January 2023 Monthly Letter
Dear Reconcilers,
As we leave 2022, many say our country is more divided than ever. Gun violence was rampant in 2022. Nineteen kids and two teachers were killed at Robb Elementary School in Texas. Ten black people were killed shopping at a supermarket in a Buffalo, New York. Hate crimes and hate speech rose dramatically as specific communities were targeted. And I don’t have enough room to talk about all the frustration we shared during the elections.
On top of all that, we are still dealing with high prices for gas, food, and housing. Plus, we are continuing to suffer from the effects of Covid-19. Many people are still dying. Thinking about all this turmoil leaves us exhausted and disheartened. However, in the midst of this madness, there were people doing good works and caring for others.
I was reading about the work being done by One Simple Wish. This organization’s mission is to help Foster Children who have been impacted by the trauma of foster care. They try to spread some love, hope, and joy to those children harmed by a system designed to help them. The goal of the Foster Care program is to ensure that each child in foster care has an opportunity for a healthy, successful life by providing safe, nurturing homes, but that does not always happen.
One Simple Wish reaches out to those who were negatively impacted. Last November, they made nine people who were let down by the Foster Care system very happy. One Simple Wish gave each of them a new car to help make a difference in their lives. They also received free gas and insurance for a year. This was a real blessing for them.
In spite of the problems we faced in 2022, it was nice to know there were still people showing love and respect, and helping others every day. It’s too bad we don’t hear more about those things. It could inspire us to do to our own acts of kindness.
The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation encourages a kinder, more compassionate world. They would like kindness to be the norm, not the exception. They strive to connect people with ideas and resources to encourage and celebrate acts of kindness. You can find out more at https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/.
Or check out this website for inspiring stories of what everyday people were doing in 2022 to make the world a better place: https://www.nbc12.com/2022/06/28/acts-kindness-our-favorite-stories-2022-so-far/
As we enter 2023, I am sure that hate speech and lack of respect for various groups will not stop. However, that shouldn’t stop us from caring for one another. When we show love, respect, and kindness to others, we make a difference in the lives of people we meet. We are admonished in 1 Thessalonians 5:11 to “continue encouraging each other and building each other up…” This is a great thought to carry into the New Year.
Thank you for your continued support to this ministry. Jannice and I wish you a wonderful New Year filled with good health, peace, and kindness.
