God, give me eyes to see them as You do

A homeless couple walk to their campsite in Dothan, Alabama.

As I dropped a homeless couple off at their campsite recently, tears filled my eyes. They were thankful for all of the help they received at Love In Action, and the prospects of a job for him added a spark of hope to their lives as well.

We have known this couple for a while. Like many others, we share the Gospel with them every time we see them, and help them with their physical needs. They are thankful. Still, my heart goes out to them and all of the others.

The homeless are survivors. They are better equipped to handle living conditions when disaster strikes than most of us, because they are already living in that kind of situation. When we receive materials for disaster relief it’s perfect for the homeless. They know how to eat a MRE. Snack boxes? We hand them out daily. Flashlights, batteries, tents, sleeping bags, bug spray, bottled water ... that’s a way of life for our friends.

As I took the photo above, my heart hurt. I’m thankful it did. I prayed and asked God to always let me have a heart for the hurting, and to see them as He does. I don’t want to grow callous, insensitive, indifferent or jaded. God could easily be that way toward all of us, but He's not.

God keeps loving us and looking at those of us who are followers of Jesus as His own children. We slip. We fall. We take God for granted. We make mistakes. But, He keeps loving us, wanting more for our lives if we will just completely surrender to Him.

I always want to see others as God does. I don’t want to ever give up on anyone. When you see the same people day-in and day-out living the same kind of lifestyle, you can easily become jaded. But, no. God doesn’t, so I don’t want to either. That’s why prayer is so important.

No matter what’s going on in someone’s life, don’t give up. Keep praying. Keep loving. Keep reaching out. They may never respond, but maybe they will.

When you see the homeless, don’t pre-judge and call them bums or losers. Don’t tell them or think to yourself, “they need to get a job.” It’s not that simple. Yes, a job for many is part of the solution, but it’s not that easy.

Instead of judging and criticizing, pray for them. Go even further and help them. Love In Action is a great place to volunteer. We would love to serve with you. There are other wonderful ministries as well. Find where God wants you and respond with love.

They are waiting for us. Will we respond and show them Jesus?

Convoy of Hope delivers blessings

Convoy of Hope, men from The Ark, and me after unloading supplies from their
truck into the trailer behind 2-1-1.

We thank our neighbor Tri State Diesel & Auto Eletric for using their forklift to
unload some pallets from the Convoy of Hope truck. 

Sometimes God answers prayers quickly. With the Southeast Alabama Homeless Coalition (SEACH) Homeless Stand Down fast approaching on Nov. 3, we are in need of a lot of supplies.

Today, God answered prayers by sending a truck load of supplies from Convoy of Hope. They blessed us with hygiene items, chips, Cheez-its, wool blankets and water ... lots of water. In fact, so much water we aren't asking for any more water for the stand down.

Wiregrass 2-1-1 Executive Director David Duke and I were all smiles as we unloaded the truck. We greatly appreciate the men from The Ark for helping unload the truck.

Convoy of Hope also blessed Love In Action with some medical supplies, such as aspirins, vitamins, back braces and more for the Samaritan Clinic.

Convoy of Hope is the third largest disaster relief organization in America. Because of they are faith based and are so well organized, they are my favorite. According to their website, since 1994, they have done incredible work, including helping "more than 100 million people throughout the world by sharing food, water, emergency supplies, agriculture know-how and opportunities that empower people to live independent lives free from poverty, disease and hunger."

They "mobilize tens of thousands of volunteers each year, and partner with churches, businesses, individuals and other humanitarian organizations who are intent on doing good work among the impoverished and suffering."

Thank you Convoy of Hope for this awesome blessing today. May God continue to bless you and do mighty works through you.

We are still in need of more hygiene items, non-perishable food, tents, flash lights, batteries, bug spray, Coleman camping stoves, camping size propane bottles, sleeping bags, air mattresses, coats, blankets, toilet paper, women hygiene items, coats, and jeans (no other clothing).

Donations can be dropped off at the Wiregrass 2-1-1 office, 545 W. Main St., Suite 313, in downtown Dothan, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. through Nov. 2, and 7-10 a.m. on Nov. 3.

Volunteers are needed from 7-8:30 a.m. on Nov. 3, to help sort and pack the food and supplies for the homeless. Volunteers are also needed from 8:30-10 a.m. to deliver supplies to the homeless. If you would like to volunteer on Nov. 3, meet at the Covan trailer in the parking lot behind 2-1-1.

For more information, call 2-1-1.

Tom with Convoy of Hope standing in front of bundles of blankets and boxes of
hygiene items they blessed us with for the SEACH Homeless Stand Down.

Praise God for all of the bottles of water Convoy of Hope blessed us with for the
SEACH Homeless Stand Down.

Homeless Stand Down Needs Your Support

Martha sorting items at the SEACH Homeless Stand Down in May.

Every time there is a need, our community responds. That's a big reason why I tell people all around the world that Martha and I live in the greatest city in the world. Your hearts are to help those who are hurting.

The response to the Hurricane Michael disaster from Dothan and the entire Wiregrass has been incredible. Everywhere you look churches, businesses, organizations, and individuals are collecting needed items to help those suffering in Florida, Georgia, and right here in our home county of Houston County.

Teams of people are showing up in heavy hit areas with chainsaws and all of the necessary equipment to help cleanup the devastation left by Hurricane Michael. I'm not surprised, though. I knew our people would respond in these ways.

While you continue to help those in the disaster areas, please remember those who have come to Dothan seeking help. We have already seen an influx of new homeless people in Dothan. They weren't homeless prior to Michael, but after the storm leveled their homes, places of employment, schools ... pretty much their entire cities and towns ... they have nowhere to go.

Many have run out of money for hotel rooms. The situation is not good, and we are trying to help the best we can. It's not just us, though. We could never do it by ourselves. The ministries and organizations that make up the Southeast Alabama Coalition for the Homeless (SEACH) are all working non-stop to help.

We are also helping the homeless who were already here in Dothan when the hurricane hit. Michael shredded their tents and blew them in trees and who knows where. The needs have increased, and we need our community's help.

The SEACH Homeless Stand Down is coming up on Saturday, Nov. 3. This is an opportunity to connect with the homeless and provide items they need. With the new increase of storm victims to the homeless population, we need even more of you to help us meet all of the needs. Please donate items and/or volunteer for the homeless stand down.

Here is the list of needs:
- No clothing except coats, sweaters and jeans only for men, women and children. There are many ministries, like Love In Action, who provides clothing for people every week.
- Hygiene needs: combs, hair brushes, soap, shampoo, razors, men & women deodorant, toilet tissue, hand sanitizer, wet-wipes, tooth brushes and tooth paste, lotion, and women's hygiene items.
- Bedding/Sleeping Needs: tents, flat sheets, sleeping bags, air mattresses, or cots
- Food: non-perishable food items, including pop-top easy-to-open cans, and cases of bottled water
- Other Needs: flashlights, batteries, wallets, purses, camping chairs, Coleman stoves, personal camping sized propane bottles, belts, bikes, bug spray and backpacks.

Donations can be dropped off at the Wiregrass 2-1-1 office, located at 545 W. Main St., Suite 313, Monday-Friday, until Nov. 2, between the hours of 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., and 7-10 a.m. on Nov. 3.

Volunteers are needed from 7-8:30 a.m. on Nov. 3, to help sort and pack the food and supplies for the homeless. Volunteers are also needed from 8:30-10 a.m. to deliver the food and supplies to the homeless. If you would like to volunteer on Nov. 3, go to the Covan trailer in the back parking lot at Wiregrass 2-1-1.

For additional information, call 2-1-1.

Volunteers from throughout the Wiregrass sorting items during the SEACH Homeless
Stand Down in May.

When the homeless encourage you

Praying with one of our homeless friends.

I shared Matthew 6:33 this morning with our homeless friends at Love In Action. I talked about how Martha and I see people in Third World countries who rely totally on God. They don't have a Love In Action to go to for food and clothes. They do what Jesus says and seek Him first, knowing God will take care of all of their needs.

I like to engage people when sharing the Gospel, and today they really responded. As we talked about Hurricane Michael and how God protected us, one homeless woman raised her hand and asked if she could say something.

She said her and her husband were standing outside of Winn Dixie not knowing where they were going to go to get out of the storm. Then another couple pulled up and asked them if they wanted to work to help them board up some storefront windows. They needed the money, so they went and did the job.

They were asked where they were staying, and they replied they didn't know. They were invited to stay with the people who gave them work. They were safe and protected from the hurricane. They both praised God and gave Him all the credit.

When talking about the winds of the hurricane, a homeless man talked about faith. He said, we can't see God, but we have faith in Him and know He is real. That's the same as the wind. We don't see it, but we see the effects of it.

One after another shared about their faith. It encouraged me so much to hear our homeless friends who live in tents, cars and abandoned buildings share about how God takes care of them.

It leads me to ask myself, am I thanking God for how He takes care of Martha and me? Do I thank God enough for how He meets all of our needs? Do you?

Please keep our homeless friends in your prayers. Many are believers and trusting Jesus. Please pray God will lift them out of their situation. With their faith in Jesus, I have no doubt God will.

Acts of compassion make a difference

Martha helping a women pick out clothes in the Love In Action clothing room.

We see people hurting for different reasons daily. Our goal is to show them Jesus and His great love. A Florida hurricane victim experienced His love Thursday night at Love In Action

During the Samaritan Clinic, a woman hobbled through the doors on a crutch with a 5-year old boy in tow. It turns out she suffered a leg injury when her house in Lynn Haven, Fla., collapsed during Hurricane Michael. She lost everything. She came looking for help. After a day of being turned away from one agency after another, she was beyond exhausted. Saying she was feeling down would be an understatement.

Filled with compassion and the love of Jesus, Team LIA went into action. Dan sat down and talked with her. He told her not to worry, God was in control and will take care of her. He told Martha and me her situation. All she had left from her personal belongings were there clothes she was wearing and one or two more clothing outfits.

After Debi and Lisa prayed with her and gave her a good meal, Dan, Martha and I took her to suite 6 so she could pick out some clothes for herself and her child. We helped her with hygiene items and food. I asked her if she had a Bible. She said the storm took that, too. As she started to explain what kind of Bible she had and how much she enjoyed it, I showed her three different Bibles. Her eyes lit up when she saw a study Bible. She said, "Can I have that one?" While it wasn't the same Bible she lost, it was close, and she was so excited and thankful.

We saw Psalm 30:5 happen last night. "weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning." This sweet woman limped in dejected and in tears. She left smiling and thanking Jesus with tears of joy streaming down her face. She left with hope, a hope that what Dan said was really true, "God is in control," and He will take care of her."

We are blessed to do this throughout each week for our homeless and needy friends living in Dothan, so why am I writing about this particular act of compassion. It's to bring glory to Jesus and to encourage you with another great example of what can happen when you let the love of Jesus flow through you. Our region needs more and more of these types of acts of compassion. I pray this column encourages more people to be instruments of God's love, mercy and grace to our hurting neighbors.

Tens of thousands of people are hurting throughout the tri-state region because of the devastation Hurricane Michael left behind. I see so many people helping one another, and I want to encourage you to continue. Your love and help really makes a difference. No, we can't give a person the money to rebuild their house and fill it with food, clothing, and furniture. But, we can give them hope they are not alone and forgotten.

As the rest of the country moves on, unaffected by the storm, our neighbors will continue in their struggle to recover. Let's continue helping them to persevere through acts of compassion. In the weeks and months to come, take time to pray with the hurting, help them where you can, join in the many efforts to help provide for their physical needs. Most of all, let the love of Jesus shine through you. Your acts of compassion will make more of a difference than you know.

Beautiful worship in Myanmar

Worshiping Jesus at Harvest Church-Myanmar

We experienced such beautiful worship today with our brothers and sisters in Myanmar. They truly love Jesus with all that’s within them and it shows in their worship.

This morning we were at Harvest Church-Myanmar, our home church in this beautiful country. With a mixture of praise and worship songs in Burmese and English, we worshiped our God. We lifted up a sacrifice of praise to God with a guitar and a keyboard, along with 100 or so beautiful voices.

There was such a beautiful, sweet and powerful presence of God during worship. God was in the house meeting the needs of His people. It was awesome, one of the most beautiful times of worship I’ve ever experienced.

The children sang a special song, and it was so sweet. The Grace Theological College (GTC) students also sang a special song. They have beautiful voices.

Martha shared her testimony and a great word of encouragement for our brothers and sisters. Then I preached about God’s Grace. I pray it encouraged our brothers and sisters here to ask God for more grace through every struggle and every situation they face. It’s not easy being a Christian in Myanmar, but God’s grace is sufficient.

This afternoon we drove about an hour to a very impoverished village to worship and share God’s Word. We didn’t take any pictures of the people there for their safety. Talk about using what you have to worship God. In this bamboo hut house church they had a guitar player and a drummer. The drummer was one of the pastor’s sons, probably around 8 years old. His drum set was the floor and a metal pan for a cymbal. That little guy blessed me so much. He was very good and kept the beat perfectly.

Most of those in attendance were regular church members. However, one older woman decided to give her life to Jesus. Praise God! Our God is saving souls all around the world.

Worshiping in Third World nations reminds me that we do not need a “light show” to worship God. We just need to come to Him with a pure heart and offer to Him a sacrifice of praise. I believe that pleases God and causes Him to smile upon His people.

Click on the following link to view a photo album from today’s worship service, https://tinyurl.com/ya9pj4db

60 decisions for Jesus today in Myanmar

A man sings from a song book, and people respond

to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

How do you properly put into words seeing around 60 previously unreached people come to Jesus in one day? I know I’m supposed to be a wordsmith, but God often leaves me speechless and wordless. God and everything He does is truly indescribable. He is so awesome.

Martha and I shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ today in two rural villages here in Myanmar. These unreached people are just some of the 40 million-plus, or 85 percent of the population in Myanmar, who have not heard the Good News about Jesus. Seeing their response to the Gospel is amazing. The Gospel of Jesus truly transcends all cultures, and that shouldn’t come as a surprise as Jesus died for everyone in the world, and came back to life to give everyone who believes eternal life.

There was this one man, probably around my age, who I knew was going to come to Jesus today. How did I know? I could see the Holy Spirit drawing him to Jesus from the moment we locked eyes and said hello. Martha knew it, too. Before I asked people if they wanted to surrender to the lordship of Jesus Christ he was already shaking his head “yes.” He, like the others, have a hunger for Jesus.

We saw many older people give their lives to Jesus today. There were also a number of children. I’m not sure if all of them knew what was going on, but who am I to say they didn’t? Martha gave her life to Jesus when she was 7 years old and knew exactly what she was doing. The children captured our hearts as they always do. I will write more about them in another blog entry.

We met in two house churches in two very impoverished villages. These houses were made out of bamboo poles and bamboo mesh. But, I’m convinced the most powerful services in the world happen in bamboo huts with the poorest of the poor. No lights and fancy instruments. No comfortable chairs or air conditioner. It’s the simplicity of the Gospel in action. We can learn a great deal from our brothers and sisters in Third World countries like Myanmar.

We were also blessed with being able to provide a delicious lunch of chicken biryani to about 100 people today. They never eat chicken biryani, because it’s too expensive. Praise God, they ate it today.

We love the people of Myanmar. Most importantly of all, God loves them, and they are finding that out now.

Click on the following link for a photo album from today’s outreaches. I have to warn you, though. The children will steal your hearts. https://www.flickr.com/photos/loveinaction/albums/72157696513163330

There are many beautiful and precious children in Myanmar.

I love sharing Jesus with the unreached.

10 decisions for Jesus in Buddhist village

People respond to the Gospel of Jesus in photo above.

Martha shares the “Creation to Christ” story in second photo.

Proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ among unreached people groups is a great passion of mine and Martha. It’s because Jesus commands us to live out the Great Commission. His words to, “Go and make disciples of all nations (people groups),” is ingrained in our hearts.

Today we were blessed with another opportunity to tell an unreached people group about Jesus, this time in a Buddhist village in Myanmar. The majority of people in Myanmar are unreached with the Gospel. In fact, more than 85 percent of the people have not heard the Gospel.

There are about 1,000 households in the village we visited today, but only a handful of the people are Christian. Today, God added to that number.

Martha and I shared the “Creation to Christ” story with 30 people today, and when we were finished 10 people decided to give their lives to Jesus. Praise God! We could see the Holy Spirit moving on the people and drawing them to Jesus as we shared. The looks on their faces showed a hunger for truth and realizing they were hearing the truth about the one true God and His Son Jesus Christ.

As we prayed to confess Jesus as Lord and Savior, Martha and I were filled with amazement. God’s message of love and forgiveness translates into any language, and it’s because Jesus died and rose again for everyone in the world. Love translates into every language.

After we prayed, there were smiles everywhere, and in Heaven there was a big celebration as we know, “there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:10)

We explained baptism to them and encouraged them to be baptized, and we encouraged them to learn the Bible and become a disciple/follower of Jesus. There is a pastor there who can train them.

I told the people that Martha and I hope to come back to their village and visit them, but if not we will see each other again in Heaven. We will have a grand reunion there and worship Jesus together for eternity.

Click on this link for a photo album from today’s outreach, https://www.flickr.com/photos/loveinaction/albums/72157674409891638

Ken shares the “Creation to Christ” story as Pastor Mang translates.

Discipleship training completed in Myanmar

Students teach each other T4T during our final day

of the three-day seminar.

Our third and final day of discipleship training in Myanmar is complete, and it was an exciting day. There’s not much more inspiring to me than seeing 60 people excited about fulfilling the Great Commission in their lives.

One of the most important parts of T4T is giving time for those we are training to teach each other and make sure they are doing it correctly. After two days of Martha and me teaching, we let the students teach. They divided into groups of 2, 3 and 4 and took turns teaching each other.

It was thrilling to watch them teach. Their excitement filled the room. Pastors Mang, Siang and Eng walked around the room making sure the students were teaching correctly. Martha and I observed with them and they interpreted for us.

Afterward we had a Q&A session, and that was fun. They asked excellent questions that were really challenging. When all was said and done, the students, pastors and missionaries were ready to go out and live the Great Commission like never before, and so were we. God tells us in Proverbs 27:17, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” We were all sharpened these past three days.

During the afternoon session, Martha and I shared and taught the “Creation to Christ” story. This is an awesome evangelistic tool, and especially in a country where 85 percent of the population has never heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

One of the students asked during the first day of the seminar how to reach people who have never heard of the Gospel. I told him to hold on and we will show them all through the Creation to Christ story.  It gives the listener a solid foundation of who God is, why He sent Jesus, and how they can reconnect  with God through Jesus and have eternal life. They were also very excited to receive this teaching.

Please pray for these 60 individuals as they take what they have learned and do what Jesus says in the Great Commission ... “Go, and make disciples of all nations.”

Pastors Siang, Eng, and Mang observe the students teaching each other T4T.

Powerful Testimonies on Day 2 of T4T

Martha teaching T4T in the top photo with Pastor Mang interpreting.

A young Myanmar woman shares her testimony in the second photo.

When her mother remarried, she and her mother converted to Buddhism. They lived what seemed to be a good life. They had plenty of money. In fact, they were the second wealthiest family in their village. But that didn’t satisfy her soul.

She met a Christian woman, who was one of her teachers in school. The teacher shared Jesus with her. She didn’t want to leave the money and lifestyle her Buddhist stepfather had given her, but something was still not right. She didn’t have peace.

When she decided to give her life to Jesus, things changed. The riches of the world no longer mattered. Jesus had forgiven her and filled her heart and mind with His peace. Today, she is pursuing her calling by attending Grace Theological College in Myanmar.

Our testimonies are a powerful way to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others. That’s why it is an important part of Training for Trainers (T4T). When we completed Day 1 of our T4T seminar yesterday, I gave those in attendance some “Hiswork” (instead of homework). They were to write out their testimonies and some would share their stories on Day 2.

The Apostle Paul gave us a great blueprint on how to share our testimony in Acts 26:4-23. Paul stood before King Agrippa and shared his testimony. He broke it up into three parts - Life before Christ, how and when he came to follow Christ, and how his life changed as a result of following Christ.

This is how Martha and I share our testimonies and how we teach it in T4T. This is one of my favorite parts of T4T, because I get to learn how Jesus transformed people’s lives, like the young woman I wrote about above.

Transformation is the key. If our lives have not been transformed by Jesus Christ, if there isn’t a change, then we need to go back to the beginning and call out to Jesus and truly surrender to His lordship in every area of our lives.

Sharing testimonies is also good in getting people out of their comfort zones. Most people are nervous about speaking in front of others and talking about Jesus. This gives them the opportunity to do it and see that they can because of the power of the Holy Spirit living inside of every follower of Jesus.

Not everyone’s testimony is as dramatic as Paul’s. And, not everyone lived a wild and crazy life before surrendering to Jesus. That leads some people to think they don’t really have a testimony, because they never did anything really “bad.”

Nothing could be further from the truth. Paul writes in Romans 3:23 that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. All of us ... everyone of us ... have sinned. Whether we lived a so-called good or bad life before surrendering our lives to Jesus, we were all bound for Hell. What could be more exciting than a soul being saved and an eternal destination changed to Heaven? Nothing! So, nobody has a “boring testimony.”

Our Myanmar brothers and sisters understand that. Not all of them grew up in Buddhist homes. Some were raised by Christian parents. However, they knew they needed to trust in Jesus as savior and Lord to inherit everlasting life with Him.

We all have a testimony. I encourage you to write your story on a piece of paper or on your computer. Make sure you have the three different parts, and then share it with others. God will use your testimony to touch lives for Him.

In addition to the testimonies, we completed Lesson 2 today.

Click on this link for photos from Day 2 of our T4T seminar, https://tinyurl.com/ybet9jho

A young Myanmar man shares his testimony in the top photo.

Ken teaches T4T as Pastor Mang interprets.

T4T Seminar in Myanmar off to a Great Start

Pastor Mang interprets as I teach T4T in Myanmar. In the top photo, a young
woman answers questions during the teaching of Lesson 1.

A young man stood up and asked, “Are there special or elect people who are to carry out the Great Commission?” The  young Myanmar man’s question is a common one. Or, it’s at least a common question people ask themselves, but he was brave enough to ask. My answer was, the Great Commission is for all followers of Jesus. If you are a believer, a follower of Christ, then you are to carry out, live out, the Great Commission.

His question came as we started the first day of our Training For Trainers (T4T) Seminar here in Myanmar. It was a great first day as we completed Lesson 1 of the six lesson course with 60 people in attendance.. It’s a joy to teach T4T with my beautiful bride. Martha did a great job teaching today as she always does.

The president of Grace Theological College (GTC), Pastor Mang, interpreted for us. Not every English word translates into Burmese, but Pastor Mang did an incredible job translating and keeping the seminar going very smoothly.

Those in attendance were GTC students, former GTC students, and indigenous pastors and missionaries. They were very attentive and took notes and highlighted scripture in their Bibles as is required in T4T. I asked several times if what we were teaching made sense, and they said they understood.what we were teaching. When asked if they think they could start teaching T4T to someone, they said yes. Praise God! That’s the goal of T4T, to teach/train believers to become disciples of Jesus and to teach them how to train others. It’s all about making disciples who make disciples.

The students have some “Hiswork,”instead of. homework, to do tonight.  A very important part of carrying out the Great Commission is being able to tell your testimony, so tonight, they will write out their testimony and we will go over some of them tomorrow. 

Please continue to pray for us and the students. We believe a lot of fruit will come from this seminar like it did in India back in April.

Pastor Mang interprets for Martha as she teaches T4T.

A young man reads scripture during T4T seminar in Myanmar.

Precious orphans in Myanmar

We were blessed to present the orphans in Myanmar, who  Love In Action sponsors,
with beautiful handmade quilts. Thank you Linda West of Harvest Church-Dothan
for making these quilts.

Martha and I had the privilege of visiting the orphans today in Yangon, Myanmar, who Love In Action sponsors. Oh, they are so precious, smart and talented.

Pastor Siang and his wife already had two children of their own when they took in 11 orphans. Their hearts just went out to the children and they couldn’t stand the thought of the children growing up on the streets, so they took them in. When they did, Pastor Siang explained it all to me.  I told him Love In Action would help as much as we can. It hasn’t been easy, but we’ve been able to provide support. We still need individual sponsors, though. It’s only $30 a month to sponsor one child.

Imagine taking on the task of raising 13 children and providing for their needs. Our brothers and sisters in Yangon are not wealthy people. In fact, they are extremely poor. So, opening an orphanage was a big step of faith.

Martha and I thoroughly enjoyed today. The children sang several songs for us. One of them can be viewed on our YouTube page by clicking here, https://youtu.be/zJvUVogqyJQ

We are so impressed with the children and how Pastor Siang and his wife are taking care of them. It’s easy to see the children are well loved and know they are by how they act. There is laughter and joy in their voices and on their faces. They are very polite and help do chores around the house.

We are praying for more help in sponsoring the children. Just $30 a month is a very inexpensive investment in the life of an orphan. We are also praying to provide money to hire a helper. Could you imagine cooking, washing clothes and cleaning daily for 13 children? For only $65 a month we can hire a helper. That would be a huge blessing.

You can mail your tax-deductible donations to: Love In Action, PO Box 85, Dothan, AL 36302. You may also give securely via PayPal through our website, by clicking on this link, https://loveinactionministries.com/donate

Pastor Siang also asked us to help them come up with a name for the orphanage. Please help us pray for the right name, and if you have any suggestions please let us know.

We want to give a very special thank you to Linda West, who attends Harvest Church in Dothan, Alabama. God touched Linda’s heart to make each orphan a guilt. Such a beautiful gesture of love. The children loved the guilts, and they were perfect for them. They were so excited. We also want to say a special thank you to Jim and Keitha Lanley, who purchased to large totes for us to bring the quilts in from the US. It’s great what the Body of Christ can do when we work together.

We were also blessed to be able to give the orphanage a new HP laptop. This will be.a great tool in helping with the children’s education.

Please pray for these precious children, and please help us financially. God tells us in James 1:27, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction ...”

You can view more photos of these precious children on our Flickr site by clicking on this link, https://flickr.com/photos/74412547@N03/sets/72157698968001232

You can also view a video of the children singing, “Lord I Lift Your Name on High,” by clicking on this link, https://youtu.be/zJvUVogqyJQ

A Sweet Welcome to Myanmar

Our Myanmar family gave us a very sweet welcome

last night at the Yangon airport.

Martha and I arrived safely in Yangon, Myanmar, around 10 p.m. Myanmar Time last night. The welcome awaiting us made the 28-hour trip worth it. Our indigenous brothers and sisters were waiting for us with hugs, smiles, handshakes and flowers. Ah, it is so good to see our Myanmar family. It’s been too long, almost five years.

They took us to our hotel where we got a good night’s sleep. We’ve already gotten up and eaten breakfast. We will rest a little more this morning before getting started on the day. We like to rest up on our first day in Asia to recover from the trip and then hit it hard for the rest of our time here.

This afternoon we will visit the orphans we sponsor. We will spend time with them, pray over them, and present them with beautiful handmade quilts that Linda West from Harvest Church-Dothan made for them. We will also eat dinner with the children this evening.

The three-day seminar on “Making Disciples Who Make Disciples” will begin tomorrow morning.

We pray all of our family and friends back home rest well. Thank you all for your prayers. God bless you all more.

Traveling to share the Gospel to unreached people groups

Martha and I on our flight from Dothan to Atlanta. Then we flew to
Seoul, Korea, and then safely to Yangon, Myanmar.

When people hear that Martha and I are traveling to Asia for a mission trip, the top question is, “How long does it take to get there? When we say 20-something or 30-something hours, we often get looks of surprise, shock and even those, “you must be crazy looks.”

Some will say, “That’s way too long in an airplane.” Others quip, “God bless you” ... those are usually the ones with the, “you must be crazy” looks. Well, they are right. We are crazy ... crazy about Jesus. 

As I write this blog we are about 32,000 feet above Canada on a Korean Airlines flight to Seoul, Korea. Then we will fly about 6 hours to our destination, which is Yangon, Myanmar. In all, we will traveled for 27-plus hours.

These trips over to Asia aren’t bad at all. We’ve taken enough of them to the point that a 20-hour flight doesn’t seem that long. We’ve also learned how not to get jet lag. We get tired, though. We aren’t superhuman.

The sole reason for these trips is souls. There are billions of people in the 10/40 Window who have never heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The 10/40 Window is a rectangular area that spans across the Middle East and Asia. It’s the area where the majority of unreached people groups live.

Knowing there are billions of people living without hearing the Gospel greatly concerns us. That means billions of people will die and go to Hell. We can’t reach them all, but we can reach some. The Great Commission compels us to go.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 28:18-20, “All authority in Heaven and on Earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them all I have commanded you, and I am with you always to the end of the age.”

That is the Great Commission. It is a command from our Lord and Savior, and it’s for every follower of Jesus. Does that mean everyone needs to travel overseas to spread the Gospel. I wish everyone could. Many simply cannot physically take a 30-hour flight and then live in a Third World country, even if it’s for only two weeks. Others cannot commit that kind of time to take off work.

What people can do is help send others. There are some individuals who helped send Martha and me on this trip to Myanmar, and there are two churches - Harvest and Covenant - who helped us tremendously. We can’t say thank you enough. The souls saved on this trip will one day thank those who gave so we could go and tell them about Jesus.

It’s not just about traveling overseas to share the Gospel. We must do it in our hometown as well. In fact, everywhere we go we need to be sharing the Gospel and showing the love of Jesus to people. The Great Commission is a lifestyle, not an event or mission trip. Live it out. That’s the model Jesus gave us, and that’s how He expects us to live. Being a Christian isn’t just about saying a prayer. That’s only the beginning. It’s about living this life for Christ. That’s a big commitment and not something to take lightly.

As we have WiFi, I will give updates about our trip on this blog. Please pray for us, and please pray for those who will hear the Gospel and those we will train on discipleship.

Mayor's panel on homelessness a big success

Dothan Mayor Mark Saliba talks to the audience about why he called for a panel
to discuss homeless issues in Dothan, Alabama.

When the mayor of your city asks you and your friends and colleagues if you would be interested in conducting a panel discussion on homelessness in our city, there's only one way to respond. YES! Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

That's what happened when Dothan Mayor Mark Saliba asked us at a meeting of the Southeast Alabama Coalition for the Homeless meeting a couple of months ago. We were all thrilled and excitedly said yes.

Today, that panel discussion took place at the Wiregrass Museum of Art in downtown Dothan. A large crowd attended the discussion, and became even more educated on the many issues facing the homeless and the home insecure here in our home city. A number of people in the audience were people who represent ministries and organizations who work with the homeless and needy. In attendance were also city leaders, including Dothan City Manager Mike West, Dothan Police Chief Steve Parrish and Dothan Fire Chief Larry Williams and other city leaders and department heads.

I was honored to be one of the panel members, along with my friends David Duke, executive director of Wiregrass 2-1-1, David Jamison, executive director of Our Community, Inc., Kody Kirchhoff, executive director of The Harbor, and Jeff Peacock, executive director of The Ark.

We talked about a number of issues, including tent cities (yes, there's more than one ... many more, just smaller than the popular one.), housing crunch, lack of public transportation, mental health, generational poverty, ID needs, and more.

We shared examples of success stories, and particularly those in which several of our ministries worked together to help someone come off the streets. The unity between ministries and organizations is getting stronger and stronger, and that's what's needed. Working closely with The Ark and The Harbor is a blessing. Together, we can do much more to impact lives for the glory of God.

We made it clear that sharing Jesus with the homeless and those living in poverty is of the utmost importance, and No. 1 on our lists of priorities. If we don't share Jesus, first of all, we fail at fulfilling the Great Commission. Secondly, we are just wasting their time and ours. Jesus is the answer for life here and now and for eternity.

The unity that's being fostered is making a real difference. Unity is what Jesus expects from us. He didn't tell us to be divided. That's what Satan tries to do. Jesus tells us to be one as He and the Father are One (John 17:21).

David Duke shared some staggering statistics about homelessness in Dothan. Wiregrass 2-1-1 is a clearinghouse for resources for the homeless and needy. They have a huge database with contact information for each ministry and organization and information about what each one can help with.

Out of nine regional call centers in Alabama, the Wiregrass experienced the third highest volume in the state. Calls are up 15 percent over last fiscal year with 16,299 calls answered and 30,124 referrals provided for those calls.

They received 623 calls from the homeless in fiscal 2017 and that number increased to 697 in fiscal 2018, a 12 percent increase.

The top three needs of the homeless who called were housing (56 percent), food/meals (13 percent), and health care (7 percent).

All of these stats simply mean this, the homeless situation in Dothan is increasing, as is poverty. There are more than 600 homeless in Dothan and  more than 3,000 home insecure, which means people who do not have a permanent home. They "couch surf," sleeping on couches of family members and friends. They are constantly going from one couch to the next.

We have seen a tremendous increase in the homeless and people living in poverty here at Love In Action. We will end up serving 3,600 families with food, hygiene items and clothing by the end of the year. That's about a 40 percent increase over last year. We will have served close to 11,000 meals by the end of the year, which is nearly twice as many as last year.

Ministries like The Harbor and The Ark have also experienced tremendous increases throughout 2018.

We are all determined to continue giving the people Jesus and providing solutions to help end unwanted homelessness in Dothan. Together, through Jesus Christ, we will accomplish this goal.

Love In Action was well represented at today's Mayor Panel on Homelessness.
Martha Tuck, Pamela Johnson, and Dan Levy were in the audience with many
of our friends, including Barbi Nolan of Covenant United Methodist Church.