In April of 2008, LUO had a booth at the Orange Conference...there, we sold canvases that were hand painted by the children at our partnership in Jeffrey's Bay. They cost $250 and provide nutrition, education, medical care and Biblical curriculum for a child for one year. Matt and Jennifer Johnson of Murray, KY purchased one of those canvases! Through a series of events that seriously only God could have worked out, Gavin and I ended up meeting the couple for coffee in Murray.
Matt is the lead Pastor at the Journey Church and we had the opportunity to hear him and his wife's hearts for their church and the community that it is a part of. The Journey meets on the campus of Murray State University and their congregation is mostly comprised of college students so when they told us that as a body of believers they wanted to raise the money to fully support our second partnership in Nicaragua for one year...we were dumbfounded!
All four of us realized that the task of raising $35,000.00 in a BAD economy at a church full of young families and college students seemed impossible but we all hit the ground running. Gavin and I headed to Nicaragua to make 150 new canvases to be sold at the church and Matt and Jennifer went back to the leadership at their church and told them about our new goal! Immediately, the leadership and everyone at the church was so excited! By the time Gavin and I arrived on December 6 to tell the congregation about our new partnership...we were floored and amazed by what God had already done through this small, faithful, and very BOLD community!
By the time got there, Murray State's entire college campus was working to help set these children free! The track team, the basketball team, all of the Greek organization...campus ministries...and all of the wonderful families at the church have gotten on board to get these canvases sold and these children supported! The church is working to sell 150 canvases at $200 to support all of the children at our Nicaraguan partnership for one year. It is REALLY amazing to be able to see the body of Christ in this community coming together to change a community thousands of miles away. We are SO thankful to be able to see Jesus work in the hearts of these people as he shows them how to love mercy, walk humbly and do justly!
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