Christ is Enough
By Jonathan Grooms | December 29, 2022 | Return to Blog | Current Needs Page
Treasure in a Field
Over the last month as we have celebrated the birth of our Savior, the thought has continuously come to my heart and mind that “Christ is Enough.” In Ephesians 1, we see Paul reminding the church of many different spiritual blessings that can be found solely “in Him!” As I read through this passage, I stand in awe of what Christ has made possible for us as His followers. Everything we could ever need is found in Him and made possible through His birth, death, burial, and resurrection. In Matthew 13, Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” When we come to the place of realizing that Christ is all that we need, we will not long for anything that this world has to offer. We will be just like this man who Jesus spoke about, willing to give up everything to be with Christ and desiring to be obedient to His commands! Jim Elliott said it very succinctly, “He is no fool to give up that which he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose!”
I’ll never forget visiting the slums of Mumbai many years ago. It was one of the most impoverished places that I had ever seen in my life. I couldn’t imagine that anyone could live in such conditions. Yet on the second floor of a “home” made from bamboo and plastic tarps was a group of people singing praises to God with their hands lifted high and their faces filled with joy! I was amazed. How could they be filled with joy amid such poverty and hardship? It was because they were like that man in the field who found the “hidden treasure.” They knew that this world could not offer them any hope of a better life, but they found all they truly needed in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ!
Looking Back, Moving Forward
In just a few months, Global Partners will be celebrating our 20th anniversary. Since our inception, it has been our desire and passion to share with a hurting world that “Christ is Enough.” We can’t promise anyone that the pain, tragedies, and hardships they face will go away, but we can promise that there is a Savior who will walk through life right by their side. Through the years, we have seen countless people place their faith and trust in Jesus Christ as we have shared the Good News with them. You have helped make this possible through your faithful prayers and partnership. Together, we will continue to share and show God’s amazing love to a world in desperate need of Him!
We give praise to God and thanks to you for your partnership in the Gospel in 2022. It is hard to believe that this year is about to come to an end in a couple days from now. As we close out the year, I’d love to share just a few highlights of how we have been able to join God this year:
- In Slovakia, our GPPD Associates, Charles, Janet, and Tina saw a long-time vision come to fulfillment as they were able to begin a year-long Biblical Worldview Course with several students. They hosted several weekend seminars throughout the year on different topics related to Biblical Worldview.
- In other areas of Slovakia, we partnered with several churches that were hosting Ukrainian refugees who fled the war. We helped provide food, clothing, and shelter for many who had recently crossed the border. Our partners sent truckloads of food from Slovakia into western Ukraine and we purchased a vehicle for them to transport food and supplies to the war zone. On the return trips, they rescued many families from these dangerous areas, bringing them to the western part of the country that was much safer.
- In Ukraine, we assisted our partner with funds to rent a warehouse where they supplied hot meals, food packages, clothing, and spiritual help to many Ukrainians who were not able to flee the war. Our partner is planting a church among those that he is serving and has a desire to plant more churches in surrounding areas in the coming days.
- In Haiti, God has protected our Associates, Amber and Leeanne, and our Rev Family during a year of chaos and anarchy. There were many months where they had no access to fuel. At times, they were nearly running out of food and water, but God miraculously provided for them. Recently, a violent gang moved into their neighborhood, but God has continued to protect them from harm.
- In India, we reached our goal of having 500 water wells funded by the end of 2022! To date, we have around 515 wells funded, supplying water for around one-quarter of a million people each day! Most importantly, the majority of these people have heard the Gospel message as a result of this gift. Over the last few years, 81 students have graduated from a 2-year Bible Course. There are 105 students currently enrolled in this course, with 25 more starting in January. These pastors and church leaders are making a huge impact in the region where we are serving!
- In Uganda, our partner (In the Garden Missions) distributed livestock to many impoverished families, sewing machines and hygiene products to women, school shoes to children, and installed water wells in rural villages. Each of these gifts allowed our partners to share about God’s gift to all of us, His Son, Jesus Christ!
- In Jordan, we blessed hundreds of Syrian and Iraqi families with food, diapers, heaters, blankets, carpets, and medical help. Our partners faithfully shared God’s Word multiple times each week to refugees who come to the church for physical and spiritual help.
- In Harrisburg, PA, the Running Water for Living Water Team raised over $98,000 this year, bringing the 7-year total to $544,000 to install over 200 water wells in rural villages in India and Uganda. Leeanne, GPPD Haiti Associate, organized a Golf Tournament that raised $4,000 for the Rev Family in Haiti!
- In Roanoke, VA, we had a lot of fun raising funds for our Rev Family at our 16th Annual Golf Tournament. We funded several projects locally and around the world through the Father Daughter Dance and Proceeds for Poverty sale. We were thankful to be able to give a donation to the Friendship House to help them complete a housing project for refugee families in the Roanoke Valley and provide furniture for many families who recently arrived from Afghanistan.
As you could imagine, this list could continue for many pages, but I hope it will give you a small glimpse of the impacted lives of countless men, women, and children around the world as a result of us partnering together. While we rejoice in what has been accomplished, we are more excited than ever to see what God will do in 2023. We are praying and believing, just as Jabez did (I Chronicles 4:10), that God is going to bless us (so we can be a blessing to others), enlarge our territory (so God’s kingdom can advance even further), and that His hand would be with us (so we can be the hands and feet of Christ to a world in desperate need of Him)! I believe God has great and mighty things in store for all of us as we fix our eyes on Him and truly experience that “Christ is Enough!”
From all of us at Global Partners, we would like to wish you a very blessed, fruitful, and Happy New Year!!Sincerely,
Jonathan Grooms
President, GPPD
