R.O.I. That’s return-on-investment. You remember a few months ago, a terrible cyclone battered the country where we support some orphanages. (I would rather not use the name — as even leaders in that country can google and I would rather they not read my blog! But if you are from Calvary, you know.) So anyway at Calvary we collected over $20,000 for relief help…in addition our national network of churches collected another $5000 and gave to us to distribute. I just want to give you a small report of how those funds are being put to use.

The funds are being sent to the orphanage and school leaders with whom we work. They in turn are using the funds to buy food, building supplies, seed for new rice crops, and farming machinery. They have been working (and continue to work — months later there is still so much to do and so much suffering to relieve) primarily in two different areas…one area contains seven villages, the second area contains three villages. In area one — extensive work has been done to help the villages plant new rice crops, 4 plowing machines were bought and a very important bridge was built. Without this bridge the people would have been unable to get the plowing machines to the rice fields. This fields required plowing machines to replant the rice because the land has been so contaminated by salt water and dead bodies. The building of this bridge brought out all the people, young and old from the seven villages. The village ruler said, “I’ve never seen all my villagers come together like that in such a great crowd filled with great joy and happiness.” The bridge was dedicated last weekend and one of the orphanage leaders had the chance to tell all the villagers that there is a bridge (Christ) that no storm will ever break.

Teams continue to go into the hard hit areas bringing food, burying bodies, and telling people about Jesus. That offering that we took — the largest single offering we have ever given — is being used in incredible ways…and I know that God is pleased. This is what it means to be a church without walls.
One of the leaders said this in recent e-mails…

I do not know how to thank you all. I could not express my thanks by this letter. However, let me say,” THANKS AND THANKS TO YOU ALL”. Please pass our thanks to those who participate for this projects. Your prayers, Love, Heart and especially the offer you make, you have helped us make the people’s life change from hopeless to great hope and lots of people come to believe Jesus. I praise God that the Lord Himself puts you in the best place for our ministry. I am very proud of you for He uses you to help our people in their most needy time. You save lots of live not only spiritually but also in physical. Please extend my thanks to everyone who support our ministry through you for this special time.

So I know gas costs too much…and oil is going higher as the stock market goes lower…and we wonder if the economy is going in recession, but the bottom line is that we have so much for which to be thankful — not least of which is the opportunities that God gives us to give away, what he has already given us.