Category: 2012 Posts

Posted on in 2012 Posts

Can You Help My Friends in Need?

Today, I need to talk about a serious need of a dear friend on the other side of the globe from me and most of you.  If you read my book, you will know that twelve years ago, my daughter Jamie, along with three others and me, traveled to India to visit a ministry called, Peace Mission in southern India.  We weren’t there long when we had literally fallen in love with the administrator of the ministry, Pastor Roy Jacob.  As we were getting to know him, Pastor Roy told us of his life before he accepted the Lord.  In his testimony, he shared that he was much older when he did finally accept the Lord into his heart and began to follow his calling to ministry. He has devoted his new life in Christ to serving wherever he sees a need.  Since meeting him those twelve years ago, we have been able to visit with him yearly as he comes to Ohio.  He attended Jamie’s high school graduation and even said the opening prayer at Jim and my wedding.  He is a dear man to my entire family.

Over the years, Pastor Roy has planted ten churches in two states which he continues to oversee.  He also began and oversees an orphanage that has seen over 200 kids since 1993—mostly all girls–pass through.  By pass through, I mean be well taken care of, taught about Jesus and most of them put through some form of higher education so that when they leave the home, they are not on the streets as with some children homes.  In fact, they don’t leave the home until they have a career or a husband that will support them.  Many who have come through the home are now nurses, teachers and even engineers.  Currently, Peace Mission India rents two buildings that house thirty-eight girls.  Most of the girls in the home are rescued from the tribal areas where they either abandon or kill their girl babies.

In addition, when the tsunamis hit several years back, Pastor Roy was there to help clean up and founded a new ministry supporting the Hindu and Muslim widows as a result of them losing their husbands to the storm.  There, he raised funds to buy each one of them their own sewing machine and held classes to teach them to sew so they could make a living even without their husbands.  As a result, many of the widows have accepted Christ along the way.  He also helped provide them a place to live as well.

Pastor Roy travels throughout southern India to the various ministries overseeing them on a weekly basis.  Often, he will be gone from his family for long periods of time as he comes to America to tell others about what he is doing while asking for financial support.  He is a man on a mission.  In fact, he is probably the most Godly man I can say I have ever known.  I don’t care how he spent his first forty years in life as a rebel-rouser.  What I see is the new man God created him to be, serving others and living selflessly for those in need.  Although there are plans to pass the ministry on to his son when he is gone, Pastor Roy is still going strong at over eighty years of age doing the Lord’s work.  He is quite an inspiration to many who know him.  The children call him, Appa, which means, Daddy.

We are so fortunate to live in America where we can serve God freely on most accounts.  Many times, in this one ministry alone, they have had to rebuild their churches they built due to others burning them down in protest.  They have often been fearful for the retribution upon each individual that turns from their family religion to follow Christ.  It is a huge risk to live as a true Christian in India.  Now, it appears that not only is the government and society making church ministry hard in India, but now have begun to attack the orphanage ministry as well.

By the end of this year or beginning of next, Pastor Roy will no longer be able to rent the buildings he currently rents for the use of the orphanage.  Apparently, they have laid down new laws for orphanages, and renting the properties where the children are housed is no longer in compliance with the new regulations.  Pastor Roy has donated some land he personally owns to house the new orphanage, but now is faced with raising $40-50,000 to build a new home for his children.  If it is not rectified, they will most certainly be evicted from the rentals at some future date which is currently unknown at this time.

My heart grieves for him and the children. These children he and the other caretakers love as their own family will be faced to figure out where they will live and if a new building isn’t found or built, I don’t know what will happen.  In this month’s newsletter, Pastor Roy put out the plea to help him raise the necessary funds in order to keep a roof over the heads of those currently there as well as for future children who will be coming to Peace Mission in the years ahead.

The thing I love about Pastor Roy’s ministries is that he doesn’t just take care of these children and widows no one wants to be bothered with; but he also teaches them to be self-sufficient and make a way in society.  He is doing so much in an area of the world that might otherwise only have prostitution and the like as a means for these unwanted women to make a way.  It’s unbelievable to me that their government wouldn’t welcome this kind of help in their communities.  Peace Mission is not just a business…it is a family that takes care of its own until they no longer need help.

In the days ahead, please pray for Pastor Roy, Peace Mission India, and for those whose hearts need to be moved to help them find a way to overcome yet another hurdle for the mission.  Perhaps you might be led to have a love offering at church on their behalf, hold a garage sale or do another fundraiser to help out.  This is a big challenge in the life of Peace Mission India and will take all of us working together to overcome the obstacles ahead.  Please also help by posting this story on every Facebook page and even forwarding it to your email contacts.   You never know who might want to help.  There is so much good happening in this ministry that I have personally witnessed first-hand.  I trust that God will have yet another victory through faithful people like you and I who are praying and acting on that which God asks us to do.

Checks can be written to “Peace Mission India” and mailed to Kim Vanskee, 253 Parkway Ave, Cincinnati, OH  45216.  She will make sure you are mailed a receipt for your donation and will get the money into Pastor Roy’s account.  Please mark on the check “Building Fund, Lori’s Blog” so that we know where the funds should be appointed.  Thank you for listening to something that personally makes my heart very heavy.  I just wish I had the money and could write them the check for what they need.  It’s hard to see my friends going through tough times, especially when it seems so senseless.  If you decide to have a fund raiser for the cause, please share so that perhaps those of us nearby can jump in and help!  In the meantime, thanks for your prayers, efforts to spread the word, and perhaps even your donations.  God bless you all!

James 1:27(NKJV)  Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

James 1:12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

2Corinthians 4:8-9  We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—

Posted on in 2012 Posts

Lucy’s Pictorial Journey

Just in case you love nature like me, I thought I’d give you a bird’s eye view of Lucy’s morning.

Lucy has been gathering large clumps of grass and stuff all morning.
She positioned each new clump very meticulously around the bottom of the nest.
Then she used her entire body to help form the inside of the nest.
Now that's what you call putting everything you've got into it!
This woman means business! She's not messing around.
Stay tuned for more adventures of Lucy!

 

Posted on in 2012 Posts

It Is Time to Get Our Nests, I Mean Houses In Order!

I apologize for my total fascination with my new feathered friends as of late.  I prayed to have trees again with the nature that comes along with it and God has certainly blessed me with exactly that!  When we bought our home recently, there seemed to be a problem with the gas fireplace.  It’s not our top priority right now though since it isn’t going to be used for several months. There are so many things more important than it right now that need our attention.  That being said, we noticed some twigs from an old bird nest in the outside vent of the fireplace, but we didn’t bother to clean it out yet.  It would require a large ladder and seems more like a fall project as we prepare for winter again.

Now I am very excited we left it alone.  Just outside my office window, I have the privilege of watching a mother robin prepare her nest for her babies soon to come.  I feel like she and I are getting to know each other as she watches every move I make as I am watching her.  I think I’m going to name her Lucy, just because.  Lucy has been extremely busy this morning as she must know her brood is soon to arrive.  She’s making me tired just watching her.  You can see her determination to making sure it is just right and her persistence in getting the job done on time.

Sometimes I wish I were more like her.  Lucy’s a hard-worker who knows the importance of being prepared.  There is a true urgency about everything she does.  She is a woman on a mission.  She sees her purpose and she’s going for it.  Nothing is going to stop her from the task she has been called to do.  Wow, that’s what I want to be when I grow up, don’t you?

As we reflect on this, let me ask this simple question.  “Is your nest in order?”  None of us is guaranteed tomorrow.  We all have a job to do here and chances are most of us even know what that is or have some idea at least.  Have we been diligent like this little robin in doing our part to prepare for the days ahead?  What’s God laid on your heart this week?  Are you thinking you’ll just do it tomorrow?  It is kind of windy and rainy out there today if you live near me.  It would be more fun on a sunnier day.

If Lucy had that mentality, her babies may not survive when they are born. If we have that mentality, our loved ones may never see heaven. The one mission I can see clearly is to make sure my house is in order for the day when Jesus comes to take us all home.  I’m not talking about my house in a physical way like Lucy’s.  I’m thinking God won’t care if my house is clean or dirty.  He is more concerned about what I did to prepare my spiritual house for His return. I pray diligently for my loved ones; and even though I fail at times, I try to live my life as a good example to them.  I am burdened to have each one know God initimately and desire to serve Him while here on earth.  It is my heart’s desire to have all of my family and loved ones in heaven with me some day.

On a lighter note,  I had to giggle when I was reading about the behaviors of robins.  It said that even after they are out of the nest for some time, the children still follow their parents around hoping for a free worm here and there.  See!  We’re not really all that different from Lucy and her gang after all!  So, yes, it is true.  We really do have a lot in common with Lucy.  I hope you set your minds on your spiritual homes this week modeling some of Lucy’s dedication and tenacity while taking the time to pray for those you love.  If God has asked you to do something, don’t delay!  Getter dun!  Don’t let the enemy lead you to believe that your actions are insignificant.  What you do for the Kingdom of God matters–big or small.  Even when you feel as though you can’t make a difference…don’t give up!  The tasks God gives us each week are His exact plans for us.  If we follow in His way, blessings will abound, here and for eternity.  If not in this life, I sure hope to see YOU someday in heaven!  Have a blessed and productive week for Him!

Matthew 24:36-44 (NKJV) But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.  But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.