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Disciple LIFE Magazine
Radical hospitality... In Hebrews 13:2
we read, “Do not forget to show
hospitality to strangers, for by so
doing some people have shown
hospitality
to
angels
without
knowing it.” I am certainly not an
angel, but over and over again in
Bangladesh we were treated as
such. So much food and so many
flowers, everywhere we went we
were greeted like kings and queens.
We visited a group who is working on
managing garbage in their area and they had
beautiful plaques made up for us ahead of time
with our names on them — incredible.
Integration and sustainability... In Jeremiah 29:7
we read, “Seek the welfare of the city where I have
sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf,
for in its welfare you will find your welfare.” The team
at World Vision is certainly living as exiles in the
country of Bangladesh where followers of Jesus
make up less than one percent of the population. It
would be easy to pull back and isolate, but World
Vision is working in powerful ways to bring lasting
and sustainable change to the city by integrating
strategies in the areas of education, health, clean
water, and waste management. They truly are
equipping the community to flourish.
Children, God’s kids... In Matthew 19:13-15 Jesus
says, “Then children were brought to Him that he might
lay His hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked
the people, but Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come
to Me and do not hinder them, for to
such belongs the kingdom of heaven.’
And He laid his hands on them and
went away.” The work that World
Vision is doing to restore dignity
and hope to children is nothing
short of remarkable. In a culture
where child labor is an ongoing
issue and where 1 in 3 girls are
married before the age of 18 they
are starting to turn the tide. Through
strategic partnerships, education, and
the hope of Jesus, children and families are
learning that there is a better way.
The Holy Spirit... In John 3:8 Jesus says, “The wind
blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the
wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it
is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of
the Spirit.” We were so blessed to see how the Holy
Spirit is moving in Bangladesh. We worshiped in
an international church that has helped to plant
45 churches in Bangladesh. We visited a Catholic
church where more than 8,000 followers of
Jesus gather each week. We were humbled to meet
with a large group of local pastors and hear their
struggles and victories.
My biggest highlight was how many Muslim
people asked me to pray with them. What an
honor to pray in the beautiful, powerful, saving
name of Jesus Christ. We are so blessed to partner
with World Vision in the work of Jesus. Thank you
WLC for your incredible outpouring of generosity!
P OV:
TOM PFOTENHAUER
[ S E N I O R P A S T O R ]