Andres and Eilen

I watch Home and Garden TV frequently.

In our first world culture, there are nearly always the

same three top priorities required by new home buyers.

They are:

Hardwood floors, granite counter tops, and

stainless steel appliances.

These items must, of course, be in a home

which is in a desirable neighborhood,

with top notch schools, and

near public transportation to get people

to their jobs in the larger metropolitan areas. 
And I forgot one biggee:
An open floor plan is a must.
 

Last week I heard about a darling boy named Andres.

He lives in Sincelejo, Colombia.

One of our pastors, Jason Paredes, got to visit

the home of Andres on a recent trip to Colombia.

With a mixture of pride and embarrassment

(Jason being a "rich American") 

Andres gave a tour of the first home his
family had ever owned.

It was an abandoned bamboo shack.
It was not in a desirable neighborhood
(if there is such a thing in Sincelejo.)

The floors were not hardwood.

They were nothing but dirt.
One thing it did have?  The "open floor plan!"
A little more open than desirable.

There were no interior walls--just curtains.

There was no air-conditioning to protect

from the brutal Colombian heat and humidity.

There was only some protection from rain.

There were no closets for the extra

clothes the family didn't have. 


Children roam the streets instead of
attending school.


HERE you will find a video about Andres
and get to see his beautiful smile. 


For only $38 a month you can adopt a child
in Colombia and give him/her a chance to
live up to the potential God gave each at birth!
This sponsorship is through an organization
called Compassion International.

Here is my little girl:

A great percentage of little girls in Colombia
will end up prostituting themselves out of
hopelessness and desperation.
I want to help lift Eilen from that fate.


Jason stressed that he was not asking us to participate
in this effort out of guilt because we have so much.
Instead, I want to participate out of obedience
to Jesus, who said, "Feed my sheep."
And He did also say, "To whom much is given,
much is required."


It will be a great blessing to you if you watch the
video of Jason's sermon that I highlighted above.
I am only briefly hitting some of the highlights.
I can almost promise you that you will
want to help if you are able.
I am posting this for those of you who might
have missed church last Sunday,
or those whose church might not be participating
in a ministry such as this.


I would be thrilled to give you any more
information I might have, or
you may contact Compassion International
at compassion.com


Jesus said:  "Inasmuch as you have done it
unto one of the least of these...you
have done it unto me."