Along with our efforts to bring the Good News of the Gospel along with clean water to remote villages in Peru we want to further extend a helping to meet the immediately felt medical needs of these communities. In 2007 a doctor came along with us. He was joined by a Peruvian doctor and a dentist and together they were able to assist hundreds over the course of a few days with parasites, infections, and in one case arranging to get a pregnant woman with a complicated labor on a fast boat to a hospital downriver where she could get the help she needed. Bringing healing is a significant part of exhibiting the love of God. We’re planning something like this again in 2009.
Articles,photos,and news about the ambitious efforts of people who serve a great God.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Medical Work
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Wonderfully Significant
Mark 14 3-9
While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “ Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly. “Leave her alone," said Jesus. "Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her." [NIV]
This woman demonstrates to us that when we are obeying God's direction no price is too extravagant.
It can be very easy to begin to measure the actions of this woman by our world’s economy and not God’s. We can quickly calculate the cost versus amount of people benefited from the action and quickly come up with the bottom line assessment of “It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” We must guard against this. Instead, the message of this woman is simple. Take what you have and be obedient to the leading of the Lord with it, even if it may appear to be an extravagance, or possibly a waste. Let God handle the balance sheet.
When we seek guidance from God it is not our job to determine if the price is too high or if it is wise to use our resources to obey. It is our duty to simply do his bidding, and in so doing we may end up doing something wonderfully significant for Jesus.