Keep Praying, Keep Giving

Our young people are raising money all this month for kids their age in Haiti. This has kept the tragic events in Haiti on my mind, as we continue to talk about it, continue to pray for them, and continue to raise money. I have prayed that even as the media and the cameras shift their attention elsewhere, that we "the Church" would not be quick to move on. The road to recovery is going to be a long one for the people in Haiti, and we need to stand with them. The relief agencies, the development organizations, and the Church in Haiti need our ongoing prayer support AND they need our generous giving. Last weekend at camp we focused our attention on 1 John 3:16-18. This passage makes a direct correlation between Jesus display of sacrificial and selfless love on the cross, and in turn our response in showing sacrificial and selfless love to others. We cannot separate the two. They go hand in hand. Verse 17 states, "If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no compassion (compassion always leads to compassionate acts) on him, how can the love of God be in him?" The recent events in Haiti serve as an "in our face" opportunity to BE the Church and to respond with compassion. I am so encouraged by our young people at Sunshine who "get it" and are giving generously and praying sincerely about this!

The following is a video that was produced by "Churches Helping Churches" (a non-profit organization that was started by Pastor James McDonald and Pastor Mark Driscoll in the days after the quake to assist churches in Haiti) entitled "Who Will Rise Up?"



This second video was produced by Reach Records for a song entitled "Far Away" written by Lecrae. He performed it live at a Hope for Haiti event in Minneapolis. All of the proceeds from the song and from their Hope for Haiti t-shirts will go to relief and development work in Haiti.



This 3rd video, is a song written and produced by Kirk Franklin entitled "Are You Listening?" It features an all-star cast of gospel artists. All of the proceeds from this song will also go to the relief and development efforts in Haiti.