The American is Nothing. The Lord is Everything

Since my visit to the orphanage of the Log Church of Kenya, there has been a large increase of orphans at the home. The need is so great as it is in all parts of Africa, and indeed in all parts of the developing world.

Nevertheless, I have had a question in my mind if this increase of children at the orphanage was not greatly influenced by my visit there, since the people of the area might have gotten the idea that since an American was helping them, they would suddenly have a lot of money to care for the children.

This is a perspective I have battled my entire adult life as I have worked among people of third world nations. So that the people in Kisii (Kenya) would understand, I recently sent the letter below to Pastor Joel and the church leadership. The key line in the letter is: The American is nothing. The Lord is everything.

Mom and Child at the Hospital

Angwenyi now feeling stronger

The occasion of the letter is Pastor Joel giving me information of the hospital bill for little boy named Angwenyi who had come down with malaria. I have written before about potency of the highland malaria, and what a danger it poses to the people there.



Thankfully, the health of little Angwenyi is improving and none of the other children in the orphanage have shown any symptoms of malaria as of the writing of this letter.

*************************** 

Dear Son Pastor Joel

It is good news that Angwenyi is improving in hospital and that none of the other orphans have showed any indication of Malaria. We all must continue to pray. 

I would like to mention something about finances so that you and the leadership may understand my perspective. I am sending you everything that the Lord supplies to me for the orphans and for the church. I will hold back nothing. When you tell me that you need $190 to pay a hospital bill, I cannot simply send you $190 if the Lord has not first supplied it to me. I need to tell you again that I am not a wealthy man. I have lived my life as a servant, not as a nobleman. 

I realize that you have taken on a big responsibility with all of the children. May God bless these efforts. We need to continually bring our needs before Him. With the many more children now under your care, I know now that you have a large increase in the need of food. This the Lord must supply. I trust you are also praying for local sources of food. I also hope that the people of the area are not getting the idea that they can come to you with their needs because they have heard that an American is helping you.

 

They must know that you have nothing apart from the Lord. The American is nothing. The Lord is everything. 

"Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow."

We have also begun the planning on the girl’s sleeping room, and there is a need for other buildings as well. This all results in a large increase of money. We will look to the Lord to supply. 

All of you in the church have affectionately called me your Dad. I also call you my Sons and my Daughters. But we all know that we have one Father. It is to him that we bring our needs. He will supply all good things to us. 

Dear Son, I am also going to put this letter on my blog page, as I want people here to also realize these priorities. The entire world has a need to learn dependence on the Lord, and not on wealth. 

With the Love of a Dad for the Children of Our Father.