Hello dear friends,
"To Everything there is a Season..."
I am probably dating myself, but I remember listening to this Byrds song during my youth. It is a classic song and a timeless word. Just like the seasons of mango, rambutan and lansones fruits here in the Philippines come and go, and come again, so do the cycles of youth that are in our care. The issues of youth remain the same, but at the same time differ greatly because of technological advances. From this angle, our youth are the same as any other teen in the world. Access to information is immediate, and the day of needing an adult to share information is probably gone.
What is not gone is the need to impart foundational truths and bring them up in the way of the Lord. Issues like delayed gratification, a commitment to honesty, accepting responsibility and learning how to balance things in our life are as important today as they were when I was growing up–which was quite a while ago! These are normal life disciplines, and they don’t come without some measure of discomfort, or even suffering in our lives.
The challenge is to catch (and keep!) their attention. Some reports suggest that the ability to focus has been reduced to 6 seconds; not much time to make an impact.
As the Director of Compassion Ministries within Frontline, as a teacher of the Bible, and as a Christ-follower, these things are front and center in my attention. The world may seem overwhelming… but through patience, perseverance and what could be called “cathedral thinking” we move forward in great hope.
There are some cathedrals in Europe that took over 1000 years to build. It is said that the earliest builders planted acorns, knowing that eventually, the beams of oak timber would be needed to continue building the cathedral. This kind of long-term thinking is needed as we shape lives for the future.
Your partnership with us in this great mission not only rescues the abused, abandoned and dangerously neglected but positions youth within our culture to be beacons of light and hope in a world that has lost the way. Thank you for your continued support. God bless you.
Working while it’s day,
Mike Gordon
Director of Compassion Ministries
