Finance and Recent Events

Well, ladies and gentlemen, it’s starting to hit home - the reality and grandeur of the life to which Christ has called me. I have taken my own initiative to see his purpose out and am currently in his will. I had about 45% of my expected $4,500 raised. Half of that is sponsor money which I don't touch. That amount stays current and is at $1,100. Today I am about to create letters to hopeful sponsors. So I anticipate that number to rise as the Lord puts his call on individuals. I, this year, have earned $3,000 in labor with TAG contracting, but $1,000 has gone to fix my car and another large sum has slipped into the gas tank and gone for food and other necessities. I did buy a knife from Dick's Sporting Goods for $70. This is the only superfluous purchase I can recall. The rest has gone to pay for C.H.E training ($550) and Water Pumping ($500) courses at Equip Intl. I now have $434 set aside for my three month trip. So that's the financial side of my endeavors.

          Now let’s talk current events. On May 13th I will take a week-long water pumping tech class from Equip, the second part of preparing myself for a lifetime of missions wherever I am. CHE, the first class I took, opened my eyes to a greater worldview and taught me how to evangelize. It gave me set models for community evangelism to use as a tool for Christ. I'm hoping the second course will give me something to bring to the table as a contributor. People have drilled wells all over Africa, but when those wells break no one locally knows how to fix them.

          One day I was praying that the Lord give me someone to share the gospel with and in a few minutes after I had stopped at a store for a sandwich, I met an old friend who currently works there. I have watched this young man turn from a life of sin and drugs to a fervent pursuit of God. He used to read the Bible constantly in class, to the dislike of everyone, but the called. It is unusual and I don't know if he had a walk with Christ or liked to present himself in that way for attention. He is a most depressed youth then and now. Please keep him in your prayers as he has rejected the Lord for himself and is depressed. I shared with him until I felt the peace of the Holy Spirit. I have returned to the store to follow up on his spirit. Would you take a moment to pray for the enlightenment of this individual? It is a deep concern for me that I may be used to proclaim liberty to the captives and open the prison of those who are bound.

Isaiah 61:1-3 says

 "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,

Because the Lord has anointed me

To preach good tidings to the poor;

He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted,

To proclaim liberty to the captives,

And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; 

2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,

And the day of vengeance of our God;

To comfort all who mourn, 

3 To console those who mourn in Zion,

To give them beauty for ashes,

The oil of joy for mourning,

The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;

That they may be called trees of righteousness,

The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified." - NKJV

 At TAG Contracting I always took time to share some level of the gospel with the other workers, asking if they knew Christ and having a time of prayer before starting work in the morning. Now, however, due to cutbacks, my future with the company seems unstable and I have applied elsewhere. I feel I may be called to work somewhere else so that Christ may use me and teach me other skills. This past week I have not been needed to work, so I’ve put my time in the most useful places as possible. I have discovered MIT's open course ware, or classes free online without a teacher or credit. I have taken an interest in the foundation of America and have been reading the Federalist Papers. I desire to get my hands on a copy of the New England primer. I have been watching the Truth project with Dr. Del Tackett and Focus on the Family, as well as fellowshipping with my church and Equip’s personnel. I plan to plant in my perma-garden when it warms up and perhaps see what other missionary projects I can learn. As well, I went on my first date this Saturday, nothing serious though, but it was a fun evening.

Isaiah 61: 1-3

In Christ, 

David Greene