NEWSLETTER: NOVEMBER, 2005

Often I get to see things that make my day. Saturday was one of our big busy work days in a new neighborhood, Lazaro. Dirt roads. No electricity. No water. There our American kids worked all day in the hot Lazaro sun. A girl and boy team were making sno-cones for the scores of Mexican children.

At the end of the day, I like to go around and thank our visitors for their help but I couldn't find our sno-cone team. I asked where they might be and someone said they were over by an old car some distance away.

I walked over and found them both in the shade near the rear of the car feeding a little mangy mutt some watermelon. The dog was very hungry and thirsty and I guess watermelon was better than nothing. I recognized the little dog, too. She was a poor, thin, rather ugly mutt. that had been kicked around and shooed off wherever she had wandered in search of food. An outcast in every sense of the word.

I asked Greg (the boy) to follow me over to my car, and I gave him some dog food to give the pooch. Yes, I must admit we also carry some dog food to feed our share of hurting little dogs; It falls under the label of compassion. As I have said before, this may not be a solution but it sure made that little dog's day!

I was glad to see this compassion played out in the different world in which these young "rich" kids found themselves. They saw a need and were busy doing their best to meet it. I admire that! It was a lesson in kindness that could be taught nowhere else.

Once or twice a week, we take American kids with us into a quite different world than theirs. Where they see and get involved with true poverty, where they can learn lifetime lessons and where they can feel and demonstrate compassion ... even on a little mangy homeless dog.

These two little "rich kids" caring about this pup brought a smile to my face. They were caring and that's a good start ... in fact that's what our ministry is all about ... caring. Caring for the thousands of "worthless people" who have been kicked around and shooed off by society.

Thanks for enabling us to meet the needs of so many of the poor right across our border. We do what we can with what we receive. Unfortunately the need often seems to extend past our resources. Please continue to pray for us.

In His love.

Von, for all of us at Spectrum.

NOTE: Even here in Southern California its November. The next months are the hard working ones. The holidays are coming when giving will be our privilege. We reflect you and your hearts. Kids are already on top of the coming season asking the loaded question, “ When will our Christmas be?” Keep us in your prayers as we start doubling our efforts.

INVITATION: We would love to have you check out our growing Spectrum website. We have a lot of great photos of our people, the kids and crew. Our news letters are there with photos in color. Even a Christmas page. Not a bad site.

If you are a youth worker or a teacher of kids you would enjoy my own website. I have a whole section dedicated to tips and teaching helps, even a couple of short sermons. Take some time to look at these sites.