Why even bother?
Hello dear friend!
Joey and the mission team have had a jam-packed winter! Many of you follow along with us on social media, but allow us to give you an overview.
JPM spent the first part of December in Browning, Montana where we partnered with Pastor Joel Toppen, Elder Edwin Runningwolf and Janell Runningwolf of Four Winds Assembly Church.
The Runningwolf’s are a wonderful family and a blessing to the Blackfeet community. Thank you, Jesus, for people like them!
60+ volunteers gathered in Gatlinburg, TNin the middle of December for our 7th Annual Gatlinburg Christmas Project!
Hannah Beth Lee oversaw the assembling of Christmas gifts and food for over 100 families and this was in huge part to YOU and your partnership with JPM under God’s blessing.
We returned to our beloved Tecate, Mexico later in December where we celebrated Christmas with loads of toys and food for families.
NEED: We have a great need for a truck or SUV in multiple locations. If you or someone you know has a used truck or SUV that you are wanting to donate or sell, please contact Joey via email: joey@joeypottermissions.org.
We ended the year 2022 in Roatan Island, Honduras. I want to preface this next part by saying that each area we visit shares its own troubles, but the devastation we witnessed in Honduras on this last visit was almost unbearable.
We are glad to report that so many of the Honduran families we regularly serve are doing so much better since JPM came into their lives; however, there are still troubles they face and there are an infinite number of others that need help.
Many of you have seen the young toddler named “Taylor” whose legs are severely bowed. Even with JPM covering his medical needs, the issue of transportation and even willingness of the mother to cooperate with medical professionals poses a major threat to the boy’s care and medical treatment.
We will share more details of his story in a later blog, but for now: please, please, please pray for Taylor. Pray for HEALING in Jesus name! Pray for wisdom in the doctors, finances to flow, transportationto always be readily available. Pray for COMFORT as the pain of correcting Taylor’s legs is excruciating.
I don’t know that any one of us reading this email wonders where our next meal will come from. For the people we visit, there is never enough food. There is constant need.
We purchase and distribute based on our knowledge and wisdom from our partners on location, but there is never enough. The food truck will soon be empty with people looking at us for more.
As I write to you, Joey and the mission team are currently back in Honduras aiding the multitude of issues we encountered on our last trip. Earlier on this trip, there was a night where Joey couldn’t even eat himself. Not for lack of resources, but he was so troubled by what he had seen: depth of poverty, filth everywhere, disability, no electricity, no water, no food...
Satan began to whisper, “what can you really do…” … it lasted all evening long.
This may be an odd time to introduce myself, but I feel it's important to do so to convey the impact of JPM's work, especially at the time of this newsletter. My name is Sydney. I’ve worked for JPM for the last 3 years helping with their website and email copy.
As I poured over JPM’s work from the last 2 months, I found myself increasingly overwhelmed. The photos alone tell a story of desperate people in great need, a need we can never meet. I then came across Joey’s words on Facebook, “Dinner didn't happen for JPM last night; too troubled by the depth of poverty in our world; it makes the super bowl & valentines seem unworthy in the midst of the comparison..."
I totally related to his words...
I began to pray. I told God, “if we can’t help all of them, then WHY EVEN BOTHER helping one?” Even before I finished my question, God began to straighten me out.
He said to me, “I didn’t ask you to fix all of their problems. I’m asking you to be obedient in what I have asked you to do. You are not their Father. Do I not know their every need? Do I not know every hair on their head? Do I not love them far more than you could fathom?”
As harsh as this may seem, it was a huge relief to me. And should be to you. You are not called to solve all of the problems laid before you. You are called to be obedient to what God has asked you to do. You are not the miracle worker, you are the vessel. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 3:5-6, “What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth."
As we share the realities and the burdens we face on mission, our goal is not to overwhelm you, but to share so that you may be obedient to whatever God is asking you specifically to do about it. It is an incredible blessing to be obedient to God’s work. To partner with Him in the things that will last. A sobering reality is pondering on all we do on this earth that will withstand the test of fire when we stand before Jesus one day (1 Corinthians 3:11-15).
That is why we bother. Because in order to be faithful stewards of the mysteries of God (1 Corinthians 4:1), we must be obedient to Him.
Please continue to PRAY, SHARE (our facebook posts, instagram posts, website posts, etc.) and DONATE (if you prayerfully feel led to donate your time, money, vehicle, etc., please do so here or email JPM for more information)!
Please do not underestimate our desire to pray for you.
Your partnership, in any form, is a gift. We do not take it lightly.
As always, more to come!
Be blessed,
Joey & Cathy
