Love being a part of a church that cares so much for the community.
Thank you Foothills!
Showing posts with label Compassion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Compassion. Show all posts
Christmas Blessing Ministry
Child Sponsorship
I just learned about an incredible interactive web series produced by Missions in Action, a ministry with the simple purpose of making a difference around the world. They currently have a team traveling around the globe for the purpose of
- Identifying a problem somewhere around the world that people are facing.
- Highlighting the actions that individuals and/or companies are taking to help those in need.
- Providing a way for viewers to help out through a specific call to action.
As a long time child sponsor and a blogger for Compassion International I am excited about the impact this series will have.
They currently are in the Philippians visiting children and families who live in extreme poverty in the flooded villages of Northern Manila, and showcasing the power of child sponsorship.
Watch this powerful first episode and then ask God what role He might have you play.
I have so enjoyed the relationships I have had over the years with various children. Currently my family and I have the privilege of sponsoring Fernando Isaac Tetlalmatzi Reyes in Mexico and so enjoy the developing relationship we have with him. What a joy it is for my family knowing that we are blessing a young boy living in the midst of great need.
If you have not already done so, I encourage you to consider becoming a child sponsor. You will bless a child in untold ways and you yourself will experience blessing like never before.
Game of Hope
Love this!
What an amazing difference we can make when we love people the way Jesus does!
At the end of the game Isaiah, the teenage convict-quarterback surprised everybody and asked if he could pray and he prayed, "Lord, I don't know what just happened so I don't know how or who to say thank you to, but I never knew there were so many people in the world who cared about us."
On the way back to the bus, under guard, each one of the Gainsville State School players were handed a burger, fries, a Coke, a Bible and an encouraging letter from the players from Faith Academy.
Sounds like "Sheep" to me!
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25:31-40
Dude Perfect
I'm not that big of a sports guy, but this is simply amazing!
Six college guys having a great time making crazy basketball shots and then posting the fun to Youtube. What's even better, they turned it into a cause.
For every 100,000 views of this video produced at Christian camp, Sky Ranch, they will sponsor one child with Compassion International.
Watch the video so they get one more view, and then read more about Dude Perfect and their cause. Very cool!
End Extreme Poverty
Ok, so it's a little cheesy, but watch this video and then ask yourself ... what if it really happened?
Have you done your part?
Sponsorship is definitely a relationship of mutual blessing!
Compassion Bloggers to India
Aside from being very open with their financial information they do a great job of giving people a first hand look at their ministry in action. One of the many ways they effectively accomplish this are blogger tours. To date they have taken bloggers to Uganda and the Dominican Republic. On April 26 a team of five bloggers leave for Kolkata, India to experience first hand the abject poverty, and the difference Compassion is making in the lives of those living in it.
Following along with these bloggers to see what they see, and feel what they feel.
If you have not already, prayerfully consider sponsoring a child today. The relationship you will enjoy and the difference you will make will be greater than you can imagine. Click here to begin your ministry to a very special needy child.
The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' Matthew 25:40.
Compassion Highlights
2008 was a great year for Compassion International. They have just released a few of their highlights.
• We registered our 1 millionth child in Compassion's Child Sponsorship Program.
• More than 154,000 children in our programs invited Jesus to be their Savior.
• Compassion began work in Togo, our 25th country.
• Thousands of families threatened by the global food crisis have received lifesaving food, thanks to generous donations from our sponsors and donors.
I couldn't be more proud to be partnered with such a great ministry. Have you sponsored a child yet? Perhaps 2009 is your year!
Kingdom Coming
You ready for more free music? Shaun Groves is offering it up! Shaun Groves is offering a free download of his song "Kingdom Coming" with the hope that it will inspire and challenge people to sponsor a child through Compassion International.
Til the sword is spared
And the bread is shared
‘Til the dying’s done
Let your kingdom come
‘Til the rich ones give
And the poor ones live
‘Til the weak are strong
Let your kingdom come
Shaun Groves, "Kingdom Coming"
Letter from Compassion Child
Our family just received a wonderful letter from Lizbeth, the little girl we sponsor through Compassion International. Lizbeth lives just outside the Mexican city of Toluca, where the average family income is only $142 per month. We have enjoyed so much the relationship we have with her. Even, Benny our 3 year old, prays for her each time he prays.
This particular letter blessed me more than most. She writes...
Mr. Brian Eberly,
Hello godfather, I feel very happy to send greetings for you and your family. I had my summer vacation for a month and a half. I helped mom at home doing some chores and putting up all my stuff. I am attending third grade now and I am excited to learn many new things. I also attended Summer Bible School at the project and learned many scriptures by heart. I feel very happy to have a family like you, it does not matter that you are far away, what matters is that we love each other and that we have Christ in our hearts. I will always pray for you and your family. So long and may God bless you richly.
Please pray for all my family. Thank you for your nice letter, and for your support given to me.
Lizbeth
Per usual, I think we come away feeling as blessed as she does. How incredible!
Want to make a big difference in the life of a very special, needy child? Click on one of the Compassion boxes in the sidebar of this blog to learn how.
Compassion Bloggers to the Dominican Republic
This week, November 2-7, Compassion International is with six bloggers in the Dominican Republic. The purpose...to give first hand exposure to the ministry of Compassion there, to tell the stories that unfold, and inspire the nearly 1 million readers to sponsor a child.
As an official Compassion Blogger myself, let me encourage you to follow their week long journey at compassionbloggers.com/dominican. Let their stories touch your life, and if you don't already, allow God to move in your heart to sponsor one of the children they meet.
Because of Compassion
I have been involved with Compassion International for over 20 years. I have had the privilege of sponsoring a number of children and have seen God bless both their lives as well as mine.
Just today as I finished writing a letter to Jaciel Dominguez Hernandez the little boy we sponsor in Mexico, I came across the video that we were shown at the Student Life Camp I was just at. It speaks for itself.
This is why I so appreciate Compassion.
Click on the banner below and sponsor a child today. Please.
What Do You Want For Christmas?
As I shared in my last post, I had the opportunity to preach yesterday. It was a great morning and I feel the message was well received. The title of my message was "What Do You Want For Christmas?" We essentially took a look at what it would look like if we focused our giving more toward Jesus this Christmas and made it less about ourselves.
One of the texts that we looked at was Matthew 2:1-12. It is the story of the Magi coming to see the newborn Jesus. They came to worship Him, and they worshiped Him through their giving to Him. My two main points were, The greatest gift we can give is our worship, and the greatest form of our worship is our giving.
At the conclusion of my message I shared a few practical ways that we can give to Jesus this year. There are a number of great ministry organizations that one can give to that are actively involved in meeting the basic needs of people. The kind of people that Jesus mentions in Matthew 25.
World Vision Gift Catalog
Samaritan's Purse
Compassion International
Medical Teams International
Bridgetwon Ministries
May we remember, we are never more like Jesus, than when we give.
You may hear the message here, or in iTunes.
Download the accompanying outline here.
Becoming The Poor
Over the last year God has really been growing my interest in and compassion for the poor. He has shown me that it is the poor that are closest to His heart, and should be ours as well.
In Mexico we had many thought provoking and challenging conversations about the poor. I am sure I will be posting some of my thoughts in the days ahead.
Below is a great video of Michael Frost offering his thoughts on Jesus, the poor, and the church. Very compelling.
HT to Rodney Olsen for the video.
A Sad Goodbye
We learned yesterday that Oscar Silvestre the little boy that our ministry has sponsored for six years has moved beyond the reach of Compassion International. We are saddened. What a joy it has been to be a part of his life over the years. Through prayer, giving, and letters, he has played a big part in our student ministry.
As a ministry we have had the privilege of sponsoring five children as well as help sponsor a Breakfast Program in Ensenada Mexico. As a family we also have the pleasure of sponsoring Lizbeth Merced Martinez Alvarez of Honduras. How cool it is to be used of God to be a blessing to those that would otherwise not be able to enjoy the necessities of life that we so often take for granted.
Last night as I watched my son carelessly splash around in the bathtub, as he does most every night, I was struck by the fact that so many in this world do not even have the means to enjoy a tub full of warm clean water. The family we built for this last summer certainly did not. I am so thankful that that is not a concern of my son, and that he does not have to worry about where his next meal is going to come from, or where he will sleep at night. I am blessed to be able to provide those simingly simple necessities.
2 Corinthians 8:9 has been rattling around in my head over the last few months. "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich." I am thankful that Christ gave up so much so that I might receive so much. I am moved to consider what I might give up so that others might experience the riches of this life and the life to come.
Blanca Rosa
We received two letters the other day from our Compassion Child, Blanca Reyna Mejia Rosa, in Honduras. Unfortunately due to the closure of the Compassion Project that she was involved in our sponsorship has had to come to an end. See my September 12 entry.
Apparently the pastor that ran the project decided that it was "no longer a blessing" for him to run. Compassion also learned of some accounting discrepancies within the project. How sad.
Our enemy, the devil, is in the practice of taking what is good and turning it into something that is not. Thankfully we have a God that is bigger than that. I love Genesis 50:20, and the prinicple/truth we can take from it. It reads, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." What Joseph's brothers meant for harm, God turned into great good. I pray that good would come from Blanca losing her sponsorship.
Please pray for Blanca. She is 15 years old and has been a tremedous blessing to our family for the two years that we were able to sponsor her. She sent us many letters, various crafts that she made, and prayed regularily for our family.
We pray that she would continue to walk in her faith in Jesus.
Lizbeth
Meet Lizbeth Merced Martinez Alvarez. Lizbeth is the newest member of the Eberly family. Unfortunately our sponsorship with Blanca Rosa, a little girl in Honduras, had to come to an end due to the closing of the Compassion Project that she was a part of. We were sad to see her go, but are happy about beginning a new relationship with Lizbeth.
Lizbeth lives in Mexico, is 5 years old, and was born on June 24, 2000. In her home, Lizbeth helps by running errands. She lives with her father and her mother. Her father is sometimes employed as a farmer and her mother maintains the home. There are 4 children in the family.
Lizbeth is not presently attending school. Playing with dolls is her favorite activity. She also attends church activities and Bible class regularly.
What a wonderful opportunity it is to be a blessing to a needy person such as Lizbeth. Perhaps you may consider sponsoring a child as well.
Compassion International is a fantastic ministry that I have been actively involved with for over twenty years. I invite you to visit Compassion International to learn how you to may be a blessing to a very special needy child as well.
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