It's been said "a picture's worth a thousand words"; that was yesterday add the glut of text today and a good picture is worth thousands of words. A photo impacts you, I've had photos change my life.
How can I express compassion by text, I can't. Yet compassion for the poor is a root of our ministry. This photo shows a father passionately trying to communicate with his brain dead son! Indeed it's one thing to look at this and let it grip you; it's quite another to be there watching Bernardo begging for Tony's life. I stayed. I prayed, and after pressing some transportation money in his hand, I left.
Bernardo lives with the memory of his wife dying of cancer a month before, and now this unhealed wound. We helped Benardo with some food and medical expenses. Giving is one way we can show gratitude to God for His goodness to us.
Thanks to the many of you who pitched I and helped us afford Fernando Angel's hernia operation. (His mother, a very poor lady thanks us in tears.)
In the next few weeks we have to raise the money to send both David and Abraham, and their mothers, to Mexico City for what we hope will be their last surgery. Several specialists will do the surgery free if they are done in the big hospital in Mexico City. These boys just want to be normal, they are both incontinent. David has to stick a catheter through his abdomen three times a day ... often causing major infection! Not good! Jesus had compassion! Sacrificial compassion (Thanks for our Salvation!) His compassion is what drives us to help the helpless. Your compassion is what makes this help possible. (I might add my own money is part of that help too.)
Both of these boys could use your prayers along with the surgeons. We appreciate the break they are giving these boys. (By now the boys are good friends.)
Now remember the kids in our neighborhoods don't get money like our kids who live across the fence. A dollar to an American kid is nothing; a dollar to a boor barrio kid is everything. I'll admit, sometimes I do get weak with the dollar bills. For instance I've found that paying a dollar for a kids good grades is a gigantic motivator in our world. (Wrong motive? I'll agree! ... but it work Oh yes and I give a dollar for a child who had a birthday. Birthday celebrations are rare among the poor. A dollar for a tooth? I've done that for years!
Thank you for these photos Lucas.
Thank you for trusting our good judgement in helping the really needy! Over fifty years experience in navigating the land mines of "helping" the truly poor. Compassion in action.
In The love of Jesus, Pastor Von
