The Least of These...

The past five days I have spent with a group of students from our student ministry at Big Stuf Camp in Panama City Beach.  They were some great days.  I am still surprised that I didn't get totally blistered, but I will not complain.  God spoke to each person in our group in many great ways.  I believe that the main way that God spoke to me was through 23 worship leaders.  One day of our camp, worship was led by a children's choir from Kenya.  To hear their stories and everything was something that I will always cherish.  You had 9-13 year old children from halfway across the world who not only weren't afraid to stand before a crowd of strangers and sing praises to the God of this universe, but they quoted from the Bible verse after verse after verse.  It was great.

I was during this summer camp that I felt released to do something that I have thought seriously about for a couple of years.  It is a dream of our family's to one day adopt a child and show them the same love that our heavenly Father has shown to us by adopting us into His family.  We're not at a place where we can do that right now, but one thing we can do we have.  Our family has partnered with Compassion International to sponsor a four year old child from Kenya.  The newest member of our family is George Thoya.

I'm sure that if you've been to a major Christian event (concert, conference, etc) then you have heard about Compassion International.  I was always a little skeptical.  I would constantly have youth wanting to sponsor a child, but would tell them to talk to their parents first.  I began to do some investigation on this group and came to found that they are very legit.  The way that they handle the money that is sent to them is very stewardly (is that a word?).

It has always been a heartbeat of mine to teach students that there is so much more than our little bubble.  There is an entire world around us that most of us have no clue about.  A world where many wonder where the next meal or shelter will come from.  A world that wonders will I be arrested or even killed for my beliefs today.  At the age of 16, I had the opportunity to go on a foreign mission trip to Thailand.  It changed my outlook on life and the world so much.  Lately, I have had a conviction that though I'm teaching students that God has put in my care to realize the bigger picture, I have slowly bought in to this "American consumerism" mentality.  The mentality that says, "well I can't do that because I have so many bills and other financial obligations."  That was seriously one of my excuses until God basically said, "so you love your tv more than those in this world you could help?"  (God has a way of shooting straight to the heart.)

I encourage you to take a few moments and ask God to give you a heart for this world.  Ask Him to open your eyes to the real condition of people around you and the world.  Ask Him to show you what role you can play in bringing His love to those people.