Acts 6:1
New International Version
… their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.
As a child, one of my favorite activities was practicing pitching (although I was never a pitcher). One Christmas present that my dad bought for me at Sears and Roebucks was a pitching net. The net backstop would bounce the ball back into my glove if I hit the net’s target just right. I could literally pitch 8 hours a day. I just loved the fact that if I threw exactly right, the result would always be the same. The ball would be returned right to my glove. I found that I could hit the perfect spot consistently if I concentrated only on it.
The term ‘Pitching-In’ reminds me of my pitching net. People help us to throw what we have at the target and the results are clear and predictable. We don’t ask for much, only that we all aim at the same area on the target. Our target? Hope to the kids who have no hope. Healthy, happy kids that love God and one another.
How do so many people help us to hit our single target? Some people pray. Some people write letters of encouragement or post on social media. Some individuals, businesses, groups and churches donate money. Some come down and help. Some do all of the above. We thank everyone who has pitched-in to help us to help the children.
As I wrote this I was disappointed because I was hoping to be able to go to the states to work and get caught up on some of our ministry’s huge financial obligations that are strangling us right now. I was praying last night and I said to God, “If this job opportunity takes my eyes off of the target, please close this door. I know you will find another way to provide for these precious children here.” This morning, I was informed that the job was no longer available. I am happy knowing that God will provide. He always does. His eyes are on the sparrow, I know He is watching over us and our ministry here. He proves it day by day, step by step.
Did you know that God personally pitches-in as well to help us to hit our target? He does! Take Moses as one of the many examples in the Bible. God pitched in for 40 years giving Moses the best leadership schools and training in the world at that time, Pharaoh’s army. Then God trained Moses for 40 years in Desert Warfare School. (Moses was in the desert emotionally and physically, running for his life from Pharaoh. God pitched in 80 years of training into Moses’ life to prepare Moses to lead the Israelites through the wilderness.) God pitched in to help Moses with his lifelong purpose.
We get so much help from so many angles, that we know it is of the Lord. Everyone that helps is equally important. It is just as important to have someone serving the food as it is to have leaders. We need prayers as much as we need financial donations. I need letters of encouragement just as much as I need volunteers down here.
God wants all of us pitching in. He doesn’t need us, but He let’s us, and it is such an honor to be able to serve the least of these.
Thank you so much for being part of this team whose target is to give hope to the children who have no hope, to comfort them.
2 Corinthians 1:4
New International Version
who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
Dean Peters