
Photos – Visiting FBI Church and Home Visits
stacey : January 23, 2013 3:42 pm : missions, Stacey Gagne, Staff Pages
- Photo by Brian Crow
- Photo by Brian Crow
STACEY GAGNE – Today was the day that we spent at the FBI Church, or Faith Bible International Church. WJTL has gotten to be a part of helping this church partner with Compassion as many of our listeners joined the Child Sponsorship Program in 2010.
What a difference a couple of years makes! When we were here in 2010 there was final construction taking place on the building that was newly built and dedicated. Now they have a huge thriving church with plans to build a school on the property in the near future. They also discussed plans to put cobblestone or some sort of pavers in the front entrance area where the kids play futball.
The church holds a weekly healing service on Wednesdays. It was sort of strange to be in a packed out church in the middle of the day on a weekday, however many of the people who were there have flexible jobs, no jobs, or are just so desperate for the Lord and healing that they were there. It was a powerful powerful service full of energetic worship and amazing encounters with the Lord. We saw God move in miraculous ways!!! They honored us as guests and invited us up onto the stage to share with the congregation. That was quite an honor.
We spent a good deal of time playing with the kids that were there at the church that were not in school for whatever reason. I blew bubbles with them, learned some playground games and danced with them.
Our afternoon was very special as we visited the homes of two little boys: Fitsum and Daniel. Fitsum lives with his father, sister and cousin. His mother passed away when he was only 1 year old and so his father has a lot of responsibility trying to make a living as a laborer and pay rent on his one room home. He repeatedly shared his thankfulness for Compassion and for our visit as he has very little camaraderie in his life. We were able to provide the family with several important items including rice, coffee, flour, pasta, oil, and tea.
Visiting little Daniel was special to me, as I am friends with his sponsor! I was able to represent her, bring the gifts that she had purchased for him and his mother and get to hear from his mom. He is blessed to have both parents in his life and they live in one of the nicer homes that I have visited… A two room home that even had a television. His mothers biggest prayer for her children is that they would thrive and grow up with hope and a future that she did not have when she was a child. She was gushing with thanks for Daniels sponsorship. That little boy is beaming and thriving. Praise God.
We wrapped up our day having dinner at an Ethiopian restaurant with traditional food and dance. It was a fun time to spend together as a team and enjoy the rich culture!
I will be posting another blog soon with lots of pictures. I’m thankful for another day well spent here in Addis Ababa hearing and sharing the good news of Jesus and how His love is being spread through the work of Compassion International!
STACEY GAGNE- I think these beautiful photos speak much louder than words.
STACEY GAGNE – Greetings from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia! Our team has had a very full and inspiring day today as we visited Ethiopia’s Compassion Office and the Sadamo Guenet Church project, also the home of Senait, the beautiful little girl that I have the pleasure of sponsoring.
We had the privilege of joining the Compassion staff with their morning devotions this morning. Not only did we receive encouragement as we worshiped with them, but they prayed for us. We spent time the Country Director Tsehaywota Taddesse. He truly shared his heart with us and shared the testimony of how God moved his heart for children. He shared how “God mobilizes the world for the heart of even just one child”.
It was eye opening to hear that there are 370 churches in partnership with Compassion in Ethiopia and many anxious to be added to that list! I love that Compassion has a heart to see local church bodies grow by way of families who become involved in the program and in turn become involved with the church body and learning about the love of Jesus.
This afternoon we headed out to Sedamo Guenet Church where we were greeted by the church staff, compassion site directors and families involved with the program. We were treated to a coffee ceremony, helped feed children their lunch and heard the testimony of several mothers who are a part of the Child Survival Program and have received Jesus as their Lord as a result of how they have been impacted. The CSP program is fairly new for this project, having been established in 2002. There are 36 children and 35 mothers currently involved. 183 children are registered to the Child Sponsorship program.
Our time with all of the children was very sweet; of course mine was focused on Senait and her mother Aberush. Oh how she has grown and looks so much healthier than she did in 2010! We played together, talked, sang, I had the opportunity to visit her home and present them with gifts. Mom, Aberush pulled out a special chest she had tucked away for her most special things and in it were the letters that I have sent to Senait. Wow. That brought me to tears. When it was time to say goodbye, there were many hugs and kisses as we walked out to our van. We were almost all loaded into the van and ready to close the door and Senait’s mom Aberush rushed back over to the van in tears and gave me one final long hug. Aberush and Senait live with the grandmother who pulled me aside earlier in the day to share how much her family has been impacted since Senait’s sponsorship. Though she is extremely young and shy, Aberush’s actions spoke that to me in volumes.
Child sponsorship matters. It impacts children, families and in turn communities and beyond. I welcome you to begin praying now about being involved in a families life and participating in WJTL’s 26 hours of Compassion February 20 -21. I also invite those of you who are current sponsors or even potential sponsors to pray about the opportunity to travel to Ethiopia in August with us to meet your child and get involved with a service project at the church where they receive their care. Our visits are a HUGE encouragement to them.
I hope that you are staying tuned to the live reports. You can also go back to listen to them at our wjtl casts page. More photos are coming soon and video will be edited and posted in the near future.
Serving with joy and delight here in Ethiopia!
Stacey Gagne
JOHN SHIRK – From Ephesians 3:17 and 18-And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.
His love is wide. Psalm 103:12 says, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”
His love is long. Isaiah 59:1 says, “Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save.” Jesus came the distance from heaven to earth to rescue us from the eternal consequences of our sin.
His love is high. Psalm 103:11 says, “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him.”
His love is deep. Micah 7:19 says, “You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.”
Each dimension of God’s love is a lesson of faith worth remembering.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
KRISTI LEIGH — Good morning! It’s beautiful to know that so many of you are singing songs of praise to God throughout our region this morning! The playlist is below. Please let me know if you have song questions or if you’d like me to add you to the Playlist Email Group.
Kristi Leigh – WJTL DJ
Kristi@WJTL.com
STACEY GAGNE – I am thrilled to invite you to tune in next week to follow along as I report live for WJTL from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with Compassion International. I’m looking forward to sharing my experiences with you!
Many listeners will remember that I took a trip to Africa on behalf of the station in the fall of 2010. The trip was life changing for me and also for the children and sponsors who were connected as a result of the trip and WJTL’s 26 Hours of Compassion Event we held upon my return. On this trip, we’ll be following up with the Faith Bible International Church Compassion project and also visiting the homes of some of the children being sponsored locally! I’ll also be visiting Senait, the beautiful little girl that I sponsor, and had the privilege of meeting on our last trip. Needless to say, I’m excited to bring some goodies to share with her and the kids at the projects that we visit.
Our team will also visit Ethiopia’s Compassion Office, meet some students in the Leadership Development program, and spend time at several other projects where I’ll get updates on Compasssion’s work there, where the needs are, and find out how WJTL listeners can get involved during our next 26 Hours of Compassion event February 20-21.
Join WJTL January 21 – 25 as I get a second chance at a once in a lifetime experience. I anticipate sharing many stories with you through live reports, blogs, videos and photos and more.
JOHN SHIRK – WJTL, remembers what the Bible says about Lot.
He lived in a civilization with much moral decay. Sodom and Gomorrah was about to be destroyed. Lot’s family was perhaps the only God-fearing family left. Second Peter 2:7 calls him a righteous man who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men.
Just before the destruction of these cities, Lot tried to appeal to the residents to stop with their evil intentions, but they would not listen to him. They said, “Get out of our way. This fellow came here as an alien and now he wants to play the judge!” They kept bringing pressure on Lot and moved forward to break down the door.
Sometimes, when we stand for what is right, the world will apply pressure for us to retreat. We might be falsely accused or belittled for what we believe to be true. In the face of mounting pressure, that is the time for our faith to shine brightly and stand firm in our witness for Christ. In climates of corruption, the world needs courageous voices who are willing to speak up for what is right in the eyes of the Lord, not with a spirit of condemnation, but with a heart of conviction.
Lot’s appeal for righteousness is a lesson of faith worth remembering.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – In Luke 17, Jesus told us to remember Lot’s wife. The reason that Jesus wants us to go back to the book of Genesis is so that we might take heed and learn from her fatal mistake. As Sodom and Gomorrah was being destroyed, members of Lot’s family were fleeing for safety. The angels urged them NOT to look back. Lot’s wife escaped the destruction of her city, but looked back and became a pillar of salt.
Was this just an innocent glance? It appears that there was more than just turning around to see the destruction of the city. It is quite possible that in her heart, she looked back with affection at her past, and was not willing to put it behind her. When Jesus talked about remembering Lot’s wife, he then said, “Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.”
One of the lessons of faith that we can learn from Lot’s wife is to leave the emptiness of our past behind, and not to think of returning. We can’t move forward in our faith with the Lord if our heart is longing to return to our past before we came to Christ. The Apostle Paul’s perspective was different than Lot’s wife. He said, “One thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
The downfall of Lot’s wife is a lesson of faith worth remembering.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – 2013 is a Year to Remember at WJTL. Since faith remembers God, we will reflect on matters of historical and Biblical significance so that we might learn from the past and grow in the faith.
Today WJTL remembers the Great Confession.
In Matthew 16, Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.”
Then Jesus asked them, “But what about you? Who do you say I am?”
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
This is what is known as the Great Confession, which acknowledges the title of Jesus as being the anointed one of God to be the Savior of the world. This confession also acknowledges the deity of Jesus as the Son of God. He was born, not from the seed of man, but by the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus responded to Peter’s confession by calling him blessed. We too will experience God’s blessing by acknowledging Jesus for who He is.
Peter’s Confession in Matthew 16 is a lesson of faith worth remembering.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com