A Lesson from 2006

2006 provided us with many remarkable experiences and learning opportunities. I would like to write about one of them. During 2006 I saw the greatest acts of forgiveness and Christian mercy that I will probably ever see in my lifetime. On October 2 Charles Roberts murdered five Amish girls in Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania. He also killed himself. Within a few days, the Amish community, in the midst of their grieving, reached out in love and forgiveness to the family of he murderer.

The Rev. Robert Schenck told CNN that "as we were standing next to the body of this 13-year-old girl, the grandfather was tutoring the young boys, he was making a point, just saying to the family, 'We must not think evil of this man.' It was one of the most touching things I have seen in 25 years of Christian ministry."

The secular media did not know how to deal with this type of reaction. They are used to rage and revenge, not forgiveness. They did not have a clue on how to report on what they were seeing. So, as we could have expected, once the funeral was over they story was dropped. Most people have already forgotten about the whole thing, or only remember the carnage.

Perhaps Christians, too, remain a little incredulous about this amazing act of forgiveness. Have we allowed this to speak to us, to cause us to examine ourselves and our hearts and to wonder how we would react? It would be simpler to just pass it off as a kind of fanatical behavior from people who live an alternative type of existence - people who are very much unlike us and who don't live in the "real world." I, for one, was deeply moved by the Amish, and convicted by my own lack of faith and forgiveness. I see their behavior as being extremely courageous and Christ-like, examples of practical Christianity that most of us never witness. I thank God for the lesson from the Amish!

Marlys, Jenny and I had a great weekend. We traveled a couple hours north to Palisades, MN to the Hillside Chapel. Marlys spoke at their New Year's women's brunch on Saturday morning, and we did the Sunday School and worship on Sunday. They were so happy to learn more about CSC. We talked, answered questions, showed video and shared some of our vision for the future. And we told them about the child, Cherramee, who is their Foster Friend.

On Sunday, to our surprise, the Pastor, Randy Hite, announced that there would be a special free will offering for CSC. This small group of people dug deep and gave over $600! Thanks to Hillside and all the great people we met. There is something very special about small churches, and the opportunities that they provide for us to really share about the ministry and some heart warming stories about the children.

Pins and needles

This is crunch time at CSC. As we get ready to celebrate the arrival of 2007 we have lots of concerns about 2006. So much of our annual income arrives in the last week of the year, that we never know how our year went until the final total is made after the 31st. What might look like a decent year, financially, could end up being otherwise. We are trusting God for a spectacular finish!

So why worry? I guess it has to do with my own lack of faith. We have seen God work so many financial miracles, and we've seen people come through in amazing ways over the almost 28 years of ministry. What seems impossible is simply not that at all. But my human nature, my radical finite-ness, causes me to worry at this time of year. Maybe I'm just a slow learner when it comes to God's nature and his love for the children of CSC.

Please pray with me for a great finish to 2006!

To all who read this blog, thank you for caring about our family and CSC. It is a pleasure to serve this ministry and to be able to have jobs that make a difference in the lives of the great kids who live at CSC. This is our 28th Christmas since starting the work in Cebu and each year has been a great blessing.

As I talk to people here in Minnesota I am often troubled to see how many of them really dislike their jobs. They don't like their bosses and many claim to dread going in to work in the morning. When I hear these comments I realize just how blessed I am to have a job that provides blessings, challenges and emotional rewards on a daily basis. It is a difficult job, to say the least, but one that is important to so many lives.

I am thankful to the many people whose gifts allow Marlys and me to continue to do this work that we love.

Christmas issues

Christmas is a time of rejoicing at CSC. We thank God for the children that we are able to offer love and care. We praise God for the good people who make the ministry possible at Christmas and throughout the year. We thank Him for his Son, Jesus Christ, the true meaning of Christmas.

But Christmas also makes us think of some of the fundamental dilemmas of life, and to wrestle with issues about the inequities of life in a country like the Philippines. Our CSC children are given nice gifts and enjoy special meals and opportunities every Christmas. But within a stones throw of our shelter and office, children are suffering in abject poverty, with no hope of a gift and no chance for special food, or even enough to eat. We take our CSC kids out to look at the fancy lights on V. Rama avenue in Cebu City and we see kids begging or sleeping on the streets. We believe that God has a wonderful plan for the lives of our children, and are thrilled to be a part of that plan. But what about the kids who continue to suffer?

Even after 27 years of working in the Philippines, I don't have the answer to these questions. It is a fundamental, "in your face" reality of life in a poor country. Some people enjoy manifold blessings (like us) while others seem to struggle for their whole lives. While I sit down to breakfast with my family there are people just a short distance from my home who will have no breakfast. Christmas is just a time of year that brings these inequities to mind in a more graphic way. But they are every day realities.

A couple weeks ago we were speaking in a church in MN and a young couple came up to us afterwards and asked some hard questions. What should their response be to poverty? Should they stop driving a car and give more money to ministries like CSC? Should they downsize, simplify, cut back? They felt convicted by their (relative) wealth.

I'm not sure we gave them very good answers. God works in people's lives in different ways. We all need to be sensitive to how He is speaking to us about our lifestyles. I appreciated the couple's openness to change how they live if that is what God requires of them. Many Christians much wealthier than they are seem unwilling to look reflectively at their lives and open their hearts to the possiblity that God wants them to use their wealth, talents and time to benefit those who have very little.

We have appreciated so much the sacrificial giving of God's people to CSC over the years. And especially at Christmas time. We have shed tears over stories of families who decided to forego Christmas gifts to be able to give more to CSC, or friends who gave hard earned bonuses to CSC so that we could do something special for the kids. God works in a variety of ways. He really does.

Stateside Christmas

The Healy family is enjoying our Christmas in Minnesota. Our grandson Kellen is with us, together with Nelia and Neil. They will be here for two weeks. Kellen is the star of the whole show in our household, and we have enjoyed getting to know him and celebrate this season with our family. Just a few updates on our extended family:

- My dad, Jerry, has finished radiation treatment for cancer in his voice box. He came through the treatment well and the doctor says that there is no cancer evident. He has lost much of his voice, but we expect some of that to come back.

- My mom, Millie, had surgery for glaucoma and cataracts. She will have the other eye treated early next year. She is doing very well.

Marlys will also be having cataract surgery, probably in February.

This is the time of year that we miss CSC the most. Being around the kids and staff at Christmas time is really a great experience - easily the most fun of the year. Our staff works so hard to provide fun and meaningful times for the kids. We know that all those efforts are worthwhile. When we go around the U.S. and talk to adopted children and ask about their memories of CSC, Christmas experiences are almost always at the top of the list.

We continue to pray for a big ending to the year financially for CSC. We have seen God work mightily in the past during December, and we are expecting great things for 2006. Thanks for your prayers and love.

Christmas time

These are interesting days at CSC. As the staff in Cebu prepares for a host of holiday activities with the children, the stateside staff is involved in other activities that are so important to the ministry. December is by far the biggest month for income for CSC. More than a quarter of all our yearly income is received in the last month of the year. In addition to our December prayer letter we send out a Foster Friends Christmas letter. So, there are lots of gifts to process, receipt letters to send out and things to mail. And lots of prayers! As in past years we need to have a spectacular December to reach our income goals for the year. It seems like every year we come to December with this need. We need to raise almost $300,000 this month. Please join us in praying for great things.