When ITMI helped our South Sudanese partner, Lazarus Yezinai, put together hand washing clinics that would allow him to share the Gospel during lockdown while helping people, Lazarus included his church, Revival and Fire Ministries in the project.
He didn’t put on the clinics on his own. Other believers volunteered, helped, prayed and even preached at the clinics.
Lazarus teaches hand-washing and the Gospel at health clinics during lockdown.
One of Lazarus' team sharing the Gospel with South Sudanese families through a hand-washing clinic.
“It is good to have team building,” writes Lazarus. Even some of the children’s Sunday school classes got involved and were able to experience the joy of serving and ministering!
The children helped wash and prepare the jerry cans for delivery. They were likely blessed by encouragement from the adult volunteers and tasted the joy of pouring out their strength and energy in service of others and the Kingdom.
Children from Lazarus' church help clean and prepare the jerry cans for the clinics.
As a leader, Lazarus had the wisdom to add a formative experience like this to the discipleship of the youngsters of his church, inviting them alongside him as he works to reach the lost with the Gospel.
He turned this Project Joseph outreach into more than just an outreach. He turned it into a discipleship tool - an experience that will shape others' understanding of how to follow Jesus.
“We cannot undermine the effort of children. They too can impact change in the lives of fellow children,” Lazarus exhorts.
Project Joseph isn’t just for those who are receiving. It’s for those who are doing the giving, too.
When my children were young, they followed me around the house, wanting to do whatever it was I was doing. If I was fixing something, they wanted to fix it with me. If I was cooking, they wanted to be up at the counter to help. If I was vacuuming, they wanted to vacuum.
Why do kids do this? They want to join in, to be part of what their parents are doing. It's one way they feel close to us.
Like small children, we are never closer to our Father than when we’re alongside Him, doing what He’s doing.
Like small children, we are never closer to our Father than when we’re alongside Him, doing what He’s doing.
What is it the Lord is doing?
He is pursuing the lost on a mission to reconcile His people to Himself.
“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Luke 19:10
There are many opportunities to be alongside our Daddy, going where He is going, doing what He is doing. He is at work all around us!
Project Joseph is one of these opportunities. It's not too late to help our partners walk through the door of opportunity opened by the COVID-19 pandemic!
There are still many who are hungry, out of work and desperate because of inability to work during the lockdowns. For many, that means their hearts are open and ready to respond to the message of the Gospel.
