A few stories to share...

A few stories to share….

When you have a few stories and they all link, where do you start?  It’s not a fairy tale, it’s real life, so it is hard to find the start.  You all know we have a “bucket ministry”.  Our hearts have been with the people who are suffering for many reasons.  Maybe we can’t “walk a mile in their shoes”, but we can share some small part of that walk for you.

Like the older man, missing part of a leg, unable to work or do much, but has a desire to help his family, somehow. 

But wait…have to back up a bit here.  We are really thankful for those who also have a heart for this bucket ministry and try to help however they can.  Our buckets contain things like rice, spaghetti, corn meal, tomato paste, beans, oil, sugar, flour, oatmeal and soap, shampoo, lotion, but most importantly, Scriptures, a salvation coloring book and tracts.  This does help many families, a lot.  Then a family decided to help us even further with helping others.  They sent us a huge box of seeds. A wide variety of them.  But things that would help these families grow some food for the future.  (Thank you, Shirley, Sue and Mary!!)  Now the fun began, breaking these seed packet into small, tiny zip lock bags, to share with many families.  (Don has done a great job of doing that!)  THEN……on to the stories…..

We had Vero take these buckets, along with seeds, out to families in very difficult situations.  We would rather these families see their own people helping them, than depending on foreigners.  All praise and thanks go to the Lord for this, but then the poor can also be thankful for their own people helping them.  So, on to some of these stories.

When Vero and her evangelism group gave out buckets, the stories started.  Back to the older gentleman… when Vero showed him the seeds, he was rejoicing…he said he could plant and take care of a garden but had no way to get seeds.  He had a start to being an asset to his family, at last.  

Then there are the moms…who not only rejoiced in being able to feed their families, but now could teach the children how to plant and grow the food they need. 

   The young street boy, who had no where to sleep…Vero let him stay at her mission and gave him food and seeds…he was thrilled, not only to have a place to sleep, but to have something productive to do.  And maybe in the future, he could sell some of the things he grew.  

The older couples who can’t even get to the town, not only have food, but a way to grow some for the future.  

 So, the stories go on and on…. Such a small thing when we think of it, but such a HUGE thing when in situations these families are facing.  Yes, the buckets are a tremendous blessing for many, but the seeds are also adding to a future for them.  We are praising the Lord for the insight of a few gals in the US for thinking of those in dire straights in Haiti.  And praising the Lord for those in the US (like our grandson) who have a heart for our bucket ministry and want to help however they (or he) can!  So, the praises go on and the thanks go to not only those people, but to the Lord who supplies the needs and opens the hearts of His people.  THANK YOU LORD, and thanks to those He has used to help the needy here!