Great God, bless our season of Lent with a hunger for Your love, with eyes to see the hunger of others, and with hands to heal it. Let us fast from flesh and culture, from sin and greed, from hate and war. O Lord, fill us instead with mercy for the hungry, the homeless, and the hurting. And when Easter arrives, may this season of love never cease, but be resurrected each day in our hearts and hands. 

Amen.

I got an early start this morning because I had a meetingto atend first thing upon arriving at work. Ed and were getting together for our weekly planning sessions for worship services and other things at Vineyard UMC. So, I got up, got dressed (I showered yesterday pretty late so I skipped it this morning), and headed for the car. As I walked outside I yelled back to Casey and said "Hey, it snowed a little last night. Look at our neighbor's roof." And that was that. Beautiful start. I then proceeded to get in the car, and as is my tradition, I turned on NPR to listen to the political commentary and news on my drive in. Here is where the tears begin to happen.

Snow is beginning to come down. It is a sight rarely seen in Memphis and I am beginning to think like a school child of how much fun it would be if it snowed and snowed and snowed. But my revelry gets interrupted by a sickening story.  One of the news anchors happened upon a protest at the National Mall. No doubt there would be a few today. I believe it's a sign of a healthy democracy that we can do so freely. But this one brought tears to my eyes as I heard their chant: "Obama is the anti-Christ, Obama is the anti-Christ." The anchor said there were 2 dozen or so people there, "Christians" no doubt, chanting these awful words of hate. Obama is no savior, and he's certainly not mine. He is a man, just like you and me, and is a sinner guilty of falling far short of the glory of God every day, just like me. But he is also not the anti-Christ. Jesus, the one we claim as Savior and seek to be like, would never scream these awful hurtful phrases. Jesus is one who offers hope, love, peace, and forgiveness. So let me say this to the world on behlaf of my foolish brothers and sisters: Please forgive us Christians for our pride and arrogance. Please forgive us for our lack of humility. Please forgive us for not being like Jesus. We fall short too and want nothing more than to see Jesus lifted high and His love known to all. 

This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it. I will rejoice alongside the men and women who fought for equality and made this day possible. 

Day 3 was far more emotional than anything I had ever expected. We knew that we were going to be meeting our sponsored children, but we had no idea how deeply it would affect us. Honestly, it is nearly impossible to describe to you what it was like there. The poverty was astonishing. Though people have explained it to me before, it exceeded my every expectation, and not in a good way. I have never truly understood that kind of severe poverty - until now. However, the transformation that World Vision offers to such poverty-stricken people is equally as indescribable. Individuals, families, and entire communities are completely changed through the work of World Vision.

Meeting our sponsored children, Ashly and Edilson, was so incredibly moving. I mean, there I was, sitting face-to-face with the entire purpose for our music ministry, experiencing firsthand this movement that Casey and I get to be a part of. I just can't explain how powerful it was. Both of the kids are only eight years old, but they certainly had a grasp on who I am and what I do for them. Ultimately, they are still kids, so they wanted to hang out and play (we had a blast). On the other hand, I had the chance to really talk with both of their mothers. It was amazing to hear their stories - what was going on in their lives, and in the lives of all their children and families. It was the day after the US presidential election, so we talked politics. We talked about their needs. We talked about their past and their dreams.  We just talked and talked and talked. The most moving thing of all was the love they showed me. Unfortunately, it will likely be the only chance I ever have to spend time with those families. But in those brief few hours, they each reached out to me in a way I just can't put into words. Their gratitude, their humility, their joy, their hearts, their hugs, their questions… I get goose bumps each time I think of them.

I left that day knowing with all my heart that what we do matters. I think that God is blessed in the work of World Vision. I think that God is blessed in the loving of the poor, the orphan, and the widow. We can't save the world, and it's not our job to do it. But we are to be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ. Won't you join me in loving a child through the miracle of sponsorship? You won't regret it.

Click here to download your FREE copy of "All I Can Give You."

Day 2 took us to another Area Development Project (ADP) sponsored by World Vision. In Lima, any 1 ADP can literally have a few thousand children that are being sponsored there. It is amazing. Lima is such a densely populated city it's quite overwhelming. We arrived and began to see much of the same from the day before, but with fresh new faces to meet. New lives that have been completely transformed by the work of World Vision. We started our visit at a preschool. Preschool is so important. It is in this 0-5 age range that children need the most care and nurturing. For starters, without proper nutrition and stimulation, the brain will not develop properly. So that is the focus of WV workers. The parents of sponsored children receive education on how to provide proper nutritious meals for their kids. Often times in poorer underdeveloped regions, there is an ignorance to what it takes to provide the right types of food, vitamins, iron that help a child develop properly. Anemia is very common in this area and it is an uphill battle.

So we saw the preschool, we then traveled a few minutes away and saw where mothers were learning about nutrition. And then, in the afternoon we had a special treat. Some the of the sponsored youth in the area had formed groups called Friends Club. From one grew 8 others all across Lima. It was amazing. Representatives from all 8 came to visit us and put on a cance presentation. We were blown away by the maturity of these young people. I've worked with youth all over the U.S. but these kids were remarkable. First off, just knowing where they come from and what battles so many of them faced made them all the more impressive. To speak with 12, 14, 15, and 17 year olds who were excited about going to college to study to be nurses, lawyers, and doctors with the soul purpose of coming back to their communities to bring change and growth, I couldn't believe their since of responsibility to their family and community. It was a totally foreign thing to me. Imagine what it would be like of more of us did that very thing.

You can help, click on any one of the World Vision links on this site and sponsor a child today. You won't regret it.  

Lima Day 2

Last Sunday I hopped on a plane in Memphis to begin my overnight journey to Lima. I arrived at the small airport around 6:00 Monday morning. From there, it took me another 2 hours to get through customs and finally to my hotel to take a quick shower and join up with the rest of my group downstairs in the lobby at 8:45. (Everyone else arrived the night before) I thought I had an idea of what to expect on this trip, but I was very wrong in my assumptions. Lima is a sprawling city of 10+ million people. When I thought of Peru, I thought of lamas, beautiful mountains, and Machu Picchu. Lima is the furthest thing from that picture. It is a coastal city situated between the Andes Mountains with no major rivers and dessert like terrain. Basically a bunch of dust, rock, sand, and huge hills everywhere. As guests, not missionaries for World Vision, we stayed in a safer part of town. So one of the very first things we noticed was the harsh contrast between wealth and poverty that exists there. The wealthy area was almost like the California coast line with high cliffs over looking the beach down below and very clean, trendy shopping areas. Drive just 10 minutes and the landscape and houses change dramatically. I still don't know how to express it all in words yet, and I likely never will. So for now, here a few pictures from day 1 in Peru (more thoughts and photos to follow soon): 

Lima Day 1

 Wow. Aren't they beautiful? It made me smile REAL big.

For directions, click here.

 
That's right, after a long year of songwriting and recording, we finally finished our latest studio project, "All I Can Give You," and we're throwing a party to celebrate. On Friday, October 10th, at Cafe Eclectic in Midtown Memphis, The Ken Weatherford Band and special guest Autumn Fox will be getting together to play a few songs and party with you. Doors open at 7:00 and the show starts at 8:00. Come grab a bite to eat and something to drink spend an evening with us.

To view this month's newsletter click here.