I was Hungry and You Fed Me
 

April 13, 2020
 
Dear Partners in the Gospel of Christ,
 
Last week I received numerous reports of hunger from our students who attend the various branches of Trinity Biblical Institute in East and Central Africa.  The locusts have come a second time; the government requires them to stay in their homes in order to escape COVID-19.  They are afraid.  Now is our time to help these brothers and sisters in need.
 
Some twenty years ago, we established a clinic in Eastern Uganda.  Later we added a maternity unit.  We did this because of Christ’s great commandment and his great commission.  Our clinic serves many poor and needy.  Just about every day a child is born in our maternity unit. 

The clinic provides a great opportunity for our patients to hear the Gospel and to see the love of Christ. 
 
Jesus taught in Matthew 25 about the final judgment, “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ³⁶ I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ ³⁷ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? ³⁸ And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? ³⁹ And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ ⁴⁰ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’’
 
Those words are easily misunderstood.  Jesus is not saying we are saved by our good works.  The idea is that we are saved by grace through faith for good works.  Christ has done so much for us.  He came and died for us, paid for our sins and forgave us; what amazing grace!   The natural response is one of thanksgiving and sharing that grace with others.  Christ has helped us in our time of need.  Now is our opportunity to help others and to bring light to this world.

Our students and their children need help. Let me suggest two radical responses:

1. Perhaps soon you will receive a stimulus check.  Many in the U.S. need these checks, but many of us do not.  If you are able, consider giving the proceeds of your stimulus check to help us provide food and medical care for the hungry and sick in East Africa.  We need $4200 to stock our clinic with medicines and supplies.  $100 could help a hungry family through this difficult time.  Last week we helped 36 hurting families.
    
2. This past week, one of our coordinators in Rwanda, Jophus Mugenyi, died.  He leaves behind his wife and three children.  Please consider giving a special gift for this family.

 
If you can help financially with these needs, tax-deductible gifts can be directed to: Trinity Center for World Mission, P.O. Box 580, Dahlonega, GA 30533   
 
ONLINE: Go to www.trinitycwm.org and click on the Donate menu.
 

Trusting Our Sovereign God,


Peter W. Anderson, Executive Director
Trinity Center for World Mission
 

Sample Letters from African Brothers:
 
From a staff member:   Dear Pastor Pete, Happy Easter to you and your family, I would like to thank you for the generous gift that I was able to receive through TCWM. Because of you I’ve been able to provide food for my family this Easter and without your help I don’t know how I was going to manage.
 
From a leader in TBI Rwanda:  Dear Sir, We owe you more than a thanks this morning. I have just arrived in hospital with my wife this very early morning. She is ready to give birth. She is now in hands of doctors but my thinking was how I can get out from this situation. While I was thinking about this. I received a call from Mr. Nehemiah, the coordination of TBI Rwanda saying that there is a gift for facilitators which is $400 which we are to share. So I do thank so much our Lord Jesus Christ for the miracle from above using the board of Trinity Center for World Mission. Please help me to send a thanks to Dr. Pete and the board. Here in Rwanda we are starving due to the corona virus; we stay in the house without money or something to eat. We thank you so much for the help may God bless you more so that you may continue to be a help for Rwandese especially facilitators of TBI.  God is with us.  In Christ alone.  P.S.  They had a baby boy.
 
From a doctor and church planter and student at TBI:  Hello Pastor Pete, I have written to seek for your assistance to the families of this needy children, yesterday I visited their homes and they are indeed in pathetic condition.  I thought you would support if possible with $100 to three families, for  $300 in total.  Blessings!
 
From our coordinator in Kenya:   Due to the lock-down currently going on around the country over the COVID-19 pandemic, John the chief of the Pokot Tribe called me; he doesn't have anything to eat Please pray.  Note from Pete: John, a church planter, is one of our students and attends TBI Kenya.