April 22, 2022 – I am writing this post on Earth Day. A day established to promote and celebrate taking better care of the planet.
As part of our goal to help the poor, disenfranchised, persecuted, disabled and unemployed, we also try to encourage the products we sell to be earth-friendly. Our REED Workshop products all have a recycle or upcycle component to them (using old t-shirts, Candles, pinecones men’s ties, etc.).
Because we have “Sustainable products” for sale, we participated in and were featured with a special display at the Briarwood Mall.
That is great but Environment is even more important for people. What is it like for the poor and needy? What was it like for these folks growing up? Environment goes a long way in to shaping how we live, think and function as people.
Several of our partners work with women who have been abused. The homeless shelter also works to change or create a better environment for its clients. Getting the needy into a new environment is critical to their recovery. The same is true to ministering to and working with those struggling around you.
Working to change the environment that they live in is very important. For some it might be where they live, for others, it might be the encouragement they get. For us to give folks something to do, that they can accomplish, to help themselves, is building a new environment.
Jesus tells many stories about the needs of people and about how others responded or fail to respond to those needs. (parable of the Sheep & Goats, the persistent widow) These stories help us if we have ears to hear, to realize that people are what God wants us to focus on and care about. They are the only thing we can take with us to heaven when this life is done.
We are thankful and grateful that we are able to in some small way touch the lives of folks around us be they in our backyard or across the sea. We want to encourage everyone to be looking for and finding the needy God has placed near you so that you can be His hand and feet to minister to them in some way.
This week pray for…
…eyes to see the needy around you
…our travel schedule and ongoing funding need for our support and the work we engage in.
…the refugees our Bulgarian Team is working with and we are trying to figure out how we can best help them.
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