Appreciation

Yesterday ACTION's Street Impact Team had a wonderful time of fellowship, fun, games, singing, a gift exchange and enjoying a meal with 50 pastors and Christian workers who serve with us on a regular basis. They're involved in our medical clinics, street outreaches, camps, feedings, evangelistic Christmas parties, trainings, prayer meetings, sportfests, alternative learning program, discipleship training and livelihood skills training for out-of-school youth and street kids through-out the year with several people for several years now.

I gave the message from Micah 5:2 asking the question asking why Bethlehem was chosen by God as the birth place of the Lord Jesus Christ. I answered by saying that our God loves to choose seemingly insignificant places of service and weak people to accomplish great and mighty exploits for His glory. I challenged our dear ministry partners to be encouraged even though our work may seem unimportant because all work done in His name and for His glory is eternally impacting and vitally important to the Kingdom.

I was very surprised when I was asked to sit in the middle of the room and people were asked to express appreciation to ACTION and me for ministry done with or for them over the years. One woman said she remembered me working with street kids in 1989 at her church when she was a college student. She said she's in full-time ministry today because she was challenged by me as a foreigner working with Filipino street kids. Two pastors individually said their churches have daughter churches today because of fire relief work we did in their areas when many recipients trusted Christ and have formed a church. Several said how helpful our Fish and Bread feeding ministry is to their church's outreach. I felt very small but grateful for this expression of love.

I closed the gathering by quoting Psalm 133:1 and with prayer thanking our heavenly Father for our unity and friendship in Christ. It was a benchmark in the progress of our work.