In 2012 we had the opportunity to meet Phillip Yancey personally at a book-signing event that he was holding in our area of the Balkans, and I must say I have been very impressed by his writings! Here is something he has said:

“We idolize wealth, fame, and power; we’re a celebrity culture. Just look at the movies we see, the magazines we read. They don’t feature homeless people, ugly or even ordinary-looking people. Yet Jesus held up the poor, the persecuted, those who mourn, as blessed, as heirs of the kingdom. We’re called to see the world with different eyes, God’s eyes, and then present that vision in a convincing way. That’s subversive.” — Phillip Yancey

Rick Warren, author of the best-selling book “The Purpose Driven Life” has said, “The purpose of influence is to ‘speak up for those who have no influence’”.  That has been our mission for the past 40 years:  To care for the needy, the hungry, the broken-hearted, and those who have suffered loss due to man’s greed and war. How much voice does a person have who supports himself and his family by scrounging daily through the city’s dumpsters?

It seems the world of today has lost its values in multiple areas:  politics, business, religion — even the medical and food industries. Yes, man has made a proper mess of things!

The mantra repeated by most people today is “Whatever makes the most money, go for it!” But money and material possessions in the end do not make you happy. Helping others in some way is what truly brings a feeling of satisfaction!

Looking back over the past 40 years, we have never been rich by worldly standards, but to be honest, we have felt as if we are millionaires! We have lacked no physical need, and have enjoyed for the most part good health, happiness, and inner peace. But our main motivation has not been to get more for ourselves or to have our own needs met. It has been to help those who have less than us and cannot help themselves. How do we do this you may ask? Let me explain…

During our lives of service we have traveled to many exciting and exotic places such as Guatemala and Belize in Central America, Peru, Argentina, and Uruguay in South America, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Himalaya mountains in Asia, Jordan, Israel, and Palestine in the Mideast, and Libya, Tunisia, and Malta in North Africa, just to mention a few. And all because of our desire to help the needy! And the cost of all this traveling? Where did that money come from? It was all supplied by supernatural means, or you could say natural means if you are one of God’s people. One person whose testimonies of faith greatly inspired us to live such a life was George Muller! Once we made the decision to dedicate our lives to His service, it was like the Bank of Heaven issued us a Gold Card that we could swipe any time there was a need, and the tickets would just fall from the Heavenly vaults!