Dear Fellow Servant(s) of Christ:

 

“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.”

(2 Corinthians 5:20).  Ambassador means the highest-ranking diplomatic representative appointed by one country or government to represent it in another.  If we have made Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, we have been appointed.  How are we representing Him?

 

We know that our Savior is pleased and commands us to minister to the poor and to those struggling financially.  The bulk of our work at Standing InThe Gap is to the poor in the city of Pittsburgh.  Chris Tomlin says it best in his lyrics about the city – “You’re the God of this city, You’re the King of these people, You’re King of this nation, You are, You’re the Light in the darkness, You’re the Hope to the hopeless, You’re the Peace to the restless, You are. For greater things have yet to come, and greater things are still to be done in this City...There is no one like our God.”  God is calling us to spend much time with the same people to form relationships like He wants with us.  One couple, Mitch and Salena, wrote you a thank you note.  “To all the people out there in the world that help people like us, we want to thank you.  May God bless you, in every way and every day.  May God smile upon you and yours.”

 

However, there are many times when we are called to go out of the arena in the city.  In Luke 19, Zacchaeus, a tax collector and a wealthy man, was sought out by Jesus.  Zaccheaus was never the same after his encounter with Christ. We, too, will minister to the rich when God calls us to.   In Luke 8, Mary (called Magdalene) was delivered from seven demons.  Whether they are poor or not, we are ministering to men and women who need emotional and spiritual deliverance.  Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers (Galatians 6:10).  When our fellow believers need assistance or encouragement and we are made aware of it, we respond.

 

  A few years ago, we were contacted by a company that provides brand-new items to non-profit organizations for  very low costs.  These items are to be used only for the needy, elderly and minors.  After much prayer and patience, we became members this spring.  Since that time, we have provided beautiful items for several projects:  Christian books were purchased for a teenager going on a mission’s trip to the Appalachian Mountains in W. Va.; Christian books were acquired for a woman who has a dream to teach inner-city mothers how to read so they can teach their own children how to read. She handed out these books on Good Friday to mothers and their kids in Duquesne.  We were able to provide scarves and small gifts for a woman from Sri Lanka and visiting there this month to minister to our brothers and sisters in that country.  We are planning a visit(s) to the Baldwin Project Apartments this summer to show Christ’s love to the Bosnian people who have been displaced and are living in this country.  This company has provided hundreds of pieces of clothing, jewelry, etc.  We will be able to show them how special they are to God and to us.  It is amazing to see how our Savior orchestrates everything to bring glory to His name!

 

In addition, a single woman who lost her job and is trying to provide for two boys received a grocery gift card; a young college girl whose mother and father are drug addicts and stole her identity was blessed with a Walmart gift card; a struggling woman we met at South Hills Interfaith Ministries needed encouragement through Giant Eagle gift cards; and an elderly woman on a fixed income, has arthritis and is 95% deaf was provided with a store gift card.  An elderly believer had been sleeping on a 58-year old mattress.  When we heard about this, we knew right away that she had to be taken care of.  What a joyous evening that was when it was delivered!  One of our couples (Tim and Kim), who we met two years ago and were just coming off of the streets at that time, now are buying a home and needed help with a microwave and a lamp.  You also purchased supplies so Tim could fix their leaking roof.  Thank you!  You helped us with a recovering crack addict.  We took her to breakfast and bought her some groceries and just what she needed in furniture came in exactly when she needed it!  We were referred an elderly couple where the wife has a broken back.  They were not able to pay some medical bills and you assisted them.  Some foster children were provided with McDonald’s meals while being transported from their foster families to their biological parents for a visit.  We found out that many of the children hadn’t had anything to eat and were hungry.  You encouraged a teacher who had a car accident and has been off of work for many months.  You bought a monthly bus ticket for one of our single mothers we moved two years ago.  She has a job downtown at Subway and was in great need.  She was so thankful!  We met a recovering drug addict who has eight children, single, and her 24-year old son has cerebral palsy.  You purchased basic household items (toaster, coffeemaker, microwave, etc.) and a grocery gift card for her and provided furniture that had been donated to SITG.  Two of our Bethlehem Haven ladies celebrated four years of being clean!  We felt they deserved a luncheon out!  They had never been treated like that before.  Isn’t Jesus wonderful!  You helped to buy a water heater for a woman with bi-polar and in financial trouble. For one of the men we have been encouraging – you aided him by getting a weed whacker and shrub clippers.  He is now doing work in his neighborhood so he can pay his bills.  A single mom just needed some help with a few of her utilities.  You did it!

 

Our friends at the Pressley Street Projects on the Northside are so humbled and honored when we supply them with their needs. Recently, we were working with one of the precious women.  The first time we visited her, she was very distant.  The second time we visited, she showed us her son’s picture and now wants to help us with others.  It is contagious!  Another individual begged us to pray for him.  He was confused because outsiders were deceiving Him from the truth of Jesus.  He was so thankful we came along when we did.  Last, but not least, we have been working with a young woman in the city whose mother died when she was a little girl.  Just in the last year, her father died, she became pregnant, is now married, and wanting to live for Jesus.  Maureen felt led to give her a baby shower.  You bought the cake and a few supplies to represent our Jesus to her.

 

Dear God, please motivate us to be the best ambassadors of your love that we can be.  Thank you for your continued support.  We count on you!

 

                                                                                                                                Because He cares, gives and lives,

 

 

Standing In The Gap is a non-profit corporation that has been determined to be exempt from Federal income tax under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue code.  Contributions, bequests, devises, transfers and gifts are tax deductible.