Summer 2005
A Tale of Two Cities ~ Portland, OR and Mayo Refugee Camp, Sudan
Dearly Beloved of Our Lord:
Greetings in the mighty name of our Lord, Savior, and King – Jesus Christ! We have been enjoying this amazingly warm and dry weather for winter as we go out into “Portland’s Living Room” – Pioneer Courthouse Square. In mid-February we had the privilege of attending the “Revival Fires and World Harvest” conference in Albany, Oregon.
As we returned to The Square in downtown Portland we had a new and different way of viewing our city. We had something to compare and contrast it with – Mayo Camp south of Khartoum, Sudan. The greater Portland metro area has a population of about 2 million but Portland itself has a population nearly 600,000 people. And so does Mayo Refugee Camp. When we pray for Portland we also pray for the Mayo camp where the large cargo planes land with fresh water and corn meal. The supplies are loaded on donkeys and brought through the dusty streets where one day is much like the next. They have been forced out of their villages to build dwellings of the dirt and the rainwater where there is nothing growing. The Islamic Arabs of the north are committing genocide against the black Africans of the south, tearing apart families, enslaving children, producing orphans, and tearing apart the fabric of their society and culture. There is no hope from one day to the next except for those coming to Jesus Christ where there is joy through His wonderful daily presence.
The children play in the streets of the camp, as the sky turns red with dust. 600,000 live here.
During the conference several brethren shared concerning the lives of the poorest of the poor – the children of the world. We heard about and saw photos of children with nothing to wear, nothing to eat, nowhere to live, and with no parents to protect them from the wicked who prey upon the weak and defenseless of this world. A young orphaned girl of seven could be repeatedly raped, be enslaved into prostitution, and then die of AIDS by eighteen in the slums of sub-Saharan Africa. And almost no one would care for her along the path of her short life. But those who go in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ are reaching out all over the earth to such poor children. And each one of us can reach out as well – individually, one-by-one.
We heard about a tribe in India where a team from Iris Ministries visited shortly after the tsunami had devastated much of their village. The Hindu village chief was blind. The Lord gave him his sight and most of the village renounced their Hindu gods and received Jesus as Lord. Members of this same ministry went to Sierra Leone, which has just become the poorest country in the world. During the war the rebels would chop off one hand and one foot of a child in order to make him a liability to his family for the rest of his life. Iris ministries are centered in Mozambique where they care for thousands of orphaned children and about 5,000 churches have been planted throughout the countryside. The above photo is from their web page http://www.irismin.org and we encourage you to go there and read their newsletters and view their photos.
Awakening In The Northwest…
…And Giving To The Poorest In The World
We are very, very thankful for the privilege of receiving your prayers and financial support as we go to our city and region. Through your prayers and your gifts you have been a part of our lives and also a part of many other lives throughout the earth. For decades we have been supporting a ministry in India, which takes in orphaned or abandoned children, trains them up in their schools and Bible school, and then sends them out as maturing ministers to the villages of India. We have been able to give to many ministries who feed the hungry along with the love of Jesus Christ, some in the garbage dumps of the world such as Mozambique and Mexico City. Through your support you have helped buy an airplane so that a ministry can reach the orphaned children of many nations in sub-Saharan Africa. You have also helped send a young woman as a missionary to the poor children of Panama.
There is much more we could write but we don’t have space. All we can say is that we believe in giving above the tithe concerning our personal income and the income of the ministry of church @ 24/7 because we see a link between awakening in Portland and in the Pacific Northwest and caring for the poorest of the poor in the world – the abandoned, enslaved, and orphaned children. Jesus said that we will reap what we sow and that what we give will be returned to us pressed own, shaken together, and running over. We are not looking for material gain. We are looking for world harvest and for an awakening to Jesus Christ in our own city, especially among our brethren in the church, our family, and our friends. We believe that our Lord Jesus is offering us a way to bring forth fruits that speak of our repentance.
What If?
Here is something to consider. About 45 million babies have been killed through abortion in the U.S.A. since the U.S. Supreme Court legalized abortion in 1973. We are responsible for the shedding of innocent blood in our nation. Where was the church during this time? Does God still not see the innocent blood? We believe He does. We can never bring these babies back but we are not powerless. In these days of Internet communications we can find out about and give to those who are caring for the poor children of the world. What if 45 million Christians in the U.S.A. were caring for 45 million poor children of the world with their prayers and their gifts? Would God not see? We believe He would.
We so desperately need His mercy on our nation. When John the Baptist announced Jesus as the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world he also challenged the people to bring forth fruits that represent repentance. Malachi declared that Elijah would come and turn the hearts of the fathers to the children. Jesus said that, if we could receive it, John was Elijah. John also said that Jesus would baptize us with the Holy Spirit and fire. What if we are living in a time when the fire of the Holy Spirit is turning our hearts to the children? Would this not bring about a change in our lifestyle?
We urge you to keep praying for us and to help us when you can. We thank you for every prayer and every dollar you send. And we pray for you as well. But more than these things we urge you to ask the Lord what He would have you do to reach the poorest of the poor with His love. You can check out different ministries who help the poor and some of them are right here in the Northwest. If you need help you can contact us and we can give you some places to contact. If you know of some then please let us know. This is very important to us because we believe there is a link between our need of revival and awakening right here in Portland and each of us giving to the poorest children out of a broken heart of compassion. Not as organizations, but as individuals – one-by-one-by-one-by-one. If you have doubts just spend some time looking up these things in your Bible. Jesus called the children to Himself. And He blessed them. Let us keep in touch with one another, praying for and encouraging one another. Let us pray for awakening here in the Northwest. And let us pray and give to those who are the poorest of the poor. May the Lamb receive the reward of His suffering.
~ Ron & Karen Rohman
“Did not our heart burn within us, while He talked with us by the way,
and while He opened to us the Scriptures?” Luke 24:32
E-mail: awakening1s@comcast.net
Home Page: awakening1s.net
church @ 24/7
Ron & Karen Rohman
PO Box 14292
PORTLAND OR 97293