Monday, October 10, 2011
You Gotta Read This Q & A Post!!!
Ok, so you really don't HAVE to read it. But I hope you will. It's gonna be short and sweet and to the point. I've never asked anyone for anything in order to do what I do down here in Jamaica. I am extremely blessed and my mission organization (www.acworldrelief.org) has supported my every need, along with my home church. Enjoy my internal Q and A sesssion, below.
Do I receive monetary support? Yes, I do receive a monthly stipend.
Am I worried about having enough? No, I am not.
Do I tell people how they can support our efforts to invest in souls in Jamaica? Only when they ask.
Should I be more pro-active about opening the door for those who want to help? Probably.
This is my "pro-active"...How can people contribute? Visit http://www.acworldrelief.org/donate-online/ and select "Servant Fund" in the drop down menu. Or, you can contact ACWR for a direct contribution at http://www.acworldrelief.org/information/
Please know this is simply an FYI for anyone who feels led to give and for those who have asked me. Now for the real reason for this post...there are people who need your $ more than me. I'd rather you give to them than to me if its an either / or decision.
Who needs your hard-earned greenbacks? People all over the world.
Are you giving? I'm sure most or all of you are.
Can you give more? Probably not without something else going from your life.
Does that mean self-sacrifice? Yes, that is correct. You might have to deny yourself some pleasure or comfort.
Am I the right person to be speaking on this subject? Far from it. I struggle daily to deny self and give to the needy people all around me, so much so that I don't want to give a few pennies to the young boy washing my car window at every stoplight in town or the co-worker who needs money for their children's lunch.
Does that let you off the hook? No, unfortunately Jesus said not to compare ourselves amongst ourselves, but rather to look to Him, the Auther and Finisher of our Faith who is our preeminent Example. He gave everything, and said he didn't even have a nest or a foxhole to lay his head in.
What else did our Example say? Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Also, it is better to give than to receive.
Ok, the short part of "short and sweet" is slipping. Maybe the sweet has gone too. My apologies. I'm rambling. So getting to it...
Who needs your help? Her name is Semaj Barrett.
Did I know that if you invert her name, it is James? Yes, I did and I tease her often about it.
Did her mother know that? Yes she did. Her mother actually had hoped for a boy and decided on James, and when she was born she couldn't part with the name, therefore she is Semaj.
Who is Semaj? She is a student here at CCCD and I have become very close with her. Not long after I moved to Jamaica I "adopted" her and referred to her as my little sister, but this became more of a reality after her brother was tragically murdered in the summer of 2010 and I was given the opportunity to be one of the people walking beside her through the storm. She was able to be with Tashi and I and our families during our wedding weekend, which was really special as everyone got to know her better and she was able to feel a part of our extended family.
What is unique about Semaj? She is a natural born leader. Others do not persuade her to a great extent, neither does culture. She is persuaded by her faith and the Word of God, and she believes God has called her to a life of ministry to the Deaf.
Does she have a dream? Yes, she does. First, she dreams of her family knowing Christ and having a relationship with Him. Beyond that, she dreams of becoming a missionary to the Deaf, and her first goal is to further her education and training at Harvest Deaf Bible College in Ringgold, Georgia.
What steps has she taken to realize her dream? Last week her and I worked together to fill out her college application. It will be sent in this week and the college has already conditionally accepted her. HDBC has a long relationship with the Deaf of Jamaica, as the Deaf Pastor here in Jamaica (who had the prayer at our wedding, Damian Campbell) is a graduate of HDBC. Several others from CCCD have gone there or are currently students there. Her hope is to start in the Spring '12 semester, so that means 3 months from now!
How much does she need? Her total for the first semester is just under $4,000 and that includes tuition, room and board. It does not include books.
That isn't very much, is it? No, I certainly don't think so.
If 40 people gave $100, she would be good to go, right? Yes, my Purdue Accountant degree says correct...roughly.
Or 100 people could give $40, right? Yep, correct again. You are good.
Or 400 people could give $10, right? Wow, you are blowing me away!
Or 4,000 could give.....ok, enough. Grab a calculator!!
Considering this is such an important aspect of sustainable ministry (training and equipping those to whom you are ministering to carry on the work as indigenous leaders) and it is so little, do you want to give!?!?! Fantastic, music to my ears!
So how do you give? Ummm, would you believe it...I haven't even thought that far ahead :o! I just felt compelled to right this just now and I don't even have a plan. But I will figure that out and get back to you.
What do you do in the meantime of the "soon come Jamaica time"? Just email me (blakewidmer@gmail.com) or comment on this with your preferred method of contact. I will get in touch with you and keep you posted and informed on the plan.
There is a vision for ministry to the Deaf in Jamaica. It's a vision where the Deaf are also the leaders, the teachers, the disciplers, the mentors, along with whoever else God brings into the mix. Paul said it quite well, to the Gentiles he became as a Gentile, and to the Jews he became as a Jew, that he might by all means save some. And that is what we are doing, by all means sharing in the joy of the gospel. But trust me when I say, it is extremely difficult for me to become Jamaican, and just as challenging for me to become Deaf. God is calling a generation of Deaf Jamaicans to be the Pauls of their community. Semaj wants to be a Paul, but she's already a jameS!
James 4:13-17
Come now, you who say,"Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit"— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say,"If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that." As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
We don't know what will happen...In all things, we commit it to the Lord, saying "Lord willing, Semaj will have this opportunity to go to college and become trained and equipped to minister to her fellow man." It will take members of the body to do the right thing and help Semaj and support God's work in Jamaica!
Do I receive monetary support? Yes, I do receive a monthly stipend.
Am I worried about having enough? No, I am not.
Do I tell people how they can support our efforts to invest in souls in Jamaica? Only when they ask.
Should I be more pro-active about opening the door for those who want to help? Probably.
This is my "pro-active"...How can people contribute? Visit http://www.acworldrelief.org/donate-online/ and select "Servant Fund" in the drop down menu. Or, you can contact ACWR for a direct contribution at http://www.acworldrelief.org/information/
Please know this is simply an FYI for anyone who feels led to give and for those who have asked me. Now for the real reason for this post...there are people who need your $ more than me. I'd rather you give to them than to me if its an either / or decision.
Who needs your hard-earned greenbacks? People all over the world.
Are you giving? I'm sure most or all of you are.
Can you give more? Probably not without something else going from your life.
Does that mean self-sacrifice? Yes, that is correct. You might have to deny yourself some pleasure or comfort.
Am I the right person to be speaking on this subject? Far from it. I struggle daily to deny self and give to the needy people all around me, so much so that I don't want to give a few pennies to the young boy washing my car window at every stoplight in town or the co-worker who needs money for their children's lunch.
Does that let you off the hook? No, unfortunately Jesus said not to compare ourselves amongst ourselves, but rather to look to Him, the Auther and Finisher of our Faith who is our preeminent Example. He gave everything, and said he didn't even have a nest or a foxhole to lay his head in.
What else did our Example say? Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Also, it is better to give than to receive.
Ok, the short part of "short and sweet" is slipping. Maybe the sweet has gone too. My apologies. I'm rambling. So getting to it...
Who needs your help? Her name is Semaj Barrett.
Andreen, Semaj and Chantelle
Did her mother know that? Yes she did. Her mother actually had hoped for a boy and decided on James, and when she was born she couldn't part with the name, therefore she is Semaj.
Who is Semaj? She is a student here at CCCD and I have become very close with her. Not long after I moved to Jamaica I "adopted" her and referred to her as my little sister, but this became more of a reality after her brother was tragically murdered in the summer of 2010 and I was given the opportunity to be one of the people walking beside her through the storm. She was able to be with Tashi and I and our families during our wedding weekend, which was really special as everyone got to know her better and she was able to feel a part of our extended family.
What is unique about Semaj? She is a natural born leader. Others do not persuade her to a great extent, neither does culture. She is persuaded by her faith and the Word of God, and she believes God has called her to a life of ministry to the Deaf.
Does she have a dream? Yes, she does. First, she dreams of her family knowing Christ and having a relationship with Him. Beyond that, she dreams of becoming a missionary to the Deaf, and her first goal is to further her education and training at Harvest Deaf Bible College in Ringgold, Georgia.
What steps has she taken to realize her dream? Last week her and I worked together to fill out her college application. It will be sent in this week and the college has already conditionally accepted her. HDBC has a long relationship with the Deaf of Jamaica, as the Deaf Pastor here in Jamaica (who had the prayer at our wedding, Damian Campbell) is a graduate of HDBC. Several others from CCCD have gone there or are currently students there. Her hope is to start in the Spring '12 semester, so that means 3 months from now!
How much does she need? Her total for the first semester is just under $4,000 and that includes tuition, room and board. It does not include books.
That isn't very much, is it? No, I certainly don't think so.
If 40 people gave $100, she would be good to go, right? Yes, my Purdue Accountant degree says correct...roughly.
Or 100 people could give $40, right? Yep, correct again. You are good.
Or 400 people could give $10, right? Wow, you are blowing me away!
Or 4,000 could give.....ok, enough. Grab a calculator!!
Considering this is such an important aspect of sustainable ministry (training and equipping those to whom you are ministering to carry on the work as indigenous leaders) and it is so little, do you want to give!?!?! Fantastic, music to my ears!
So how do you give? Ummm, would you believe it...I haven't even thought that far ahead :o! I just felt compelled to right this just now and I don't even have a plan. But I will figure that out and get back to you.
What do you do in the meantime of the "soon come Jamaica time"? Just email me (blakewidmer@gmail.com) or comment on this with your preferred method of contact. I will get in touch with you and keep you posted and informed on the plan.
There is a vision for ministry to the Deaf in Jamaica. It's a vision where the Deaf are also the leaders, the teachers, the disciplers, the mentors, along with whoever else God brings into the mix. Paul said it quite well, to the Gentiles he became as a Gentile, and to the Jews he became as a Jew, that he might by all means save some. And that is what we are doing, by all means sharing in the joy of the gospel. But trust me when I say, it is extremely difficult for me to become Jamaican, and just as challenging for me to become Deaf. God is calling a generation of Deaf Jamaicans to be the Pauls of their community. Semaj wants to be a Paul, but she's already a jameS!
James 4:13-17
Come now, you who say,"Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit"— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say,"If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that." As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
We don't know what will happen...In all things, we commit it to the Lord, saying "Lord willing, Semaj will have this opportunity to go to college and become trained and equipped to minister to her fellow man." It will take members of the body to do the right thing and help Semaj and support God's work in Jamaica!
# posted by Blake @ 11:57 AM 
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