It isn't the first time and I'm sure it won't be the last but a few days ago we had the misfortune of hearing a man in our community sputter the sentence, "Sure...they post pictures of the ocean and then come home to fundraise." So I would just like to take a moment to address the person I will refer to as "Mr. Crabby Pants".
Mr. Crabby Pants, I want to tell you about the typical day in the life of a missionary. We go to work just like you. We are faced with SEVERE poverty. Not just, "Oops I don't have enough money to pay for my car this month." kind of poverty but "I can't FEED my kid even ONE MEAL TODAY or I can't pay for my child to the treatment for a life-threatening disease so they can breathe.." kind of poverty. So we pray with them, we ask AMAZING people back home who are also being the HANDS AND FEET of Jesus and they GIVE unconditionally and they TRUST that we are all working together to help families who were born into a less fortunate circumstance. Mr. Crabby Pants....that is just one days example. But it occurs every day with slightly different events. It's HARD to face, it's DIFFICULT to understand, it SADDENS us to our CORE. Sometimes we feel like we didn't even help at all that day. We are on a limited budget. We can only do so much. It heartbreaking. But we can pray and we can plant the seeds.
And we wake up and we do it again the next day.
So Mr. Crabby Pants....I would like to tell you why the OCEAN is so important to us and why we like to share ocean photos. It's a sign of HOPE. And we know EVERYONE needs HOPE! When we look out at the ocean we see how MIGHTY our God is! We see the BEAUTY in His CREATIONS! We understand that HE is in CONTROL of EVERY detail in our life. We see that Our Savior's DEPTH is BEYOND anything we could ever comprehend. Through the CEASELESS motion we realize His LOVE for Us is NEVERENDING.
I want to encourage you Mr. Crabby Pants to stop being a NAYSAYER and get out and help someone.....EVERY SINGLE DAY. It's the reason why we are put on this Earth. And then....my prayer is you find your "OCEAN"....the BEAUTY in something that God created! Stand in AWE of HIM....BE INSPIRED..... AND GUESS WHAT????? IT'S FREE!
Now for the LARGE PRINT. We know that the negativity of a few does not represent the entire community....I just had to speak from my heart because it's like what my Mom says, "Part of being a missionary is raising awareness!" So now you are fully aware of the ugly side. :) It is SERIOUSLY because of you all that we are able to do what we do. THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY FOR YOUR LOVE AND SUPPORT. YOUR HUGS WILL CARRY US THROUGH ANOTHER YEAR! GOD BLESSINGS TO YOU ALL!
Isaiah 43:16
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