While we were in Ethiopia last week, I read this verse about 15 times. Usually this is a pretty good indicator that God is calling me to something or really asking me to Listen to him. I read two books on the long trip and saw this verse in each of them. I was emailed but friends this verse while I was gone, and read it several times in my devotions, as well, as the Sunday morning service that we attended.
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Luke 4:18 ( Isaiah 61)
This is our Christmas Celebration. As we rush through the malls searching for the perfect gift for the people in our lives that already posses everything, why don't we proclaim a bigger celebration. Why not celebrate the year of the Lord's favor this Christmas by rescuing the poor. Not just the poor in wealth but the poor in spirit.
In Ethiopia, we had the honor of meeting an amazing Man of faith, Ewenetu. He is 30, and living in a poor country but even though he grew up with 12 brothers and sisters, being the 7 child in his family he decided that even his resources could not keep him from living this verse out to the fullest. Ewenetu was our driver in Ethiopia. He asks a mere $20 USD for a half day and $50 USD for a full day of driving. He would wait in the car as we ate dinner, or shopped. And each time returning we noticed he wasn't playing games on his cell phone or texting his friends, he was with his most important friend Christ. He had a small Amharic Bible, and was always reading it in between his travels. As we got to know him we found that he was a driver to support his income so he didn't have to take a salary. He owned three orphanages, Resurrection Orphans & Widows Service, that support not only orphans but widows as well. He currently has around 200 sponsors but his goal is 1,000! He is taking responsibility for the 5 million orphans that are in Ethiopia alone, not to mention 180 million in the world today. Just by taking care of a few, he is helping change the the lives of the ones in his care which is life changing!
As we heard him talk about his orphanages, and I had to go see them, meet his children. I was amazed at the care he was giving each child. The orphanage was so clean, and the kids were singing "Do Lord oh, do Lord" Some friends of ours had previously visited another government orphanage and told us horror stories of the care they were giving the children. They said some children had diapers that were well overdue for changing. Some of the children they said they knew had pneumonia. The place was a hell on earth for these children. We were prepared for the same experience, but instead found a heaven on earth for the poor, and the captives. Ewenetu understands declaring the day of Lord's favor, because he lives in it each day.
So what does this all mean to me? As I came back from a poor country but so wealthy in love and in beauty in other ways we so often look past, I realized that God is calling me to ask you all to rethink this Christmas and choose to celebrate it as the day of the Lord's favor on the weak, the poor, the down and out, the orphans and the widows.
For your parents or siblings, give them a gift that changes not just them, but a legacy for a child or widow.
You can find more about his orphanage and supporting a child at: www.rowsinternational.org. Here is some information.
At ROWS we have created the great opportunity for you to be part of a fantastic group of child sponsors. For just $30 a month ($1 a day) you can help provide love, care and basic needs for children who have nothing and no-one. With our careful selection of needy children, we will provide all the information about a specific child including matching age and gender to help you choose which one you would like to sponsor. If you wish you can leave us to decide where the need is greatest at present, ROWS will ensure your money is used properly to provide proper care to the child of your choice including food, school, medical, recreation and so on.
Once you start sponsoring a child we will provide you with up-to-date progress report on the child and see the difference your sponsorship makes. Depending on your wish you can also visit the child and make more donations for birthday and other special occasions.
ROWS manage your money to its maximum effects by reducing administrative cost using volunteers in different specialty areas who keeps our costs low and use the sponsorship money to provide long term help until the child is old enough to be independent. So, why not sponsor now? A little boy or girl in desperate need is waiting for your help.
This Christmas I am understanding that God has asked me to proclaim the need of the poor to us whom have been given much so that we can also be free from the captive of materialism. Join with me in my Christmas Challenge, to help Ewenetu get his 1,000 sponsors! Post it on my page if you are willing to sponsor and give a gift to someone this Christmas that represents Christ in his fullest. Even if you can't sponsor a child, any donation will be huge! Our money is worth 16 times their money so giving a little is 16 times more than they could do themselves. Time and time again, Christ shows us in the New Testament what amazing things he can do with just 5 loaves and 2 fish. Don't let the little stand in your way of allowing God to do huge things this Christmas.
Here is our change to declare the day of the Lord's Favor!
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