Africa - Some Ways You Can Help

It has been a while since my last post, primarily because we have been quite busy.  All the kids are playing basketball and I am head coaching one team and assisting another.  Amy and I are taking the Perspectives on the World Christian Movement class for the next few months (which we would highly recommend to others).  That has turned out to involve a large amount of reading.  I have been struggling each week to get the homework done in time.  Even with the extra work that the class involves, it has been worthwhile.  The class from this past week was especially thought-provoking.  Oh, yeah, I work, too.  With my plate so full, it has been hard to find a time to blog.

I know the title of my last post implied that I might be done writing about Africa, but I can't seem to get Africa off my mind or out of my heart.  Amy and I continue to be burdened by the tremendous physical and spiritual needs that are so widespread in Africa.  We do not know yet what God has planned for us in relation to Africa, but we are certain that we will continue to be involved with Africa somehow.

I'd like to make mention here of several opportunities for others to get involved in some of the important work going on in Africa.  The ministries I will mention hardly scratch the surface of the needs that exist and the ways that one can help.

We went to Kijabe, Kenya with World Medical Mission, which is a part of Samaritan's Purse.  Both World Medical Mission and Samaritan's Purse have numerous opportunities to serve or give.  Opportunities can be found at http://www.samaritanspurse.org/ and http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/WMM/index/ .  There are opportunities for medical and non-medical personnel to get involved.  Check them out.  There are needs for medical personnel, therapists, accountants, engineers, and virtually any other profession out there.  You can also give directly to Kijabe Hospital at http://www.kijabehospital.org/ or  http://www.bethanykids.org/ .

Some friends of mine have helped start a ministry to orphans in Uganda who are wrongly suffering imprisonment, often for no good reason other than the fact that they are orphans.  They are enduring confinement, neglect, abuse and injustice.  Check out SixtyFeet.org to learn more.  Financial support is needed for this ministry.  Consider getting your kids involved with a Cupcake Kids sale:  http://thecupcakekids.org/

Consider "giving a cup of cold water" to those who are thirsty by helping meet physical needs with http://thewaterproject.org/ .  How about Compassion International?  http://www.compassion.com/  They have numerous ways to help.  You can directly support a child and provide for physical and spiritual needs.  You can help fight malaria, still one of the most common and deadly diseases in Africa, by providing mosquito nets for those who are without them.  You actually help prevent a number of other mosquito born diseases at the same time (yellow fever, dengue fever, and various encephalitides).

There are numerous other possible ways to help.  Most of those that we consider poor in the U.S. would be considered wealthy in Africa.  We are blessed tremendously to live in the U.S.  Is that financial blessing really for our own personal benefit?  Pray about what God would have you do.  Does He want you to give?  Does He want you to raise funds?  Does He want you to go?

A few verses to consider:

Isaiah 1:17 Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless, Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow

  New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. LaHabra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995, S. Is 1:17

Jeremiah 5:28-29 ‘They are fat, they are sleek, They also excel in deeds of wickedness;They do not plead the cause, The cause of the orphan, that they may prosper; And they do not defend the rights of the poor.  Shall I not punish these people?’ declares the Lord, ‘On a nation such as this Shall I not avenge Myself?’

New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. LaHabra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995, S. Je 5:28-29

Matthew 10:42  “And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.”

New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. LaHabra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995, S. Mt 10:42

Matthew 25:31-40     “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne.     32     “All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats;     33     and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.     34     “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.     35     ‘For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in;     36     naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’     37     “Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink?     38     ‘And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You?     39     ‘When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’     40     “The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’

New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. LaHabra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995, S. Mt 25:31-40

James 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. LaHabra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995, S. Jas 1:27