Pastor Pedro is just a scream! He has been busy traveling back and forth between Barahona, Dominican Republic and Haiti assisting in the aftermath of the earthquake. He came up with a new phrase that basically signifies his attitude about his experience. Instead of simply saying that something is bueno, which means “good” in Spanish, Pastor Pedro says, “Super bueno!”

Try that today. No matter what you are facing in life, take a deep breath and declare, “Super bueno!” Better yet, try saying, “Glory to God!” We know that God is in control during the good and bad times so we should strive to give Him all the glory whether we are down in the valley or high on the mountaintop.

Praising God in the midst of difficult times enables those without Christ to see the joy and peace we possess from having a relationship with the risen Savior. We are told in Matthew 5:16 (NKJV):

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Every time we display integrity, high moral standards, pure speech and motives, we bring glory to God and we draw attention to our Savior for all to see.

Jack The Baptist stopped by my office recently to pick up a satellite phone prior to departing for the Dominican Republic to work with our partner, Pastor Pedro Kery Johnson in Barahona. ROW has a medical clinic, church and fresh water system in Barahona. We are being inundated by the poor folks from Haiti who need medical care, shelter and food.

At the end of January, Jack The Baptist traveled to the Dominican Republic where he spent nine days capturing images and stories of the Haitian people in need. Even though it has been almost six weeks since an earthquake struck Haiti, the needs of the people are still tremendous, and will be for years to come. Would you consider adding the people and country of Haiti to your daily times of prayer? Pray that through all the donations of food, water and supplies, along with the generosity of the volunteers on the ground in Haiti, that the people are given a hope that sustains them in their darkest hours.

May the people of Haiti discover that there is no need too great that is beyond the reach of God. I pray that they realize too that those who put their trust in the Lord will be blessed, as stated in Psalm 146:5-6:

“Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—the LORD, who remains faithful forever.”

Whenever you have a problem that seems too great for you to handle, pause for a moment to reflect on the fact that the same God who created the universe and all that is within is the same God who cares for you.

Partnering with several medical personnel and with the assistance of Rotary International, World Water Relief previously installed a water purification system in Batey 7 in the DR. There are 18 bateyes located along the border of the DR and Haiti. Each batey is home to between 1,500 to 3,500 people, Haitian refugees who work in the sugar cane fields.

During his recent visit to the DR, Tom visited and worked in seven different bateyes, assisting with the installation of clean water systems. Because of Tom’s willingness to help these Haitian refugees receive one of the very necessities of life, there are now 25,000 people who have clean, precious water. This simple project has now gotten rid of at least a third of the disease that was rampant amongst these people. Ensuring a person’s physical needs are met places them in a better position to hear the Gospel.

As 2010 is about to unfold, let me encourage you to use Tom as an example of going beyond the call for the sake of Christ.

We really are the only “Bible” some people will ever “read.” As Christians, we have an entire world watching us to see how we handle life’s challenges, disappointments, heartaches and even successes. Let’s proclaim, as Paul did in 1 Corinthians 11:1:

“Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.”

Why wouldn’t the car start? It wouldn’t start because Preston left the lights on and ran down the battery on the car. It really was his fault, but, I’ll be honest, I was the one who lost the keys to the car so it really didn’t matter that it wouldn’t start!

Preston and I looked at each other and realized that we were simply stuck. The car wouldn’t start, we didn’t have the keys to the car so we decided the best thing to do was go get a Coca-Cola and a cup of coffee and laugh about the situation.

Let me ask you, are you blaming someone other than yourself for the problems in your life? It takes far too much energy and time to play the “blame game.” If you have made some mistakes, simply admit them, correct them and move on.

We are assured in Proverbs 10:9 that there is no hiding from God. Our mistakes, shortcomings and failures may be hidden from others but never from the Lord. We read:

“The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.”

No matter what you have done in the past and regardless of your current faults, if you are honest with yourself and others you stand a much better chance of being in right standing with God.

Adding concrete floors to homes in these areas enables families to get up out of the dirt and away from the worms and reducing the overall incidence of disease. However, the real blessing of this kind of experience is realizing that we have friends and family from all over the world who can meet in any part of the world and we can share an immediate bond in Jesus Christ.

Today, as you’re looking at your world, recognize the people around you may be from the far corners of the earth but in Christ we are one and we share that joy and love in the name of Jesus. I just think that is wonderful!

Contrary to what some Christians may think, if there are Christians suffering in Africa, Belize, the Dominican Republic or Cambodia, it really is each person’s problem and the responsibility of the church collectively to relieve or eliminate that suffering. The Apostle Paul makes it clear in 1 Corinthians 12:26-27:

“If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”

Some of us have the financial means to provide the necessary resources and materials to help fellow Christians abroad. Others have specific skills in plumbing, electricity or construction work and are able to donate their time. Each Christian is equipped in some way to make a difference in the lives of Christians around the world. The bottom line is you simply need to make up your mind to do something, anything, and begin today.

I just returned from the Dominican Republic where I assisted with putting concrete floors in the homes of some friends of mine. The concrete floors will enable these families to get up off the mud and will help in eliminating a tremendous amount of parasitic infections in that part of the world. Okay, I confess, while I was in the Dominican Republic I found some mud to play in!

While these parasites and worms can infect a person’s physical body, there is something even more devastating that can contaminate a person’s spiritual body. It’s called sin. Paul confronted members of the church in Corinth about sexual immorality that was taking place amongst one of its members. Apparently the people didn’t think the sin of one person was a big deal. We read in 1 Corinthians 5:6-7:

“Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.”

Paul instructed the church to cast out the man who had been corrupted by sin before it spread throughout the church. We must continually examine our lives to ensure there are not hidden sins that we are partaking in. Pray today and ask the Lord to prune those areas in your life that are not pleasing unto Him.

We focus on helping families in the bateys, poor villages of Haitian refugees. Under the watchful eyes of numerous children, the team from Hampden-Sydney College mixed and poured concrete for floors in 14 homes in about five days. Adding concrete floors to homes helps get families up out of the mud and dirt and decreases disease and insect issues. Providing a firm foundation to these poor families will actually change their lives and provide an open door for us to be able to share the love of Jesus Christ.

How about you, dear Christian? Have you built your life on the solid rock of Jesus Christ? If you have, then no matter how great the storm is raging in your life and regardless of the avalanche of sorrow and hurt you may be feeling, Christ will sustain you and He will be your anchor. Read Matthew 7:24-27 and claim this assurance:

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Check the foundation of your life today to make sure you have built it upon the Rock and not upon the shifting sands of this world.

Can you imagine how much fun it would be if we could recruit some high school and college baseball teams or some folks who enjoy casually throwing together a team and walking through the jungles to take on some youngsters in other countries in a friendly game of baseball and Christian fellowship.

It’s just an idea but ideas have to start somewhere. If you have a team like that and you want to talk about getting them overseas, then let’s do it. Contact me at Rivers of the World (ROW) at ben@row.org.

Win or lose wouldn’t it be fun playing baseball in Central America? You know what else would be fun? Using the game of baseball to teach the important Biblical lesson found in Matthew 10:39:

“Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

We can teach these young folks that in the game of life the most important thing is not accumulating wealth and possessions, but instead, to release all control of our lives to Christ. When we forsake all for Him in this life, we gain all eternity with Him in the next life.

The bubble gum did hold the doorknob to the front door but when it got hot the bubble gum melted and dripped down the front door of my house. What an absolute mess!

I know some young people in the Dominican Republic who also lack technical skills because they are without the resources to obtain those skills. Attending an 18-month technical school in the Dominican Republic costs $500. With your help, these young people could have an opportunity to learn computer skills, carpentry, automobile mechanics and secretarial skills. That would keep them from having to use bubble gum to fix things I’m sure!

As you are praying today, seeking the Lord in how you can help these young people in the Dominican Republic, read the wise words of Solomon in Ecclesiastes 10:10:

“If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed but skill will bring success.”

There are many things that can be accomplished in this life with sheer determination and strength, but we stand a far greater chance of being successful if we are equipped with the essential skills needed for the task at hand.

Watching this man just broke my heart. However, praise the Lord, Rivers of the World (ROW) is doing something about situations like these. We are installing a water purification system in a village of 3,200 people. It is located in one of the bateyes, which are Haitian refugee camps in the Dominican Republic. These people will not only have water, they will have clean water for all of them to drink, bathe and meet the daily needs that so many of us take for granted.

The next time you see rain think about the many blessings that God has bestowed upon you, such as plentiful water for drinking, washing clothes, doing the dishes, bathing and the host of other ways in which we use water.

As with all ROW projects, we combine meeting physical needs with meeting spiritual needs. As we install the water purification system in the Dominican Republic, we will have an opportunity to share with these people the living water which is Jesus Christ. We read in John 7:37-38 (Amplified):

“Now on the final and most important day of the Feast, Jesus stood, and He cried in a loud voice, If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink! He who believes in Me [who cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me] as the Scripture has said, From his innermost being shall flow [continuously] springs and rivers of living water.”

We are promised that the more we draw closer to God and the more we rely upon Him and not ourselves, the more we will be refreshed, renewed and strengthened by His spirit.