Awareness

Well, it happened. I went to bed last night, completely exhausted from a very long week, and zonked out. But before I did I conscientiously set my alarm for 8:30, in time to get up for Sunday school, which I've been bad about lately. This morning my alarm went off and then my mom came in the room to tell me that she and my dad were leaving. Why were they leaving at 8:30 when Sunday school started at 9:45? Aha - daylight savings time has struck again! Its a good thing I made it to church at all.
This morning a representative from Medical Ambassadors International spoke about the importance of missions and serving Christ through meeting both the physical and spiritual needs of people. (Good passage that he mentioned: Isaiah 58 He has worked throughout Africa with children with AIDS, building up communities, and setting up discipleship groups and training groups to send out ministers. It was so sad to hear about the number of people in Africa diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. I know we hear about it all the time, but it is a massive number. Something like almost 3.1 million people were infected with AIDS in Africa this last year. (I'm not sure on the number, but I'm sure it's at least close.) I realized, sitting there, how self-absorbed I am. I really need to be aware of what is going on around the world, and providing whatever help I can to groups bringing the gospel to impoverished parts of the world. God has blessed us as Americans with so much material wealth it's crazy. I need to be much more willing to give it back to Him for His ministers to use. I think I'm going to look up more info on the Medical Ambassadors and some other groups. Just remember to keep missionaries in your prayers and praying that the suffering will end in Africa. They need both the word of God and actual physical help.

Isaiah 58:6-9
Is this not the fast that I have chosen:
To loose the bonds of wickedness,
To undo the heavy burdens,
To let the oppressed go free,
And that you break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out;
When you see the naked, that you cover him,
And not hide yourself from your own flesh?
Then your light shall break forth like the morning,
Your healing shall spring forth speedily,
And your righteousness shall go before you;
The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call and the Lord will answer;
You shall cry, and He will say, 'Here I am.'