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We are blessed in America!

Recently I returned from a three week fact finding trip to Guinea, West Africa. A lot of what I found out was not surprising. It reinforced the idea that we are a very blessed country here in America. God has been very merciful on us.

Both Sundays that I preached in Guinea, I used the words of John 9:1-3.

John 9:1-3
As Jesus passed by, he saw a man blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "It was not that this man sinned or his parents, but that the works of God might be made manifest in him."

No one, I believe, would ever volunteer to have a child with a disability or to have a disability themselves. But the faith of people with disabilities is often an amazing thing. And because of their faith the words of Jesus in verse 3 ring very, very true.

John 9:3
"It was not that this man sinned or his parents, but that the works of God might be made manifest in him."

The people of Guinea do not have a lot of resources to help the people of their country. Almost all the people who have disabilities live with their families. If this is not possible, families within the tribe help as much as they can. The government offers very little help because it has very little to give. In some cases, the help that is offered is not used because people can not get to the places where it is offered.

I did find some evidence of short term help from outside groups. Very limited help (six months) with medication was offered for people with leprosy. A total of five white canes were given to the people that I saw who were blind. But the number of people who are blind is many. An international group gave a number of hand pedaled tricycles to help a very small percentage of the people who can’t walk. How sad that the need is so great but the resources are so few.

In America, we are blessed with many resources that were brought together by Christians. The Lutheran School for the Deaf served people for over 100 years in the Detroit area. It continues to serve people with special needs. Bethesda Lutheran Homes and Services, Inc. just celebrated 100 years of service on April 13th. Most hospitals were started by Christian groups because of the need that they saw. On top of all of this, there are many groups which try to focus on the needs of select groups of people. Yes, God has been made manifest because of people with disabilities.

Christians in America have long seen the calling to assist people who may need a little or a lot of extra support. They have worked to help people reach the very highest level of self support. Yes, God has blessed us in America with many, many Christians who seek the very best for all people, no matter what level of ability they might have.

The doors to other countries are being opened so that we can share our great wealth of knowledge and resources with others around the world. It would seem that this is in keeping with the words of James 2:26 and James 4:13.

James 2:26
For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so faith apart from works is dead.

James 4:13
Whoever knows what is right to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

God has blessed Christians in America with blessings upon blessings. These Christians in turn have shared these blessings with many people who have disabilities and their families. The next step is to give a Christian witness to the world.