Page 16 - NMI handbook 2020-2021

Applying the story of Jesus’ miracle to our missionary lives, where do you fit in?

For Work and Witness to be successful, we
need people willing to we need people give. Not out of their
abundance, but willing willing to give to give whatever is
asked of them to further the work of
God. Jesus didn’t just take the boy’s loaves and fish and give them to the crowd.
He asked for God’s blessing on them and they were multiplied. In the same way,
your gifts given to further God’s Kingdom work will be multiplied in ways only
God can do. I’m not saying your $10 gift
will suddenly turn into thousands of
dollars, but I have seen simple gifts given
to those in need be multiplied.

On one of our trips to Honduras, we
distributed bags of staple food items to the
poorest of the poor. These people lived on
the edge of the sewer filled river that ran
through town. A river that flooded
regularly wiping out their homes or
burying them in waste and debris.

During our time of distribution, one elderly woman wanted to thank the team. She
stood amongst those who came and through an interpreter told us that this gift of
basic necessities would allow her to share with her friends and neighbors. Not
only would she share the bounty she had received, but that it was a gift from God.
Though the monetary expense was little, the Kingdom impact was huge and is
potentially still growing.

After blessing the loaves and fish, “He gave them to the disciples to distribute to
the people.” Jesus chooses to get His followers involved in His ministry. Not for
His sake, but for our own. He could have just as easily taken the donation and
distributed it himself, but He chose to use His disciples to distribute the blessing
to the people.
Jesus could have called a pizza delivery driver to feed the people that day, but He
knew those who loved Him would take pride and ownership in a job well done. We
can choose to write a check to some popular organization and hope the funds are
spent as promised, or we can get involved in Kingdom growth through giving to or
going on Work and Witness trips.

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