Thanksgiving: A Time to Give

Remembering the Needs of our Familia on Thanksgiving

As I’ve been in contact with our familia on the Big Island they’ve shared with me how things continue to get harder for them. The price of beans has tripled. It now costs $3 for a pound of beans when it used to cost $1. Also, as I mentioned in one of my recent posts bread is scarce. There wasn’t much, to begin with, and now there is less, and what they do have is more expensive.

We are coming upon Thanksgiving here. A time when we pause and reflect on all that we are thankful for. Even in this most unusual and difficult year, most of us still have plenty. There are many reasons to give thanks.

God’s Goodness in Crisis

I think even though I lost both of my parents this year, and I’ve not enjoyed the COVID-19 crisis or the social unrest I still can give thanks. I’m not saying that it’s been a good year or an easy year. In fact, Dawn and I recently came down with the infamous coronavirus and I must say that it wasn’t my idea of a fun time. Yet, the Lord keeps reminding me of His goodness, and His many good gifts.

Just this week in my devotional reading the Lord had me read Lamentations 3, and it was so encouraging!

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,

    for his compassions never fail.

They are new every morning;

    great is your faithfulness.

I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;

    therefore I will wait for him.”

The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,

    to the one who seeks him;

 it is good to wait quietly

    for the salvation of the Lord.

Lamentations 3:22-26 NIV (emphasis mine)

The timing of reading that passage was just amazing! It was a demonstration of the Lord’s love for me, for His people as we endure this difficult season. And just to think that Jeremiah, who’s often referred to as the weeping prophet wrote this while his people were living in captivity. He did not write it during a time of abundance or prosperity.

God is so good to remind me of His love and care for me and my family. We have so much to be thankful for. Yet, I am concerned for our familia on the Big Island, because as difficult as life might be in the United States it is much more challenging there.

Concern for Our Familia

That’s why it’s so important that you pray for them, and that you give. We’ve been able to help close to 1,000 people on the Big Island since March. We are sending aid on a monthly basis. This wasn’t something that I thought we’d be doing when the year began, but the coronavirus hit just as I returned from my trip with our familia in March. Then when I got back home I started hearing all the stories of the suffering, and Dawn and I felt like we had to do something to help!

We hoped that the scarcity wouldn’t have gone on as long as it has. Yet, the truth is it continues to affect our familia, and it’s important for us to extend our hands to help them.

Give Generously During Thanksgiving!

This seems like the perfect time as we head into Thanksgiving to give thanks and to help those in need. Our friends and familia are so grateful for the help that we’ve been able to give them. They constantly send us notes thanking us. God has used you to be a blessing to them.

Please take this opportunity to make a special Thanksgiving offering for our familia on the Big Island, but clicking on the button below. Thank you!

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org