Saturday, November 27, 2010

World Vision


World Vision is a Christian relief, development and advocacy organization working to create lasting change in the lives of children, families and communities living in poverty. World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender.

World Vision operates in 98 countries, supporting more than 100 million people, including 3.4 million sponsored children and over 800,000 orphans and vulnerable children.

World Vision, serving Indonesia for 50 years, currently exists in more than 700 villages nationwide, from Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam to Papua provinces.
In Indonesia, currently around two million people receive benefit from World Vision's programs, including 90,000 sponsored children. Some 6,000 of them are supported by Indonesian community through our partner, Wahana Visi Indonesia.

The well-being of children is always the main focus of World Vision works. In partnership with Wahana Visi Indonesia, World Vision has tried to improve the well-being of Indonesian children. The child sponsorship approach has always been our way to link donors to the children and community that need their support. The sponsor makes commitment to contribute to the integrated community development programs that benefit the child, the child's family, and the community.

Sponsorship is a one-to-one relationship between a sponsor and a sponsored child. Sponsors correspond with their sponsored children, receive regular reports on their progress, and even visit the child and his/her family and community. The sponsorship link helps sponsors understand what life is like for struggling families.

Sponsorship provides resources which go into a program, usually 10-15 years in length, designed in collaboration with community leaders and representatives to address key needs in the community.
Programs are child-focused and also benefit non-sponsored children and families. Education, healthcare, nutrition and clean water are the immediate priorities of many sponsorship projects. Community organization, agriculture, and other income generation undertakings are other ways we work to help families and communities become more self-reliant.

Change A LIFE. Sponsor A CHILD!
Call +6221-3907818 NOW!

Visit us at World Visions Indonesia.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Storms... Bring Out Eagles


When the “storms of life”
Gather darkly ahead,
I think of these wonderful words
I once read…

And I say to myself,
As threatening clouds hover,
“Don’t fold up your wings
And run for cover.”

But, like the eagle,
Spread wide your wings
And soar far above
The troubles life brings.

For the eagle knows
That the higher he flies,
The more tranquil and brighter
Become the skies.

And there is nothing in life
We were ever asked to bear
That we can’t soar above
On the wings of prayer.

And in looking back over
The storm you passed through,
You’ll find you gained strength
And new courage, too.

For in facing life’s storms
With an eagle’s wings,
You can fly far above
Earth’s small, petty things.



- Helen Steiner Rice -

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Our Weakness, Our Strength


"Never show a sign of weakness in the heat of combat!"

When these words came out of the lips of Gemini Kanon, I realized that the author, Masami Kurumada, was quoting Miyamoto Musashi, the greatest samurai ever walked on earth. Typically Japanese code of honor!

But the implication it holds is far from being solely Japanese.
Weakness is an inevitable trait of man. We are, after all, frail creatures with undeniable shortcomings and tendency to be broken apart under unbearable pressure.
Even saints have weaknesses!

Open the Bible anywhere and pick any character, and you'll find they're always marred by weakness:

- Abraham was crowned the father of faith, but he feared the Egyptians and so lied about his wife, Sarah.
- David could dispatch entire Philistines troops, but could not control his lust over a woman.
- Samuel was a perfect judge, priest, and prophet, but he failed in shaping up his sons into God-fearing men.
-Elijah prayed and fire came scorching down from heaven, but when faced to the words of Queen Jezebel, he fled and asked God to take his life instead.
- Peter was very courageous, but he faltered and denied the Lord at the question of a maidservant.
- Paul was flawless in all his ministries, but he was tormented by a thorn in his flesh that he couldn't rid.
- James was a man of integrity and great apostle, but he became so after the Lord appeared to him post-resurrection, not beforehand.

But what does the Bible say about the flaws of God's holy people?

"Weakness was turned to strength" (Hebrews 11:34)!

How come?

Because God's power "is made perfect in (our) weakness" (II Corinthians 12:9).

It is only when we acknowledge our weaknesses and cast them on the feet of the Lord, He will work through us and in us, to beam His radiant glory within us, making us the vessel of His strength.
Therefore, for us, weak earthlings, the power that's so overwhelming, that enables us to perform whatever task we might bear, comes not from our fragile ability, but from God who strengthens us.
That is why we can say together with Paul, in confidence:

"I can do everything through Him who gives me strength" (Philippians 4:13).

In the midst of tribulation, through the storm of life, in the heat of combat, how unwise it is for us to give in to our weakness!
Rather, as we realize our flaws and weaknesses, let us remember that these weak points are God's means to exhibit His ultimate power within us. And so, give it all up to Him!
Let Him turn our weakness into strength!
Then, we will come out victorius, for the glory of His name!
Amen.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Never Despair


Two hobbits were out on a perilous journey, with an extremely great task to fulfill. The world was crumpling down, malice was spreading in the land, and the power of the darkest evil was taking over. There wasn't much hope left to the Middle-Earthlings, and even on the side of mankind, darkness had begun to creep in and steal away the light of conscious mind.
And so, Frodo despaired.
But there was a rough, gardener's hand that patted him on the shoulder. Sam gazed into Frodo's tearful eyes and gave him these simple words of encouragement, "There's still some good left in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it's worth fighting for."

We stand on a wretched land in our days, struck by disasters, one after another.
Tsunamis come and go, taking thousands of lives as they sweep over the islands. Earthquakes and avalanches massacre our people and turn our land into burial ground. Volcano eruptions kill hundreds of people and leave the rest living in refugee camps. Everywhere we hear cries of pain and see heavily-grieving faces.
And, as if it weren't enough, we find corruption and over-indulging luxury being treasured and concealed with political shroud among the elites.

Gazing at the misery of our people, would it be wrong if I despair?
Yet, even so, there's a small voice within me, that whispers these soothing words, "There's still some good left in this world, Love. And it's worth fighting for."
As I glance upon the faces of my sleeping children, I discreetly know it's true.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Mary, Did You Know?


Mary, did you know,

That your baby boy would someday walk on water?

Mary, did you know,

That your baby boy will save our sons and daughters?

Did you know,That your baby boy has come to make you new?

And this child that you delivered

Will soon deliver you?

Oh, Mary, did you know?



Mary ,did you know,

That your baby boy would give sight to a blind man?

Mary, did you know,

That your baby boy would calm the storm with His hand?

Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?

And when you kiss your little baby,

You have kissed the face of God?

Oh, Mary, did you know?



The blind will see, the deaf will hear, the dead will live again!

The lame will leap, the dumb will speak the praises of the Lamb!



Mary, did you know,

That your baby boy is Lord of all creation?

Mary, did you know,

That your baby boy would one day rule the nations?

Did you know

That your baby boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?

And this sleeping child you're holding

Is the great "I AM."





[Mark Lowery]