Stories

2011 Mission Todos Santos Mexico

I walked up to the second floor of the concrete building where Pastor Joel Hernandez’s office is located, hoping his old computer worked so that I could check my email. I was met by Marbella who was sitting at the computer doing some work for Joel.  She graciously offered via hand motions to let me use the computer. I told her I’d wait until she was done, and sat down on the couch across from her. She looked up, tears filled her eyes, and she said in broken English, “People think the children need us. The children don’t need us.  We need the children!” She repeated this three times moving a finger back and forth as if to put an exclamation point to her statements.

Marbella and her husband, Jaime, are attorneys who live in Cabo San Lucas, an hour away from Todos Santos. They have driven to Todos Santos every weekend for a year to teach Sunday School and to help Joel and Alicia, the pastors of the church and founders of the orphanage Hogar Del Niño. During my mission trip, I learned that Jaime and Marbella had recently decided to move to Todos Santos and completely invest their lives in the children. They gave up their successful legal practices, their home, and their friends in order to serve Joel and Alicia and these precious orphans!

Their radical trust in Jesus and passionate obedience lit a fire in me. Jesus’ words came to mind:  “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? When did we see You a stranger and invite You in, or needing clothes and clothe You? When did we see You sick or in prison and go to visit You?’  The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of Mine, you did for Me.’”(Matt 25:37-40)  Marbella and Jaime are letting go of much in this world, but they will be richly rewarded in the next. Like I always say, you can’t out-give the Lord! Pam and I have a 10 year relationship with Joel and Alicia, and Radiant is joyfully resourcing this wonderful ministry. A team will be going from Radiant next summer to help the orphans.

If you would like to join the fun or server other outreach causes, contact Rich Butler at richCIA@radiantajesuschurch.tv.

Dear Radiant loved ones, may we be people who say, “Whatever you want me to do Lord, I will do it.”

Grace and peace for the day,

John Vredevelt

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Extreme Makeover: Radiant Edition

Mike and Kelly Baird’s life group took the opportunity recently to reach out to a growing family in our community in a radical way! Read how the life group blessed a family with practical help in an extreme makeover for their home – Radiant style!

Our life group heard about the Jacksons, a couple with four children and a baby on the way. The Jacksons took in a nephew who needed care and provided a home for him. This generous act stretched the family’s resources. We decided to pray for the Jacksons, and to do something to help them. “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” (1 Cor. 12:27) Although we wished we could have given them a brand new home, we ended up painting three rooms, putting together a crib, moving furniture, and reorganizing clothing.

We received a $100 donation from yet another family who heard of the need and what we were doing. With that donation, we purchased paint, lamps, rods, curtains, and more. Everyone else from the life group pitched in with a gift card, bunk bed, diapers, and wipes. We came in as the genuine body of Christ and shared our individual talents. The true blessing was when the kids saw their room; their eyes lit up and the expression on their faces was priceless. Best of all, the Jacksons now have cribs for their nephew and their new arrival. Our intention was to bless the family, but in the end our life group was the one who was immensely blessed.