“Jesus is on the side of the poor.”

Lowell’s words struck an unfamiliar chord within me.

I immediately thought to myself, “Jesus is on everybody’s side.”

Lowell continued, “I’ve prayed and sought God’s council on this ever since you asked me what your focus needs to be when you come for the mission trip next Summer. I think Africa needs to give you a gift. Instead of thinking about what you can bring, Africa can give you something.”

I listened. No one ever said these words to me in all my years of following Jesus. Africa wants to give me something? What’s the catch? We always bring something. We plan. We engage the congregation to donate items. We pack multiple 50 lb boxes filled with those donated items. We know the process and who exactly to talk to when we declare these boxes at customs when we arrive. We get the boxes to Kigoma from Dar Salaam via delivery truck. I know how this works. What on earth could Africa give to me?

A relationship.

Lowell described the people who live at the Destitute Camp and shared what the Lord placed on his heart, “I would like your team to develop relationships with these people. Jesus is on the side of the poor. Maybe ‘Jesus is on the Side of the Poor' can be the title of your leadership development talks. You will need to do research. You can teach our African pastors how to care for the poor. This is what makes Jesus happy."

Joy in the Harvest supports the Destitute Camp financially and provides two paid staff people. There are forty-four people who live there. The residents have significant challenges such as debilitating medical issues, no way of making any income and many of them are elderly. They live in government buildings that had previously been abandoned. There is no where else for them to live. Lowell shared a story about the first time he and Claudia took their furlough after taking responsibility for the people living at the Destitute Camp. 50% of those living at the Destitute Camp died while Lowell and Claudia were away. There were not sufficient funds to care for them. He also noticed the blankets that were given to the residents were missing.

“What happened to the blankets we gave you?” Lowell asked incredulously!

“We sold them,” one resident told him. "We had to make a choice—be hungry or be cold. We chose to eat.”

Another church community worked closely with the residents during their mission trip to Kigoma. One woman noticed the residents had no cooking pots. So, she went back to her church, raised funds and purchased a set of stainless steel cooking pots—like the ones you buy for camping—for every resident. I think you can imagine what happened to those beautiful stainless steel cooking pots.

I learned that it costs about $125.00 to support one Destitute Camp resident for one full year.

Learn more about our Faith Promise Partners.

Wheatland has financially supported Joy in the Harvest for almost twenty-five years. Wheatland donated $150,000 toward building a community center there. Wheatland has also sent short-term mission teams there since Pam Moga and Donna Trinko visited in the late 1990’s. Steve Moga is the Chairman of their mission board. A short-term mission team and I visited Kigoma in 2017 where we learned first hand about the vast and diverse ministry Joy in the Harvest sustains. We will return to Kigoma next July 10-August 1.

Wheatland provides financial support to advance the ministry of Jesus Christ for eighteen partners throughout the Middle East and Muslim world, India, Poland, the Caribbean, Europe and within the United States. Every penny you donate goes directly to the missions we support. Evangelism, leadership development and church planting are Wheatland’s three areas of focus. We believe in ministry sustainability and equipping the indigenous people with what they need to flourish. We employ the philosophy of learning how to use a 'hand up' rather than a 'hand out.’

Faith Promise commitment cards will be received this Sunday during worship. It’s your turn to respond to our Father. He wants to do great things through you. It is still quite amazing to me that He chooses to work within us to soften our hearts toward what breaks His. It’s always about relationships with Him. Jesus is on the side of the poor. Discover why and may what is revealed to you change you forever.

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” Proverbs 31:8-9 NIV

Pastor Jen