effortless effort.....if you are lucky

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1 Kings 17:16 says this.  "For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah."   That story came to life for me when I first decided to go to India and learn about SCH and India Christian Ministries.  I had been invited to help teach at the first women's school of worship training......and wanted desperately to meet the children of SCH.  I prayed alot, asking God to show me how and why and when it would happen and he totally showed up and gave me the plan.  He also gave me the idea of jars of oil......from scripture.....and even though my pride said I should just put the trip on a credit card, God said there was a different plan.  Invite others to join in the journey.....send out support letters and ask for help so that they.....so....that....they.....too......could be blessed.  I sent out the letters and prayed that the oil would stay in the jars and not run dry.....and enough money was raised to not only cover the trip but to leave money behind for the ministry.....and help pay for someone else to go later.

The jars of oil never ran dry.

My second trip was equally miraculous.....the air fare was provided by a friend.....and my mom and I travelled to India together for the trip of a lifetime....and our jars of oil continue to be filled by the Holy spirit regarding our passion and love and commitment to Sarah and the kids of SCH.

It's been 2 years now since I've been in India.  The littles here are now sleeping at night so I can legitimately plan another trip back....but Sarah is planning trips to the US right now, to raise funds and awareness for SCH.  I'm hard-pressed to find a month she is in India long enough for me to make the trip with Claire, and my mom, and a co-worker and my auntie Cyndi......so while we are working out the details of that, I have a present focus.

I have an Effortless Effort.  It's pennies, nickels, dimes, etc.  Its the stuff we pick up when we vacuum and clean the car and switch purses......its collecting this spare change in jars.  Bring the jars to me....or to American State Bank in Sioux Center, Iowa.  We have a fund.  We can send chump change to India and feed orphans, pay for their education and medical needs.....we can buy them clothes with our pennies.....we can pay the nannies (in India, they are ayahs and many are elderly and tired) to care for these babies.......

Would you join me in an effortless effort?  Not asking you to sign up for monthly auto-withdrawal, or sponsoring a child or a school bill.....although those needs also exist.  Not asking you to go to India and help change diapers or cut toe nails or comb lice out of hair.....not asking you to face the cruelty and injustice of idolatry and injustice......if the Holy Spirit asks you to do any of that, then cowboy up and do it.....but for now, I'm just asking for your pennies.

Effortless effort.

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