Thought for the Week-North Korea

Why have I used some of our Opportunities of the week on the bulletin back cover as Thoughts for the Week on our web site and vice versa? Simply because I am trying to illustrate the far flung as well as the nearby mission of the church, which is of course the reason we exist, for mission. And mission means to meet needs. As these thoughts suggest, one way to let people know we are concerned about them is to identify with both their physical and spiritual needs and seek to meet such needs so all might have life, and have it more abundantly. Tom Bandy, one of the foremost thinkers on methods to meet spiritual needs, recently wrote, "first experience the touch of the Holy and then go deeper into faith formation than ever before." These opportunities allow our partners to help people experience the "touch of the Holy." Our participation with them helps us also experience His touch.

In North Korea today, 2.5 million children suffer great affliction. 15.6% of these children under the age of 15 are victims of severe malnutrition, while 62.3% show signs of chronic malnutrition. In a new partnership with Christians in South Korea our International Ministries participate with others to help bring healing to these children. For example, 12 thousand pieces of bread flow from one bakery in Pyongyang-the capital of North Korea-each day. The bread, along with vitamin supplements, is then distributed to malnourished children in the area.

We are dedicated as a denomination to aid the ministries of multiple organizations in South Korea as they seek to meet humanitarian needs in North Korea. $10,000 is needed this year for American Baptist International Ministries to fully meet our commitment here.

Monetary resources are in demand around the world, but only energy and effort are required from the Christians of Juneau County to make the same difference in our area. At First Baptist we’d love to join with you to get this done.

October	"God of the Hills" 10/9/2000	"God of the Lake" 10/16/2000	"God of the Nighttime" 10/23/2000	"God of the Stars" 10/30/2000
November	"God of the Wilderness" 11/6/2000	"We wish to see Jesus" 11/13/2000	"Thanksgiving Meditation" 11/20/2000	"If it's by God..." 11/27/2000
December	"John's Story of Christmas" 12/4/2000	"The Grandparents of Christmas" 12/11/2000	"A Christmas Prayer" 12/18/2000	"New Years Thoughts" 12/25/2000
January 2001	New Years Eve 1/1/2001	"Let is walk softly" 1/8/01	"His Rod and Staff" 1/16/01	"Attitude" 1/22/2001	"Charis and Eirene" 1/29/2001
February	Shine, Jesus, Shine 2/5/2001	A Rabbinical Story 2/12/2001	"They said it couldn't be done" 2/19/2001	The Life of a Useful Man 2/26/2001
March	"Faith" 3/5/2001	"God and Meaning" 3/12/2001	"Our Witness" 3/19/2001	"Making a Difference" 3/26/2001
April	Ann's Thoughts- A Memorial 4/2/2001	Ann's Prayer 4/9/2001		Easter Morning 4/30/2001
May	Nine Questions about our World 5/7/2001	Towards a Core Vision 5/14/2001	"Good Morning, God" 5/21/2001	God's Troubled World 5/28/2001
June	A Morning Prayer 6/4/2001	Nelson Mandela Inaugural Speech 6/11/2001	"Stive first for the kingdom..."6/18/2001	Joy and Sorrow 6/25/2001
July	Four Things 7/2/2001	The Present Crisis 7/9/2001	We see dimly 7/16/2001	"Stranger within our gates" 7/23/01
August	Valui and Margaretn 8/6/01	Way to Go! 8/13/01	A Word from the Executive Director 8/20/01	Baptist Community in the Congo 8/27/01
September	Reaching the Unreached 9/3/01	Jesus Wept over Jerusalem 9/10/01		Dominican Republic 9/24/01
October	Opportunities 10/1/01

FACTS AND IMPRESSIONS