Our investments, like your own, have gone down the crapper. (Can you say crapper on a Jesus blog?)
I don't worry about it too much (the investments), because I'm really not convinced I'll be here to need that money.
(I'll save that topic for another day.)
There are investments I've been thinking more about lately, and those are of the eternal variety. We are warned not to store up our treasures on earth, but rather to:
..lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. (Matt. 6:20)
We're also not supposed to brag about it:
But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. (Matt 6:3)
Which is why I was hesitant to write about the things God has been growing in me. This morning a girlfriend blogged about something similar. Reading her blog, it was easy to see that she wasn't bragging at all; she was encouraging.
Therefore: consider the above a very long preamble to me, a) relating what God is doing is my life (the very purpose of this blog) and, b) encouraging you to think about eternal investments.
I was driving to a middle school soccer game and listening to a local Christian radio station. They were doing some kind of telethon for Food for the Poor, an international relief ministry that has been established in Haiti for more than 25 years. Because of the infrastructure it has in place in that country, Food for the Poor is able to do tremendous amounts of good for the Haitian people. One of their projects is to build cinder-block homes for those made homeless by the earthquake. I have to admit that I haven't given Haiti much thought since news coverage of the earthquake died down. Nevertheless, the story of a homeless widowed mother of five receiving her very own home--complete with windows and a locking door--brought me instantly to the kind of tears that make it dangerous to drive.
Sometimes I'm a dummy, but I know when God is moving me.
My husband, ever the planner, has been asking me for weeks to tell him what I want for my upcoming 40th birthday. I haven't answered, because I don't know. I spent some time dreaming of--knowing I can milk this one--a new road bike, an expensive piece of furniture, a fun trip. I couldn't decide, couldn't nail down one single thing from my ever-growing list of wants.
When I heard that story, though. I knew. For my 40th birthday, I want to give someone a house.
I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me. Matt. 25:40
wow. that is cool. do you know how much that will cost?
ReplyDeletean acquaintance of mine from here in SF is an architect. a good one, a principal at the best/most respected firm in SF. she recently moved to haiti for a year to build houses. to work with other architects who have moved there for the same reason.
i JUST looked at some of the houses on her FB page. it humbled me alot. i would probably not want to sleep in one of those in my backyard, and yet they are what many people dream and wish for.
http://www.facebook.com/bobbi.gaukel?ref=name#!/photo.php?pid=5078334&id=725913548&ref=fbx_album
not sure if you will be able to see, but try the link above.
you go girl.
$2,600 builds a family an earthquake-proof home.
ReplyDelete$160 covers the cost of the roof.
$335 provides a door, windows and hardware.
$1,050 pays for cinder blocks for one home.
huh. that is cheaper than the costs my friend outlined. not too bad for earth-quake proof :)
ReplyDelete:) I have wanted to be a part of something like that for as long as I can remember. I sat in Sunday School dreaming about hammering nails and building something for someone.
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ReplyDeleteKaren,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for blogging about our Homes For Haiti program! We really appreciate the support.
We're proud to say that Food For The Poor donors have helped us send more than $130 million in aid to Haiti and build more than 700 two-room homes there for families displaced by the earthquake. You're correct: Each of these homes costs $2,600 to build. Here's a picture of one we just built in Cap-Haitien:
http://bit.ly/9pNwlQ .
To learn more about the Homes For Haiti program, please visit www.foodforthepoor.org/radio/ .
Thanks again!
-Megan@FFP