06/22/2005: Child Of Compassion Touches Tsunami Lives
GFA Friend
Name: Ian Wallis
Location: Texas, U.S.A.
Like millions of other children, third-grader Ian Wallis sat in front of the family television last December and looked into the eyes of men, women and children who had lost everything because of the tsunami. The scenes of devastation broke his heart.
"I was watching the news when I heard about the tsunami and all the people that died," Ian said. "Next thing I knew I was praying . . . and my mom found me crying in a ball on the floor."
Seeing his concern for the tsunami survivors, Ian's mother, Margie, suggested they raise money for relief work at Ian's school. Ian also decided to give his Christmas money to these people who were so desperately hurting.
"I felt like it was the right thing to do," Ian said. "I felt bad for those people."
Margie and Ian chose to donate to Gospel for Asia after hearing about it from several friends and seeing the "100 percent" pledge* on the website, www.gfa.org.
Together, Ian and his mom made flyers about the relief efforts. They sold pizzas and also decorated a jar where children could donate their own money. Then they put together Valentine Grams, bags of treats that parents could order for their children.
"It took a long, long time," Ian remarked, remembering stuffing 270 bags. But his efforts were rewarded with a total of $1,300 that he was able to raise to help the tsunami victims.
Ian is among thousands of GFA friends around the world who were touched and moved to action by the desperate plight of millions of tsunami survivors.
People networked through their email groups, encouraging friends to go to the Gospel for Asia website, sign up for email updates and partner with GFA in tsunami relief efforts.
Hundreds of churches took up offerings to send to GFA. One congregation of about 50 sent $5,000.
A public elementary school in the Dallas area raised more than $1,000 for GFA relief efforts, with one fourth-grader giving $110 she had earned by making and selling bracelets.
A couple in Florida organized a 5K run to benefit GFA's tsunami outreach.
Because of the compassion of these GFA friends and many others, tsunami victims are receiving ongoing physical aid from GFA native missionaries and Believers Church volunteers. Most of all, though, they are hearing the wonderful news that in Jesus, there is hope for their shattered lives.
To learn how you can be involved in sharing Christ's compassion with tsunami survivors, visit www.gfa.org/tsunami.
*100 percent of designated donations are sent to the mission field; nothing is kept out for administrative expenses.
"You can read this story in the Third Quarter issue of SEND!
Click here to subscribe ."
Name: Ian Wallis
Location: Texas, U.S.A.
Like millions of other children, third-grader Ian Wallis sat in front of the family television last December and looked into the eyes of men, women and children who had lost everything because of the tsunami. The scenes of devastation broke his heart.
"I was watching the news when I heard about the tsunami and all the people that died," Ian said. "Next thing I knew I was praying . . . and my mom found me crying in a ball on the floor."
Seeing his concern for the tsunami survivors, Ian's mother, Margie, suggested they raise money for relief work at Ian's school. Ian also decided to give his Christmas money to these people who were so desperately hurting.
"I felt like it was the right thing to do," Ian said. "I felt bad for those people."
Margie and Ian chose to donate to Gospel for Asia after hearing about it from several friends and seeing the "100 percent" pledge* on the website, www.gfa.org.
Together, Ian and his mom made flyers about the relief efforts. They sold pizzas and also decorated a jar where children could donate their own money. Then they put together Valentine Grams, bags of treats that parents could order for their children.
"It took a long, long time," Ian remarked, remembering stuffing 270 bags. But his efforts were rewarded with a total of $1,300 that he was able to raise to help the tsunami victims.
Ian is among thousands of GFA friends around the world who were touched and moved to action by the desperate plight of millions of tsunami survivors.
People networked through their email groups, encouraging friends to go to the Gospel for Asia website, sign up for email updates and partner with GFA in tsunami relief efforts.
Hundreds of churches took up offerings to send to GFA. One congregation of about 50 sent $5,000.
A public elementary school in the Dallas area raised more than $1,000 for GFA relief efforts, with one fourth-grader giving $110 she had earned by making and selling bracelets.
A couple in Florida organized a 5K run to benefit GFA's tsunami outreach.
Because of the compassion of these GFA friends and many others, tsunami victims are receiving ongoing physical aid from GFA native missionaries and Believers Church volunteers. Most of all, though, they are hearing the wonderful news that in Jesus, there is hope for their shattered lives.
To learn how you can be involved in sharing Christ's compassion with tsunami survivors, visit www.gfa.org/tsunami.
*100 percent of designated donations are sent to the mission field; nothing is kept out for administrative expenses.
"You can read this story in the Third Quarter issue of SEND!
Click here to subscribe ."
