Christ-follower, Husband, Dad, Pastor

missions

June 9, 2013

Back from Tanzania

Our family just returned from wonderful days of ministry in Arusha, Tanzania. Internet access here in the States is a lot easier than East Africa and so regular Now they just use sildenafil tablets the mouse when ordering their regular supply of vitamins and medicines. Plumbing parts you can find and purchase on our websites are designed to offer functionality, practicality, and http://new.castillodeprincesas.com/item-2385 viagra spain still look aesthetically pleasing and perfectly fit in overall interior design of kitchen or bathroom. You can have an exciting and exhilarating love life. commander cialis visit this link The detoxifying and diuretic effects might also prompt more frequent toilet breaks for the first few days, so it’s a good idea to introduce the new regime over a weekend when extracurricular activities have been cleared from the schedule. cialis on line australia posts should be back as well. Thank you for praying for us. Over the next several days, I hope to tell more about our great trip!

May 7, 2013

Gabby’s Story

Andrew and Bethany Frazer, the onsite pastors for Casa Angelina Orphanage in Guatemala, spoke during chapel services at Valley Fellowship Christian Academy. Patti and I and the Valley Fellowship Church family are so thankful to be able to partner with such an awesome team. They shared several stories of children who have been delivered by the efforts of What Matters Ministries and Missions (www.whatmattersmm.org). Gabby’s story really touched my heart. I was graciously given permission to share her story on my blog. (The pictures below are of Gabby at Casa Angelina and of the Frazers speaking in elementary chapel).

Gabby arrived at Casa Angelina expecting the worst. She had no documentation – no birth record, no information about her background – and doctors used her teeth to guess her age at eleven years old. She and her younger brother had been passed from one place after another and Gabby described her abusive journey as “moving from hell to hell.” Deep hurts from people who should have loved and protected her gave her little evidence that anyone could be trusted.

Casa Angelina is a beautiful place, but Gabby was reluctant to open up at first. At the start, her big wish was to be hugged by someone who actually loved her, like she was family. Five years later and with lots of love, Gabby’s dreams are much bigger. God has healed her during her time at Casa Angelina and Gabby now dreams of being a professional singer who travels the world.

“A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families.” (Psalm 68:5-6a NIV)

The transformation within her hasn’t always been easy. Gabby had to deal with powerful emotions. Not too long ago, Gabby was very upset by the visit of a social worker. The worker spoke honestly that without documentation, Gabby didn’t exist officially in the eyes of the government. The stark reality hit Gabby deeply. She wept and wept as she pondered, “no records, no birth certificate, no name.”

Over the next several days, the paperwork and redtape to create official records for Gabby offered her a unique opportunity. Gabby was given the chance to name herself, but she was satisfied with that option. Gabby thought about it, but she didn’t want to name herself. She wanted her name to mean something. She wanted to be named by people who loved her.
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The name “Gabby” did mean something special to the staff and ministry and children of Casa Angelina. After consideration, Gabby’s name was officially documented as “Gabriela Celeste Tait Royal”. Her name is special. She is a King’s kid with a bright future.

The government of Guatemala may not have known Gabby’s name, but the Lord certainly did. Gabriela was rescued and carefully placed into the family environment she so desperately desired. The Tait family loves her, the staff of Casa Angelina love her, Valley Fellowship Church loves her, Patti and I love her, but most importantly Heavenly Father loves her!

Heavenly Father loves orphans and wants His family to share His heart. In fact, James lists concern for orphans as characteristic of a pure religion:

If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you. (James 1:26-27 NLT)

We share a special connection with Gabriela! For the last several years, Valley Fellowship has pulled together to buy Christmas gifts for the darlings of Casa Angelina. We will be gathering funds and toys in the fall to be delivered before Thanksgiving. I’m sure that Gabriela is going to get something very special.

April 1, 2013

Death of “Someone Else”

You should have two testimonies – one of how God saved you and one of how God is using you. Where are you volunteering? Are you helping to expand God’s kingdom? Are you actively involved in the life and ministry of your church?

“Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.” (Philippians 2:4 MSG) If you aren’t actively serving others, you are missing out on an important component of why you exist.

Locally and globally, members of Valley Fellowship Church (#ilovemychurch!) glorify Jesus Christ as they express love in practical ways. In 2011, we partnered with George Gonzalez and Amazon Xpeditions to provide clean water for a village off the Amazon River. I honor the men who built that water system in Atalaia, Brazil. They cared enough to give their time, their strength, their sweat to serve. What a team! That’s my father-in-law in the middle. They discovered that serving is rewarding.

Never forget that when you serve others you are actually serving Jesus Christ! “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” (Colossians 3:23-24 NIV)

When you leave this world, what legacy will you leave?

We were all saddened to learn this week of the death of one our church’s most valuable members – Someone Else. Someone’s passing created a vacancy that will be difficult to fill. Else has been with us for many years, and for every one of those years Someone did far more than the normal person’s share of the work.

Whenever leadership was mentioned, this wonderful person was looked to for inspiration as well as results. “Someone Else can work with that group.”

Whenever there was a job to do, a class to teach, or a meeting to attend, one name was on everyone’s lips, Someone Else! “Let Someone Else do it” was a common refrain heard throughout the church.

It was common knowledge that Someone Else was among the largest givers in the church. Whenever there was a financial need, everyone just assumed that Someone Else would make up the difference.

Someone Else was a wonderful person, sometimes appearing super-human; but a person can only do so much. Were the truth known, everyone expected too much of Someone Else.

Now Someone Else is gone! We wonder what we are going to do. Someone Else left a wonderful example to follow, but who is going to follow it? Who is going to do the things that Someone Else did?

Remember, we can’t depend on Someone Else anymore. (Mark Stibbe and Darren Harvey-Regan, Basket of Gems, p. 29)

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