August 4, 2010
By Barry Jordan, serving in Indonesia with Team Joshua Youth Ministry, an Alliance outreach to young people
For about the last seven years, I have made a yearly covenant with each of our Team Joshua youth to “be a father, like the Father.” I promise to accept them the way they are, love them unconditionally, forgive them, and spur them on spiritually. I receive prayer requests from all the members and promise to pray for them regularly. It has been a great blessing to me and has deepened my relationship with “my kids.”
I was scheduled to do my covenant at Team Joshua’s Abepura branch three weeks ago. Because of a miscommunication, I was told it would be a week later. Then last week, something came up, and it was postponed again until Friday. This Friday after I made my covenant and asked who wanted to receive prayer, I realized why my time was postponed.
A young woman, Lian, attended Friday’s service but hadn’t been there the two previous weeks. She had attended Team Joshua activities before but was not a regular member. Lian told me that she’s from a broken home and that her life is a wreck. I asked her if I could be her father. I don’t think anyone had ever asked her that before, because she began crying uncontrollably.
I have invited her to come to our house and to meet her “new” mom. She went home that evening changed, because she knew she was loved. Praise the Lord for the Father’s love that we can show to those in need. Please pray for the many youth, like Lian, who don’t know the Father’s love.
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