Body of Christ

In our home we do lots of hosting simply to have time to chat and fellowship with other families and to do ministry planning.  Some would believe this means that our home is a home fit for entertaining with clean floors and streak free mirrors.  Ahem....well although I do attempt to have a home that fits this description it typically doesn't happen. 

So last week as I am preparing dinner for a family, I asked my son to put the vacuum cleaner away.  As I'm hurrying around the house to get some of the clutter cleaned up I walk into my pitch dark bedroom and my foot finds the spot that my son chose to put the vacuum cleaner.  My big toe was in ridiculous pain but I had to go on.  So with help from my daughter I pulled myself together and finished dinner.

The next morning my toe was turning all shades of blue and purple and I was limping like the Hunchback of Notre Dame.  I just kept thinking to myself how silly it was!  It was my TOE for Pete's sake!  A simple toe.

But then God brought to mind the body of Christ.  If such a small part of my body was affecting me so greatly, how important are all parts of the body of Christ?

Romans 12:3-8

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

It's easy to consider ourselves unimportant to have an excuse to be lazy, to stop serving.  But if we allow Satan to convince us that our area of service goes unnoticed not only are we neglecting the rest of the body, we are also missing out on our opportunity to use our gifts and further the kingdom of God.

Thankful, Sheryl

Word

Isaiah 55:9

As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Judy Ann

This week we are re-introducing a special young lady, Judy Ann.  I hope you enjoy reading about some of the experiences Cathi shared with Judy Ann during our trip.

Judy Ann is a sweet spirited 14 year old who loves to sing. She has the best smile and attitude of agreeableness. I loved talking to Judy Ann because she would always say “yes!” in such a way that made me smile.

One of my favorite memories of Judy Ann was one of the first nights we were at Wesley Home. Judy Ann and one of the other girls were washing our dinner dishes. They were singing worship songs and loving life. She loves so much to sing to Jesus, that she was on stage at almost every event we had with the kids, singing special music.

It was incredible to watch her have such a passion for singing to our God. One Sunday after church her and I and another one of the girls sat around and sang songs out of their song books until everyone else had left the chapel.

She is also quick to jump in and help with whatever needs to be done, whether it is her daily chores or helping a new member at Wesley learn their way around. To share one final memory of Judy Ann, one night while a group of us were hanging around in the kitchen, her and Rovi decided they wanted to play with my hair. They had fallen in love with my curly hair, since they never see anything but straight hair. The girls had so much fun running their fingers through it and braiding it. They even put my hair on their head and acted like it was their hair. They are so stinking cute!

God created a connection between Judy Ann and I that only He could have done. She is an incredible girl who is hungry to learn and understand more about Jesus. Since returning home, the social worker at WHY has stated that she reads the Bible left for her every single day.


~Cathi

cry out HIS name

Emily

This week we are spotlighting Emily, a beautiful young woman who has been at Wesley Home for Youth since the doors opened in January 2010. 

Today's post is from Bev, one of the July Mission Team members.   

Emily is like a little mom to all the kids at why. She leads them during worship and all other events.  The kids respect her and love her so much!

On Saturday while we were there she got hit by a Jeepney (a vehicle widely used there) on her way to school. She went to the hospital just for precautions. When she arrived home from school the kids ran to meet her at the gate to check on her.

Later while I was talking with her about the accident she looked at me and said " 'Ate Bev' (the word Ate is used as a term of respect)  I have been given a second chance from God and I want to use it to be close to him". As you can tell Emily is an intelligent young lady with a large heart for Jesus and others around her!

~Bev

Happy!

I feel so extremely, unbelievably beyond blessed in this moment! 

JOHN MARK IS AT WESLEY HOME TODAY!  He has just arrived to live in a safe environment where he can eat meals not found in the trash, he can sleep in his very own, very first bed in his life and most exciting - he can learn about Jesus!

John Mark was rescued in July, but because of rules with schooling he had to wait to officially move to WHY until he finished his grading period and did so today.  Now he is HOME!

John Mark will be properly introduced in a few days but I was so thrilled I couldn't wait to share the news!

If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!  Matthew 7:11

SUPER Thankful, Sheryl

Update from WHY

Hello friends!  Today I am sending an update/
request. 

The kids at WHY will be taking exams at the end of this week in all school subjects because they are at the end of a grading period.  Please remember them as you pray.

John Loyd

During our July mission trip Alex was paired with John Loyd.....  Here is what he had to share about this fun-loving little fellow.

John-Loyd is an eight year old boy who lives at the Wesley Home for Youth, and he is very interesting.  Loyd is well known to be very athletic and he has quite an interest in animals.

My very first morning at the orphanage, I was walking to the shower in the boy's room when I saw a young boy walking out. I hadn't met any of the children yet, so I got quite excited and sparked up a conversation. He seemed a bit shy at first, but managed to tell me that his name is John-Loyd. I had heard stories about the hyper rapscallion, but I didn't see the wild boy that everyone described.

We immediately became close friends having imaginary gun fights and catching Bob, their pet turkey, so that he could be the final straw on a weak bamboo bench.  The first time I actually saw some of the playful John-Loyd personality was later that first day when I was taking a picture of the orphanage and as I took the picture, John-Loyd jumped right into the shot flailing his arms. I have never met a human being that so much enjoys being photographed as he does. Half of the pictures in my camera are of John-Loyd.

When we took the kids to Boljoon, I quickly noticed that he was a very talented swimmer and he has a skill for catching sea creatures. He caught some things that I had never heard of or seen.  Dustin Gent told me that it was just so interesting to walk down the beach with John Loyd because of all the things you can learn from him.

When we were out in the ocean, I constantly heard, "Y-Alex!" and I knew that meant that Loyd wanted to climb my shoulders again. He climbed onto my shoulders repeatedly so he could jump off into the water, and when he wasn't jumping off of me, he was diving off of the steps that lead into the water. We all loved his word when he came out of the water after a successful dive, "YES!"

He is a little behind on his learning, so we did some renovating on the study room while we were there. This included a new white-board for teaching Loyd, and multiple books for the college students. Summer worked her fingers to the bone making him some flash cards out of index cards and everyone stayed busy with their odd-jobs around the house.

I am going to miss John-Loyd and I look forward to being able to hug on him and the rest of the kids again very soon. 

~Alex

Word

James
1:6-8

But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.