A Holy Hug

Have you ever thought "What I could use right now more than anything else is a good hug"? We have all had days where we have felt this way. Maybe it was after the death of a loved one or when a friend just didn't understand our feelings. We feel lonely and frustrated. We want to feel loved and need someone to really listen to us. Honestly, we just need to truly know that someone cares.

In John 14, Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit as "another Comforter".  The Holy Spirit is to be our guide and our comforter. And I can say that there have been moments when I have felt the Holy Spirit comfort me just like He was placing his arms around me in a hug. I love the words of Jesus in verse 18: "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you." This gives me great comfort.

But I need to be honest. Sometimes I need a real hug from a human person. In Kenya, we deal with a lot of people. Just the children in our Christian schools number close to one thousand then there are their parents, grandparents, extended families. If you total the school and church ministries you get close to three thousand people. What is amazing is how many of them need a touch from us? Really all of them need a touch, an encouraging word, a smile, a hug. The problem has always been that Lisa and I just can't do it alone. We can't do it all. We need help!

This is where sponsors step in and up.  You see, sponsorship shouldn't just be about money. Yes, the money is desperately needed, but we want sponsorship to be about a growing relationship.  This is why the Hope Foundation works hard to provide ways for our sponsors to get to know their Kenyan child. You can send gifts in our suitcases. You can send money so small presents and school supplies can be purchased in country for them. You can write to them and they can write back monthly. I think that the letters are so important because it is like a little hug from you to them. I call these small notes and letters "Holy Hugs". As a sponsor you might think, my letter can't mean that much but in reality they do.

On our last visit to Good News Academy, we had children come and ask us when their sponsor might write them. They are looking for someone to show them that they truly care. Our children are so appreciative of your giving but they also want to thank you. They are struggling and need your prayers, but they also want to pray for you. They have friends and families but they want to know you too. They want to see your face in pictures. They want to know what it is like in America. They need you to tell them about God and what He is doing in your life. Letters mean a lot. Letters lead to love. I think this is why God gave us the Bible especially the New Testament. God knew that His Word would lead us to understand His love.

I encourage you to build a relationship with your child in Kenya through the Hope Foundation. Write a letter. It will lead to love. To show you how important it is to build a relationship, I wanted to share a video with you of one of our American sponsors surprising her Kenyan daughter with a visit on the week of her graduation from eighth grade this year. They have been writing back and forth for several years now and have built a relationship of love.

It is all about love and giving someone a "Holy Hug". We are planning a sponsors trip for next summer (2017). If you want details, please email Lisa: lisa@hopefoundationofkenya.org.