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Print Recently in the mail, I received a DVD I had requested from a ministry called Life Outreach. One day, as I sat at a friend's house doing laundry, I was watching the program and it moved me deeply. I thought to myself, "Every person who calls them self a Christian must see this video." I emailed the ministry, and they gladly sent me the DVD at no cost, as my intention was to share the heart of God with everyone I knew through this footage. The purpose of Life Outreach Ministry is to minister to the needs of the orphaned and abandoned children of India. I have listened to other people demean these types of programs with comments like, "They are still making money on pictures of starving children from 20 years ago," and "India? What about the starving, abandoned children right here in America?" (as if the children in India somehow are less important than the American children). I myself have seen these types of shows many times and been somehow unaffected. This time, however, it was different. Contemporary Christian singer/songwriter Kathy Troccoli had just been on a missions trip with these wonderful people at Life Outreach (just before the tsunami occurred), and was forever changed as she encountered Jesus Christ in these children and their unspeakable suffering. She felt the heartbeat of God and was completely broken in His presence. The footage is so powerful. She sobs in prayer, telling God, “Help me! Help me, God! I don’t know what to do! How can you stand back? How?“ Another missions worker comforts her, saying “Kathy, God sees this every day, and it breaks His heart. You are just feeling the heart of God.” Later in the program, she is shown with a precious little boy named Santoosh who lost his mom and dad to disease. As Kathy sat with him, he showed her a picture of his "papa." As she spoke into the camera, he began to caress the picture of his dad, and tears poured down his face as he tried to gain comfort and love and peace from the picture of his dad. Kathy's heart was again broken before God (as was mine), and suddenly the scriptures leapt to life in my soul: “In as much as you have done it to the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto me" (Matthew 25:40). "And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins" (1 Peter 4:8). "You say you have faith and I have works; show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith BY my works" (James 2:18). Kathy scooped Santoosh up into her arms, cradled his head in her hands, and began to rock him and pray for him. She was Jesus to Santoosh. That is what Jesus has asked us to do. “Love one another, even as I have loved you” (John 13:34). As vitally important as proper salvation doctrine is, I believe many times we as Apostolic Christians major so much on strict adherence to the doctrine that we miss the heartbeat of God. The same week I received this DVD, my pastor and the pastor of the Burlington UPC both preached about Christians who “camp out” just inside the gate of salvation and don't go any further (my pastor calls it “borderland”). For instance, Mother Theresa loved the people of Calcutta, India, and gave her life in service to them that they might know the love of Jesus Christ, who also gave His life for them. Her love, the love of Jesus expressed through her to a lost and dying people, covers a multitude of sins. She was Jesus to the people of Calcutta. She understood the love of God very well! Sometimes I wonder if we have a grasp it the way Troccoli now does? As Jesus said, “Suffer the little children to come to me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:14). I shared this DVD with my two boys, ages six and eight, and they were moved with compassion as Troccoli spoke of children in America wanting new Gameboys and computer games. Boy, did that strike a chord with them! They each have their own Gameboy. She stated that instead of wanting “stuff,” they should desire to use their money as a tool to help children just like them to have a home, food, clothing, and people to love them, since most are without parents who can give them this basic need? My oldest son begged me to write the phone number down, and both boys were willing to give of their own money to help God's precious children. I told them it was admirable to want to send money, and, if they felt like Jesus was telling them to, they should obey Jesus. We discussed the importance of prayer in this case as well. Prayer moves the heart of God, but it also changes the hearts of people. If every Christian would just pray to God, then do what little they can, we could accomplish the heart of God and meet the needs of those children in India, in the U.S., and around the world. We will do what we can by prayer and by giving. We are called to do our part. Who knows? God may call my boys to the foreign mission field in the future! Jesus, I thank you for showing your heart to my boys (and to me!). Let the seed take root and grow strong and produce abundant fruit. And as Kathy Troccoli said on this DVD, “Lord, please don’t let me see your face without having told the body of Christ to do their part.”
ninetyandnine.com © 2005, Michelle Ziter --------- Michelle Ziter is a happily married mom of two boys. She plays piano for the children’s choir in her church in Jericho, VT. She is a substitute teacher during the week, and scans groceries on the weekends at a grocery store, where all her little students come in and scream “Hi, Mrs. Ziter!” |
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