Imagine what life was like for a paralytic in the ancient world. This man's whole life is lived on a mat three-feet wide and six-feet long. Someone has to feed him, carry him, clothe him, move him to keep him from being covered with bedsores, clean him when he soils himself. He will never know the sense of independence we prize so fiercely.
Nothing can be done medically—no surgeries, no rehab programs, no treatment centers. Anyone in this man's condition has to go through life as a beggar—be laid by the side of the road, be dependent on people dropping coins beside him to live another day. He has no money, no job, no influence, no family, and seemingly not much of a future.
What's he got going for him? He has friends. He has amazing friends.
He is in one of the killer small groups of all time.
In one sense, this whole story takes place because of his friends. Without his friends he never makes it to Jesus, never gets healed, never gets forgiven."
**************************************Without our friends and supporters, we would not be able to pursue our trip to Germany. We have been blessed and blown away by all the prayer and financial support that has been pouring in. It is so amazing to see how God is working in your lives to reach out to the soldiers and their families in Baumholder, Germany by supporting us so we can go over there.
We are coming down to the wire - with only 4 weeks left until our departure. We are securing leaders to cover for Duncan while we're gone and getting our house ready to be taken care of by other people. We have raised enough support to cover our tickets and passports - now any extra money can go to the ministry at the Festaburg - and to providing care for the families there. With gas at $9/gallon, we are sure it will cost more than we planned, but we are trusting that God will provide the rest of what is needed.
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