MORE ON THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING YOUR NEEDS KNOWN!       Maria #220       DO 2930  6/94
By Maria

(This message was originally sent to an area where Family members have met and regularly minister to many well-to-do individuals, while at the same time conducting a well-established "consider the poor" ministry. However, when asked about the financial state of the Homes in this area, the shepherds reported that some of the Homes still lacked the funds they need. Upon hearing this, Mama wrote the shepherds the following counsel:)

Dear Ones,
         1. God bless you! I love you! Thanks for your message outlining the financial situation in the Homes in your area. I'm a bit troubled by the fact that your Homes are financially lacking when you have such a thriving ministry to people in positions of influence in several countries.
         2. I have an idea that upon seeing our outreachers and our singing teams and our folks ministering to the poor, people assume that certainly these foreigners who are able to live in foreign countries on a permanent basis and spend their full time ministering to the local people must obviously be well-funded from the outside. And if you don't tell them otherwise, how will they ever know that that is not the case?
         3. What these people probably thought is that you were there as their colleagues, doing exactly the same thing they're doing: charity work. These women you've met are all wealthy and used to financing service organizations, and they probably felt that, coming from wealthy America and other wealthy nations, you were doing the same thing, and were from a similar background as themselves. They probably never dreamed that here you are trying to give your lives to help others, when some of your own families are barely getting their rent collected on time, the proper food on the table, and the kids may not even have money for various needs.
         4. I just think it's about time that our Homes start doing something about this situation! You meet these people of importance, of influence and of wealth, but you give no indication as to your desperate financial needs. You offer yourselves freely to help their poor without letting the rich know that you are poor, too, and that in order to help them you need help too.
         5. Some of your friends may not be very wealthy themselves, but can't you get one of them to put in a plug for you with all these people who love to do charity work and have so much money to spend, as even part of their "good works" religion? It seems like they would be thrilled to help such a beautiful, unique organization who can in turn help them with their special charity by bringing encouragement and hope and comfort to many.
         6. These people know that much more than even physical help, the spiritual is needed. They can offer material help, but you have the Spirit, and you have what they don't have. You have every right to ask them to help you. You are there to help their poor spiritually, so they should be willing to help you physically in order that you can do the job.
         7. You have so many friends who would probably be more than willing to write a recommendation for you, a sort of "To Whom It May Concern" letter, saying, "These are good people and they are helping our country. They are doing much to bring hope and encouragement and comfort to the lame, the deaf and the blind. Please do all you can to help and support them." They could give you names of the wealthy, and even address letters specifically to them asking them to help you.
         8. I'll bet if you would let them know, they could help considerably. After all, it seems that their religion more or less trains them to give to the poor, and it certainly seems that you should be on their list. You're not just the poor, you're the poor who are helping the poor. It is even more important that they give to you than the other poor.
         9. You're giving them the best thing in the world, and what they can get from no others, and they should be willing to give financially to gain what is much more valuable--your spiritual help and ministry.
         10. God bless you! I love you! Let's make it pay! Why should you be hampered and hindered and inconvenienced in your ministry to others when the Lord's coffers are full and the "wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just" (Pro.13:22). The Lord said, "Ask and ye shall receive" (Mat.7:7). We deserve it! We're living our lives unselfishly for others and the Lord, and anyone who wants our spiritual help for their people and their country should be willing to give us their financial help.
         Love, Mama


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