The People of War...

This past Thursday and Friday, I traveled with a group of adults from my church to a small town in the southernmost part of West Virginia. We went to a small town called, War. Our mission was to encourage someone from our church who has gone down there as a school teacher, with the purpose of bringing hope to those that need it most. Although she is a teacher at an elementary school, Amanda's real desire is to be the aroma of Christ to anyone she encounters.

Amanda invited a group from our church to come and help her out with an "I Admire You" dinner. Her strategy was simple. Every student in her fourth grade class was to bring the person that they admired most to a special dinner held in their honor. On this special night, we ate together, laughed together, and some even cried. Students shared stories about how they admired the person that they had invited. It was a sweet experience.

I've been to War before. In 2003, I took a group of junior high students on a mission's trip to War for a week. It was there that I saw the poverty, the drugs, the broken families and the extreme hoplessness. The city of War is in McDowell County which is one of the poorest counties in the United States. So, the things I saw this past week, I had seen before. But, my heart was still broken.

My heart broke for the people that walked aimlessly in the streets of War. Most of the students come from broken homes. These homes are filled with drug abuse, alcoholism, abuse, and neglect. Students crave attention. The high school dropout rate is alarming. Unemployment is common. Drugs are rampant. It's a hopeless area.

It reminded me of why our world needs to experience true hope that can only be found in the person of Jesus Christ. The people of War, although lonely and desperate are beautiful people. They are a people made with great potential and born in the image of their Creator God. Only God can bring hope to people, and it's this hope often comes through the obedience of His children.

Although War is discouraging, depressing and it's a dark area, the people need real Christ-followers who will step up and be willing to be LIGHT and bring HOPE to the area. The people of War need people like Amanda who are willing to selflessly serve the poor and the hurting. The people of War need people who will risk and care for kids, care for the poor and the needy. This is ministry. This is the heart of God. This is the will of God.

Lord, don't let me forget the people of War...