“A child, from America, or Canada or somewhere, sending a box to a specific child in Sudan and [the children] pray for him.  That is a turning point in the life of that child.  That child will never be the same.  That’s why it’s not just a gift.  It is changing the lives of the children.”

I stopped to think about this some.  I thought about the shoeboxes we sent last year, one from my then 6-year-old son to a boy in his age category one from my then 3-year-old daughter, to a girl in her age category.  We had filled those boxes with markers and crayons, soap and toothbrushes, candy, and a few new small toys like slinkies and kazoos.  Surely, the children that received those shoeboxes must have been thrilled, especially considering those were probably the only gifts they received at Christmas.  But could those gifts have changed their lives?

In pondering this question I was instantly reminded of a time that I too was a child in need when seemingly out of the blue, I received an amazing gift.  My need was not the same need as an impoverished child living in difficult circumstances, but life certainly felt pretty dark and without much hope at times.  The gift I received was from someone I thought was a stranger but who, in reality, had been loving me my entire life, I just didn’t know it.  When I think about the Lord’s grace, really think about it, it is entirely upending to me – generous, free and totally unexpected and undeserved.  And for a needy child, isn’t it possible that their perspective and openness to being loved could also be completely altered when they receive a shoebox gift from a complete stranger?

Also, wherever appropriate, the children receiving shoeboxes are offered a copy of “The Greatest Gift of All” booklet in their own language by local churches and ministry partners.  Thus, OCC is not just providing shoebox gifts for children living in dire circumstances, but is a tangible expression of Jesus’ love and an opportunity to tell children we have never met that Jesus is their Lord and Savior.  Will you join me in sending some more shoeboxes this year?

Mt. Olivet is serving as the OCC shoebox relay center for our area and has asked for volunteers during collection week – Nov. 14 through Nov. 21.  If interested, you can sign up here.

Packing a Shoebox:

1) Use an empty shoe box (standard size) or a plastic container about the same size. You can gift wrap the box (lid separately), but wrapping is not required.

2) Use the label from the Operation Christmas Child brochure (on the table in the back of the church) or print out a label from Operation Christmas Child’s website.  You can also print a label after making your online donation ($7 per box).  Using this latter option will enable you to “Follow Your Box” (or find out where your shoebox was delivered).

3) Once you have your label, determine whether your gift will be for a boy or a girl, and the child’s age category: 2-4, 5-9, or 10-14. Mark the correct age category on the label, and tape the label to the top of your box.

4) Fill the box with a variety of gifts that will bring delight to a child. Need ideas? Check here.

5)  If you did not use the “Follow Your Box” online donation option, please write a $7 check to Samaritan’s Purse (note “OCC” on memo line) and place it in an envelope on top of the gift items inside your box.  If you or your family are preparing more than one shoebox, please make one combined donation.

6)  Place a rubber band around each closed shoe box and drop off at Restoration this Sunday, Nov. 20.  We will deliver them for you!

Have questions? Please send me a note at cara.voth[at]gmail[dot]com

- Cara Voth

I have just returned from two months in Moldova, traveling the country and speaking with village church pastors, orphanage directors, and directors of non-profit organizations that are seeking to address the needs of orphaned children and children in at-risk families.   I want to thank Restoration for its encouragement and support during this trip.  It was certainly an educational experience that I will long remember.

First, let me tell you about how Restoration is serving to meet orphan issues in Modova.

As many of you know, Restoration directly partners with Jesus Savior church in the Moldovan village of Soldinesti (pronounced Sholdinyesht).  This church runs a home for girls who graduate from the state-run orphanages after the ninth grade.  Girls who have no family members to take care of them once they graduate are left to survive on their own and are at greater risk of human trafficking.  The church’s pastor, Vasile, and his wife Lucia, take care of these girls in a boarding home behind their own house.  Currently there are seven girls in the home, including Michalia, who is newly arrived.  Vasile, Lucia, and their three daughters have taken these girls in as part of their family.  These girls are getting attention, love, an education, and spiritual leadership that they would never get if forced to live in survival mode.  The results are apparent in the quiet confidence they demonstrate and the hope and aspirations these girls have for their lives.  Currently Restoration is helping to fund greenhouses that will provide fruits and vegetables for the home throughout the year and to sell in the local markets for additional financial support. Our church has also funded the construction of a tailoring shop, where the girls will learn a trade and earn wages, and the shop will also help support the transition home.

I also traveled throughout the country. My access to church pastors, heads of orphanages, and directors of non-profits gave me a comprehensive view of the varying opinions of the issues at-risk children face in Moldova and what should be done.  Here is a summary of what I learned:

1. Orphan numbers are decreasing while children-at-risk numbers are increasing. In response to European Union mandates, the Moldovan government has a goal of closing orphanages or reforming them into child placement centers by 2014.  While the intentions are noble – a child better off in a family environment than in an orphanage environment – the government is often meeting this mandate by refusing to place new children an orphanage, thus reducing orphan numbers but not addressing the true needs of these children that are resigned to live in unloving and often neglectful or abusive conditions.  As a result, the number of “orphans” is decreasing but the number of at-risk children is increasing.
2. Many churches hold camps; few build enduring relationships. For the most part the Moldovan churches want to help meet the needs of orphans in their communities.  But often their support is limited to summer camps and Bible studies.  While this is important, relatively few were taking an active, relational role in the lives of orphans and at-risk kids.  These children are desperately in need of life guidance to help them as they move from adolescence into adulthood, preparing to lead their own live, raise families, and pursue the skills, talents and desires that God has given them.
3. There is a race to engage the local church. Orphanage directors spoke about the budget cuts they are experiencing and the concerns they have that children are left in or placed back into risky home situations.  Orphan numbers in the orphanages I visited have dropped by one-third already in the past couple of years.  With increased urgency, many NGOs are shifting their efforts away from investment into orphanage facilities and toward meeting the needs of at-risk children and child placement assistance.  All of the NGOs (primarily Christian organizations) I spoke with see the local church as the appropriate implementer of their strategies — especially given their own resourcing constraints and the timelines they are working against.
4. There’s a need for increased coordination and information. Although there is increasing awareness among NGOs that no single organization can meet the breadth of orphan needs, few are actively seeking partnerships with each other.  Sadly, I heard often that this lack of partnership is due to constraints put on organizations by Western-based donors.   Sharing information and coordinating resources will be increasingly critical as the number of at-risk children increases.

-David
 
 
Recently, the leader of a small group that I am blessed to be a part of suffered the passing of her mother-in-law.  As part of her grieving process, she gave each of us in the group a bar of rosewater-scented soap, a smell which she associated with her mother-in-law.  It was a beautiful and symbolic gift, and I carefully put it in the cupboard to be used at some future, equally symbolic time.

Well, yesterday, in the middle of a busy summer and some tumultuous personal times, I was about to get in the shower and noticed that we were out of soap.  So I looked under the sink and saw, next to the lined up boxes of Dove, the box of rosewater soap.   And this dialogue happened almost instantly in my spirit:

“Oh, no, definitely can’t use that one!”

“Why not?”

“It’s special!”

“And why isn’t today special?”

“Huh? Well, but…but…it’s glycerin—that’ll get used up too fast in the shower! I should use it as hand soap.  Someday.”

“Is there a scarcity of good things in the world?  Do you think this is the last good gift you will receive?”

“But I could enjoy it longer if it were hand soap!”

“Maybe you will enjoy it more knowing it is fragile and precious!  LIKE YOU ARE…”

Breath caught.  Long pause.  Stare at soap.

“And what if there is no vague, special day out there to come, and the soap never gets used and just stays gathering dust under your bathroom sink?”

“Well, I know it’s only soap, but somehow that’d be tragic.”

“Isn’t there is a lot of stuff you are ‘saving up’, Elizabeth?  That you’re afraid, somehow, to enjoy now? That you think you don’t deserve?”

My arm starts reaching out—calmly, gently, with joyful power not its own—toward the soap.

“What if today is your last day? That’d make it pretty special, wouldn’t it?”

Grab the soap, smiling inside and out, unbox it…

I enjoyed the lather like none other in my life–the feel of the glycerin, and the rose smell, of course.  But perhaps most of all, the bright color of it, as it sat against the white shower wall—all red and symbolic and abundant and celebratory and GIVEN.

As I continued to turn it over and over in my hands, I thought of all the amazing things God has been doing in my life in the past few weeks and months, and felt grateful and joyful and almost as if it was the day I’d given birth to one of my children, or a momentous anniversary, or a day of great accomplishment.  How did I miss that this Thursday in July was a special day?

And then I thought—no, more like I breathed in—the miracle of this whole life of mine, and the infinite price at which it was purchased, and I knew in a fresh way that, indeed, every day is “special”.

Is there anything that you are “saving up”?

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)

“This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Ps 118:24)

Recently, a friend of mine sent over a link for me to watch a YouTube video titled “Stella’s Voice”.   Based on what he heard about our church’s involvement in a far off land called Moldova, he thought that his video was worth the watch.  He was right.

The short set of clips tells the story of what happening in Moldova from the point of view of those who have been affected by the conditions the most.  Because I work for a ministry that has been drawn into these types of situations I spend a lot of time trying to understand and explains situations like those portrayed in the clip.  I think from now on, I’m just going to play this clip and end with, “any questions?”

While there are a few things in this video people might not call “best practices”, it’s amazing to see the impact that God has when He uses His disciples to be a part of changing lives.

I count it a privilege to be a part of a congregation that displays its values by real involvement with real issues that exist both in the immediate vicinity and those found in a forgotten former Soviet Republic.

It’s hard sometimes to be a few levels removed from the specific lives our congregation is touching….which is precisely why we wanted this video on our website.  The project that we – that is, you and me – are involved with in Moldova is making a real impact in the lives of girls just like these.  They have come to know protection, love, job skills, and most importantly the one who makes all things new!

Here’s a quick video of our own. Not as cool, I know, but it’s of me walking through the tailoring shop we all helped to fund.  This shop is going to provide these girls with job skills, and some income!

Thanks Restoration!
Jesse Blaine

What is podoconiosis? I hadn’t heard of it either, until this morning. It’s a horrible foot disease often called “podo” that turns the victim’s feet into something like rotting cauliflower. According to a recent ChristianityToday article,

An estimated one million Ethiopians suffer from podo, as do perhaps three million more, mostly Africans. In affected areas—typically mountains with red volcanic soil—1 out of every 20 people have it. A village of 2,000 will have 100 victims, permanently disabled. In certain areas of Ethiopia, the podo infection rate surpasses that of HIV/AIDS.

I threw away a pair of used running shoes last month. I wonder if my shoes could’ve saved someone from having their feet turned to mush? After listening to David’s sermon on generosity this Sunday, I’ve been wondering how generous I am with my money, time, talents?  I want to be generous, I want to help others. But it’s hard to change good intentions into action.

Your old Reebok’s change someone’s life.

Here’s an opportunity for me and you to change good intention into reality. We’re collecting shoes and passing out flier to our neighbors this Saturday, 9am at Restoration. If you can’t make it, we’ll have donation boxes out on Sunday morning. We’ll package up shoes of all sizes and send them to Soles4Souls, a not-for-profit organization that distributes used footwear to millions of people without shoes around the world.

Cleaning out the old shoes from your closest and bring them to church is a small thing. But our small actions can become salvation to an Ethiopian. Like the boy who watched lunch of fish and bread turn miraculously into a meal for thousands, we can watch our shoes be changed into something divinely salvific this weekend.

So please check your closet this week. See any extra shoes? Bring them with you to Restoration.  Like Clark Kent, your shoes are needed.

Andrew

You may have noticed the worship guide announcements over the past few weeks advertising The Event.  Ok, I’ll admit that not everything we said in the announcements was entirely true.  Erin Bair is (fortunately for her and for us) not actually master illusionist.  Brent Cochran won’t be juggling flaming torches.  Grandpa Bob will not be singing Miley Cyrus.  At least not at The Event.

So what exactly is The Event?  It is not only the premier social activity of the spring but is also an opportunity for you to financially support the trip to WV this year.  The Event will be a talent show starring some of your favorite Restoration personalities and a silent auction of ‘experienced-based’ items donated by the Restoration family.   The talent show will feature music, skits, comedy and artistic acts.  The silent auction items include custom jewelry design, a children’s birthday party package, yoga lessons, guitar lessons and much more.

The annual mission trip to West Virginia is one of the best ways for you to connect to outreach and to others at Restoration.  But if you can’t go this year then I’d strongly encourage you to show your support at The Event.  Tickets are on sale after each service over the next two weeks.  $10 per person or $25 per family.  (You can pay with a check payable to Restoration.)

The Event: Saturday April 16th, 7pm at Rivendell School: 5700 Lee Hwy, Arlington, VA 22207. You won’t want to miss this.

I have been talking with different friends recently about goals.  What are things they are aiming for in life?  A position at work?  To see a part of the world?  To own a certain car, house, bike?  Part of this interest was inspired by this article I read in Outside Magazine.  As I looked at their 51 ideas, I realized that I would probably not ever do 49 of them.  And part of that was because even if I wanted to do them, I’m not sure it’s ok for me to pursue them.

That got me thinking…  how do I decide what’s ok? For each of us and for every decision, there is a continuum between ‘enough to satisfy a need’ and ‘too much, should be ashamed that I bought/did/pursued that’.

For example, I need to provide a house for my family.  But I know there is a break point (measured in square footage or price of accutrements or ??) that a house is too much house.  How do I determine that point?

Or, I know I need a car to get my posse of 6 around.  I’ve got no problem with a van, but what about something more luxurious?  What’s the break point (measured in price and features) of too much car?

Or, I know it is good for me to take a vacation.  I gladly head to a beach here on the East Coast, but what about something more exotic?  What’s the break point for too much vacation?

How do you decide? For most of us that question has been answered by looking at our resources.  Very simply, we don’t have a luxury car, we don’t go on a $10k vaca because we don’t have the money.  But many of us at Restoration are getting to the point where we do have the resources to do some of those things.  That Outside Life List is aimed at folks in their late 30s/early 40s who are making critical (if, unfortunately, not conscious) decisions about career, and how they will spend discretionary time, and new disposable income.  In this area of DC in particular, we have the luxury and privilege of asking this break point question–  when does enough become too much? I think the answer is very subjective and contextualized.  It is an answer of wisdom, not of morality.  It would be too easy and a mistake to say one answer is right for everyone.

It is very personal and vulnerable.  But I propose that none of us should make the decision alone or even as family units.  How many of you invite others into your ‘life list’ conversations? Would you ever sit down with your small group, some trusted friends, or an elder in the church and say: “We’re aiming for a vacation that looks like this.  We can afford it.  Do you think this is a good idea?  Does this push us beyond a break point that is good for our soul?”  What if we all were humble enough AND had the privilege of a group of people who would be ‘discernment partners’ for us?  Would you do it?

And yes, that bike is the thing that makes this post real for me.  Pretty, ain’t it?

During Holy Week, all the offerings we collected were given to the Anglican Relief and Development Fund (ARDF). The total that came in that week, including Easter was close to $11,000!!  We gave it all away.

ARDF is an organization committed to an holistic, high impact community development approach that crosses cultural and economic boundaries in some of the most challenging parts of the world. They work directly with Anglican churches in the Global South to ensure that believers are strengthened and encouraged, lives are rescued and made whole, and Christ is glorified.

Currently, some of ARDF’s projects include training healthcare workers in Kenya to prevent the spread of Malaria, training locals in Sudan in new agricultural techniques to help them move toward self-sufficient farming, and providing relief for earthquake victims in Chile. 

Thanks, Restoration, for giving so generously to our brothers and sisters throughout the world.

Last summer, a group of 45 people — adults and kids — from Restoration and The Falls Church spent 5 days in the town of Philippi, West Virginia.  It was an amazing time of getting to know some of the people of this impoverished Appalachian town and serving them by working alongside them to refurbish homes and a community center.  We worked hard, laughed a lot, and in the end found that we were the ones who felt most blessed by the experience!

The great news is that we’re going again this year! The trip will be July 7-11 and is open to everyone ages 7 and up.

There will be an informational meeting this Sunday, March 14th, in the sanctuary after the 10:00 service. Come hear from folks who went on last year’s trip and get all your questions answered!

Interested in the trip but can’t make it to the meeting?  Talk to Ian or Laura Hassell.

And to give you a taste of what you might experience on the trip, here are some excerpts from a letter that Laurel Hanke wrote to our team’s prayer supporters after the trip last year!

I think it is safe to say that the trip met and exceeded our expectations…. We had a great time together.  In addition to collaborating together and serving one another on the worksites, we had so much fun at our community times of meals, daily debriefs, and unstructured evening hang out time.

One overarching theme was repeated to us over and over by our World Servants leaders.  They wanted to be sure we understood that the people of Philippi and the surrounding areas were the most important part of our trip.  Taking time to listen, share stories, and build bridges of relationships was our first priority.  The actual work we did was important, they said, but not above the importance of building relationships.  As you can imagine, this approach changed how we viewed the work, re-oriented our focus from tasks to relationships, and in the end helped us all experience the blessing of getting to know one another and the folks we went to West Virginia to serve.

Some of the projects [we] completed were power-washing and staining the outdoor pavilion [at the Community Center], painting, and general groundskeeping…. Cleanup, painting, flooring, and roofing to stop some leaks and water damage [at a family’s home]…. The renovation of a local pastor’s home, finishing the roof, sealing the foundation of the house, laying insulation, hanging drywall, and putting up ceiling joists.

The World Servants motto on the t-shirts we took home says, “Serving Changes Everything.  Lead the Way.”  Please continue to pray for each of us in our sphere of relating at home.  Pray that we would apply the lessons of service we learned to our daily lives.  Please also pray for God to continue to bless and further the good work that World Servants is doing in Philippi, WV.

One of AFAC’s sister non-profits, the Arlington Street People’s Assistance Network (A-SPAN), is in the running for a $1 million grand prize as part of a Chase Bank community giving initiative.  In exchange for AFAC recruiting voters, A-SPAN will give $50,000 to AFAC if they win the grand prize.  Needless to say, it would be huge for these Arlington non-profits to win!

So log on, cast your vote, and ask all your FB friends to do the same!  The last day to vote is tomorrow: Friday, January 22! Read on for complete info & links:

Vote For A-SPAN & Arlington NonProfits to Win $1 Million

Between January 15-22, all Facebook users will have the chance to vote for A-SPAN and Arlington County nonprofits to Win $1 Million for homeless services.

Chase Bank is donating $5 Million to 100 small nonprofits nationwide and is allowing Facebook users to decide the winners. A-SPAN finished in the Top 100 and is now eligible for the $1 Million Grand Prize.

Vote for A-SPAN! A-SPAN will share the prize with these other Arlington nonprofits: AMEN, AFAC, AACH, Borromeo Housing, Doorways for Women & Families, and OAR.

Here’s How You Can Help:

Visit the A-SPAN website and click on the Chase Community Giving button.

Log into Facebook and vote for A-SPAN!

Post to your wall, tell your friends, and tweet for A-SPAN.

Any questions, call or email Jan Sacharko at 703-842-0154 or jsacharko@a-span.org.