Kristie's Blog
A Summer of Service
August 14, 2009
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Our kids have been super active this summer serving people around the world.
We've had fun this summer going on "tour" and seeing what God is doing around he world...and how we can help them.
This is an important theological distinction I find important.
We're not wanting to be crusaders...showing up and "bringing God" because we believe that God is ever-present...everywhere moving and working in the lives of others.
God can though, use us to bring about change and to be hands and feet to express His love.
I've heard friends of mine say when they are traveling abroad to do some sort of work amongst the poor in our world that they go to "point out God" in the midst of the life people are already living...and invite them to focus more on this aspect...which we believe is the true reality of the universe.
I'm so glad that God is willing to use me to do His work...but that to do his work...He doesn't need me. That just takes a lot of pressure off. :)
Here's what we've done so far this summer:
Week 1- We made "Good Life Club" bags for refugee kids from Burma
Week 2- We made a care package to send to Austin Embleton who is stationed in Iraq
Week 3- We decorated soccer balls to send with our Brazil team who is doing medical work and flood relief to those along the amazon river.
Week 4- We created kits for the homeless in Malibu with socks, water, granola bars, and cheery cards
Week 6- We made encouragement notes to send to Mama Lynn in Tanzania, Africa to show her that we're praying for her as she rescues orphans and aids children from the streets and gives them a home and schooling.
Week 7- We wrote encouragement notes to the staff at Forest Home who are doing work to show God's love to over a thousand kids in Southern California this summer.
Week 8-we'll be making cards to send to Werknah with Will Gibson who is going over to Ethiopia for a year to see what he can do to help solve some of the problems there. Werknah was our student that was part of our church because of Mending Kids for the last year. He needs our prayers to re-acclimate to the rural ethiopia that he is native to.
We're excited to expose our kids to the partnerships we have around the world and locally at Malibu Pres. What a cool thing to get to join God in His deep and redeeming work!
We have a few more stops on our tour this summer...we'll do something for World Impact, and learn about Baja Christian Ministries before this tour is over.
What are you doing to join God in the work He is doing in the world and in your midst?
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