Pastor's Blog

Ok, I need all thirteen of our blog readers to listen up and hopefully respond to the challenge I am about to put before you.  As you know, the entire world is suffering in many ways because of COVID-19.  I know you share my concern for all who are affected especially those in the hospital because of the virus, those who have lost loved ones due to the virus, those on the front lines (health care workers) in this battle against this virus, and our government officials, beginning with President Trump, who are trying to navigate through this most difficult situation.

I think daily of the people in Guatemala.  Obviously, Soy, Deidra, Lizzi, Sydney & Audrey are in my thoughts continually.  (Ok, not Soy but it sounds so spiritual when I write it!).  I think of the teachers and staff at Colegio JET along with the staff and families of Iglesia JET.  I also think often of one hundred and forty three students from Colegio JET who represent approximately one hundred and twenty five families.  So many of these students come from very impoverished situations.  This world wide “shut down” means that they are struggling just to put food on the table for the next meal.  They truly have to pray “give us this day our daily bread” as they have no other options.

Soy, Deidra, the staff at Colegio JET and the pastors from Iglesia JET have been delivering food bags to the families of the Colegio JET students and to others in dire need.  Each bag contains beans, rice, honey, pasta, butter, oil, nutrient drink, salt, sugar, pancake mix, oatmeal, and flour for tortillas.  It is designed to last an average family for like seven to ten days.  The cost is only fifteen dollars per bag.  Therein is the problem for most of our students and their families – they literally do not have fifteen dollars even though it could provide food for their entire family for ten days.  Mama always told me that “you cannot squeeze blood out of a turnip!”  

Some folks have already graciously given and over one hundred bags of food were delivered this past Wednesday.  Praise the Lord!  Thank you as it is more blessed to give than to receive!

So, I am asking our thirteen readers of this blog to step up and join Lisa & me in providing enough money to purchase another one hundred and twenty five bags of food for these families.  I say join because before I started writing this entry I went online and donated enough money to cover sixteen families.  Trying to lead by example.

I am asking you to join Lisa and me by going online at www.shininglightabroad.com, clicking on the support now tab, and then enter an amount you will give.  To the right you will see a drop down menu that allows you to choose “bag lunches!”  You do not have to log in.  You can just give.  You can give in memory or honor of someone.  We gave in honor of Soy!  (Is that sweet or what!)

My goal is that by 8:00PM (48 hours) this Sunday night there will be enough money given online to reach this goal of one hundred and twenty five bags of food.  Will you join this effort?  Give enough for one bag, two bags, twenty bags?  Give five dollars, ten dollars, et cetera?  No gift is too small and obviously no gift is too large (Ross Genzink, Tom Compagner, Nic Gray)!

In the notes section of the giving area, please include this the following, “Deidra, I read your dad’s blog!”  She will say two things in her mind with the first being “why?”  The second will be “thank you and thank Jesus for providing food for the hungry!”

One final thing – would you give and then challenge others to join you?  To match or exceed your gift?  Remember, our goal is one hundred and twenty five bags paid for online at shininglightabroad.com by 8:00PM Sunday night, April 5, 2020.  We can do this and we can give God the glory!  Let’s go!