12/10 - Putting the "Part" in "Partnership"

Sometimes it is good to remember that there are places that are not here. That there are other lives besides our own that are important and valuable to God. That not everyone lives where we live and not everyone has the same blessings we do. I wish that I could sit with each of you over a steaming cup coffee (or hot chocolate, if you rather) and introduce you to some of the people who are working on behalf of Forgotten Voices in Africa. There is a special passion and admiration that I have for our local partners that is impossible for me to express in the finite space of this blog. If only we could spend some time together, I'm confident that I could tell you - and that you could see - the difference Forgotten Voices is making in the lives of people who live far from you and I.

I absolutely love to receive emails from our partners on the front lines in Africa. Their words seem to drip with palpable expectancy and trust in God. They are a people who give their first and greatest efforts to loving God with every ounce of their being and to loving vulnerable children as if they were their own sons and daughters. I want to share an email I recently received from Pierre and his wife Rentia, who provide agricultural training, food, and love to many orphans in rural Zimbabwe. I have chosen to include a portion of Pierre's update regarding his work in its original form:

"With the ministry everything is well and God is blessing me and Rentia. I'm sure the prayer backing we got is contributing a lot. So, thank you for yours and others that is praying for us. With the Zimbabwean people things are really tuff and very difficult. The economic situation and shortage of food, more specific maize meal, is causing many deaths and unknown hunger amongst the people. We realize that it is for this specific time that God send us here, as we provide food, clothes and help to people and children that would have nothing if God had not provide for them through us. Complete strangers connect with us and provide what is needed to us to help the people with. We feeding 350 orphans, three times a week now. I've just complete the handing out of seed and fertilizer today to 90 families. This year 50 families will plant a quarter of a hectare, that will give them one and a half to two tons of maize. This while there is no seed and fertilizer available in the country, or just to expensive to buy. The Lord have blessed me through Forgotten Voices last year with enough money, so I've bought enough fertilizer for last year and this year. A stranger from South Africa heard about us through a new friend we met last year only, connect with us and gave us money to buy seed for this year. It was even a bigger miracle getting it into the country as it is not allowed at this stage. God is just amazing!!"

When I read a letter like this from one of partners, I cannot help but thank God for their amazing work. Moreover, I am overcome with a desire to help support their efforts to be God's hands and feet in a place that is desperate for the love of a Savior. One picture accompanying this post is of Rentia, Pierre's wife, providing an young orphaned girl with a pair of glorious pink sandals. Never have pink sandals so clearly demonstrated the amazing love of God! I encourage you today to take a moment and support the work Forgotten Voices is doing through local projects administered by local people. The work of our partners is literally turning the world upside down. Please consider becoming a partner this Advent season by sharing your resources with a child who needs your voice. I am ever thankful for those supporters of Forgotten Voices who have done their part to enable the work of our partners. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

With awe and blessings,

Jesse

P.S. Please consider leaving a comment on the blog about something you have done to support the work of Forgotten Voices. We love to hear your voice!