Giving it all to God

Today in church I had a good reminder to STOP and pray!

The church I am attending asked the congregation to show up morning, noon, and night this week to pray and on Friday to fast for the direction of the next year. It’s encouraging to see churches taking prayer seriously, and such a reminder to ME to be giving everything to God in prayer.

At Giving Children Hope, we also take prayer seriously. We don’t require donors, volunteers and those we serve to be Christians, but we are Christians and we do what we do because Jesus told us to feed the poor and care for the sick. And from 9:30 -10 AM every morning we pray for our shipments and our partners around the world. We know that getting medicines into places like Myanmar is difficult, and WE can’t do it. So we ask God to provide a way when we see no way.

Sometimes I’m overwhelmed in my work here at Giving Children Hope. Requests for assistance of product come up simultaneously like when a cyclone in Myanmar happens at the same time as an earthquake in China. Or a hurricane hits several places just after several other disasters. I wonder, how can I send out another request for financial help when I sent out one last week? Aren’t people tired of hearing from me asking me for their help? And yet, if we can help, we know we must help. We know that when disasters happen children around the world are at a higher risk to being kidnapped into slavery. We know that medicines arriving in time save lives. And, after all, isn’t this our job? And when we serve those in the field who are under dire circumstances, that their favor in the community they have been working in is greatly increased.

However, it can lead to a feeling of responsibility to care for the entire world, a burden I can’t bear and one that as an organization we simply cannot bear. But when you get emails like I received yesterday, it’s hard to sleep at night unless you know you are going to do something. It’s the times like this that I am most reminded that the work that we do is really the work that God does. I can’t do it and we cannot provide on our own. It’s at these times that I must do as I was instructed in church today, STOP and pray. God will provide for all of our needs.

So this week, as we work on the up-coming community development projects, the continued relief to Iraq, relief to Georgia and relief to New Orleans and Haiti, I’m stopping and praying for God to provide the necessary resources. I know how much I care. And He cares infinitely more than me. I’m so glad that God is at the head of our organization and I pray that I do better at giving it all to God.

Gulf Coast Relief

So, working in disaster relief can be exhausting and you realize just how many man-made and natural disasters there are in the world. However, it can also be exciting. Exciting in the way that you have the ability to meet some real tangible needs of individuals.

Today I spoke on the phone to our friends at the Dream Center in New Orleans.

When Katrina hit the Dream Center did not exist. The New Orleans Dream center comes from the communities need to be prepared. These guys are awesome building a place for the community in the center of downtown.

I was informed that most people have not returned, they are one of a few at the moment. However, they expect people to begin returning tomorrow and through the weekend. The power is out in most places and people left in a rush when the evacuation notice left. Some had time to collect medicines and important belongings, but some scrambled to get themselves out.

They were pleased that they are so much more prepared then they were just three years ago. The building fared well and even though most don't have power, the Dream Center is up and running. Actually, they are opening up a relief center to assist the many who left in a hurry.

They sent over a needs list to Giving Children Hope and we are working to send them what they need to meet the basic needs of Gulf Coast residents.

Like I said, disaster relief can be an amazing place to work when you have the ability to talk to leaders like Doreen who have the hard work of caring for many who are displaced.

When you join with Giving Children Hope, you join with leaders like Doreen from the New Orleans Dream Center.