An awareness of Jesus leads to a concern for others.
God is quickly showing me my “concern” for others just ain’t
cuttin’ it folks. “Concern” doesn’t inspire, doesn’t move people – it doesn’t
call anyone to action.
A relationship with the living God through His Son leads to a
real LOVE for others.
This kind of love inspires, moves, touches, sparks a fire
that can changes a people, and even a country.
God is showing me its going take this kind of love to change
Swaziland.
“Concern” cripples.
Love empowers.
“Concern” gives handouts.
Love solves problems.
“Concern” gives a man a fish.
Love teaches a man to fish.
The difference is massive.
Sometimes as short-term missionaries we can do more damage
than good. I’m learning there is a fine line between empowering people and
crippling them.
In Swaziland,
Adventures in Missions is first and foremost meeting the immediate needs of
thousands upon thousands of kids. Those needs are food, shelter, clothing and
medicine. In fact, this is what one of our world race teams spent the last
month doing – meeting needs.
BUT, our involvement is much deeper. We are partnering with
local pastors who GET the vision. Pastors who when they see hungry kids, think
let’s not just feed them – let’s teach them how to plant a garden. That way
they can grow their own food, and maybe have enough left over to sell. And who
knows, with the money earned maybe they can buy a cow. You see the difference?
This is teaching a man to fish. This empowers people.
But teaching a man to fish takes commitment. It takes
sacrifice. It takes LOVE – a love from Jesus. And it’s the only way we’ll ever
change a man, a family – a country.
I’ve been asked to speak to a group of local pastors about
this very topic. My job is to help them take the vision they have and pass it
along to the American teams they’ll be working with. It’s important as
missionaries for us to know, we will not save the world in four weeks. We need
to learn what it means to partner with the locals and empower the people – not cripple
them. Change takes time, but I promise you the love of Jesus inside us will
change the fate of this tiny little country in Southern Africa.
For my part to continue in this, I need to raise $8000 by
July 1st.
