Hope for Bastion #5

Good morning, the weather here is chilly, except from where I sit bundles in sweatshirts and sweatpants. In Guayaquil it is 23 but feels like 29 and will reach 35 which will probably feel like 35 yikes.

he work in Ecuador to reach the underprivileged continues. The last time we heard from Nikki she was doing well and just getting to see some old friends again as she had just arrived. She had not yet seen all the children that she knows. She will be excited to know that two more children will be attending school and more money will come in to care for their needs.

Just like the proverbial inchworm who moves through his paces ever so slowly, it appears that the care for these children only moves so slowly. I can't understand why? Why aren't people lining up instead of lining up in shopping lines for things they don't need or may throw out. Why do we sit on stuff that if sold would feed so many children. Why do some have more cars in their driveways than they have drivers. What are they doing to help these children or any children?

I am frustrated, probably a cast off from the flu, but there has to be more that can be done. If you want a good feed and a great movie, come to Woodside church on Nov.14/09 where some young people have arranged a dinner and a movie night with all the proceeds going to Bastion, now that's cool. These 18-25 year olds see that they have a responsibility in this world and are not just riding along talking from any and all. What about you? Please read this website http://sponsorhope.ca/ and make contact to make a difference.

Hope for Bastion # 4

Hello on a rainy dark Wednesday. It was 8 degrees when I left home this today and it is already 22 in Bastion, with the temp going up to 33 today.

Nikki has arrived in Bastion. She wrote to say that she arrived and was greeted by many friends at the airport, which was a great joy and surprise. She also said that it was hot. There is much to do there and she will be quite busy again.

She mentioned two people who have debilitating illnesses that suffer from the lack of medical care there. These illnesses would so easily be treated in Canada, but she is not in Canada, and they of course are not.

It's a stark reminder that people are in need of basic health care and while it may be a human right, it is not always provided. And then there is "hope" for Bastion. Nikki and others have committed to providing as much care as they can with the resources that they have and that others give and it makes a difference. For less that the cost of a large timmies a day a child can have an education, breakfast, school clothes, some health care and emergency food aid, if needed for their family.

So, what can you do about it. please read the attached website and make contact to help the children. http://sponsorhope.ca/

Have a great week, enjoy the sun, rain and all that you have been blessed to enjoy. I will have more updates next week.

Hope for Bastion #3

As I get more involved in things like Hope For Bastion, I realize the need for real "social justice" is greater than I even thought. What I did not know was what amounts of money the current "War" is costing. Check out the cost of war link: http://costofwar.com/

I don't know if it is true, but the numbers are astounding. What would happen if all that money went to feeding the poor? Jesus said to the rich young ruler "Go and sell all your possessions give the money to the poor, then follow me". But that's not going to happen because rich people who own businesses that support the machinery of war need have their own needs. But what can we do?

Just last weekend a large group of people met for a fundraiser for Nikki. Nikki lives in a pretty rough area of town. The streets are dirt roads filled with things nice people don't talk about and she travels these roads to visit her friends, the children and their families of Bastion. On two occasions recently, one while taking public transportation and the other in a taxi, Nikki has had her life threatened and has in fact had all her possessions stolen. In the taxi cab event she was held hostage (she had another girl with her) by two armed men who robbed them and roughed them up. Thankfully, that is the worst of the story.

We need to get Nikki a car. A fundraiser was held last Sunday night and I have no idea how much was raised, but it will go towards a safe care for Nikki, safe so she can travel alone or with a friend and it will also be a vehicle to transport people and things throughout the city as needed. Will you help? There is a clearing house called MSC Canada for donations for Nikki. Please contact them for more information at http://www.msccanada.org/ You may review more information about the children and their school at http://sponsorhope.ca/

Sponsor hope! The Cambridge dictionary defines the verb sponsor as: "to support a person, organization or activity by giving money, encouragement or other help".

What do you have that you can use to support, give, encourage or otherwise help the children in Bastion?

Hope for Bastion #2

Life as always, has ups and downs. Just over a week ago I felt like I could nothing more to serve my God and people. I was at a spiritual pinnacle and having just given advise to my son about this place, i should have known what was coming. Reality crept or more correctly crashed my little happy dance and I felt like my world was totally squished like the fly on the windshield (for you music fans that's from the band Genesis, The Lamb lies down on Broadway).

Circumstances came into my life that have left me questioning much. I am not at liberty to discuss the details, but suffice it to say, I felt like my very core was being questioned. Before you go calling the crisis line, my family and I are fine. In fact we spent a magnificent weekend together eating, enjoying, worshipping, playing, laughing, shopping and did I say eating? Oh yeah and travelling on two dash 8's (and two real planes too), yikes those "8's" were the loudest plane I have ever been on.

Then life happened. Life in it's funny, cyclical and providential way gave me a shot in the arm today. As discussed before (and the purpose for this recurring post) we have found a new way to serve. Our new love and way to serve has been our involvement in the ministry to people who serve significantly underprivileged children and their families in Ecuador. Today of all days, I received a letter from someone who wants info on sponsoring a child. I prayed and had hoped that my blog and these posts would draw some attention to Ecuador and it did. Man, I am so excited about the possibilities.

I told Nikki that the blog will be a way to reach a different group of people that may never have a chance to sponsor or even hear about Bastion. One of the readers wrote and wants to review the information about sponsoring. My highs and lows are nothing compared with the awful experiences that these children have to go through.

I complain about a cold house when I return from a mini vacation that cost enough to support a child for 29 months, I complain about a simple nail being pushed back when these folks have no medical care and a broken nail means nothing. These people have nothing without the generous support of donors, like this person.

The person who wrote about becoming a donor will remain anonymous, I am sure that this is how they would prefer it to be. They are regular readers, I consider them a friend, I know they are trustworthy, and they are a parent who intends to teach their children they are blessed with about the awful realities of poverty and the amazing thankfulness we need to cultivate, in ourselves and in them.

Did the letter change my circumstances? Of course not! It changed my attitude. It took me from self focus (I did not say self pity) to a reminder that my items of concern are so very real, but, they are not as bad as those that some others have the reality to deal with. In other portions of my world, people are preparing for a trial after the passing of a loved one. While I am immersed in that situation, my beloved and children are alive and well. Did I celebrate when I realized that the shooting in Virginia last year was not at my son's school, of course and I also grieved for the families of the dead. I grieve and pray for the family of the deranged person who decided to take away life from so many others.

In this existence I must choose to bring all of the events that I participate in and those that are foisted upon me into the light of perspective that reminds me that all is seen, all is known and the furniture in heaven has not been rearranged. Do I struggle with my difficulties? , of course I do! Am I concerned about the children in Bastion, in Gaza, In Eritrea, and in every place where the streets are latrines, receptacles of used needles and the other accoutrement of the impoverished life. Of course, but I can do something and not be paralyzed by my own inaction. Just like the person who wrote to ask about sponsorship, I can choose to do "something". A choice is made, a child is fed, is clothed, is educated and is provided with some health care.

So, what are you doing to feed, clothe, educate and provide health care to those who have none?

and once again we are reminded that:

"if you have done it to the very least of these you have done it unto me"

Hope for Bastion #1

Good morning and welcome to Wednesday and a new series on the blog. This is the first post of a series that I intend to write each Wednesday to bring attention to the plight of those who live in abject poverty in a part of Guayaquil, Ecuador. Actually, the area is know as Bastion, but no one willingly says that they are from Bastion.

Tonight, one of the people who has been led to assist the people of Bastion is coming to our house for dinner to introduce us to the wonderful and terrible things she has seen as she serves those people. I wrote about Nikki in my Monday and Tuesday posts and now she will have her own post until the work is done. With permission, I will post photos, stories, crime stats, births, deaths and all the information required to measure some of the things that go on there. There is also a spiritual side to the work, you see Nikki and the others she works with are Christ followers and they do this to show their devotion to Him. That gives them power, peace and hope.

They are not misled people who are only on the mission field because they can't find jobs or husbands(or wives as the case may be), no, they are there because they believe in the people they serve and want to to their best for them, no matter what.

Tonight, my beloved and I have the privilege to sit and share a meal with Nikki and to hear her story. I hope (with her permission) to share a little of her story each week as the "Hope for Bastion" post comes alive (somehow I hear Peter Frampton in the background, you knew there had to be a music reference, right) every Wednesday morning.

As soon as I have photos or videos I will post them. While I will not solicit from the blog, I will educate with regards to child/family sponsorship. I will provide links to websites that can be accessed and will also provide contact information should you wish to learn more about sponsorship.

Why the title, Hope for Bastion? Well, to be honest, the website for the mission group is called "Mission Hope for Bastion" and I want to make sure that what I say, do and write are aligned with the mission, so that's a pretty good start, eh?

Enjoy your Wednesday.