The WidoW's mighT - Baptist Bible Tribune

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tention that the ever-increasing senior population(continually growing through 2040) is, andwill continue to be an immeasurable asset forthe spreading of the gospel. This generationof seniors is retiring in better health and withmore good years to become a major force inour society than ever before. Many will actuallybegin “second careers” or devote themselves tospecial mission and ministry projects that theyhave a special burden or talent to pursue. Everyfinancial and investment business in Americaknows that in the next 30 plus years trillionsworth of dollars, properties and assets that arecurrently being held or managed by this “babyboomer” generation will be passed down. Thiswill perhaps be the first generation that has thehealth, wealth and longevity that can help turnthe corner “for the good” in many needbasedareas of ministry.Those who must deal with widowhoodwill continue to make up an ever-increasingpart of this segment of the population.Add to this the stifling number of widowsproduced by the criminal element of ourworld, plus the potential for accidentaldeath and you will begin to understand themagnitude of the need.While the spectrum of widowhoodreaches from the destitute to the dignitary,the physical, emotional and spiritual effectsand needs are the same. The transitionfrom spouse to widow is equally traumaticfor a person regardless of their geographic locationor their economic strata. Following is onerecent account of just such a situation.“A nice looking young man came to mydoor and told me that his company was doing apaving job in my small town and they had someleftover asphalt. Rather than having to disposeof it, would it be all right if he just put it on mydriveway for a ‘very good price.’ He seemed sogenuine, I agreed. In just a few moments oneside of my driveway was covered with asphalt.When I asked him about the other side, I wastold it would take an additional $12,000.00 todo that side. In shock I said, ‘Well, how muchhave we already spent?’ ‘Only $5,000.00,’ washis reply. So that is why only one side of mydriveway is paved.”It is sad, but instances like this happenmore times than we care to admit. This ladyfelt violated, victimized, stupid and mad at14 | Baptist Bible Tribune | February 2010her deceased husband for leaving her alone.While she survived her experience and has notdeclared war on all contractors, she has becomea consultant to others who need instruction,help, prayers and a friendly face. No programcan solve all the problems in any community,but the presence of a “ministry force” widowscould have confidence in and not feel threatenedwould be priceless.Far beyond the obvious benefits of havinga support base supplying information, helpand encouragement, there is the need and opportunityto minister real recovery help froma spiritual perspective as a person transitionsthrough the minefield of hurts, emotions andrealities of losing a spouse, but it must comefrom solid Biblical principles. A Bible-basedapproach to dealing with grief, loss and the reestablishmentof direction, is of absolute necessitywhen one faces widowhood.One remaining subject must be addressedbefore this chapter is closed. Whatabout the disturbing number of widowed menand women in our communities who are notchurch affiliated? They bleed too! Their senseof loss and their transitions are just as great, ifnot greater, than those who have the Christianfamily and background. Although they may notshare our faith, they do share the same feelingsand loss. What better opportunity to reach outwith compassion to a hurting heart than tohelp them deal with their loss. Whether theyever become a believer or not, and some will,we will have shown the quality and the validityof our own faith as we exercise the truth ofJames 1:27 -“Pure religion and undefiled before God andthe father is this, to visit the fatherless andwidowed in their affliction, and to keep one’sself unspotted from the world.”ELLENEllen and her husband had raised a family oftwo children quite successfully and had enteredthe wonderful state of being grandparents.He had retired from a career with the phonecompany and was now doing the thing he’dalways wanted to do, operate his father’s farm.He, more than she, was really in his element.He loved farming and acquired more land andwas very involved doing the job he really loved.While only in his mid fifties, he looked forwardto many years of successful farming. Ellen busiedherself helping her husband, maintainingtheir home and church responsibilities.Life was good in southwest Oklahoma.In retrospect, Ellen tells me theyshould have known something was wrongwhen he just couldn’t shake that persistentcough. They had exhausted all home remediesbecause of hectic schedules and notime for doctors, when finally the diagnosiswas given — lung cancer — an extremelyaggressive type.In just over a month from the diagnosisthe funeral was held. Ellen was now thesole operator of a farming operation withhundreds of acres under cultivation alongwith all the animals and equipment.Ellen has been one of my biggest encouragementsas I began to tell her of my desire forthe Widow’s Might program. This woman couldteach the course.For more information aboutthe book and the program, go towww.widowsmight21st.com.
BBFI sends aid to Haitiafter devastating earthquakeby The TribuneAs the Tribune was going to press, we receivedthe news of the devastating earthquakein Haiti January 12. Almost immediately,BBFI pastors and church members began makingplans to help in relief efforts.At presstime, the Mission Office had beenin contact with both Wes Lane and Tom Franklin,missionaries in the Dominican Republic.The Republic shares the eastern part of the islandwith Haiti on its western border. Wes hadinformed churches on the 12th that he intendedto enter Haiti by bus to deliver what aid andinformation he could.A short time later, Tom Franklin sent thisreport:As many of you have probably alreadyheard, on Tuesday, January 12, 2010, a massiveearthquake occurred in Haiti. Their capital,Port-au-Prince has been destroyed with hospitals,homes and major buildings collapsing.Many have nowhere to go and nothing to survivewith. We are just a few hundred miles from thedisaster here in the Dominican Republic and althoughour church in Tamboril is in its infancy,along with our Haitian mission in Don Pedro,we have decided to begin assembling survivalbuckets today by simply filling them with a listof everyday items that can be purchased hereand used to fill immediate needs - food, soap,medicine, duct tape, and other emergency reliefitems. Obviously these buckets will do morethan just take care of physical needs, we alsowant to let these families know they have notbeen forgotten and will be placing special tractsin Creole inside sothey can discoverthe eternal hopeof Jesus’ love. Anydonations that areprocessed into ouraccount in the missionoffice markedHaitian Relief willbe used for thisproject and to meetthe needs of thechurches that BBFIMissionary WesleyLane — www.bbfinorthamerica.org/Lane— has established andcan contact in the Port-au-Prince area.Yesterday we spoke to Wesley Lane extensivelyand the best plan at this time is forWes and Melina to try and cross the border viabus, make contact with the national pastorsand churches they have there, and locate keymissionaries and relief organizations on theground to access the situation. Once a stagingarea can be located and secured, Wesley willreturn and we will all go in with equipment andsupplies that are needed and can be found herein the Dominican Republic. We need to praythat they will get through, make contact, andreturn safely and as quickly as possible. Many ofyou know that we work with Agape MissionaryFlights and Missionary Flights International. Itis our understanding that both will be stagingrelief efforts from Florida directly to Haitimaking multiple flights every week. With theamount of missionaries they serve, it might takea little longer for things to get to us, but we alreadyknow that this is going to be a marathonrather than a sprint.The Mission Office has established a fundset up for emergency relief donations. If youwant to be a part of this endeavor, please sendyour funds clearly designated Haitian Relief to:BBFI Mission OfficePO Box 802757Kansas City, MO 64180-2757According to Associate Mission DirectorSteve Bender, BBFI Missionaries Wes Lane andTom Franklin will be leading this effort fromthe Dominican Republic.February 2010 | Baptist Bible Tribune | 15
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