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Talk about life-changing….

I remember the first time I realized I could store scripture in my mind.  I was 10, and a VBS leader had challenged my group to memorize all of James 1 over the course of a week.  I spent a ton of time rehearsing what I read…line by line, passage by passage. I have a clear memory of repeating verses from the chapter in a dressing room at the mall while my mom tried on clothes. For the first time in my life, I was being immersed in truth.

It absolutely changed my life. Though I received a massive bag of M&Ms at the end of that week for having successfully memorized the entire chapter, the spiritual rewards I’ve reaped from then on have been far greater. (Don’t take that statement lightly.  I LOOOOVE M&Ms.)

Growing up, I had always cared about honoring God.  I just never knew, really, how to do it or whether I would slip up at any given moment.  And then, what would I do about my slip-ups?  I often felt that He was far off and was not sure how to access Him, or even if I was worthy to access Him.  The Bible always seemed too big and vast for me.  Where would I even start?  I felt reading it was for people much smarter and older than I.  Finding that I could store God’s own words in my heart was revolutionary for me.  No matter where I was or what circumstance had befallen me, I had direct access to my heavenly Father, His wisdom, His comfort, His peace, His strength.  His word was being stored in my heart as a stock-pile of riches, nourishment, and weapons for battle.

As a parent, I’ve flailed and failed over and over at my many attempts to grow my children spiritually.  Despite my commitment to our daily devotions, our countless conversations (in which they often tune me out), and all my other strivings to get them to desire God, I’ve found that I really can’t change their hearts.  I can’t make them choose Jesus.  I can’t bring transformation in their lives.  I can’t even really convict them of sin…though I try.  The truth is that God’s power is not found in my striving.  As I learned at the age of 10, it is God’s word that holds the power to do all of this and more.

“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” - 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Teaching, reproof, correction, instruction for righteousness….sure sounds a lot like parenting.  That they may be adequate, equipped for every good work….this is what my heart longs for for my children.

And so, the most important and effective thing I do to invest in our kids spiritually is that very same discipline that opened my eyes to the treasure-trove of scripture all those years ago.  We memorize God’s word together.  This is not me teaching and testing them.  This is us at the kitchen table, repeating a chunk of God’s words together, often with hand motions that help us remember what comes next.  This is me messing it up and having to be corrected.  This is me admitting that I don’t know what is meaningful about my head being anointed with oil and then having to go look it up.  This is me trusting that God’s words will have greater effect in all of our lives than any words I could say.

Levi told me a couple mornings ago that he’d had a nightmare the night before.  Normally, he has a very hard time going back to sleep after having bad dreams.  This time, though, he hadn’t come upstairs to find comfort.  He’d come to his heavenly Father through His word.  He said that he began reciting the current passage we are working on, Psalm 121:  “I lift up my eyes to the mountains.  From where does my help come?  My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth…”. He said he was able to fall quickly back to sleep.  I thanked God for this experience for Levi.  He sought God out on his own on the basis of His word and found Him able and willing to meet his immediate need. 

This is no revolutionary concept.  It is merely seeking out God together and practicing the discipline of storing His word in our hearts.  We do it together because I need it just as badly as they do.  It’s so good for us to go to the diamond mine of God’s word together, joyfully gathering as much as we can hold each day.  You don’t have to be a Bible scholar to do this.  All of God’s word is worth our time to consider and store in our hearts.  If you need a good place to start, check out Psalm 121 with us! 

As you can see from our video, we are still working on getting it right.  However, as you can see from Levi’s bad dream, you can be in process of getting it right and still experience the effectiveness of the scripture’s work in your heart and mind!

“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven,” states the Teacher in Ecclesiastes 3:1 (KJV). Certainly we are living in a season, right now.  A global pandemic has gripped the world and changed the way we live.  For good and for bad.

I consider myself fortunate to hear from many people of many diverse views and backgrounds.  Some, during this season, yearn for a return to normal.  Some declare we are in a new-normal. Many ask what has changed about our lives and what will remain forever-after changed and how will we adapt? 

I know people who absolutely believe with all of their hearts that the novel-Coronavirus of 2019 (COVID-19) is an elaborate hoax.  I also know people who view this season, with an equal amount of passion, as very real and the most horrifying experience of this era.  There is certainly a spectrum of opinions about this.

My point is not to argue any opinion over the other, for it is not up to us to pass judgement.  I would like to offer a humble perspective. A perspective past politics and pandering, paranoia and paralysis. A perspective on this season.

This is a season of worry, of uncertainty, and of confusion, but we must take solace that it is not a season of hopelessness. Yes, many of us are trying to pay the bills. Keep the lights on. Teach our children. Put gas in the car. Yes, we are frustrated because the truth of our daily lives has changed. And, yes, these are good things.

The Oxford Dictionary defines the word ‘normal’ as: conforming to a standard; usual, typical, or expected.  I believe this season has shown us there was a comfort in normalcy. My question is, simply, why are we satisfied with normal?  In Economics, we use a latin phrase ceteris paribus, meaning ‘all other things being equal,’ to describe a method of mathematical or scientific analysis wherein a specific variable is defined and studied.  All other variables might be considered normal or standard; usual, typical, or expected.

I believe a legitimate question in this season is, “All things considered equal, were we happy with normal?” Pause there, don’t judge.

How many of us turned off the news and opened up the dusty board games hiding in the closet? How many of us have actually enjoyed being around our families in the last few months? How many puzzles have you completed? Is your to-do list shorter? Did you reach out to someone for the first time in a long time? Have you helped a neighbor, or been helped by one? Who of us figured out how to do something new? Who read a book, or several? Who is making healthier choices? Who among us learned we may not be as important to our lives (our work, our bosses, our clubs) as we thought we were?  Of those, who found it a blessing?

AND, have you spoken more to God recently than you did when things were “normal?”

You may take the answers to these questions as a roll-call, check-list or a calling of things yet to do. But we can still embrace what makes us good and just as children of God.

Yes, this is a scary season.  No matter your opinion or position. But we mere mortal humans shall struggle on. We shall trust His plan. For, I believe through it all we have learned in large ways and small ways how to enjoy the next season more than the last. We are learning that what is truly important are things we forgot were supposed to be integral to ‘normal’.

Let us encourage one another.

Let us ask the Lord what ‘normal’ should look like.

Let us follow His plan!

This is the fourth and final blog in our four part series about MCC Missions during the Covid 19 Pandemic; looking at how mission’s efforts are being affected and how we can come alongside to pray for, encourage and support these programs. Today we are focusing on our partners in Bolivia with Food for the Hungry.   

Bolivia currently has over four thousand confirmed cases and 169 deaths associated with COVID-19. The pandemic is aggravating an already tense political situation with the current ruling authority postponing elections by at least three months. This has also led to concerns over the manner with which the lockdown has been implemented. Lockdown in Bolivia is significantly different than what we have experienced—only 1 person from a household is allowed to leave their home once a week to buy groceries.

Despite these severe restrictions, Food for the Hungry (FH) continues to serve their community by strengthening the promotion of health and hygiene practices in all areas of operation so communities can remain healthy and virus-free! Praise God that the men and women we support are still able to go out and share God’s love and encouragement while training the community on the best ways to stay healthy! Specifically, FH staff included COVID-19 materials provided by the Ministry of Health in the Cascade Group lessons related to handwashing and acute respiratory infections.

Jennifer Ward recently reached out to our FH contacts about how we can encourage and pray for the FH Staff, our FH sponsored children, and the people of Bolivia.

Fabiola Yanina Vargas (an FH interpreter that travels with Missions Teams visiting Bolivia) shared a few ideas on how we can encourage FH staff and FH sponsored children. She said,

“It would be great to have news from your church and some encouraging words! Another church we work with sent videos to the staff; 2 minutes videos sending greetings and advice for them to take care of their health during this pandemic. If you want to you can do the same. Just email me the note or video so that I can translate it and then send it to German.” 

In addition, for those with sponsored children, you can do that same thing! Read Fabiola’s note below for an update on conditions in Bolivia and directions on how to get a video to your sponsored child today!

“Dear FH Ambassadors!  

When borders are closed, Ambassadors are more needed.  

We are really missing seeing you and your teams visiting our communities. Expending one week with each of your teams is something we look for all year long and by now it is not possible. Therefore, we want to update what’s going on in our corner of the world.  

Since March 22nd all Bolivia is in quarantine, which means basically that everyone has to stay home. Only one person per family can go out to buy groceries once a week, according to the last number of the i.d. card. 1 and 2 go out on Mondays, 3 and 4 on Tuesday and so on, the week-ends everyone has to stay home. Farmers are allowed to transport their production and there are some other exceptions to the lock down.  

It really made change life in general, it is hard in the communities as you can imagine and very challenging to us because we are forced to think in new ways to accomplish our mission. All the staff is working from home. One thing that we are doing thanks to technology is a contest for FH children and their families. They have to record short videos and write letters explaining why everyone is staying home. Our hope is to encourage them to express how they are feeling and to reflect why things are this way.  

These weeks we are working on finding funding to implement projects to answer to this sanitary emergency. God willing, we will be able to help especially those that earn daily the money for the day with some goods that they need now and also helping them to produce their own income.  

Please pray for food and health for all the families that work with us. Pray for restored relationships during the quarantine. Join us to thank God for this situation, we believe that He is in control of everything.  

We would also enjoy to receive short videos from you to your sponsored kids, if you want you can send them to me and they will be shared with the kids.  

Thank you for praying for us, and please let us know how can we pray for you, it would be our honor.

Love,

FH Bolivia team”

We hope you will join us in praying for the situation in Bolivia! And by sending encouraging notes and videos to the FH staff and FH sponsored children!

Join us for Part 3 of Missions During the Pandemic as we share how missionaries in Peru are continuing to share God's Word and God's love in-spite of travel restrictions and Covid 19. Be encouraged by their deep love for those they serve and our relentless God whose Word is magnified even in isolated places around the world!

In Peru we sponsor Jorge and Victor who work with impoverished indigenous villages in the Amazon jungle. COVID-19 is impacting their ministries as Peru has been locked down for the last five weeks. The virus has made its way to the small jungle cities where Jorge and Victor live. Pucallpa has 57 cases and San Lorenzo 4 cases. All boat travel is banned in the region, which is the only mode of travel. In fact, the local governments have warned that violators will be shot. These villages are remote and isolated to begin with, now they have no connection to the rest of the world.

While the Indians live largely off the land, they still depend on river trade for medical supplies, tools, fuel, and bullets (for hunting). Victor remains in one of the jungle villages with the Indians where he brings hope through daily devotionals every morning! Rather than returning to his home in Pucallpa, Jorge and his wife Esther moved into the South American Ministries compound so that they could minister to the Indian villages in close proximity. The pictures below show Jorge leading a bible study and below helping return a family to their village right before the lock-down.

Please join us in praying for Jorge and Victor.

Pray for:

• the Indian Villagers who are highly isolated at this time. All boat traffic has been shut down and thus access to trade, medicine, supplies and supplemental food items that they depend upon
• the health of Victor, Jorge  and their families as access to health care is very limited in the region where they are quarantined.
• our pastors in training whose seminary classes have been postponed until 2021.

At times like these it seems even more important to pray for our missionaries and their families, to encourage them in God's Word and let them know they are not alone! Click here if would like to send Victor or Jorge a note of encouragement. Vince will make sure those notes are translated and relayed to Victor and Jorge!

Victor has also requested nine new Proclaimers from Faith Comes by Hearing. This is the full bible recorded in the language of the Indian Villagers in the Peruvian Jungle where we are working. This provides a means of keeping the Word of God in the hands of villagers in these very remote communities. While they won’t be able to be delivered until after the stay-at-home order is lifted, they will have the Word if they close things down again. These cost $75 each, and are a wonderful way for our body to show our support. If you would like to donate to this effort, on top of your normal giving, you can donate on our Giving Page and specify Missions. 

Click here to learn more about MCC Missions.

On Monday we began the first in a 4-part series on MCC Missions during the Covid 19 Pandemic. Looking at how mission’s efforts are being affected and how we can come alongside to pray for, encourage and support these programs. Today we will be focusing on the work being done through Genesis of Hope, our partner in India.

"I see from my balcony people are running for food distributed by the government of India in all areas for poor people. Morning and evening they have to stand in queue for hours for food. Small childrens also go with their parents. Please pray for them. I am praying for them also,” shares Sangeeta, a teacher at Shahabad Children's Center in India.

While there are certainly thousands of instances like this, from India and around the world, as the church we have a unique opportunity to come alongside in prayer and partnership to lessen the burden, to shine God’s love in hard places, and encourage those serving the most vulnerable in India.  

India began lockdowns due to COVID-19 on March 25 with only 1 person from a household being allowed to leave their home once a week to buy groceries. This has clearly resulted in a lack of resources and income for many families. An estimated 80% of the work force in India are day laborers living on $2 - $10 a day. Many of these are rickshaw drivers, roadside vendors, and housekeepers. Millions of these laborers are migrant workers from rural parts of India and neighboring countries. None of these people can work and most do not receive government aid. Being unable to pay rent, millions of these workers were forced to return to their rural homes. Many had to walk many miles as most public transit was shutdown.

This chain of events has left the most vulnerable in India on the edge of disaster. The government has only been able to provide for about 1/3 of those in need. Due to the lockdowns, Genesis of Hope, the organization we partner with, had to shut down their normal operations at the centers, but has been able to shift their resources to provide food and other necessities for those in their city affected by the loss of income. By God’s grace and their ingenuity, GOH has been able to distribute these goods daily! They are partnering with other NGO’s (non-government organizations) to get these goods where they are needed.

Here's how GOH, through their network of churches in India, GOH sponsors and partners, have served the marginalized communities (including refugees, orphanages, slum communities, and homeless shelters) in India.

ONE MONTH FOOD RATION – 3,200 FAMILIES

MID DAY MEALS SERVED – 7,650 INDIVIDUALS

CITIES OF IMPACT - DELHI, KANPUR, JAIPUR, KOLKATA & JHARKHAND

GOH is working through the local church by encouraging their network of church communities and child welfare sites to reach out to families with monthly food rations which will sustain them during the initial phase of this shock. They've also extended finances to partnering churches in other cities who are leading relief efforts through their communities and sharing the love of Jesus.

Over the next few months, the GOH community kitchen will be open for mid-day meals to the homeless and children connected to their networks with plans to feed 500 people every day for as long as the need remains. Alongside mid-day meals, partner churches, with support from GOH, are working to share dry food rations with those who are desperate during this time of need. Click here for GOH's most recent newsletter and a complete update on this outreach.

We recently received this note from the director of GOH:

“I believe Lord had a plan to bring you guys during summer of 2019!! We are so thankful for MCC and your friendship as we reflect of God’s sovereignty during this strange time.” 

Will you join us in praying for GOH? Please pray for:

• the safety of the teams serving on the ground.
• the finances required to continue the relief initiative.
• that God will give us comfort & peace during this dark time.

Click here to support Genesis of Hope and the Cooperative Outreach of India as they work to meet the basic needs of the poor in India. Contact Donna or Emily to request an invitation to follow GOH on Facebook and see their daily posts about how they are helping people around India!