Friday, January 7, 2011

2 Corinthians 9:10-12 & Feeding 37 Orphans

As we came to the end of 2010 we rejoiced that our personal support--the financial commitments we need to be able to live and minister in Cameroon--had been supplied by God. All total we are being financially supported by 4 churches and 21 individuals. What a praise to our Lord to know we are not alone in this work but actually have people and churches who are standing with us, behind us, and beside us as we move out of our house in just about 3 weeks, move to Texas, start the process of saying good by to friends and family, make one final trip to Cameroon (just me) to arrange for some kind of housing near the orphanage, start looking for cheap one-way tickets to Cameroon, arrange for the shipping of the very few household goods and personal items we are taking, and a host of other things that go into making a move to West Africa to oversee an orphanage with 37 kids.

Speaking of these 37 kids........did I mention that one of the other really big things left to do on our fairly long list of things to do is raise the financial support to feed and care for them. You see, right now they are being provided for through the generosity of the woman who started the orphanage several years ago. Her pension check is the mainstay of what is used to feed and care for all the children and small staff at the orphanage. But Grandma Grace is in a position where she can no longer continue with this ministry and thus there is a need to replace her means of supporting the orphanage.

We do not have a pension from which God will provided for the orphanage's needs and therefore must raise the needed support through other means. And while most of us have had to deal with the pressure of feeding and caring for our families can you imagine how daunting it is to think about raising between $1500 and $2000 more a month just to feed, clothe, and care for your newly acquired family of 37 kids? Believe me.....it is daunting and even downright scary at times. But God......is not perplexed, scared, or even mildly challenged by all this. And last night while reading through 2 Corinthians and wondering how all of this was going to happen God focused and then refocused my eyes on chapter 9 and verses 10-12. Here is what it says: "Now He Who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God."

I took this to mean that God will supply us with the finances necessary to liberally supply the needs for these 37 precious children and that as He does this His Name will be glorified as He receives the thanks and the praise for doing what appears to be impossible. Quite honestly, I don't know of any other way this huge task could be accomplished other than through trusting God to do something on our behalf--and in my mind--something great. And so...we actively wait upon the Lord to show Himself great on our behalf for the sake of orphans and ultimately the glory of His Name.

What a grand adventure God has given us to enjoy!