A fundraiser… Not an ordinary one, not a lavish one, not one to increase some
organization's wealth or to pad someone's wallet… The children sheltered at
Christ Our Refuge Children's Home, in Nairobi, Kenya, made some exotic art work
to be sold at our church in Canada. The children took the wings from dead
butterflies and glued them to paper to make unforgettable masterpieces. Some
took human form, others the form of a dwelling, but the one that caught my eye
was in the form of a colourful parrot. I can't even imagine the hours of work
that was poured into these works of art, and it was obvious that there was also
plenty of love and prayers put into the pictures as well. And that's how they
were received by our church. It was like we were receiving butterfly kisses
straight from Africa!
What would the orphanage do with the money they received? They use it to save
more of the homeless children from the slums of Nairobi. They want to reach out
to more and more of the kids no one wants! The Undesirables! The kinds that
otherwise would end up in crime, prostitution, and disease! They want to offer
them shelter, food, an education, and a real purpose in life.
What drives this orphanage? Their love for the lost children in Nairobi. They
are fully aware where most of these abandoned children are heading: "Enter
through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads
to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and
narrow the road that leads to life, and only a
few find it." (Matt
7:13-14 NIV)
It is no life to sleep on the street in a cardboard box with an empty belly! It
is no life to have to beg or rely on crime and prostitution to get food to
survive! It is no life to face AIDS, desperate and alone!
But what about those of us in the Western world? We have so much more, yet do we
fair any better? We have homes, food in abundance and security, but how many of
us really enjoy true living? There are so few who aren't addicted to nasty
habits that keep them from enjoying what we could have been. There are so few of
us who truly walk around with a big smile on our faces!
Are we truly living, or do we barely exist from one moment to another?
There are a few who really enjoy real living. I am not talking about the con
artist who pretends all is well while his whole life is falling apart. I'm
talking about those I'm acquainted with who really, truly enjoy every moment of
their life. These rare people all have one thing in common: they truly know the
One who brought them life!
Only One person was able to declare with full confidence: "I am the
way
and the truth and the
life.
No one comes to the Father except
through me." (John 14:6 NIV)
Don't believe those who say that every way leads to heaven! It's just not true.
Go to the slums of Nairobi, or visit the life of the alcoholic or the drug
addict, and then tell me if all roads truly lead to heaven! If heaven is just
one big hangover after another, I don't want any part of it! That's not real
living!
Only One is the way! Only One is the truth! Only one is life, real life! Only
One can bring us to heaven! Jesus is the One who can give each one a true
purpose! He is the One who can make us truly enjoy life, even though our
circumstances may be far from ideal. He is the one who can give us true hope!
His love is more than enough to envelop anyone who opens up to Him, asking Him
to provide them with real living. And real living He will truly provide!
Ask those kids at Christ Our Refuge Children's Home. They know the difference
between destructive living and real living!
"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,
made us
alive with Christ even when we
were dead in transgressions
- it is by
grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us
with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus." (Eph 2:4-6 NIV)
Real living is available to you as well. Come to the One who can provide it to
you and welcome Him with open arms into your life. If you need any help with
this, don't hesitate to send me an email. Jesus loves you and I would like for
you to experience that reality!
Rob Chaffart
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
everyone to look towards Jesus as the source of all the solutions to our
problems. It contains a daily inspirational story, a Bible verse and encouraging
messages. HTML and plain text versions available.
The Nugget: Published three times a week, this newsletter features inspirational devotionals and mini-sermons dedicated to drawing mankind closer to each other and to Christ.