Minute for Mission.4 – Christmas Offering

See What Your Gifts Can Do!

 Your generous gifts to the Disciples Special Christmas Offering support the work of the Region and its many ministries, which connect, support, educate, and provide leadership opportunities for Disciples congregations in Kentucky.  One example of this is a wonderful ministry that was born when a Women’s Spring Conference workshop offering captured the imagination of some of the women from First Christian Church in Shelbyville who were in attendance. From this regionally offered workshop, a ministry was begun that forever changed the lives of a family of 8.  The story, that was included in a congregational newsletter, is shared below:

 “Yesterday afternoon we were excited to welcome a Burmese family to Louisville, which was the culmination of our work with First Presbyterian Church here in Shelbyville, Bardstown Road Presbyterian Church in Louisville, and Kentucky Refugee Ministries.  Our Christian Women’s Fellowship (CWF, or what is now known as Disciples Women’s Ministries in many congregations) learned of the work of Kentucky Refugee Ministries (KRM) at a conference they attended, and upon their return, they were very interested in taking part in helping to settle a refugee family.  Mary Clark, Diane Bland, the rest of the CWF, and members of the congregation led us through this great ministry and put in many hours preparing for the arrival of this family (many of those volunteers had already devoted a number of hours to VBS as well).  KRM secured a rental home in Louisville for the family but there was much work to do to prepare the home for the family’s arrival.  There was a great deal of cleaning to do, supplies needed for the home, furniture to fill the home, and much more.  Our congregation responded very generously to provide for the needs of this family, and for that, we are very grateful.  Each of the eight family members had a single suitcase when they arrived at the airport in Louisville.  Imagine – coming to a new country, where you cannot speak the language, where you have no idea what awaits you, and you have only a single suitcase to hold your belongings.  It is inconceivable for me to try and imagine what it would be like to start a new life under such circumstances!  But in the name of Jesus, we are able to reach out to a family that found it necessary to flee their own homeland and to seek shelter in a new land.  They have much to learn and will no doubt have many adjustments to make.  Please be in prayer for this family – and the many others like them – as they settle into their new home and lives.  Below is a picture of the family – mom, dad, and their six children – that was taken at the Louisville airport, shortly after their arrival.”

Submitted by Linda Jones
CCK Staff

 

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