He that has mercy on the poor, happy is he. Proverbs 14:21

Bear ye one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2

What does it mean to share God's love in practical ways?
It means...

• merging faith and technology to meet basic human needs
• supporting microenterprise in urban slums
• teaching jungle homesteaders how to grow crops without destroying the rainforest
• establishing high schools in remote Andean villages
• combating infant mortality and promoting safe motherhood
• giving people in developing countries the knowledge and tools they need to grow physically, spiritually, and socially

Take a peek inside!
Training Practicum: Internationals learn practical skills to help the poor.
SIFAT CARES: Youth experience third world for a day.
(videos courtesy of UMTV)

Changing My Perspective
by Nate Paulk

As two men stood admiring the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, one commented on a fly that landed just under the nearly-touching fingertips of God and man. Turning to his friend, he said, “That bug’s got the best seat in the house.” His friend returned, “What do you mean? That bug can only see one brush stroke!”

Before my recent trip to Ecuador with SIFAT, I was like that fly: unable to distance myself from the artwork enough to appreciate it. I am thankful for the opportunity to see the big picture of our organization and the work that we are doing around the world, particularly in Ecuador. As campus director, the sometimes trivial “brush strokes” that are made here on campus seem to be nothing more than just that: single strokes, not meaningful and certainly not a masterpiece. It was not until I went to Ecuador that I saw firsthand how our work on our campus enables SIFAT to transform lives around the world for Christ! Knowing that the daycare centers in Ecuador were once a vision of a SIFAT graduate continues to inspire me. This mission of empowering students to change lives in their own countries is a masterpiece in my eyes, and, I feel sure, in the eyes of our Creator!

I am so thankful that we serve a God that has a heavenly perspective of our lives and our work. Paul writes that we are members of a body. We are individual pieces to a much bigger puzzle, and, like the painting, our contributions are much more beautiful together than alone!

God has given each of us a paintbrush—each mission team member, each donor, each employee, each work team member, each volunteer, and each prayer warrior! God has given us the opportunity to add our brush stroke to the painting that is SIFAT. How important were the individual strokes that are on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel… and how important is your paintbrush to SIFAT!

updated June 25