission minds in North America to wrap their ‘experienced’ knowledge around.  They would prefer to construct houses for a few, purchase vehicles for the select and ship North American supplies to people who have no way of receiving and safely storing them and dispensing them.  Haiti needs Jesus Christ!!!  Feed a child learning about Jesus for a quarter and send them into the mission field of Haiti.

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

What is really needed?

“And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine.”  Mark 11:15-19

Jesus had attempted to remove the money changers and livestock from the temple and now the Chief priests were out to get Him because He didn’t do things ‘their’ way.  Tale a good look at this young Haitian child, what would you do to help them?  This smiling, skinny, barefoot child just finished bathing in the canal near Gonaives.

I know of several North American mission teams that would bring this child $300 worth of clothes, peanut butter and crackers, chocolate candy, chewing gum, a soccer ball, a radio or small television, several boxes of mac and cheese, bags of rice and beans, soap, shampoo and a tooth brush and tooth paste.  I know because I have seen this happen and I have often wondered to myself what would Jesus do with the people who always need to bring gifts that are not necessarily culturally correct.

This child and his parents and brothers and sisters live in a small two room house with one dresser that contains all of their clothes.  I have never seen a closet in a Haitian house except for the house of a Lutheran pastor.  This child’s house does not have electricity, no need for a radio or TV and if they are battery powered the family will not be able to purchase new batteries as they are too expensive.  Taking North American food to Haiti is such a waste.  If a Haitian came to your school and brought a goat, a bucket of plantains, onions, rice and beans for your children to eat what would be your response?  When we go to Haiti, we should always remember that we are venturing to a different country and culture and our North American ways need to remain in North America.

Trinity HOPE wires funds to the Haitian school feeding program directors and they purchase rice, beans, oil, vegetables and tomato paste locally from neighborhood markets.  They like the Haitian food, the local merchants appreciate the business and the local economy appreciates working with Christians.  I close today with the words to the hymn ‘Thy way, not mine, 0 Lord’ that was written by Horatius Bonar, in 1857.

“Thy way, not mine, 0 Lord, however dark it be.  Lead me by Thine own hand; choose Thou the path for me.  I dare not choose my lot; I would not if I might.  Choose Thou for me, my God; so shall I walk aright.  Choose Thou for me my friends, my sickness or my health; choose Thou my cares for me, my poverty or wealth.  Not mine, not mine, the choice, in things or great or small; be Thou my Guide, my Strength, my Wisdom, and my All.”

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

More problems than who?

“The righteous person may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all; he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.  Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned.  The LORD will rescue his servants; no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.”  Psalm 34-19-22

We may seem to have more problems than our neighbor or way may more than we think that we deserve.  He will deliver us; His promise to you, me and the child in Haiti.  He will rescue us, we are saved.

The final two verses of “Awake my Soul, and with the Sun” written by Thomas Ken provide a wonderful closing and reminder of His presence in our lives and to Whom all praise needs to be directed, not to this world but to Him.  It is ironic as the final verse has been used for centuries as the Doxology.  Mr. Ken requested that this hymn was as his funeral which was held at sunrise.

“I would not wake nor rise again and Heaven itself I would disdain, wert Thou not there to be enjoyed and I in hymns to be employed.  Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.”

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

God...where are you?

“The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry; but the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to blot out their name from the earth.  The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.  The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”  Psalm 34:15-18

Today is the first Monday in June.  Today, Trinity HOPE donors set aside a time of prayer for the children living in Haiti who are blessed by Trinity HOPE feeding programs.  Today, life in Haiti is still a chaotic challenge for many; especially living in PAP.  Today, many are asking “God…where are you?”  How many times a day here in North America, do you look up into the sky and ask “God, where are you, why won’t you listen to me or how come the neighbors that went to the lake yesterday instead of Church seem to be living without the troubles that I have?”  He hears us, and has a divine plan for our lives; something that we had not either thought about or didn’t want to go down that road.

Today, I’m going to share the words from the hymn “Awake my Soul, and with the Sun” which was written by Thomas Ken in 1674 and hope that will provide us with words of instruction for us to continue to rely upon His wisdom and plans and not our own.

“Awake, my soul, and with the sun, thy daily stage of duty run; shake off dull sloth, and joyful rise to pay thy morning sacrifice.  Redeem thy mis-spent time that's past, and live this day as if thy last; improve thy talent with due care; for the great day thyself prepare.  Let all thy converse be sincere, thy conscience as the noon-day clear; think how all-seeing God thy ways and all thy secret thoughts surveys.  Wake, and lift up thyself, my heart, and with the angels bear thy part, who all night long unwearied sing, high praise to the eternal King.  Glory to thee, who safe hast kept and hast refreshed me whilst I slept; grant, Lord, when I from death shall wake, I may of endless light partake.  Lord, I my vows to thee renew; disperse my sins as morning dew; guard my first springs of thought and will, and with thyself my spirit fill.”

We need to turn all of our life over to Him.  It sure is easy to say that, as it is not very easy to do just that in this world.  Our lives and the life of the child living in Haiti need to seek His wisdom, direction and follow with the faith of a child as we answer His call to go out into this world, prepared to reach that one lost soul that is waiting for a word or action that will bring them to accept Jesus Christ.

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

Prayer guide for June.

We begin our prayer time in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. + Amen.

“I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.”  Martin Luther

‘Adoration’

Psalm 84:1-2; “How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord Almighty!  My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.”

The 20th day of June is the first day of Summer.  For those of us living in the Midwest, gardens are getting greener and showers seem to gain intensity.  On this side of Paradise, it is truly amazing to sit and gaze at the growth of the many plants in the garden and crops in the field, stretching upwards with the abundant rain and sunshine that comes from our Heavenly Father.  On this side of Paradise, it is truly humbling to consider how God has used our lives for His purpose in the lives of others; family, friends, co-workers, strangers along our daily journey and also. school children in Haiti.  Yes…on this side of Paradise, facing many challenges here and in Haiti, there are still many miracles to be found from HIM taking place, every day, right before our eyes.

  A time of ‘Adoration’ to our Heavenly Father.    

·        Please take time to sit quietly and gaze at His creation and feel His presence in your life.

·        Think about the provisions, protection, hope and love that surround you because of His unfailing love for you.

·        Give thanks for where God has placed you and the gifts that you were given to use for Him along your journey.

·        Try to grasp the immense work that our Creator is doing in the lives of each Haitian child who attended a Christian school this past year.

 ‘Confession’

Romans 10:9-10; “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”

We were born, sinful and unclean, through no fault of our own, but because of the sins of our parents, grandparents…Adam and Eve. 

God sent His only Son to die for our sins. Jesus did everything right while he was here on this earth. He loves you with a love that cannot be measured.  He gave to the world when no thanks were returned to Him.  He healed when there was no hope, and He died without complaint.  Jesus did nothing wrong and everything right; all this for you.  He lived for you and died for you.  Our sins nailed Him to the cross on Calvary and kept Him there until His life on earth had ended.

·        A time of personal confession.

Our sins are placed at the base of the Calvary cross...His cross, and we give thanks that the times we have fallen short in the eyes of our Heavenly Father have been washed clean and we have been forgiven through the Blood of our Risen Savior Jesus Christ.

 ‘Thanksgiving’

During this past year of challenges from the violent gangs and vodou priests, we give thanks that God has used each us as a part of His immense blessing to continue feeding over 52,000 Haitian School children with a Trinity HOPE meal.  This past April, 24 of the 271 schools with Trinity HOPE feeding programs had to be closed due to the violence brought about by gangs in Haiti.  We give thanks that all of those children know Jesus and walk with Him daily.  The lives of these children are sharing the reason for their Hope that is found only in Jesus with others; believers and un-believers, within their family and throughout their neighborhoods.   

Psalm 106:1: “Praise the Lord.  Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”

Heavenly Father, we come to You now with hearts, minds and words filled with ‘Thanksgiving’.”

·        We give thanks for our Creator, Redeemer and Holy Spirit.

·        We give thanks for over 52,000 children who are receiving a daily meal from Trinity HOPE this year.

·        We give thanks our providence; monetary, food, clothing, timely moisture and shelter.  As we give of our first fruits may we also give a portion of our best to His children in Haiti who need the assistance we can provide because of You.

‘Supplications’

Acts 8:26-31; “Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza."  This is a desert place.  And he rose and went.  And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure.  He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah.  And the Spirit said to Philip, "Go over and join this chariot."  So, Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?" And he said, "How can I, unless someone guides me?"   And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.”

As you read these verses from the 8th chapter of Acts, it is really interesting to recognize where this part of scripture is taking place after seeing and reading about the locations of Jerusalem and Gaza in the news today.  Much has changed since Philip was there long ago but his mission then, remains our mission today.  God chose Philip to go and meet with the Ethiopian eunuch who was traveling through the desert on his way home.  Philip and the Eunuch have a brief but thorough Bible study over Isaiah, the man gets baptized, and the Holy Spirit grabs Philip and takes him away.  All that work just to make a single believer on this side of Paradise…far from home.  God is doing similar work through Trinity HOPE and you and me, as He takes our humble donations of time, talents and treasures and uses them to provide one bowl of rice and beans to thousands of Haitian children.  And through these young Haitian witnesses, the Gospel message is shared with countless un-believers; God’s mission to save the lost accomplished.  This modern-day miracle takes place over 52,000 1times each day on this side of Paradise.

Heavenly Father, we bring our supplications before You;

·        Heavenly Father, please continue to lead and bless Trinity HOPE with Your loving hand; may the number of children in the coming school year increase and may we always strive to accomplish Your will.

·        Lord of the Harvest, please bless the efforts of the Haitian farmers, may their gardens and homes be protected from storms this summer.  May their produce increase in value.

·        Heavenly Father, please protect Your neighborhood heroes and foreign police forces in Haiti who are courageously bringing an end to the gangs that seek to bring harm to the innocent.

·        Lord, as evil chaos is prayerfully driven from Haiti, please bring Your leaders to restore and replace the void with peace and order in Haiti that has never experienced Your Hand reigning in their country.

·        Father, please protect the children in Christian schools throughout Haiti and continue to provide them with food and may they be Your witnesses to those who living without Hope. 

Lord God, bless Your Word wherever it is proclaimed.  Make it a Word of power and peace to convert those not yet Your own and to confirm those who have come to saving faith.  May Your Word pass from the ear to the heart, from the heart to the lip and from the lip to the life that, as You have promised, Your Word may achieve the purpose for which You sent it; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.  Amen.

2 Corinthians 13:11-14; “Finally, brothers, good-by. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.  Greet one another with a holy kiss.  All the saints send their greetings.  May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”

“I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have graciously kept me this day; and I pray that You would forgive me all my sins where I have done wrong, and graciously keep me this night. For into Your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me.  Amen.” Martin Luther

May God go before you to guide you; may His arms be beneath you to support you, around you to protect you and above you to bless you.  And may the blessings of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit be with you always dear sister and brother in Christ,

In His love, Jay Brinkmeyer

Our world needs a change.

“In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage; with great patience and careful instruction.  For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine.  Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.  They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.  But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.” 2 Timothy 4:1-5

What a great scripture reading for this first Saturday in June.  What else needs to be said?  The Apostle Paul said it all in these five verses for our fallen world.  Nuff said.  Stick to God’s Word and plan for this fallen world.  Speak the truth which is really black and white; no gray areas that our fallen world insists is there.

Speak the truth.  There is no need for us to share anything with people who are doubting and questioning if Jesus really said or meant that HE was the ONLY Way to Paradise.  No need for meaningless and silly substitutes that entertain but rarely convict the lost and edify the saved.  Preach the truth. The Apostle Paul tells our Pastors and us to not be lazy.  Do your homework. Don't apologize for God’s Word which convicts the unrepentant of this fallen world. 

The task of ministry is to deliver Truth.  When you go to your home church tomorrow, listen to the Truth in God’s Word.  This fallen world we call home urgently needs more Christians with the fervor and faith of the Apostle Paul.  We all can do a better job of sharing God’s Word in this fallen world.  Time is fleeting and between now and the opening gate of Paradise, Jesus told each of us, "Go and make disciples of all nations; and I will be with you.”

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

Bright faces.

“For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?  And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”  So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.”  1 Peter 4:17-19

We have all probably learned at one time or another while in school that light travels faster than the speed of sound.  And the older I become it becomes more and more clear why some people appear to be very, very bright until you hear them speak.  The above words ring true beyond measure is describing how difficult it is for the ungodly to be saved.

The bright faces in the attached photo are a group of Christian children attending one of several Lutheran schools in Port-au-Prince; Petit Paridis.  Their future much like their smiles is bright as they have a faithful Savior and a clear direction; bring the news of His life, sacrifice and gift of salvation to the ungodly and gang ridden souls living in their neighborhoods in Haiti.

We help to prepare their journey with food and prayer.  The four plates come to a little over a dollar.  Your prayers are a free gift from our Creator.  Prayer is not just a “spare tire” that we pull out when we are in some kind of trouble but it is a “steering wheel” that directs us, and their lives down the correct path throughout our journey.  Please keep them in your daily prayers.

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