Spent a wonderful evening at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville celebrating 50 years of ministry for them. We have watched as this great church has grown from a couple of hundred when Les’ father joined their staff to over 20 thousand worshipping each weekend. God was the center of the celebration and current and former pastors praised God for the past and looked to the future. I want to praise God publicly for a group of folks who were not recognized but have been the hands and feet behind God’s great moving and that is the staff and their families who have served and sacrificed over the last 50 years. Mike and Sharon Graham, Chuck and Annette Lee, and Les and Brenda Hughes are just 3 of many of these families. Their names may not have been mentioned here on Earth but God has taken note. Southeast is a reflection of God’s power at work through you. Thousands have been brought into the kingdom. Hundreds of marriages saved and homes mended. You guys have been there through family tragedies. Thank you all support staff. God knows your names. To God be the glory!

Big Fun Day was a day of abundance. In Swaziland a piece of land and a few morsels of maze to feed your family is something to rejoice over. What the children received on Big Fun Day was more than they get any other day of the year.
The day started with each child receiving six cookies each. Their eyes lit up as we counted out the cookies. Their excited voices counted with us as we counted six cookies in each hand. Then they would steal away to the end of the line to devour their sweet delights. After cookies was a morning filled with playing games, building with blocks, jumping in an air filled castle, singing, relay races, getting their pictures made and nails painted. Laughter could be heard ringing through out the care point as the children took turns at each play area. For lunch each child got half of a chicken, salad and pap (much like very thick grits). This is the only day all year many of them get meat to eat. From smallest to largest everyone got the same meal. They ate the meat down to the bone and some children were seen eating the bones. With huge smiles on their faces they expressed great appreciation and satisfaction. Some even closed their Styrofoam boxes to take meager left overs home.
After the meal the children sang praises to God and thanked Him for His bounty to them. They ended the day lining up to receive a bag with a cabbage and an orange in it to take home to their family. The cabbages were so big they almost out weighed the small children. The small children dragged their bags to an older brother or sister who carried it home for them. Everyone left with a smile on their face, filled with food and many happy memories.
Oh that we could see in America the true bounty we have received and rejoice as these children did.

Prior to coming to Swaziland I spoke at First United Methodist Church in Macon Mississippi. Part of the program that day was a presentation about how the ladies could take part in helping to feed hungry children around the world. The project was to collect money, buy rice and other ingredients and make up bags of food that would be used in third world countries around the world to feed hungry people. The ladies passed around empty water bottles the day of the conference and asked the ladies attending to put in spare change. They change added up to several hundred dollars. The point was that our spare change can save lives.
My eyes filled with tears while I was in Swazi when I saw one of the familiar packages of rice at the care point. It was the same label that had been on the packages of rice that the ladies of FUM Church of Macon had prepared. The ladies of Macon had no idea who they were feeding. They just wanted to be obedient to God’s call. I took a picture of an empty pot where the ladies of Thulwane had cooked their rice and the kids had cleaned out almost every bite. The children here who once were dying of starvation are now healthy. Not only are they receiving physical food, but they are also receiving the Bread of Life. Thank you to all of you who obey God’s voice and do what you can do for those who can’t do for themselves.

Thulwane care point has about 300 children coming daily to be fed. Each of them longs for attention. When you sit down it is not unusual to have three or four children sitting on your lap at once. Yesterday a child cuddled up next to me, but instead of facing outward like most of the children do, this child turned toward my face. With inquisitive eyes the child looked deeply into my eyes studying me. Then the child investigated my face and skin. Then back to my eyes as though the child were an artist studying a canvas. The child finished the examination then got up and ran away. As I reflected on my examination I thought, Isn’t that much like God. He doesn’t just see me at a glance. I am not just another human to Him. He looks into my eyes and even my heart and knows what is within me. He knows every detail and loves me still.

We served as a family for a week in Swaziland Africa at a care point for AIDS orphans. I was a life changing experience.
As soon as I arrived at the care point the most beautiful African child in a tattered shirt and denim skirt grabbed my hands. It was so easy to hug her and cuddle close. She wanted the love and attention so badly.
Later in the afternoon as we conducted a medical clinic, the physician diagnosed the same precious girl with scabies. My skin began to itch even as I heard the words and my immediate thought was “Great I am going to get scabies. How could I not have noticed?” It was then that I felt the Spirit say, “I took on much worse for you.” I shuddered at the thought. I knew the truth. My sin and my disobedience was what He took upon Himself. I was so desperate and a tattered mess and needed the love and forgiveness of God. I immediately thanked the Father for taking on my mess and giving me eternal life.

Our time in Swaziland has been humbling, overwhelming and just plain amazing.  I have seen the love of Jesus in so many ways.  The children are desperate for attention and crave every touch! Joy fills my heart at each smile. I can’t say thank you enough for each person who supports one of these children. Your monthly support is producing healthy children not just physically but spiritually as well.  I have many stories to post when I return but for now thank you for praying! I am changed!

Please read 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17. Write down words of encouragement that you find in this passage.
How have you seen God at work as you have stood firm this week?
When you return home what will be some of the highlights of your time spent on mission?
How has your time spent here affected the way you will live when you return home?
Please reread verses 16 and 17. This is my prayer for you as you end this mission journey and return to live on mission at home. End your time today praying for those you have seen God at work in this week.

Please read Acts 16:25-34. Give a brief description of Paul and Silas’ condition before the quake.
Who did verse 25 say was listening to them?
How did the jailer respond when he thought the prisoners had escape?
What was his response when Paul and Silas told him not to take his life?
I think it is very interesting that the response of the jailer was not giving thanks to the prisoners for not leaving. Instead his response was to ask, “What must I do to be saved.” Not only had the prisoners been listening to Paul and Silas, but the guards and the jailer had been a captive audience as well. This week, who may have overheard the gospel we have tried to share?
Did you notice that it wasn’t a frontal attack by Paul and Silas to share the gospel that won him over? It was their hymns of praise and prayer. When others see Jesus is real in you, they are affected. They may not believe but they see that it is real to you and when the time is right they respond just as this jailer did. Pray for those who have overheard the gospel this week. Pray that in their time of need they too will ask, “ What must I do to be saved?”

Do you ever miscommunicate? Les and I do this every now and then. I can get so frustrated when he just doesn’t get what I am saying. I know he feel the same way about me. In our passage today Martha and Mary just did not get what Jesus was trying to communicate. Please read John 11:24-46 and record the miscommunication you see.
Martha and Mary were so much like you and me. They could just see with physical eyes. They saw their precious brother dead and their life changing without a male in their home to take care of them. They had sent for Jesus but he was on his own time schedule. When he does show up Martha is miffed and says, if you had been here my brother would not have died. Jesus talks to Martha about resurrection and she responds with I know one day we will all be resurrected. How did Jesus respond to her?
When Mary came she too said, if you had only been here… it is at this point that the Bible says, Jesus became angry in His spirit. This has always fascinated me. Why do you think he was angry? (Verse 33)
Then again in verse 38 again it says Jesus became angry in Himself as he prepared to raise Lazarus. Could it be that Jesus’ anger was because the Jews and even his own dear friends did not understand what He was trying to say? Jesus was trying to get them to see that He was the one and only Son of God and that His purpose was for them to believe.
As we approach our ministry today lets pray that our message is communicated clearly and that those who observe us and work with us will see a true picture of God’s love for them.

Please read 2 Chronicles 20:1-30. This is one of my favorite stories in the Bible. The Children of Israel was facing a formidable opponent. They were scared and overwhelmed. How did they respond?
How do you tend to respond when you are facing a sizable opponent and feel overwhelmed?
When was the battle won?
In our lives it is so difficult to see things through God’s eyes sometimes. We go by the adage; “I will believe it when I see it.” That is not how God operates. He says believe even when it has not happened yet. As Israel praised, God took care of business. What do you believe God wants to accomplish this week? Go ahead and praise Him for that and thank Him for what is yet to be. The victory is already His!