Lake Deaton at Home

My name is George Lajti, a member of Lake Deaton UMC for over 5 years, member of SPRT, Head Usher, member of Men’s Ministry and small group co-facilitator.

I have personally experienced what I am about to share with you having worked in the ministry for over 10 years.

Scripture: Matthew 25: 34-40

“As you did it to the Least of These my brothers and sisters, you did it to me.” Matthew 25:40

This is a story about experiencing and seeing someone model this practice. The story begins in our former church in Cincinnati, OH when our senior pastor Wendell Mettey visited Nicaragua in 1990 as part of a medical mission team. He was shocked by the seemingly endless poverty and devastation. When he returned, he founded Matthew 25: Ministries(M25M) in order to help the people of Nicaragua and others in similar need. In the early days supplies were carried to Nicaragua in suitcases.

As the ministry grew the supplies were packed onto pallets and sent by airplane and ocean-going containers. All the wooden pallets had to be found. Wendell would drive around to businesses with a battered pick-up truck, begging for their old pallets and supplies. He never imagined that they would need the more than 250,000 pallets that have been used in their work in over 25 years of operation. Since the start in 1991 over 200,000,000 pounds of aid has been distributed and M25M has shipped over 10,000 containers of aid valued cumulatively at over $2 billion dollars.

M25M now ships more than 16 million pounds of aid a year – that is over 900 truckloads – helping more than 20 million people throughout the U.S. and in more than 60 countries around the world. It has grown from a small suitcase ministry to an international humanitarian aid and disaster relief organization. Caring for a Needy World with the Things We Throw Away.

As a 501(c)(3) non-profit, the mission of M25M is to fulfill Matthew 25: 34-40 by providing nutritional food to the hungry, clean water to the thirsty, clothing to the naked, affordable shelter to the homeless, medical care to the ill, and humanitarian supplies to those in need.

M25M accepts monetary contributions and product donations of misprinted, slightly damaged, over-stocked or gently used supplies from corporations, hospitals and individuals nationwide. They supplement outside donations by manufacturing, assembling and blending products in-house including school notebooks, pencils, rice-soy meals, and latex paint.

These goods are processed by staff and volunteers (70,000 per year) at M25M’ 168,000 square foot facility in Cincinnati, and then shipped to people in need within the U.S. and around the world. Products are distributed through partner organizations, hospitals, clinics, orphanages, feeding centers and schools in developing nations and in the U.S.

M25M’ goal is to help the poorest of the poor and disaster victims locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally.

The people being helped are not receiving a handout but a helping hand. By providing for their most basic needs, they are being positioned to become self-reliant.

Visit the website: www.m25m.org to learn more.

Discussion Questions: So here we have seen the risk taking mission and service started from a simple response to an invitation to join an overseas mission trip. Just imagine where your risk taking mission and service can take you!

Are you ready to accept an invitation to serve?

To move out of your comfort zone to serve and help others? …those that need a helping hand?

Prayer: Father God, help us to understand our call to serve, to work alongside you in service to others who need a helping hand. By so doing we can come along side those whose eyes might be opened to your purpose, to save us from our sins and to glorify you here on earth.