Children in China Need You

Treasures in Agape House

 

Have you ever broken a bone?  

Or has one of your children broken a leg, an arm, or a wrist?   

If you haven't broken something, maybe you've had to walk on crutches 

for a torn muscle of a sprained ankle and discovered it was much harder than it looked!

More Treasures

Do you remember how difficult it was to get around?    

So many things we take for granted suddenly became great obstacles 

to everyday life.  

 I personally remember my crutch experiences. 

 I'm a bit of a wimp on crutches and was exhausted over the easiest of tasks.  

(I know maybe it's a man thing --- we like to whine!)

When Linny was in a wheelchair with her MS was flaring up, I would see everything with new eyes.  

"Questions came to mind:

"How do we get up those steps?"

"What in the world were  they thinking?"

"Why didn't they think people with disabilities when they built this building?"    

Imagine as a child that you had to face these obstacles every day of your life.   

Feel their emotions!   

Think their thoughts! 

See through there eyes! 

Then you will begin to discover how the precious children in Agape House 

feel every day of their lives.  

So Beautiful!

Our China Connection directors, Janet and  Kevin Bourke, have personally met, 

loved on and 

cared for the children at Agape House.  

Now they'd like to give back ramps to these children.   

Below is an article she wrote about Agape Family Life House.

Agape Family Life House (agapeflh.org) is a foster village in Langfang, China where children with Osteogenesis Imperfecta (Brittle Bone Disease) live and find love, stability, and nurturing. The mission statement of AFLH states they “believe everyone is special and ( they )strive to offer orphans with special needs a place to call home and family to call their own.” The wonderful folks who run Agape House want to help orphans in a tangible way, giving their children the opportunity to thrive through education, discipleship, and loving care. 

So many of the children who live at Agape Family Life House use wheel chairs, and the wheel chair ramps were slippery and dangerous to use. New ramps that have a gradual slope would be far easier for the children to use, enabling them to get up the ramp easier with less effort. New ramps would also have a different, less slick type of tile that would be much safer for the children. 

We would like to help build new ramps for the children. They need two ramps for a total of $2361.

Ramps like this one!

WE CAN DO THIS!

 WE MUST DO THIS!

As Christmas approaches we will all be giving gifts to those we love. Let's include a place in that giving for the children we love whom we will never meet. Love those who do not have a mom and dad, love the orphans who have such need. Simply mark your contribution in the donate box with a memo that says "China" and we will get that money to Agape House. If funds are raised over the amount needed it will go to the next place of greatest need. May God bless you as you give.

Together we can do this!
 Dwight & Linny Lee

The Man In The Mirror

One of my African sons, rescued from the streets now giving his life to the Orphans!

Men can we be brutally honest today?   

Can you be honest with the man in the mirror!  

Can you be honest with God?

But first, we must first lay down our defenses, our excuses, our lack of faith 

and be honest with the man in the mirror! 

What are we doing on behalf the children who have no one to call Dad, 

no place to live, & to often nothing to eat?

Why are we lagging behind the women hearing the call of God and the cry of the orphans? 

At least in America we have slipped into the notion that a good Christian man will provide for his family, protect his family and take them to church weekly.   Now while all of those are right and good, coming to the conclusion that this is the end of the story is completely false.

So my question becomes; is this the end of a man's responsibilities or simply the beginning?

Should you and I contend to live a more radical life than that celebrated by most of the Christian households in America?    Are we missing the exclamation point in our families?

We are compelled to ask, "how does the "normal American Christian" life 

stand up to this clarion call from the Bible.

He has showed you, O man, what is good. 
And what does the LORD require of you? 
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.   Micah 6:8

To act justly?  

To love mercy?

To walk humbly?

What does that even look like?

Where is it modeled?

How could you and I experience this type of inside - out, upside down type of living?

Whatever happened to the warrior within us men?

Whatever happened to the idea of manly sacrifice?

Whatever happened to acting justly and loving mercy for the "least of these"?

Whatever happened to the great commission being fleshed out by me and our family?

Many of the young adults I talk with these days want to see a real/ authentic Christian.  

Where are the examples?  Where are these modern hero's?

 They want to see their Dad's to be that person.  

They want to know Dad and other men will take risks for the Kingdom.  

If it's not worth dying for, it's not worth living for! 

They want to see Dad lead the family to "Go" to areas that others won't go. 

They want Dad to live a radical life for Christ and for His kingdom.  

Are you willing Dad?

One of the ways you can lead your family is to take them one by one, or as a family, 

on a mission trip.   

Get out of your comfort zone men.  

We were created to lead!  

Instead we have fallen way behind the front lines in the battle 

for the lives of children 

around the world.  

We have sent our woman to the front lines while funding the battle 

from the safety of our own castles.

Men stand up!  

Go to battle for children. 

The Orphans need you to be their voice.  

 Will you be a voice for the voiceless?

Don't wait for a movie star.  

Don't wait for the UN... please don't wait for the UN!

Don't wait for others to join you! LEAD!

GET UP - and start a movement of men who love God more than life.  

Your kids will see you as their hero, not some athlete, not some musician, not someone else!  

Simply you!  But you won't get there by sitting back!

To be fair, there are a number of men who are beginning to respond to the Orphan Crisis.   

They come from all walks of life... and they are leading their families into radical Christianity.

Dr. Craig French - a radical for the orphan!

Some men are leading their family to adopt another child.    But not enough!

Some are leading their families to pray for an Orphan.  But not enough!

Some are giving to feed or care for orphans.  But not enough!

Some are going to the orphans.  But not enough!

Not nearly enough to start a movement. 

SO

Let the movement begin with you!

Can you hear the rumbling?  

Is that you getting ready for battle on behalf of the Orphan?  

Welcome man of God to the front lines!   

Join the war to save the children without a Voice!

Take fair warning!  You will not find it promised anywhere that this will be an easy road.  

There is no mention of a prosperity gospel above. 

 Times will get tough, but God!  

He is always faithful!

There is no mention that you will not have to sacrifice.  You will!

To live a radical life for Christ always requires sacrifice. 

It also requires us to respond to God's call and the Orphan's cry!

Suit up!  Game on!  We are in it to win it!

He has showed you, O man, what is good. 
And what does the LORD require of you? 
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.   Micah 6:8

See you on the Front Lines!  Pastor Dwight