As the month of April arrives, we are going to celebrate an important anniversary. 

 

No, it is not the anniversary of many gags and jokes perpetrated against unsuspecting people on April Fools’ Day, though there have been some doozies! One of my favorites was the year Burger King took out a full-page ad in USA Today announcing its newest menu item, a “Left-Handed Whopper” specially designed for the 32 million left-handed Americans. The ad said the new sandwich contained all the same ingredients as the original Whopper, but all the condiments were rotated 180 degrees to better suit left-handers. The following day Burger King issued a release revealing that it was a hoax after thousands of customers went to the restaurant asking for the new sandwich!

 

The anniversary I’m thinking of has nothing to do with April Fools’ Day, but it does have everything to do with Pathway’s All In initiative. April marks the six-month anniversary of our All In launch. I thought you might like an update on how the project is progressing.

 

Regarding the children’s wing addition and remodeling of existing spaces, the plans continue to be finalized and we are seeking approval from the township to proceed. We are optimistic that we will be able to hold to the original target of breaking ground in the next few months. Even though things may seem quiet on the outside, I can assure you the process is pressing forward aggressively behind the scenes. At the same time, we are also actively engaging lending institutions to secure the necessary financing for moving ahead.

 

Other components of All In are equally active. The clean water initiative to provide wells in Liberia is ongoing. Our prayer has been to provide 12 wells this year and we are on target to get that accomplished.

 

Additionally, the advancement of our partnership with the village of Orkarkar in Kenya has taken a major step forward. As you are probably aware, a team of 27 from Pathway recently traveled to Orkarkar to accomplish the next step in the development of our hope center there. It included building a church where the rapidly growing local congregation will meet for worship, and some housing for teachers so the school can continue to progress. The team also conducted a children’s Bible school, as well as men’s and women’s Bible studies. The Spirit of God was clearly at work in all of these endeavors with many commitments being made. We also provided a medical clinic and optical clinic along with health and hygiene education to aid in the development of healthy practices.

 

The bottom line? All In is bearing fruit. That’s true as highlighted above, but just as important, it is true in what is transpiring in the hearts of the people of Pathway. The significance of the commitments made on the part of our congregation (and the sheer number of them) was deeply inspiring, to say the least. I am still hearing stories of people engaging with God and with the church as never before. I am so grateful for the way you have stepped up to make the call of God on our fellowship a reality through your sacrifice and service. I am confident that as we continue to fulfill the commitments we have made, God is going to continue to bless in abundant ways. You have encouraged me through your engagement and I thank the Lord for YOU!