Sometimes we question if God loves us. But something profound happens when we reach beyond ourselves and choose to love someone else. In that moment of service we know and experience God’s powerful and intimate love for us. Striving to find love comes through showing love.
Category Archives: Social Justice
Follow The Example
Incarnational ministry is a fancy way of saying being present and in person. Joel Van Dyke and Kris Rocke break down Jesus as an example of being present. “If Jesus sends us as the Father sent him, exactly how did the Father send Jesus? The answer sings out from the beginning of the Gospel (of …
LOVE Your Neighbor
Dave Hillis writes this in his book, Playgrounds or Battlegrounds, “How we see and hope for our cities greatly affects how we behave in them, individually and collectively. We will argue that seeing our cities as God’s playgrounds, where we can see God’s redemptive Spirit already at work inviting us to join in and share …
Heart and Mind
“Having a heart for the poor is easy. Having a mind for the poor is the challenge.” -Michael Fairbanks- The heart gives you the compassion to do something the mind secures the actions needed.
Perception
Chad Johnson gives a powerful challenge about how we view the materially poor in Rethink Missions. He writes, “Mindsets and action are directly correlated. How we perceive a situation directly affects how we react. This is human nature. Whether we view people in poverty as weak, unimaginative, destitute, and uneducated or as smart, capable, innovative, …
Education
Education is a critical aspect of breaking the cycle of poverty. We are so thankful that God has allowed 11 students to continue their education this school year through For the Love scholarships. We are hopeful for additional growth and education for these families and students in the years to come.
A Place to Learn
The challenges of the Guatemala City garbage dump community are many, especially for students who are dedicated to working hard at school. There are not many places and spaces available for students to get help, be encouraged or just use a computer or table to complete an assignment. The tutoring center was developed out of a …
Purpose
Community development strategies reach beyond mere charity to engage people in solving the problems in their neighborhoods,” write Alexia Salvatierra and Peter Hetzel in Faith Rooted Organizing. This builds upon a development rather than a relief approach. Often a community can solve its problems, but that development can be blocked by a number of outside …
Thursdays of Love
Thursdays in Popabaj are known as Thursdays of Love. The women come together to create a delicious and nutritious meal for their children. They laugh and share their lives. The children come together to play and learn in preparation for elementary school. The older children come home from school to a healthy meal to nourish …
Process of Growth
“One of the biggest mistakes that North American churches make- by far- is in applying relief in situations in which development is the appropriate intervention.” Brian Fikkert and Steve Colbert Relief needs to be reserved for emergency short-term situations because if it is given in a long term chronic situation it stunts the growth and …
