“Lift them up,” that is the statement that was used when I was doing my work with the Department of Children's Services with families in the foster care system. When I reflect upon the fact that this statement is what drives the work of a state agency, I am amazed. I am amazed that a system that is not faith based could have such a faith filled statement. Lift them up. In this season of lent, I think of fasting and the passage in Isaiah about true fasting, ...to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free...to share your bread with the hungry...bring the homeless poor into your house...(Isaiah 58:6,7). This sounds like lifting people up.
As a community of faith, how much more should we be faithful to living out our life as the church by carrying out the love of Christ and lifting people up. The Bridging Ministries Team at Hillcrest, formerly known as Multicultural Ministries, has decided that as a way of growing our ESL ministry, we would like to lift up the children of our ESL students and those living in our surrounding community by providing homework help. Imagine the challenge it would be to try to assist your child with homework that was taught and explained in another language. What an opportunity we have to lift them up and bring light to the darkness of feeling helpless to meet your child’s needs! If you are interested in assisting with this new mission, please contact Rocio Martinez or Keri Lopez.
I pray in this season of lent you would prayerfully consider picking up something new, something that would lift up someone around you, or even better, get into the habit of lifting up and encouraging all those in your path.
Peace, Keri
Encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. -I Thessalonians 5:11
