Today I write with a heart as heavy as it has been for sometime. Haiti has seen a horrible tragedy unfold, and I know it will continue to unfold. So what can we do…first, we at Shepherd have asked for our neighbors, those we serve, to join with the effort and donate what money they can to the tremendous rescue effort needed. And they are responding…..our effort we are calling… “change for change”.

It has been personal for those of us here at Shepherd as one of our founders was there in Haiti and shared personally the devastation. But our hearts broken cannot be where we end. It is our call to act. So join with us…..will you give? You can support Nazarene Compassionate Ministries, who has been generous to support us. Support the Red Cross, Salvation Army…support someone. Now is the time. As I talk with our neighbors and they share their brokenness, I am moved by their heart for others as well…..the cycle of poverty is broken when you recognize you have something to give. Lots of cycles are being broken.

jay

So the holidays are over….do we shut up the doors and recover? Absolutely not, the unique part of what we do at Shepherd is that our holiday help enables us to further deepen the relationships we have with those we are serving all year. So yes, lots of parents selected gifts for their children for Christmas… and those same kids are walking into the after school program today, or maybe in our pre-school academy, or are in our gymnastics programs.

When folks support Shepherd, they are investing in the lives of our families all 12 months. While our challenges are tremendous, our consistent effort through the support of so many enables us to be investing daily.

The challenges of poverty aren’t met in the episodic, but the consistent investment. As we start a new year, just a quick note to say thanks for those who make it possible to be here all of 2010.

Happy New Year.

jay