Tuesday, October 17, 2006

The AIDS pandemic, and one little ministry that's battling it

One of the main goals of this blog is connect us. Unless we are connected, we will be useless Christians.

Yesterday, a friend sent me a prayer letter from friends of hers who are getting their hands dirty in a South Africa AIDS ministry. This prayer letter is powerful. It is made up of photographs with convicting captions. I have copied an excerpt below, but would encourage you to check out the Word document prayer letter yourself here.

Children are mostly left to their own devices from 4 am when their mothers go to the farms where they are employed to weed and work the fields. Some are too small to walk, and simply wait till their mothers return in the afternoons. This child was filthy, hungry, and in such distress that we took her to the doctor immediately. He confirmed that she had been eating sand, and hence the distended stomach.

Join me in prayer. Lord, we pray for this couple Keith and Angela McLaren, and their daughter, in South Africa. Thank you for their willingness to fight in the war effort, specifically among AIDS victims. Lord, we commit these people, particularly the AIDS mothers and orphans, to you. We also commit the little girl in this photo to you. May she grow up to become a woman of God who loves you and is a channel of your love to others. Father, give the McLarens wisdom and a continuous refilling of love from you. Give them the resources and tools and help they need. At the same time, continue to connect us with needs like this; and may we ourselves become more active. We know that the more you give us--including with knowledge of needs like this--the more you will expect of us. Give us a wake-up call. In Jesus' name. Amen.

(If you want to give financially to this ministry, email me, and I'll connect you with the McLarens. Thanks.)
ar TORONTO, CANADA | 2023+

APRIL


MAY

27 Sat (1) 11am Commencement speaker at R. University, (2) ~3pm+ time w/ V/AR+
29 Mon (1) 9:30am VT prayer, (2) 3pm mtg DerCh - Mississauga
30 Tue (1) 10am ph call (AA), (2) 5:30pm video mtg (IsTan), (3) 8pm neighbourhood prayer mtg

JUNE
1 Thu (1) 11:30am Zoom mtg (LM), (2) 4pm mtg (VS,KBr)
2 Fri (1) 10:30am ph call (PVDW; SL w/ boys; ~J working)
3 Sat SL w/ boys and MG
5 Mon (1) 9:30am VT prayer mtg, (2) 2pm Europe call, (3) 4pm mtg/walk (YM)
6 Tue 7:30pm worship night
9 Fri ~J's b'day
10 Sat North Bay trip
13 Tue ~J school trip w/ ~Co | (text BD)
14 Thu 11am mtg (DAy) - Unionville
16 Fri (1) 9am video med appt, (2) 15-km run (Prayer Journey "warm-up")
17 Sat Prayer Journey (my own: 50km GTA bike-ride) and GTA after-party
29 ... July 7 Thu-Fri poss. holiday in Arkansas

JULY
... 7 Thu-Fri poss. holiday in Arkansas
~8-17 SA+ in Toronto; P/H Bell likely visiting too
17-21 Mon-Fri Kids Kapers camp
24 Mon 2:45pm med. appt
26 Wed (1) 3pm Zoom mtg (SMa,SB), (2) 7pm ~J speaking at Greenhouse/Zoe - UofT downtown
27 Thu 10am video MVT board mtg
31 Mon 3:05pm med. appt
July/Aug CCWM board mtg / AGM

AUGUST
6-12 Sun-Fri Cottage w/ O/DN+ and UB/AC - Windermere; plus Muskoka
19 Sat poss. ~J fam beach day - Brighton area
25-29 Fri-Tue MoveIn staff retreat - southern Ontario

2023+
Sep 21 Thu - MVT board mtg
Sep 23 Sat poss. date of GV memorial
Sep 24 Sun ~Ch's b'day
Sep ~26-28 Poss. time in Lushnjë, Albania
Sep 29 - Oct 6 MoveIn Europe Conference+ - Durrës, Albania
Oct 21 Sat poss./unlikely date of GV memorial
Oct 21-27 Dollar-a-Day week
Early Nov Poss. fundraising event - Niagara
Nov-Jan Poss. time in India - Goa; Philippines - Manila+; Indonesia - Jakarta/Bali; LA/San Diego