Cwillz Spills

Here’s the deal.  Right now I am living as a domestic missionary in Montana, where I spend almost everyday on a ranch where I help troubled teens get a grip on this thing called life and hopefully bring them to reconciliation with God, each other, and their families.  What’s important about that is:

1) I don’t have much extra money to give to a world in need right now.

2) I don’t have as much of a use or need for my 2nd generation 8-gig iPod touch, a Nike+ sensor, nor the arm band I have for it.

I put those two ideas together and came up with the solution: I can auction off the iPod and give the money away.  Ebay makes this surprisingly easy through MissionFish and Ebay giving works.

I have decided to donate 100% of the auction to the International Justice Mission, an organization that I wrote about earlier.

You can find the auction at http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330336878330.

Bid high, set some captives free.

May the Lord’s will be done,

CWillZ

It is a pleasure to give to ministries that are unique and valuable work in the Kingdom of God.  This time I want to point your attention to Emmaus Ministries.  While there are several valuable ministries out there with a similar name, I hope you can celebrate the hope and redemption found living at this one.

In their own words(www.streets.org):

Our Mission

To make Jesus known on the streets among men involved in sexual exploitation.

Our Purpose

To provide hope in Christ for men involved in sexual exploitation by developing ministries of evangelization, transformation, and education.

• Evangelization: Following Christ’s example by modeling His character and compassion on the streets.
• Transformation: Providing assistance and support during transition away from street life.
• Education: Building an awareness of the needs of men involved in prostitution and equipping the Body of Christ to respond.

I visited this ministry with as a part of a group of senior Christian Ed. majors from Taylor University about a year ago.  We participated in an “Immersion Night” where we spent time in gay bars, clubs, and on the streets getting to know people.  I can truly say that that night has changed the way I approach homosexuality and how I talk about gay people or use the term gay.

Emmaus loves people.  They speak the truth, but also provide very real resources to help people in need.  My time spent there that night retaught me that if we preach against a sin, we must be able to offer hope for the victims of that condition and maybe set aside the questions about how volitional or not it may have been for their lives to come to that place.  The decision that matters is the step towards God and recovery found in Christ’s love.

Also, Emmaus has made it easy and safe to give online using donate.net.

May the Lord’s will be done,

CWillz

I forgot to do the Giving Highlight last month.  I chose another micro-finance related organization to give to.  I really like this concept.  Before I tell you about Five Talents, I should give an update on the loans I made through Kiva a few months ago.  All of the loans have gone into repayment, which means that I am starting to get money back.  So basically the people who needed it have used it and have started to make enough money to support themselves/their families and repay me.  The money they have paid back I have re-loaned, which will hopefully create another sustainable job for someone else.  The cycle continues.

I chose to give to Five Talents because of they address more than the economic/systemic issues of poverty by wokring also for spiritual development. Also, they make online giving easy via credit card!

From thier website:

Five Talents’ mission is to fight poverty, create jobs and transform lives by empowering the poor in developing countries using innovative savings and microcredit programs, business training and spiritual development.

Also, a YouTube Special for you:

May the Lord’s will be done,

CWillZ

It’s (past) time to give again. This time I wanted to point your attention to something that really intrigues me. A major challenge to individuals, families, and even nations in our time is the cost of healthcare and I have found some people that are doing more than complaining.

While I have already written about the reasons for the cost of health care and the way to reduce them, I want to show you a place that takes principles from the earliest expressions of the Kingdom and puts them into actual practice today.

Christian Healthcare Ministries is an organization that acts in a similar way as insurance companies do, but its goal is to help the members (and not the executives). From their website:

Christian Healthcare Ministries (CHM) is an affordable, faith-based solution for Christians to rising health care costs and expensive health insurance policies. We are a nationwide group of Christian individuals and families united to voluntarily share each other’s medical bills. In the past 15 years alone, members of this non-profit ministry have shared more than $450 million in healthcare costs.

If you want to give without being a “member” you have to send a check (to be honest it is a pain to me–Paypal is always good). If you are interested in being a member, it is worth your time to check our what they offer and think about how this can help you and others.

Its funny how the other day I was explaining the difference between socialism and the “communalism” de[pre?]scribed in Acts 2 and we were struggling to imagine what it looks like when Christians today pool their resources to help each other.

Hope you check it out and get creative with your love.

May the Lord’s will be done,

CWillZ

Yesterday I predicted how this term’s potential VPs would do in their only debate before the election. 

Expected result: I thought that Biden would make a fool of himself and then clarify.  I thought that Palin would speak clearly and then make a fool of herself.

What happened: Surprisingly, both showed good tact and presented their cases with more confidence and discipline than I expected.  This debate was easier to watch than last week’s bout between McCain and Obama.  These two people can look at each other in the eyes when speaking.

Major Issues Discussed:  the Economy, Iraq, Afganistan, Israel, Pakistan, Darfur / the Sudan, U.S. giving to foriegn aid, voting records, civil unions…

The winner: Like last week, people will think the person that won is the person they expected to win before it started. 

Final conclusion: I don’t understand how Joe Biden’s eyebrows go back and up like they do.  I also felt funny when Sarah Palin winked at me.  My hat is off to both of them for their performance in disciplined speech and their ability to instill confidence.

May the Lord’s will be done,

CWillZ

Squidoo has raised 80,000 dollars and wants to give it away.  In order to give it way, people have to vote for a charity of thier choosing.  Each votes donates $2.

Take 30 seconds, let the free giving happen!

Maybe the Lord’s will be done,

CWillZ

To give is both a privilege and a duty, and it is downright fun to point attention to people who are doing great things and then play a role.

This month we decided to give to New Life International, an organization that is spreading the Gospel while and by providing the basic necessity of clean water. 

The rationale for giving here is easy: About a sixth of our neighbors in the world do not have access to clean water. 

You should know that Jesus says this in Matthew 25:

4″Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

 37“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

 40“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

 41“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

 44“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

 45“He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

 46“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

If you are looking for a trustworthy place to do things for the “least of these”, New Life International is a solid choice.

May the Lord’s will be done,

CWillZ

Recently I posted asking for input on where to give money.  I then featured Kiva as where I decided to give and gave a brief intro to micro financing.  I want to start featuring at least one place each month that I am going to give money or have given money to.  My hope is to highlight some of the light that is being cast into this dismal world and to encourage both the organizations and those who may chose to give, pray, or join with them.

And the August giving highlight goes to … The International Justice Mission.  Here is a  blurb stolen from their website:

International Justice Mission is a human rights agency that secures justice for victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and other forms of violent oppression. IJM lawyers, investigators and aftercare professionals work with local governments to ensure victim rescue, to prosecute perpetrators and to strengthen the community and civic factors that promote functioning public justice systems.

IJM’s justice professionals work in their communities in 12 countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America to secure tangible and sustainable protection of national laws through local court systems.

It is obvious to see why this is a great org. to support.  Seek justice, protect the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow. (Isaiah 1:17).  This is all part of the love affair we enjoy in the Kingdom.

May the Lord’s will be done,

CWillZ