Hey Friend,
I realized today, yet again, that I truly don't "get" it all. Lying there as still as I could, my body slid into the long narrow tube. Thankfully, my head remained sticking out, or otherwise they would have had to have given me valium to put me all the way in. I know this because I've been there. I'm very claustrophobic.
I glanced up and caught the name SIEMENS as my focal point. The giant donut I was in was clacking out all sorts of loud, cosmic, Star Wars type sounds. Not very calming to the soul.
The kind radiology technician asked me what kind of music I would like to listen to since the cosmic cacophony would grow louder over the next fifteen minutes or so. I chose Christian music. While the noised clattered on around me, I breathed in the words of the songs I was listening to. Some were new to me, but one was an older song by Building 429. Fitting to my situation, it's called "Press On".
As I look ahead to a very probable third surgery in less than three years, I confess... I don't understand. As I lay there, the lyrics rose up from my soul as a sort of prayer to God. I'd like to share them with you because they really resonated with me...
I am a mess; I am a wrecking ball
I must confess that I still don't get it all
Lord, I believe that all Your words are true
Doesn't matter where I'm going
If I'm going with You
I press on
I press on
I press on
When I still don't get it all
Life goes on...
All I need I will find in You
I am a mess. I don't understand why? I'm tired of pain. But I can raise the banner that says, "I have received the greatest gift of all...the gift of salvation!"
I claim the Lord's promise:
My grace is sufficient for you,
for My power is made perfect in weakness.
(2 Corinthians 12:9)
I do know one thing, and that is that I would love for some very poor, destitute, orphaned, and forgotten children in Pakistan to be able to raise that same banner. I want them to have the gift of salvation! My scars will heal, but theirs may not unless we help.
I also want them to have one of the few things that will give them a possible leg up and out of the terrible pit they are in, and that is the gift of an education. Their life right now is hard labor, or roaming the evil streets because they cannot afford an education.
Their future is more of the same or possibly being sold into slavery or snatched to be a sex slave. It's a future that none of us can even begin to fathom for our children. But, these are our children because they are God's children. Many times in the Bible God commands us to provide a refuge for the widows and the orphans. He calls us not to turn a blind eye to the least of these.
I am asking you, pleading with you, to consider sponsoring one of these children for one year at Redeemer Christian School.
Just $10/month will get them off the streets, out of harms way, and more than anything, give them the love of Jesus and the hope of an education and a future. You can pay in installments over the year.
If a full year is too much...would you consider a half a year? That's $60.
Meet Rosaline
Rosaline is just 8 years old. She is the youngest of five sisters. She loves Redeemer Christian and wants to be able to stay here. Realistically, getting an education with us is her only shot at a better life. Women, without an education, are the lowest of the low in this part of the world. If we had additional funds, her sisters would also like to come to RCS rather than work to survive. Would you consider sponsoring her?
Meet Salman
Salman is 7 years old. He does not want to go back to having to slave away to make bricks for a pittance. We are thankful that he is within the doors of Redeemer Christian and not down the street at one of the jihad seminaries. Will you give him a fighting chance at life with an education? He is growing in his love of Jesus...what great things he can do with his life with your help!
This is the passion that stirs my heart. I want these kids to know that His grace is sufficient for them too. If, like me, they don't get life sometimes (and their hopeless world is so far removed from my comfy world), they will "get" that they have the greatest gift of all - the gift of salvation!
Please prayerfully consider sponsoring one of these or one of the many other children to keep them in school with us. Contributions can be sent to:
Bev Rihtarchik (put RCS in the memo line)
103 Silver Lining Lane
Cary, NC 27513
or contact me at: bevduncan103@yahoo.com
**Note RCS is not yet a 501c3 registered organization. The legal fees are cost prohibitive at this point. Every penny is guaranteed to go to the children...you have my promise.
Hopefully, I'll be back full force next week with an amazing story of witnessing one of God's miracles. Meanwhile...
Be blessed...
