I have been continuing to devour up every page and every word of that book The Hole in The Gospel.
I am at about the half way mark now.
"WOW! WOW!" Is all i can say.
I feel the author (Richard Stearns) has done such a good job at presenting us the most needy, suffering, and destitute of our world, and then presenting us the role that God's people are to play.
In the back of the book is listed many ways that one can help these most needy, and suffering. How any common person, me and you, can help. Even in a small way.
I feel for my self i have been fairly in the dark about a lot of what he has talked about in his book. Since we do not have a T.V. , we do not hear or see a lot of things going on. It has been a great awaking to me. Don't get me wrong I do believe i hear a lot, but just did not realize how grim some places and some lives really are. I mean like all the time, not just when an earth quake or such happens.
Some places he talked about in Uganda have so little water that the moms and children have to carry it from a few miles away. They spend several hours a day doing this every single day! Can you imagine doing that?
There would be no time for schooling, hardly time for cooking and other basic necessities that should be done every day.
And most of the time, the water that is hauled is not even fit to drink. But they have to drink it, because that is all they have. Then they are plagued with worms, and deadly diseases. Most children do not make it to their 5th birthday.
Also while carrying this water, women and young girls are often attacked and raped.
Talk about heart breaking to read such stuff. But it is true and it is happening daily.
And we need to know this.
Boy do we need to be ever so thankful of our abundance of water.
And do we ever need to be praying, "Lord here I am", "How can I help?"
"Use me Lord to help those needy and hurting."
I challenge you today to find this book at a book store or on-line, and read it.
I am sure you will not be same.
Well i will share more thoughts as I read.
In Him,
Mae
It is up to us to take care of them...if not them, then the poor among us. We are told in Scripture to get involved in their (the poor, the orphaned and widowed) lives!! Right now we are in the poor category, not according to the 3rd world standards of course, but we don't have a penny to our name right now...but the food I DO have, I share...I can NOT wait to be able to help others in need!!! On a personal level, not just sending money...you know? I would love to do a family mission trip about 3 months long to develop relationships that will be ongoing...I think it would be great for the kids as well as us!
ReplyDeleteGreat post Mae, haven't read the book, but sounds like a good one! Last week our sermon was on eating the seed. He said so many don't understand the difference between seed and bread and they just eat it. We are promised to reap what we sow, but interestingly enough about 80% of Christians give about 2% back to the Lord and charity. Its estimated that if ever Christian gave, no one would be hungry. And then again its not the amount we give in quanity but, giving from the heart. Just thinking of the poor widow that had only one penny, and put it in the basket, and Christ quickly made note of it. She gave more than all, becasue thats all she had, so I think the important thing is to give from the heart, and know that everything we have is from God.
ReplyDeleteThank you both for oyur comments.
ReplyDeleteI have just read that in this book and was going to talk about it on a post. He said that if every one thithed that there would be more than enuogh to take care of all of the world's poor. ( of course the churches would have to be using that money right)
Wouldn't that be awesome!
so true of what you said.