JOHN SHIRK – In First Samuel 22, verse 3, David made this statement to the king of Moab: “Would you let my father and mother come and stay with you until I learn what God will do for me?”

David was anointed to be the next king of Israel, but was on the run from the current king who was seeking to take his life.  David makes provisions for his parents to stay with one of King Saul’s adversaries. David also affirms that God has a plan for his life.  He just does not know how God will work out that plan for him, but he believes that one day God will reveal it to him as he trusts God with each step.  God has a plan for our lives to be His workmanship while we live on the earth.  We don’t know where the Lord will take us 20 years from now.   By faith, we might not see the future clearly, but we can trust in the One who does see our future clearly, and loves us sincerely. We can go forward with the confidence that He works out His redemptive purposes in the lives of those who follow Him.  We might not become a famous king, but by His grace, we can live a life that brings honor to the name of Jesus, the King of Kings.

That’s today’s Mission Statement for representing Jesus in the world today.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

STACEY GAGNE –  I had the opportunity to live the dream of Compassion child sponsors everywhere by meeting the little girl that I am sponsoring.  Nothing could have prepared me for it.  We were all sitting in the office hearing from the site director when she was brought in.  As soon as they pointed out that I was “the one’… she came right over beside me and leaned up on me.  All day we held hands.  We toured the site together, played bubbles, jump rope, talked about ourselves through an interpreter (though she started out very shy… just like her mom).   She’s very kind… there were 3 lollipops in her goodie bag that I gave her and she gave 2 away immediately.  That is the way it is here, though… when you have, you share…

Senait’s mother is only 22 and she is 7, so she was a very young mom.  Her father is not in the picture.  I know that this support is going to be crucial for her as she grows up and am so excited and honored to be able to be a part of the life of this beautiful beautiful family.

Saying goodbye was very difficult.  VERY difficult.  You’ll see evidence of that in the video that was taken once that is posted… but I am happy to know that she is being taken care of despite the circumstances she lives in.   I am anxious to see/read updates as she receives more assistance, clothing, food, education, and love from the people there.  I look forward to the day that she can write to me and tell me what she is learning and I hope to find out that she and her mom decide to follow Jesus.

I’m sure I’ll have more to share as I continue to process this life changing day and week.

STACEY GAGNE

Yesterday my new friends  John Owens, Steve Sunshine and Joe Paulo from North and South Carolina treated their listeners to live broadcasts from Ethiopia including the opportunity for some sponsors to meet their sponsored children via Skype.  In fact, Steve Sunshine and his family were included in that group… Steve is here with us and got to meet 2 of his sponsored children yesterday.  I had the opportunity to help hang out with the children and hand out gifts while they were doing their broadcast.  What an emotional and special time.  The children came carrying the letters/photos and trinkets they had received over the years to show their sponsors that they still had them.  They came with either a relative or representative from their Compassion project and everyone who was there expressed such intense gratitude.  Thank you Compassion International and it’s sponsors for making moments like these possible for these families!

ANN D’ALESSANDRO –

Monday, October 11th Bill Mallonee from the late Vigilantes of Love will be playing a show at The Mill Coffeehouse in Lititz at 7:30PM.  Bill is an amazing singer/songwriter who wears his heart on his sleeve and shares that through his music. Paste Music Magazine, in a poll conducted by both writers and artists, listed Bill Mallonee as 65 in their “100 Greatest Living Songwriters Poll.”
(Tickets will be available at the door)

http://www.billmallonee.net/
(Also on Facebook – “Bill Mallonee Show”)

Ann D’Alessandro – Hope to see you at the show!!!

ann@wjtl.com

Bill Mallonee

STACEY GAGNE – Today has been a very full day… and I have a full heart as a result!  This morning we visited the Yeka Meker Church Child Development Center ET-280.  It’s held at a Church of God church.  One thing I’ve learned about Compassion (that I probably should have known prior to this as a current sponsor) is how much they partner with the church.  The church is actually crucial because it houses the centers and for the most part staffs it with volunteers.  We spent a lot of time with Ketsela Seyachew, the Project Director who we called PK.   His heart for the children was so evident.  He is not only the Project Director for Compassion but the youth pastor for the church as well.

One thing that stood out about this church before we even pulled in through the gate was that it was a fence away from a huge Muslim mosque.  Rather than it being something of concern or frustration, they see it as a blessing because many Muslims choose to send their children to Compassion because of the needs that can be met… but the children then receive the Word of God!  Awesome!  When we did our home visits for this site, one of the groups had the opportunity to visit a Muslim home.  This home for 6 people was a 4×8 foot space… MAYBE a sheet of plywood could fit in there.  The folks who visited there got to hear about how their child is doing with Compassion, present the family with some gifts of oil, popcorn, sugar, soap and other items and most importantly… pray.  Wow.  What an opportunity.

At the home my group visited it was a child named Messai with his mother and grandmother.  There home was larger than some I have seen on this trip so far… but the tin roof leaks and it’s still a very small space.  There was a rooster living in the bedroom that was making some background music for us, too.  🙂

I have so many memories from today of time spent with the children playing, singing, blowing bubbles and just loving.   This only brings us half way through the day.  I will update you soon about our amazing evening with the students from the Leadership Development Program.  INSPIRING for sure.

Stacey M. Gagne

Experiencing Compassion in Ethiopia

JOHN SHIRK – The Apostle Paul had a desire to be home in heaven with the Lord, but while he remained on the earth, he also celebrated the opportunity to represent the Lord.

He said in Philippians 1:21, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”  When he died, he knew he was getting a promotion in the form of a new body that was made to last in the presence of the Lord he loved. Yet, he knew that God had placed him on the earth for an important mission, and he would continue that mission with faithful service to build the church and bring souls into God’s kingdom.

Hans Moetteli has gone the way of the Apostle Paul.  He died this year on May 31^st.  Before he died, his life counted for God. He was a volunteer, taking calls for the NEED HIM ministry.  During his nine years as a volunteer, he spoke with over 14,000 people about their relationship with Jesus Christ.  He was known for offering this advice, “Make Jesus number one in your life.”  That is essential for living a life that counts for God.

That’s today’s Mission Statement for representing Jesus in the world today.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

Being here in Ethiopia with Compassion is truly opening up my eyes to so much.  Even with having participated in so many child sponsorship events and sponsoring a child myself, you’d think I’d be able to say that I understood what they are doing all over the world, but this trip is bringing it all into reality for me.

Some elements of Compassion’s approach to child development include being Christ Centered, Child focused, church based, and commited to integrity.  I honestly saw each of these things walked out today.

Christ Centered:  the children are learning about Jesus.  Families are learning about Jesus.   At the schools the children were singing songs about the Lord that they have learned along with valuable scripture and Bible lessons.   At the home visits,  I witnessed one mother share her faith that revolves around Jesus dying for her on the cross…and that his sacrifice gives her hope.   She was once a prostitute selling alcohol on the streets.   In another home where the family did not have true faith in Jesus, the Compassion International staff person with us took every opportunity to share Jesus with this woman that was possible.   We also had the chance to pray with her and her children.

Child Focused: We saw children receiving so much care and attention from the staff and volunteers.   The ministry at each center was to the children spiritually, physically, socially, and economically.  Children are cared for at these sites!  The care for their health needs, basic needs, skill sets, and need for love are all evident.

Church based:  We visited sites at both a Lutheran and a Pentecostal church.  The volunteers from the church give so much of themselves to these children.

Committed to Integrity: Records are kept meticulously.  We were able to look at specific childrens files and see the details of their involvement in the program from the beginning.

In our daily journeys I have seen so many children on the streets that would benefit from the ministry of Compassion.  There is an obvious difference in the light of hope and joy on the faces of the kids within the program vs the children begging on the street… even though they are all coming from the same neighborhoods and,  for the most part,  levels of poverty.  The love that comes from Jesus is being made manifest and that is what makes the difference.

I pray that my experiences here that I’m relaying back to you will lead to your deeper understanding of what is being done for these children.   There is such opportunity for many more children and in turn entire families coming to the knowledge of Jesus and receiving the loving care available to them through this ministry.   May we each listen to hear where God is telling us to lend a hand and get involved.   This ministry is a great place to start.

Stacey Gagne

Experiencing Compassion in Ethiopia

KRISTI LEIGH — You know that song “Indescribable?” Well, Laura Story wrote the lyrics for it on a bank deposit slip one day when she was driving. She also started out in music playing piano and the stand up string bass as a ten year old. She’s down-to-earth and funny–and she’s going to be a wonderful part of the National Worship Leaders Conference next week! She did an interview today on the radio– listen to it here. Laura and her husband Martin have worshiped through cancer, too–and that’s a tough thing to do. Check out Laura Story’s Story in this video! (I’ll warn you ahead of time, it’s a bit of a tear jerker!)

Kristi@WJTL.com

The VeggieTales are coming to the WJTL listening area for the VeggieTales Live “Sing Yourself Silly” Tour at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Thursday, October 14th! (Click here for the concert details.) With all the excitement about the show, we thought we would add in a fun contest to help warm you up to sing yourself silly! So, we’re giving away the VeggieTales DVD library! It includes 30 DVDs! To win it, we want to see all you kids singing yourself silly to a VeggieTales song. It could be a silly song, a sing-a-long song, the theme song, any VeggieTales song!

Here’s how to enter:

-Moms, Dads, Aunts, Uncles, Grandmas, Grandpas, school teachers or Sunday school teachers: film a short video of your kids (12 years of age or younger) singing a VeggieTales song and send it to WJTL! It could be just the chorus of the song or the whole song–the maximum is one entire song in the video (and only one entry per household). The kids may sing along with the VeggieTales movies or music or may sing a solo.  (You may even film them while they’re watching VeggieTales if you hear them singing along and catch it on film for a few seconds!)

-Send the video to WJTL by emailing the video (or a link to the video if it’s posted online) to Contest@WJTL.com. If attaching your video to the email, .MOV, .AVI., .MP4., or .WMV files are preferred. Include the names and ages of the kids in the video along with the following information from the adult who is entering them: the adult’s name, address, email address, phone number and relationship to the children. (Entries may also be mailed to WJTL, VeggieTales Contest, P.O. Box 1614, Lancaster, PA 17608)

-The deadline to enter is noon on Thursday, October 14th. (Mailed entries must be received by that time, so them in advance!) The winner will be announced on air at 3:05 p.m. by Kristi Leigh.

-See WJTL’s Contest Policy here.

-Comments on this blog will not count toward the contest.