An Open Letter To the World Vision Guraghe ADP Staff

January 2008

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

It is hard to believe that it has been almost three months since our visit to Guraghe, Ethiopia. First of all, I want to say thank you for the wonderful hospitality you demonstrated to us. The great food, the shared times of worship and prayer, the rides along the bumpy roads of Guraghe, the amazing people you introduced us to – we witnessed in your lives a solid faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, a deep and abiding hope, and an enduring love that is making a real difference in bringing the kingdom of God near in the world today! We were blessed.

I wanted to inform you of our decision to partner with World Vision and the staff of Guraghe ADP. During the month of December our church made a commitment to sponsor 60 children in Guraghe. We are looking forward to building relationships with these special children and we pray that the financial resources will empower you to bring real help and hope to all of the people in Guraghe ADP. As well, we hope to be able to make some financial gifts over the next three years to further your work. In prayer recently I had a dream that one day we would lead a group from our church to Guraghe to meet all of you and our sponsored children. Through the work of the Spirit, I pray that one day this dream becomes a reality.

Sisters and brothers, please know that our hearts are filled with love and joy and that we are grateful to God to have had the opportunity to travel to Ethiopia and witness first hand the amazing work you are doing in the name of Jesus Christ. We think of you often and whenever we do our hearts overflow with thanksgiving. We look forward to our partnership in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and pray His rich blessing upon all of you. Please let us know how your work is going and how we might best pray for you. Please pray that God would help us proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ in our community and that we would live by faith, be known by love, and be a voice of hope in our country.

We believe that God will do exceedingly, abundantly beyond all you can ask or even imagine – according to the power that is at work within you – may all the glory be unto Jesus Christ in the Church, now and forever. Amen (Ephesians 3:20-21).

Dream Venti…