REFLECTIONS FROM LAMb International - MERRY CHRISTMAS

Merry Christmas

The commitment
TO REACH,
RESCUE
ROOT
AND RELEASE
- as we work toward a
WORLD WITHOUT ORPHANS .

(2002) Years ago something happened deep within us that touched our hearts, minds and inner being.  We sat with Don and Johanna and started talking about serving our churches by providing training in the area of leadership.  Little did we know at the time that this decision would be the catalyst to LAMb International becoming a reality and a journey of training, consulting and equipping starting for the four of us.

“And I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then I said, here am I; send me…” Isaiah 6:8 was also to become our call and commitment to reaching the world through training and equipping.  And the first call to GO…came in a surprising way.

(2003) Invited to dinner at an Elder of our church’s home (Harvey Quinn) – to be there when a visiting missionary would be staying there, Lynn accepted the invitation and began to hear the many stories of Ed Dickson, from Loads of Love.  It did not take long for the conversation to turn to an invitation from Ed for Lynn to come to Ukraine and see what was going on over there.  Lynn saw that Hawaii would be the place he would want to see, but he did offer to do some work in Ukraine if needed.  From there the conversation led to the earlier commitment from the four of us (Don, Johanna, Lynn and Ruby) where we had the desire to do leadership training for those persons working in the churches.  Ed invited Lynn to "show up" and he (Ed) would set up training with a large church in Krivoy Rog, Ukraine.  Done deal – several months later we were on an airplane heading to Ukraine – without a clue why, how, or what we were doing.  Here the tide changed forever for us.  Life would never be the same and we would move forward with full force into the mission field.

Within a short time, we were committed to returning to Ukraine over the next several years, teaching and training, church leaders, orphanage staff, and those persons who were responsible for child welfare issues in Ukraine.  At the same time, God touched our hearts again deeply with the words of a song – These Are the Days of Elijah.

"Days Of Elijah"

These are the days of Elijah
Declaring the word of the Lord, yeah
And these are the days of Your servant, Moses
Righteousness being restored

These are the days of great trials
Of famine and darkness and sword
Still we are the voice in the desert crying
Prepare ye the way of the Lord!

Say, behold He comes, riding on the clouds
Shining like the sun, at the trumpet's call
Lift your voice, (it's) the year of Jubilee
Out of Zion's hill, salvation comes

And these are the days of Ezekiel
The dry bones becoming as flesh
And these are the days of Your servant, David
Rebuilding the temple of praise

And these are the days of the harvest
The fields are all white in the world
And we are the laborers that are in Your vineyard
Declaring the Word of the Lord

Say, behold He comes, riding on the clouds
Shining like the sun at the trumpet's call
Lift your voice, (it's) the year of Jubilee
Out of Zion's hill, salvation comes

The words of this song became our own “trumpet call!”  For the next years LAMb International operated with the defining scripture out of Ephesians 4:12.  ….”for the perfecting of the saints, unto the work of ministering, unto the building up of the body of Christ..”

Teaching and training were our focus.  Through this two different NGO’s were registered as well.  One in Ukraine and one in Kyrgyzstan.  We worked with partners in Ukraine, USA and in Canada to build the work of ministry in both organizations.  The Institute for Human Services (IHS) in Ohio was a catalyst to building solid implementation strategies to help build the best practice training programs for these countries and other countries that were added later.  Still in partnership with IHS best practice training materials have been put into the hands of thousands across the globe, building capacity to care for vulnerable children, orphans, widows, disabled and crisis families.

And today we see the need of so much more needed.  By expanding into global activities, we can take the message of hope, to the nations.  Yes, the harvest fields are all white in the world and the laborers are few.  We want to answer the trumpet call today and are praying for what our tomorrow will be.

We thank you and leave you with a request - the opportunity to help us in 2015 reach even more with the message of hope.  The fields await and we know you are the wind beneath our wings.

Consider a year end or a monthly giving plan to continue the work of LAMb International.  You can donate through the buttons on the side of this blog or send donations to:  LAMb International, 406-33 Ellen Street, Barrie, Ontario L4N 6E9.

Thank you and God Bless You All.

Merry Christmas