When you see someone one the side of the road hungry asking for food, do you give them bread? Do you stop to show him or her God's love? Valence Ministries strive's to stop for the One. To let no one slip through the cracks, to give bread to the hungry and share God's love to the hurting. Whether in the States or on the Mission field, our Passion is to Stop for the One.
Ministry does not have to be as hard as we make it. God's word is easy and ministry is simple.
Mozambique, Africa:
While in Africa with Iris Ministries I would go to town for food about once a week. Now going to town for groceries was an all day event do to the small shops and changing merchandise. After spending the day gathering my groceries my last stop was always the bread store. Making my way back to base (Iris Ministries) I would always be asked for food. Every Time I would give away bread that I had bought for my wife and I. Only to return home with a couple pieces of bread after a day of shopping.
After a couple weeks of this, I thought to myself, why give all my bread away? I decided to ask the Lord for the number of pieces of bread He wanted me to buy, and I would give Him the number I wanted for myself. To this day I am amazed at how simple it was and how not one more or one less person asked me for food every time I took a second and asked the Lord for His number.
Ministry does not have to be complicated, God wants to share His love, His power and He has called us to be co-laborers with Him.
Matthew 25:34-45
34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'
44"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'
45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'