Helping a Good Work
by Tim Sullivan
Anyone who does mission work for an extended period will have to guard against cynicism. In my fourteen years of participating in missions to Africa, I have met far more people who were interested in what was in my wallet than what was in my heart. It is completely understandable. God's people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Many pastors do not believe God's promise of provision for their needs. Their congregation trusts God even less. So as far as they are concerned, their only chance for success is to find a generous sponsor for their work.
This is what makes the work of Pastor Henry Musana so unique. Through his ministry Gospel Extension Missions, Henry is doing everyday what so many famous humanitarian organizations say they will do (once they pay for their executive salaries and their television campaigns). He is helping people meet the harsh challenges of life in a third-world country. And he does this work without begging and badgering people to play the role of God in his life.
Henry helps young people who are in need, first and foremost by leading them to Christ and teaching them a better way of life, and then often by giving them a safe place to sleep and food to eat. When he can, he pays their school fees so they can return to class. Of course the people in his congregation love him. Through his ministry they have experienced the love of God firsthand. People in his neighborhood assume Henry has a secret stash of money but it is not true. The money he receives is used for the purpose it was given and it does not stay in his possession for long.
Of all the people I have met in my life, I know no one who more lives by faith in the Lord's provision than my friend Henry. Sometimes the boldness of his faith unnerves me. When he told me the amount of money needed to acquire the land and the building which GEM Sanctuary now calls home, I thought he was talking about Ugandan shillings. "That's a good price," I said. Then he told me he was talking about US dollars. "If it was anyone else," I told him, "I'd say he was crazy." But I was not going to advise Henry against moving forward in this project because I know Henry has a special relationship with his heavenly Father, a relationship built upon long-developed trust. He knows his heavenly Father does not expect him to prostrate himself before potential donors and plead for their benevolence. The Lord works in the hearts of his people and inspires them to give with a cheerful heart. I know because I was one of those people. Henry did not ask me to make a donation to GEM. God asked me. And when I see the work that takes place there, I am glad for the opportunity to make an investment that will lay up for me treasures in heaven. I am also happy to report that GEM is in its new location and is operating debt-free. That, my friends, is a grand testimony to our faithful God.
I believe that if people really understood the work Henry is doing and the integrity with which he is doing it, they would happily lend their support. Now I know that no one is looking for new ways to spend their money. People are trying to stretch their dollar, not give it away. But really, what is the worth of a soul?
I am not suggesting that you sell all your possessions and donate the money to Henry's ministry. But I'd like you to make a regular donation of $20 a month to Gospel Extension Missions. This is about the same amount you are asked to pledge to save a homeless cat or dog on television. If giving $20 a month will break your bank, then for goodness sake, hold on to it for dear life. But if $20 is what you might spend on a movie night, think about using it for a more lasting investment. Twenty people sending $20 a month would make a impact in what is already a very good work.
By the way, Henry didn't ask me to write this. I'll bet you can guess who did.
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For donations with a year-end tax statement, please send a check to:
LIFELINE INTERNATIONAL
PO BOX 22767
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA 29925
Please write "For GEM Uganda" in the memo.
If you do not require a year-end tax statement, you can send a check to:
HENRY MUSANA
Account number *****5538
Routing number 086300012
OLD NATIONAL BANK
3503 Paramount Drive
West Lafayette, Indiana 47906
For Donations by PayPal, go to paypal.me/hmusana
Click here to write an email to Henry.
© Workers Together With Him, Inc.