Thank you from Jamaica

Many times, we give sacrificially or go on mission trips and work very hard in difficult situations and expect someone to thank us. Of course, if we are doing it for our own recognition, we are doing it for the wrong reasons. Or, we do the work and even afterward, we question whether we really did anything significant.

We received a response from our blog yesterday that deserves repeating, because it answers some of the questions about what we are doing in Jamaica. The response is from Fern McFarlane, wife of Rev. Wayneford McFarlane. Rev. McFarlane was the Methodist minister in the Port Morant area around 1996. He now serves in the area around Spanish Town. Fern is highly educated and has a position with the Ministry of Education. She was been one of our invaluable advisors early in the formation of Isaiahsixeight.

Here is an excerpt from her email:

Thank you all for your prayers and practical support. The hurricane has indicated that God is blessing the work you do here. Evidence of God's blessings on your efforts are seen in the fact that the house you built stood firm; the money you sent was at hand to help alleviate immediate needs; the church hall you refurbished was sturdy and dry to house people who had to flee their homes...

God bless you and your families. I also pray that He will expand and strengthen Isaiahsixeight.

Yours in Christ,

Fern McFarlane

I believe that Fern has the right idea, but may have a part of it backwards. God is probably not blessing our work because of our efforts, but He is blessing the work we are doing because we are doing His work. Better yet, we want to be doing the work that God is blessing, because that is His work and His will.

Also, if Isaiahsixeight is to expand and strengthen then, we have to do it not for Isaiahsixeight or for our own purposes, but because it is God’s work we are doing.

Please join us as we try to do God’s work and what He is blessing.