I want to but I hesitate to put up pictures of my grandchildren. Yesterday a psychologist told our Sunday School class that predators weren't likely to hurt those when parents and grandparents were pictured with the children, but I'm not sure I have pictures like that. I wouldn't want for anything to put these precious ones in harms way.
So, I'll have to tell my story without visualizations. I hope you can picture these precious ones. We had a 6 year old and 8 year for 5 days this past week, and among the many activities we all enjoyed was creating a STAMP BOOK of stamps from Africa that I have been collecting for a number of years now.
Cameroon
Democratic Republic of Congo
Kenya,
Malawi
Rwanda
South Africa
Tanzania (even with one from Zanzibar)
Zambia
were the countries Sarah included. Several days we added to our books. We got to talk about the tension going on right now in Malawi. Several times Bennett would suggest that we pray about the "war" in Malawi, as he called it. We talked about the children in the Betty Jonah Orphanage in Liberia and explained why we didn't have stamps from Liberia. We dreamed together about going together to Africa when "we are teen agers". We learned about how big Africa is and where on the continent their countries were located. We talked about hungry children, about needs for education. etc. etc.
As you see, these unplanned conversations were placing seeds in the minds of our future leaders, insuring that they won't see their own friends, familiar surroundings as all there is in this world. They are beginning to know, to care and to pray for people they've never met.
We often speak of the power of prayer, and indeed that is our source of strength. What if we made an effort to share with our children and grandchildren ON A CONSISTENT basis ways that they too can become children who care about "the world".
"For God so loved the world!"
We say this earth is not our home, but are we living too much like it is? What we do in an average day to assure peace and comfort here is not more important than the time we take to instruct and pray for people that are as real to God as we are. Is it good for us to stimulate one another to love and good deeds by reminding one another to reach out, to pray for creative ways we can be involved in "that world" out there so easy not to think about?
Priscilla needs her acceptance letter from Daystar University in Kenya.
She and Albert need more funds to live there this year. (It's a long distance between Liberia and Kenya)
Malue, his wife and children are ALL in school. He wrote today expressing concern for all their school fees. Malue is an exceptional young man with great leadership potential.
Armah doesn't know how he'll be back in school this fall; he's run out of money.
Dave is trying to find a new job as he has a new wife and baby.
Samuel is recovering from surgery to fix the hands that were burned during the war in his country.
James' sister in DRC was in another accident that has hurt her knee after it'd previously been injured when she was shot during the war in Congo.
The Women of Purpose chapter in Ganta County in Liberia is beginning a sewing project. They need trained teachers, a product to market, and those who will buy what they sew.
Get the idea of ways that we can pray? Real people with read needs who worship the same BIG GOD that we do. Let us join hands with them in prayer!
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