May, 2008 Harvest Hands Newsletter
Greetings Harvest Hands Friends,
I’ve been reading Genesis, and today, which is Mother’s Day, I am reading about Sarah and how God fulfilled His promise to her about giving her a son. The verse that was impressed on my heart was, “And the Lord visited Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as he had spoken.” (Genesis 21:1) This lady was 90 years old, when God fulfilled His promise to her!
As mothers (though this letter isn’t just for mothers), or as God’s people, we always need to remember that He WILL do what He promises to do. Because He is faithful to His word, we never need to doubt His promises. He will do what He says He is going to do! If we all stay in the Word, we will read His promises to us and we can be strengthened by that hope.
My thoughts then went to the mothers in Los Anonos; many mothers, with lots of children, and not many fathers, but many “significant others”, who are not always there; drug addicts, alcoholics and abusers. I sometimes wonder how I would view life, if I were in their shoes and if I didn’t have Jesus as my strength.
One of the mother’s who Rodney knows, who I have not yet met, is Carla. Three members of our last team delivered a refrigerator to her, one which someone had donated, because she didn’t have a working one. The old one was left there for her to store dry goods in. There are many other things that she needs. She doesn’t have a toilet or a shower. She uses a bucket for her toilet and a garden hose for her shower.
She is in her mid-thirties and has four children, two boys and two girls. She never asks for anything. However, the one thing that she would like help in is learning how to speak English, so that she can get a better job. She already has two jobs to try to make ends meet. It is sad to say, but one of the acts of injustice is that a person’s income is based on education, rather than his willingness to put in a hard day’s work. The cycle of the poverty that Carla lives in, and others like her, is oppressive.
One of our hopes in working with mothers like Carla is primarily to bring hope, the hope that Christ brings to all of us. He gave Sarah a hope and we are to do the same. Also, being able to build a relationship with her through teaching English, gives us opportunity to spend time with her. We are all bearers of His light and hope.
Enclosed is a photo of a single Mom in Anonos. Lydia is with her brother, father and two sons.
Blessings to you All!
Rodney and Cindy
PS Don’t forget to read the blogs of the two girls who are serving here with us in Costa Rica. Their blogs give a good picture of what life is like here in Los Anonos.
rebeccadunning.blogspot.com
somegirlnamedholli.blogspot.com
Thank you so much for your support!
