Most of you know that I have a strong burden on my shoulders to care for orphans. I truly believe that people, and societies, show their true character in how they treat the most vulnerable people around them. Orphans continue to be the most vulnerable (with the possible exception of the unborn, but that's another issue) people in our society.
My family moved to our current house in 2005. Our house was built in 1987, and still had the original A/C units. In 2007, my wife and I wisely decided that our A/C units were on borrowed time and we began to save money so that we could pay cash when the old A/C units flew south for the winter.
This summer, our upstairs unit finally died. So, the immediate assumption was that we take the money we saved, which was enough to get a whole new upstairs unit, and make ourselves comfortable all summer long.
The very day that I was going to call the A/C guy, I get an email from the director of the Catalyst Orphanage in India (for those of you that don't know, our church sponsors an orphanage in Dommeru, India that houses 42 orphans) asking for prayers for the children. A venomous snake had gotten into one of the rooms during the night and was actually curled up around the pillow of on of the boys. An adult happened to walk through, see the snake, and kill it before it hurt any of the children.
Needless to say, the children were terrified. I don't know about you, but I would be very hesitant to fall back asleep after seeing a snake curled around my pillow. Ravi, our orphanage director, simply asked for prayers so that the children would be safe and be able to go back to sleep without worrying.
I found out that the children were sleeping on the floor on little more than tarps. I also found out that when it rains, two of the rooms in the orphanage leak, and the children have to crowd into two rooms, laying side by side.
I asked Ravi how much beds would cost for the children. He told me, and sent me a picture of beds that he hoped he could get for the children to sleep in. These children had NEVER slept in a bed before, and by getting them up off the ground, they would be safer from insects and snakes that might endanger them.
My wife and I sat down and discussed this need. We had enough money to do either A/C for ourselves or beds for 42 children, but not both. So, we were faced with a dilemma- do we spend the money on ourselves to make ourselves more comfortable, or do we spend the money on orphan children to keep them safe?
Now, believe me, this has been a difficult decision. I hate hot weather. It gets hot upstairs in our house, sometimes 90-plus degrees. I hate falling asleep when it is hot. I like a nice, cool breeze flowing over me, and I like to sleep under the covers even in July and August. I don't think the temperature should ever get about 60 degrees . . . . EVER. The colder the better, in my opinion.
However, several thoughts ran through my mind. First, the Bible says, "Do to others as you would have them do to you." If I were an orphan sleeping on the floor, and I knew that a Christian man in America had the money to buy me a bed (we're not talking about an iPad or a video game console or designer jeans. We're talking about a BED), what would I hope he would do? I would certainly hope he would buy me a bed.
Second, Matthew 25 says that whatever we do for the "least of these"- the most vulnerable and helpless- we actually do for Jesus. I realized that it wasn't just 42 children sleeping on the ground, fearful of snakes- it was Jesus sleeping on the floor fearful of snakes. It was Jesus who, when it rains, went to sleep in a crowded room. It was Jesus who needed a bed. Has Jesus ever done anything for me? Oh, just a few things- created me, sustained me, provided me with everything I have, saved me from an eternity in hell, forgiven me, led me, guided me, blessed me with more than I could ever need. You know, little things like that. What could I do to help Him?
Third, I realized that God was giving me and my family an opportunity for adventure. Yes, an adventure. We would sacrifice this summer, and then in November, when we go over to India as a family, see the results of our sacrifice. My children will get to see 42 children sleeping safely in beds- beds made possible by their inconvenience and discomfort during the hot nights of a Kentucky summer. I will be overjoyed to see the children, who have never slept in a bed before, hopefully jumping up and down on the beds and going to bed safe at night.
That would bring me more joy than making myself comfortable all summer long. So, we chose to forego getting a new A/C unit and instead to send the money to get beds for the children. I can't wait to see the orphanage in November, and see the children. I know all the sweltering nights that are coming up will be more than worth it when we see the children this fall.
Even more beautiful, I have had so many people come up to me and offer to pay for our A/C unit themselves. Isn't the church wonderful? I've never seen a group of more wonderful, sacrificial, loving, earnest, forgiving, kind, and generous people. Although the offer is tempting, I had to decline, because I wanted my family to go on an adventure. I want my kids to be uncomfortable; I want them to know what it means to sacrifice, I want them to know that A/C is really not that big a deal. I want this journey to be one that we take together.
The sacrifice of this summer will make the reward in November that much sweeter. The cool thing about it? My wife and kids are completely on board. There's been no bellyaching or whining or complaining at all. They are entering the adventure willingly. I am so blessed to be able to write about it.
After we had made this decision, the Lord woke me up at 4 am one morning and called me to prayer. It was a beautiful time with God, and when I was done, I sent a text message to a friend of mine who is a strong believer in Christ. We pray for one another quite often, and I wanted to share the prayer request of the orphanage with him. He asked more about it, and I told him about our decision. He said, "I'll split it with you." At first, I said no. I wanted this to be a thing that my family and I did. However, in that moment, the Holy Spirit chided me, "Don't let pride enter the picture. Don't make this about you. This is about the children."
So, I agreed. It truly is amazing how the body of Christ works. God brings in people from different skin colors, cultures, languages, and geographical locations and makes us into a family with one purpose. My friend from New Jersey and my family from Kentucky are buying beds for orphans in India, simply because it's the will of God. There is nothing more amazing than the body of Christ. There is nothing better than His church. How beautiful and amazing His church is. And how beautiful is the adventure that God sends His children on. There's nothing better.
My family moved to our current house in 2005. Our house was built in 1987, and still had the original A/C units. In 2007, my wife and I wisely decided that our A/C units were on borrowed time and we began to save money so that we could pay cash when the old A/C units flew south for the winter.
This summer, our upstairs unit finally died. So, the immediate assumption was that we take the money we saved, which was enough to get a whole new upstairs unit, and make ourselves comfortable all summer long.
The very day that I was going to call the A/C guy, I get an email from the director of the Catalyst Orphanage in India (for those of you that don't know, our church sponsors an orphanage in Dommeru, India that houses 42 orphans) asking for prayers for the children. A venomous snake had gotten into one of the rooms during the night and was actually curled up around the pillow of on of the boys. An adult happened to walk through, see the snake, and kill it before it hurt any of the children.
Needless to say, the children were terrified. I don't know about you, but I would be very hesitant to fall back asleep after seeing a snake curled around my pillow. Ravi, our orphanage director, simply asked for prayers so that the children would be safe and be able to go back to sleep without worrying.
I found out that the children were sleeping on the floor on little more than tarps. I also found out that when it rains, two of the rooms in the orphanage leak, and the children have to crowd into two rooms, laying side by side.
I asked Ravi how much beds would cost for the children. He told me, and sent me a picture of beds that he hoped he could get for the children to sleep in. These children had NEVER slept in a bed before, and by getting them up off the ground, they would be safer from insects and snakes that might endanger them.
My wife and I sat down and discussed this need. We had enough money to do either A/C for ourselves or beds for 42 children, but not both. So, we were faced with a dilemma- do we spend the money on ourselves to make ourselves more comfortable, or do we spend the money on orphan children to keep them safe?
Now, believe me, this has been a difficult decision. I hate hot weather. It gets hot upstairs in our house, sometimes 90-plus degrees. I hate falling asleep when it is hot. I like a nice, cool breeze flowing over me, and I like to sleep under the covers even in July and August. I don't think the temperature should ever get about 60 degrees . . . . EVER. The colder the better, in my opinion.
However, several thoughts ran through my mind. First, the Bible says, "Do to others as you would have them do to you." If I were an orphan sleeping on the floor, and I knew that a Christian man in America had the money to buy me a bed (we're not talking about an iPad or a video game console or designer jeans. We're talking about a BED), what would I hope he would do? I would certainly hope he would buy me a bed.
Second, Matthew 25 says that whatever we do for the "least of these"- the most vulnerable and helpless- we actually do for Jesus. I realized that it wasn't just 42 children sleeping on the ground, fearful of snakes- it was Jesus sleeping on the floor fearful of snakes. It was Jesus who, when it rains, went to sleep in a crowded room. It was Jesus who needed a bed. Has Jesus ever done anything for me? Oh, just a few things- created me, sustained me, provided me with everything I have, saved me from an eternity in hell, forgiven me, led me, guided me, blessed me with more than I could ever need. You know, little things like that. What could I do to help Him?
Third, I realized that God was giving me and my family an opportunity for adventure. Yes, an adventure. We would sacrifice this summer, and then in November, when we go over to India as a family, see the results of our sacrifice. My children will get to see 42 children sleeping safely in beds- beds made possible by their inconvenience and discomfort during the hot nights of a Kentucky summer. I will be overjoyed to see the children, who have never slept in a bed before, hopefully jumping up and down on the beds and going to bed safe at night.
That would bring me more joy than making myself comfortable all summer long. So, we chose to forego getting a new A/C unit and instead to send the money to get beds for the children. I can't wait to see the orphanage in November, and see the children. I know all the sweltering nights that are coming up will be more than worth it when we see the children this fall.
Even more beautiful, I have had so many people come up to me and offer to pay for our A/C unit themselves. Isn't the church wonderful? I've never seen a group of more wonderful, sacrificial, loving, earnest, forgiving, kind, and generous people. Although the offer is tempting, I had to decline, because I wanted my family to go on an adventure. I want my kids to be uncomfortable; I want them to know what it means to sacrifice, I want them to know that A/C is really not that big a deal. I want this journey to be one that we take together.
The sacrifice of this summer will make the reward in November that much sweeter. The cool thing about it? My wife and kids are completely on board. There's been no bellyaching or whining or complaining at all. They are entering the adventure willingly. I am so blessed to be able to write about it.
After we had made this decision, the Lord woke me up at 4 am one morning and called me to prayer. It was a beautiful time with God, and when I was done, I sent a text message to a friend of mine who is a strong believer in Christ. We pray for one another quite often, and I wanted to share the prayer request of the orphanage with him. He asked more about it, and I told him about our decision. He said, "I'll split it with you." At first, I said no. I wanted this to be a thing that my family and I did. However, in that moment, the Holy Spirit chided me, "Don't let pride enter the picture. Don't make this about you. This is about the children."
So, I agreed. It truly is amazing how the body of Christ works. God brings in people from different skin colors, cultures, languages, and geographical locations and makes us into a family with one purpose. My friend from New Jersey and my family from Kentucky are buying beds for orphans in India, simply because it's the will of God. There is nothing more amazing than the body of Christ. There is nothing better than His church. How beautiful and amazing His church is. And how beautiful is the adventure that God sends His children on. There's nothing better.
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