Todd and his son Tanner partnered with the Belize Habit Mission Team to carry out a week of ministry to the people of Belize. The first night there, Todd shared his “Born Wild, Created to Be Free” wild-horse presentation. Sunday, they spent time in a local church and then ventured the first of the week downtown to Belize city where they interacted with dozens of homeless people and distributed about 100 sandwiches. Tanner even bought food for the dogs. It is a rough life in Belize!
One man they met was healed of AIDS last year though faith in Jesus. Tanner sat and gave and received wisdom from a homeless man of beautiful character and two minutes after having his picture taken with the man, a man near them picked up a club and beat another man for speaking rudely to Todd and Tanner. Broke the man’s arm! Crazy place!
Tanner loved the kids in Belize. One day, they got to share the Gospel with 100 children. Tanner spoke and read scripture. He’s becoming a great young man! A second morning spent in a local school resulted in around 60 children trusting their lives to Jesus! It was a great day of teaching there! They have been invited back next year to do an outreach to 4,000 kids. What a great opportunity! Here is Todd’s update upon returning:
Hello, family. Have you ever wondered how we can spend our whole lives learning of our Father and never get bored? I have and I have found that not only am I not getting bored, I am more in awe than ever! As our Father just keeps showing more of Himself and I experience more of His presence, it’s changing me. I can’t seem to get over how universal the problems of the world are and how universal the solution. Where fear and greed are, there you will find broken lives and poverty. Where love in the name of Jesus is being shared, peace and joy abound. No matter where in the world you go, sin is the problem and Jesus is the solution. I am thankful for social programs and good governments, but the only real need for the world is to respond to what our Father has made available through Jesus.
Over the last year I have seen fear and oppression effects in Guatemala, Anguilla, Russia, Burma, Belize and America. It causes the same results and reactions in every culture. Because we possess the Truth and the Life, we possess what the world needs. Thank you for sending me to share this most precious gift with so many! It has been a rare and precious treat to share this experience with young Tanner and I am so proud to see the way he uniquely loves people in need. He asked me yesterday, “Why do so many of the people on the streets seem so unthankful when you give them a sandwich and the dogs act so thankful for anything I give them?” I believe he is seeing that the problems these people face is much deeper than physical needs. People do not live by bread alone, but by hearing and understanding God’s word. I don’t have all the answers but I do know that 95% of the 150 or more children that I taught the Gospel to accepted the invitation. There is a point in a person’s life where they know their need for forgiveness and crave the love and acceptance of God. I’m not sure what all happens in the heart of man as we age, but Jesus said that we must be like a child to inherit the Kingdom. My prayer for you is that the reading of this update can be received as a piece to influence you to examine your own heart and your willingness to hear the heart of Jesus and respond with courage and faith. Your life is of immeasurable value and the time you have on this earth is of eternal consequence. Use the life you have to invest in this eternal Kingdom that is your inheritance. Wasted lives are common. How about yours?
There is a reason we have been reminded throughout the entire Bible to be strong and courageous. When you hear the voice of God, it causes change and that is something most people avoid at all cost. The right you have to be a child of the King of Glory is the greatest privilege you will ever have. It becomes the highest level of existence when you realize and operate in your purpose. Make this decree, “It’s my honor, Father, to respond to your invitation to be your child and I desire to join you in this battle for humanity.” If you seek to save your life you will lose it, but if you choose to lose your life for Jesus’ sake, you will gain it and that much more abundantly. Be strong! Be Courageous!
Captivated, Todd and Tanner.
