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The purpose of this newsletter is two fold: To encourage you to care and pray for each member of our ministry and to financially give to ministries whose focus is on children who are impacted by traumatic events and become orphans. In 2001 our ministry will develop this lifeline to Christian ministries in developing countries that support orphans and we will present our projects to our members in the near future.
Death and destruction is a way of life in many areas of the world. No matter the level pain, families can instantly be altered. Husbands, wives, children, and grandparents, can be taken away by an event beyond our control.
8:46AM: January 26, 2001 a 30 second earthquake struck northwestern India. Hardest hit was Bhuj, a coastal resort near the Pakistan border. The current death toll is 35,000 with 125,000 unaccounted for. 120,000 housing units have been destroyed. "A survivor recounts "We walked since morning…There is no drinking water, no food. All houses are destroyed and no one came to help"
Just a few weeks ago, a Pakistan tennis coach signed up as a member of this ministry. When a person signs up as a member of our ministry at our Website (www.tennisministry.com), we consider them part of our family. This story of death goes beyond most readers of this newsletter experience. I pray for those who have unimaginable suffering and that those who are reading this will be sympathetic as they read the stories of those who may look, act different, or live in a different culture from themselves.
3:00 AM: August 24, 1992: Hurricane Andrew known as the story of the century struck South Miami, Florida, USA. 44 people lost their lives and 25,000 lost their homes.
I recently traveled to south Miami, Florida, USA. I played tennis at a tennis club that was directly hit by Hurricane Andrew on August 24, 1992. Photographs of the destruction revealed a neighborhood that resembled a war zone, with the trees and many of the homes gone hit by 170-mph winds for 1 1/2 hours. The 12-foot (4-meter) high fence around the courts was blown down and the iron poles were bent at 90-degree angles along the ground. The clubhouse had been blown away. As I sat around the table, next to the new clubhouse and spoke to a group of players about Christ, I could have never guessed that this had taken place less then 10 years before. The vegetation had grown back, the club was back to normal, and the neighborhood homes were repaired and replaced.
7:17AM: September 19, 1985 an earthquake struck Mexico City. 10,000 people lost their lives and 250,000 lost their homes. I went to assist in food distribution several months after the quake and saw the destruction of a major earthquake. 23-30 story buildings, floor upon floor resting upon each other. An entire hospital collapsed upon its patients. Mothers and babies perishing. Months later, bodies were still in the rubble. Ground and drinking water contaminated from rainwater contacting the bodies. 20-30 coffins were lined up on each street, waiting to filled.
Yes, death can come at any moment. For us and our love ones, we need to be prepared by putting our faith in Jesus Christ. Earthly death cannot be avoided but God has given us a job to do while we are alive. We need to put our faith into action as we realize that many are suffering more that we are and we can do something about it. If you feel God telling you to get involved, please contact us. I would like to share our plans with you for giving orphans impacted by such events a Christian education and life or to discuss with you how you can be more sensitive to these circumstances.
Rev. Bob Kraft