Since moving to China in February it has been one of my dreams to visit the Philip Hayden Foundation near Beijing. When Give Grace launched last year we started sponsoring a handful of these beautiful Chinese kids and it was an unforgettable day when their pictures arrived to our office. We immediately started praying for the children and we loved talking about their stories. We longed for them to experience love and we desired for them to one day have a family of their own. After seeing their pictures and praying for them week after week, I eventually felt like I knew them personally.

Recently, I was finally able to get on a train and make the six-hour journey to PHF. Standing in the orphanage and looking around at all of the kids was surreal. It felt like I didn’t deserve to have that moment. It felt like the weight of all of Give Grace’s love for these kids had just landed on my chest. Late one afternoon as I stood on the playground and looked around, I felt your prayers and your love for those little people. I knew in that moment that Give Grace was truly making a difference.

It was an amazing experience to go there and be the eyes, the ears, the hands and the feet of Give Grace. All that Give Grace stands for culminated in that one short weekend. It was a weekend that was all about showing love and grace and acceptance. It was a weekend that changed me. Those kids changed me. The love that abounds in that place left it’s mark on me.

Now, more than ever, please know that your prayers and your gifts are changing lives at a small orphanage near Beijing, China. Those kids may never meet you or touch you. But be certain that you are touching them. You are changing their lives. You are leaving a mark on their lives that will forever remind them that they are loved and accepted.

From the deepest part of me, thank you for being apart of this.

Biscuet

Like many people, I have been struck by the overwhelming sense of tragedy in these countries. We have been faithful to pray for the millions of people affected by these natural disasters, confident God is at work within the hearts of many who are working amidst the rubble, destruction, and those people who have lost everything.

$1100 isn’t much in the scope of all the relief funds being aimed — but it’s what we can do together through give grace. That means 10 families will get urgent supplies.

“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).

It has been estimated that as many as 5 million people are homeless as a result of the earthquake in China, in addition to the death toll of approximately 50,000 people. Partners with Asia Harvest are focusing on helping Christians who live in the disaster area, believing that their primary goal should be to help fellow believers in keeping with the above verse from Galatians 6:10. They have launched a program to provide “Emergency Aid kits” to people in the worst affected areas. The kits, which cost US$110 each, include a 9 sq. meter (97 sq. feet) tent, flashlights, cooking utensils, blankets, first aid supplies, and other essentials. Those on the ground agree the most urgent need is for tents, as in many areas every single building has collapsed and the people are sleeping outside, exposed to the elements.

Pray for the ten families these kits will be reaching - pray they would know the comfort of our Living God who promises to never leave us or forsake us, who promises to work ALL THINGS for the good of those of love Him and are called by Him.

- Matt

For more info visit www.asiaharvest.org

This past Thursday was our last Encounter of the semester. We wrapped up 1 Corinthians with the challenge to remain IMMOVABLE from Him through all things. Matt spent some time thanking our volunteers and staff for all their hard work. We also commissioned our teams and students going to the nations this summer. Grace Campus will be sending a team of 33 to Uganda in May and a team of about 5 to China in July. In addition to the two organized trips, Grace Campus has students going to Mexico, Honduras, Tanzania, Spain, Philippines, Dominican Republic, Slovakia, Malawi, Bolivia, Guatemala, Greece,  Taiwan, Saint Vincent, and the Czech Republic. WOW! “But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, ‘How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!’” Romans 10v.14,15

Our seniors also spoke a word of  encouragement and challenge as they continue on toward new things. This video and others can be found on our Equipping page. We are thankful for them and their leadership here.

Please pray for our students as they travel to the nations declaring His Name and pray for our seniors as they transition to new things. Pray that they would be surrounded by people who will encourage and hold them accountable. Pray that they would be bold and immovable. Pray that the Lord would bless them and guide them for His name’s sake.

-We have 2 new child sponsorships with Philip Hayden Foundation: Maya and Asa. Check out their bios at the China page.

-We have partnered with Mocha Club in support of their Child Mothers Project. Uganda is replete with people who have lived in fear since the mid 80’s. The Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), a rebel paramilitary group in Northern Uganda, has terrorized villages through raids where they are taking children to add to their army, killing villagers, and destroying the village. Joseph Kony, the leader of the LRA, has denied this. There are many young women in Gulu, Uganda, however, who tell a different story… These young women are called “child mothers” because they were only children themselves when they were abducted, trained as fighters, and given as sex slaves to rebel soldiers in the LRA. Now that they have escaped or been excused as expendable, the community at large rejects them and their children. We are helping fund the “Village of Hope” where nearly 500 of these child mothers can live in a safe community with shelter, a job training center, a medical facility, and a school for their children.

-Biscuet made us a video with updates from China. We are excited about what is going on over there and all the work being done. 

Grace Campus ventured into a partnership with Gallery Church of NYC this spring break for City Uprising.  50 Auburn students joined alongside with students across the nation and volunteers/church members from Gallery Church to take part in service projects, promoting events, and worship. 

Monday the students worked with a local government organization called City Year to restore a park in the Bronx. Then Tuesday, March 18, 2008 became a monumental day for the people of New York City. It is estimated that 40,000 people unknowingly live with HIV in New York City in addition to the 100,000 people who already know they have it.  However, because of the 24 CCC Staff members assigned to 19 agencies, 195 student volunteers, 30 Gallery volunteers, and 36,000 rave cards and 800 metro cards being handed out, we were able to test 871 people for HIV. On Wednesday, students spent the day handing out cards to promote REVO - a showing from local artists, musicians, and fashion designers.  All proceeds went to Mocha Club and Health People, which help children orphaned from the AIDS virus. Catch a glimpse of City Uprising from our online photo gallery. 

We have some new child sponsorships with our partners in China. Please check out their stories here.