Telling Secrets – Yes!

Which do we love the most – knowing secrets or telling secrets? And what does that have to do with our 12 Days Of Christmas post? Well, our ministry has some secrets and you need to know about them!

Ministry Secrets 

The previous post opened a creative twist on a classic Christmas song. We made it through the first 3 days of the 12 days of Christmas. Each ‘day’ represents an opportunity to be part of Equipping For Life. And each opportunity serves to inform you about our 2023 ministry plans.

Our 4th Day Of Christmas discloses a secret opportunity. 2022 is the first year we have been able to provide direct support to some of the pastors in our Pastor Training School. This has been driven by some extreme needs on their part. Most of those needs have been of a medical nature. And the opportunity to meet those needs is something best done in a confidential way.

Can we continue to do that in 2023? Our ability to meet such needs is in your hands. Will there be promotional posts about the needs we are able to meet? Not likely. But the Lord sees and knows even when we are trying to obey His instructions about our right hand not knowing what our left hand is doing!.

What is the best way to help? Become a monthly contributor. Just see our Donations page.

Day 5 – Obvious Secrets

Many of you continue to help us support the orphanage in Barahona. That includes funding Jodie’s ministry as Orphanage Director. But there is an unknown, easy opportunity which has great potential for a positive, life-changing impact.

Boys of the orphanage graduate high school and move out into adult life. And most of them try to go to college. Obviously, we want that and we celebrate it. The cost is less obvious. How is that need met? The host Church gives members the opportunity to  sponsor one of the orphans in college. That is most often accomplished by families working together to cover the monthly cost of 100 U.S. dollars. Helping Hands here at home can do the same!

Day 6

Another obvious opportunity is often overlooked. Everyone’s attention is drawn to the mission volunteers who staff our work teams. And it seems I can’t remind people often enough that some of those volunteers who are willing to serve on site are only able to do so with the help of others.

Just this week a man donated to his church’s mission offering. In this case, he directed his contribution to the support of some of his fellow church members who needed some financial assistance to be part of an EquipUs team. He cannot travel, but he is helping those who can. Others have done the same. Their names and contributions are confidential, but the need they meet is necessary. Maybe that’s the kind of opportunity you’d like to say YES! to.

Public Opportunities 

Day 7 informs everyone that we have a team headed to Belize in March. There is still time to volunteer for that team. And just to give you an idea that you can do this, we have a mom taking her 17 year-old son on this mission. But! We also have an octogenarian on this team – and everything in between. That team, or others, could include you.

Day 8 lets you know we have a team headed to Barahona in April. This team, and the Belize team, will include a construction group. We get to equip pastors and churches with improved – or totally new – ministry facilities. Those funds are always provided by our ministry supporters. That way, many more Helping Hands have a part in the eternal rewards these efforts will bring.

You didn’t connect construction with eternal rewards? Check out II Corinthians 5. I remind every construction team that we are working with our hands so others can have an eternal home made without hands!

Unseen Opportunities

Day 9 is a focused version of Day 3 (previous post). This specific prayer request has already been made regarding our opportunity in Colombia. And just be advised that more reminders will come. God tells us to ask for wisdom and He will give it generously (James 1:5). But some of us start out behind where wisdom is concerned! So more prayers can help make up my deficit. 🙂

Day 10 is to inform and invite. There are people who cannot volunteer to be part of a mission team and they are not able to help others financially. But committed hearts find a way and their labors help to bless many others. What do they do? I get calls or emails asking if there is something they can do to help. The opportunities vary and few people know that someone volunteered to help while staying close to home. Maybe one of those unseen volunteers could be you.

Day 11 illustrates days 9 and 10. We have some new opportunities for grant applications. That work is unseen but very much in need of prayer. There are ministry supporters who have some experience with grant writing. Some can pray for the process and others could actually volunteer to help. And remember, prayer can be the precursor to action. How?

Read through Matthew 10. Jesus told His disciples to pray to the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers. And it seems He didn’t stop speaking without telling those disciples to go into the field because it was white and ready for harvest. Do you see the connection? Sometimes – not all the time – God intends for us to be part of the answer to the very prayers we offer.

Anyone And Everyone – No Secrets

Day 12 of the Christmas carol is about 12 drummers drumming. When we are drumming, EVERYBODY knows it! And that’s the idea behind one of our biggest needs. Everybody (anybody) can help with this. It takes no money and very little time. The need is to increase awareness and engagement so we can meet a growing list of service opportunities.

One little drummer (another carol!) doesn’t make near as much noise as 12. What is our drum? Your social media pages, email and lips of clay. Sharing blog posts in places like Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and others will cause more people to know about the ministry we all share. And that increased awareness will lead to others becoming involved. But they can’t become involved on any level until and unless thy know about the work we are doing.

It only takes seconds to share a blog post to your page, send an email, share something with your church family, or invite me to speak to your group. We have a handful of people who understand the necessity of sharing (drumming!). And what they are already doing will go even further if some other folks make the effort to play alongside them!

That’s it. YOUR opportunity – or opportunities – is somewhere in this list. Please pray for us as the New Year is upon us. And as a friendly reminder, you can start by sharing this post!!!

Soli Deo Gloria!