Then he led me back to the bank of the river. 7When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river...Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live. (Ezek 47: 6,7,9)
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. (Rev 22:1,2)
The Ontario Gleaners is a non-profit organization that is committed to feeding the hungry in the developing world. They do this by receiving vegetables and fruit from local farmers and de-hydrating them for distribution. The result is an extremely nutritious dried soup mix that can be easily shipped. Once it is received, water is added and a small bag becomes meals for about 60-70 people. A single barrel carries enough food for over 6,000 meals.
Twice now the Gleaners have generously donated meals to Impact Nations for feeding children in Haiti––over 180,000 in all. The second shipment is arriving this week and will provide daily meals to 350 school children that we work with in two different villages. People have given to Impact Nations to cover the cost of shipping to Haiti, and carting the food to the schools. (For the Bouvier school, we have to ship it by mule train!)
Several weeks ago, the Gleaners’ director, Shelley Stone, asked me if Impact Nations did any feeding in Nicaragua. I was delighted to tell her about our partners and friends, Osvaldo and Rossy Bonilla. We have been working with them for 5 years now. Their ministry, El Shaddai, feeds about 1,400 children, 2-3 times a week, in 7 different villages. We have worked with them in building a feeding center, and providing funds for food.
So, a few weeks ago Shelley went down to Nicaragua to look at several sites. She spent a day with Osvaldo and Rossy. Here is a really good slide show that Shelley made of her trip. About 80% of the pictures are of the work that Oswaldo and Rossy and their team are doing.
For those of you who are thinking about joining us for the upcoming Journey of Compassion to Nicaragua, the slide show will give you a good feel for what you will be a part of.
Now, what do the scriptures at the top of this article have to do with all of this?
Obviously, both Ezekiel and John were shown a very similar vision. The river is a picture of the life that flows in the midst of Kingdom activity. Wherever the Kingdom goes forward, there is life––
- Everything will live
- There will be large numbers of fish
- Ongoing fruitfulness
- Healing
Rivers are formed when various streams flow together. This is another sign of authentic Kingdom activity: it is not parochial or exclusive. Like Jesus, Kingdom activity always unites and includes, celebrating what God is doing through each one; religion stakes out its own territory, defining itself and those around it. Moving in the creative, unifying, others-honoring rhythm of the Kingdom brings the fruitful, abundant, irresistible life that Jesus promised. Just as a tree is known by its fruit (Mt 7:20), so is authentic Kingdom activity.
It is exciting to see the tens of thousands of lives that have been impacted and transformed over the past few years. Likewise, it is deeply satisfying to know that this has only happened as various ministries and individuals have come together in order to declare and demonstrate the unsearchable riches of Christ and His Kingdom.
Let the river flow.
And now...enjoy the slide show.
Blessings,
Steve Stewart
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