Haiti supplies

In addition to the filters we've sent down to Hait so far, here are some of the supplies that we've purchased and sent down as well.  Looks like we'll have a team or two traveling down in the next two weeks. 

Haiti

Many have been calling in and asking about our response to Haiti.  We have sent supplies down for orphans with some contacts of ours and 5 cases of water filtration systems.  Enough to help about a village.  Amy left today to help with surgeries, and Vic Floener is on standby to go help with rescue work.  Curt, from CC Sarasota is on the ground and has been reporting.  Here is his latest email post:

Haiti has very little resources of its own, with its people being its biggest
asset. If we go in and build for them, cook for them, take care of them, all
we will do is put them out of work and create yet another “welfare” system,
dependant on the good ole USA. And these people want to do things for
themselves as most of them are hard working if given the chance.

As far as construction teams, get them the supplies, a couple of supervisors
and hire the locals, let them rebuild for themselves and help pump up their
economy! Most of what I saw will have to be completely bull dozed and
rebuilt. I’m no expert but I think they’ll have to evacuate everyone in PAP
and start over, the same with other areas that have been devastated like PAP.

What they need is supplies and we need the money to get the supplies to
them. It costs at least $1500 for one person to go in and stay for 7-10 days.
That money would be better put to use to purchase supplies for them and
allows us all to be better stewards of what God has given us.

If you plan on just going anyway, then consider the following: make sure
you have a plan, not a just go and see what happens. Haiti was an unsafe
place to visit before the quake, and it is only getting worse. You must team
up with a church/ministry that was already in place before the quake hit and
one that is a good steward of God’s things, you don’t want someone taking
what you do and using it for personal gain! You can only do a distribution for
two hours max and then you are mobbed and have to get out and then it is
unwise to go back to the same area over and over again as they figure that
out. Even the military is struggling with distribution and they have big guns!!

We will need people to go in and help. This will be a long term project. They
will need help both financially and physically for a long time. Due to the
number of people that can safely go in and be affective, think about splitting
your team up into several smaller teams. As many, many want to come in; it
will be easier if we all work together a couple from here and a couple from
there

Thoughts on Proverbs

I was talking with Andy Falleur at our bootcamp, and just like the year previously, he mentioned that reading through Proverbs was a part of his regular devotional time. So, since there are 31 days in a typical month and 31 proverbs, I thought I'd read one a day. Solomon, history's wisest man wrote them so I am hoping something will rub off.

I have some thoughts I thought I'd share for someone seeking truth. Maybe you ask: "How do I get faith ?" Proverbs 2 has a partial answer: In Proverbs 1:7 it says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge... By definition, wisdom is the correct application of available knowledge and the New Testament tells us in Romans 10 that faith comes by hearing, and hearing through the word of God. So, getting to know the Bible is such a wise step for a truth seeker! But, this doesn't happen by osmosis. Proverbs 2 lays it out:

1 My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, (It needs to be something valued to you, store up has the idea of treasuring)

2 turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, (it is something you need to pay attention to and observe, not casually try to take in. Then you need to APPLY it)

3 and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, (ask God for insight, especially when reading the Word)

4 and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, (pursue it as this is by far the greatest gift you could ever receive and has ETERNAL consequences... so you owe it to yourself to pursue it as treasure)

5 then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. (result- a guarantee that you will find the knowledge of God)

And the promises of someone who finds the knowledge of God are in Verse 7 and following

v7 -He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,

8 for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.

9 Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path. (you get right thinking, dysfunctional thinking is rooted out)

10 For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.

11 Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you.

12 Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse,

First night of the DOC

Tonight was the first night of the Downtown Outreach Center led by Gabe Graham. They will be meeting Friday nights at 7pm. If you are interested in serving, helping out, or inviting someone, contact Gabe or show up at 221 2nd ave. N in St. Pete.