What A Desert Can Do
Topic: Life In The Kingdom
As promised, I am not quite over Lent, Holy Week, and Easter. I hope never to be "over" the remembrance of our Lord's great victory, and the price paid to set the world aright!

While we walked through the desert experience of lent, looking to lay ourselves low; losing ourselves into God's purpose and will, many of our hearts have become far more compassionate, rejecting a programs-process-driven mindset to our identity in Christ and His work.

We are taking the plight of our neighbors and the forgotten in our world personally. As we look to sustain this renewed appreciation of Christ's love for the world, He has certainly been placing many changes, and opportunities before us, for us to embody His will. It seems that there is a daily stream of new connections, needs, and partnerships emerging as we continue to look for where He wants to use us.

It seems a new day is dawning? "old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2 Cor 5:17

Only last night, I was interviewed by a reporter from the Philadelphia Inquirer, who was following a story about urban renewal, and how money for revitalization projects is flowing into our area, when he was suddenly redirected to the plight of the poor. At our Washington & Chestnut site, we are about to endure the displacement of people, forced to relocate from the area, to who knows where, when the borough demolishes an entire neighborhood to build a school. People forced to rent, and on fixed incomes will lose all that they know as "Home" to seemingly solve an urban blight problem.

The churches answer has been to pray really hard, and hope that God will magically intervene.

Whether people have to move (or not), is not really the spiritual issue, and praying without personal involvement might make me feel better, but it will not swaddle the brokenhearted. These troubles require action from the church as a response to prayer.

We have seen shelters for the homeless close, and staffing in others cut. This might save tax dollars, but homelessness is increasing. Where is the church?

As I said earlier, the Lenten Desert changes everything. God has spoken to those who are becoming less self-absorbed. He does move upon those who will lose their will, to His. Right now we are following God down a road that is terrifying, should we journey alone--without Him.

There are real possibilities of establishing a Pottstown Homeless Shelter. Bill Kraft is in contact with folks called to this area, and are gifted for this work. One of those contacts has led us to an older woman of faith named Beatrice in Pompano Beach, FL. The front of her house was blown off, and there is a huge hole in her roof from Katrina. FEMA gave her $700 to fix things. This almost paid for windows and she is out of money. Local contractors are gouging prices to the tune of $11,000 to fix her roof.

God has placed her in our path through our pursuit of beginning a shelter, and we have the people to fix her dilemma. He has given her to us. How can we not help? Someone has promised to fund our gas; the permits are in the works right now; we have a place to stay in Florida close by, with a friend who helped plant Still Waters (and who, incidentally, attends, and works at a church run homeless shelter, looking to help us startup while down there); and now we need your help.

The materials will cost around $800. Our labor is free, and our transportation is taken care of. I am asking that you will help us buy the materials to fix Beatrice's roof, and repair the water damage she has sustained over the year.

This will speak very loudly to many in her circles, both in Florida, and those connected to her here in PA.

Please consider her as one of the least, and see if God would have you help her. Please click HERE to DONATE. It is a secure PayPal Service.

Still Waters is a 501(c)(3) organization and your gift is tax deductible.

We are asking for your help and will let you know how this turns out for her, a dear sister in the Lord.

Thank you.

Blessings,
Kork & Bill