Differently
By Dr. Mike Townsend, Chair of Trustees
‘ Differently’. This word was everywhere we travelled in India.
Am I different? Special access is provided for‘ differentlyabled people’.
What do you think about that phrase? It is not one I would use. In contrast to Nepal, access provision in India is excellent- despite some rather rough terrain. I found a positive attitude everywhere.
Helping Hands, a project employing disabled people in Nepal, had an outlet round the corner from one of our hotels. As I walked in, the shopkeeper said, " welcome. We met in Nepal!" We were also welcomed into a Tata funded tea village amongst the plantations. Most of the workers there are disabled and are the main breadwinners for their families.
Amongst Hindus, it is hard to share the gospel of Jesus. They so readily accept additional gods.
But what is sharing the Gospel? At breakfast in Agra, an American strolled over and asked how long I had been blind. He then proceeded to tell me that he could help God heal me! He was an evangelical missionary. How strange! What is the Gospel? Paul said, " I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes "( Romans 1:16).‘ Salvation’ is the essence of the Gospel. This is a saving relationship with Jesus. As Paul describes it, " the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."( Colossians 1:27). So why would this missionary offer a disabled person a temporary fix rather than an eternal relationship? Is there a‘ different’ gospel for‘ differently abled’ people? Paul expressed his disappointment to the Galatians. " I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel- which is really no gospel at all." Galatians 1:6-7.)
There is not a different Gospel for different people. The Gospel, which Through the Roof lovingly offers, is a saving relationship with Jesus for everybody.
Tim and I went to a presentation at the London Central Hall in December. We were given the silver award for the best project for advancing the Christian faith for the Roofbreaker project. Thank you for partnering with us in sharing the gospel of‘ Jesus Christ who is the same yesterday, today and forever’( Hebrews 13:8).
As I said to the missionary, it is good to be an ambassador for Jesus even though I am an ambassador with a‘ difference’.
Gratitude Going Forward
Thank you for all of your support and well-wishes through 2017 – our twentieth anniversary! Lots of you held individual celebrations to promote Through the Roof, and we all enjoyed a terrific service in Ashtead to commemorate the last twenty years. We’ ve lots of exciting plans for 2018 and the future work of the charity, some of which are featured in this issue, and some which we’ ll be talking about over the next few months. We still have a few of the celebration packs ready to use, so if you’ d like to hold a celebration and raise awareness and funds for the charity, please get in touch.
Thank you for celebrating TTR ' s birthday!
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