Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Friday, May 16, 2008
Thailand trip
Hello everyone!
Aaron and I have returned from a life
and perspective altering time in Thailand. The plan at
the beginning of our trip (to venture into the jungle
for dentistry work) crumbled as the atmosphere on the
border was a little tense. We believe that God used
this as an opportunity to put us in the middle of the
desperate situation we originally intended to be
involved with.
Mae Sot, Thailand is a town that
borders Burma. Because of the appalling atrocities
being committed by the Military Junta in Burma, many
Burmese/Karen people have fled into the safety of
Thailand. Not everyone seeking refuge in Thailand is
blessed enough to receive legal or refugee status, so
many are there illegally. Among those people are
children who are not even having their most basic
needs met. These children are turned out into the
streets of Mae Sot to beg for food and money. This is
a terrible problem presenting so many safety and
health issues, and puts the children at even greater
risk of abuses such as slave labor, prostitution, and
disease. Some of the kids beg all day for their
parents and themselves, then sleep under a parked
vehicle, tables in the marketplace, or on the
sidewalk.
Aaron and I had the honor of working with a friend who
has given her life to rescuing these kids. Everyday we
sought out the street kids, fed them, tried to connect
them with safety, and just worked to be a support to
them in their suffering. This was heart-wrenching
work, and something that has influenced real change in
all of our lives. These kids need fathers and mothers.
They need safety and education. They have a future,
and we will give what we can that they may live life
abundantly. The love of Jesus is demonstrated in a
tangible way, and we will do what He commands.
“The compassion of Jesus is not generous benevolence,
it is a consuming fire.”
-Brennan Manning
Thank you all for helping us financially to do the
work that God is calling us to. Thank you for going
with us. God bless you.
Jim Sustar
Aaron and I have returned from a life
and perspective altering time in Thailand. The plan at
the beginning of our trip (to venture into the jungle
for dentistry work) crumbled as the atmosphere on the
border was a little tense. We believe that God used
this as an opportunity to put us in the middle of the
desperate situation we originally intended to be
involved with.
Mae Sot, Thailand is a town that
borders Burma. Because of the appalling atrocities
being committed by the Military Junta in Burma, many
Burmese/Karen people have fled into the safety of
Thailand. Not everyone seeking refuge in Thailand is
blessed enough to receive legal or refugee status, so
many are there illegally. Among those people are
children who are not even having their most basic
needs met. These children are turned out into the
streets of Mae Sot to beg for food and money. This is
a terrible problem presenting so many safety and
health issues, and puts the children at even greater
risk of abuses such as slave labor, prostitution, and
disease. Some of the kids beg all day for their
parents and themselves, then sleep under a parked
vehicle, tables in the marketplace, or on the
sidewalk.
Aaron and I had the honor of working with a friend who
has given her life to rescuing these kids. Everyday we
sought out the street kids, fed them, tried to connect
them with safety, and just worked to be a support to
them in their suffering. This was heart-wrenching
work, and something that has influenced real change in
all of our lives. These kids need fathers and mothers.
They need safety and education. They have a future,
and we will give what we can that they may live life
abundantly. The love of Jesus is demonstrated in a
tangible way, and we will do what He commands.
“The compassion of Jesus is not generous benevolence,
it is a consuming fire.”
-Brennan Manning
Thank you all for helping us financially to do the
work that God is calling us to. Thank you for going
with us. God bless you.
Jim Sustar
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Alrighty, let's get this blog rollin'
Hey everybody, Chris here trying to get our little YWAM Modesto blog going. There is much happening in our little community. Jim and Aaron are finishing up a visit to Thailand connecting with Al and Joanne Brown at Compasio and Kathleen at YWAM's Home of Joy. Please pray for the guys on thier way home Thursday. They have many stories to share. We'll be keeping you posted.
In our home community here in Modesto it has been a sad couple of weeks. Two of the neighborhoods we serve in and have many friends have been rocked by gang violence. Several shootings over the past weeks have necessitated community response. Here are a couple of ways from the bee that you can be involved...
The Modesto Police Department and the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department, along with the city of Modesto, Stanislaus County, Modesto City Schools and the Stanislaus County Office of Education, are hosting a community forum on gangs and violence Wednesday at 7 p.m. The forum, called "Break the Cycle," will be held in the Modesto High School cafeteria at 18 H St.
Area residents are invited to participate in a "March Against Gang Violence" from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 24. The march will start at the Stanislaus County Courthouse in downtown Modesto and end at Modesto High School. The event is sponsored by the Community Action Coalition of Stanislaus County, the city of Modesto, the Stanislaus County Office of Education, the Stanislaus County Community Gang Task Force, the police and sheriff's departments, the Hispanic Leadership Council, the NAACP and the Weed and Seed program. For information, call Jeremiah Williams at 568-3096.
Also on May 24, the community is invited to participate in the "Raw and Real Hip-Hop Symposium" about youth-on-youth violence, a collaborative effort of community mentors and educators. The event is sponsored by the NAACP, the King-Kennedy Memorial Center and Fathers Who Care. Details on the location of the event will be announced soon. For more information, call Jai Gullatt at 408-0277.
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