A not infrequent question that Amy and I receive as we visit with Disciples on behalf of Week of Compassion is something to this effect: "do our gifts to WOC really make a difference out there in the world?" Or to use the language of this year's theme, "does sharing our resources with WOC really change people's lives?"

It is a fair question. It's one I regularly ask myself. When I place that question in the context of what's happening in the world, it's certainly a perplexing query that can keep me awake deep into the night. A recent study reported that the number of weather- related disasters in the world quadrupled in the 20 years between 1985 and 2004. Another study reported that there were more disasters in the world in 2007 (950) than anytime since these kind of records were kept. You read the news about the worsening humanitarian crises in Darfur and Congo . What about the tornadoes that ripped across the South last week - taking lives, devastating communities. In a typical year, WOC might have around $2.5 million to respond to disasters, emergencies, poverty, hunger and other humanitarian needs in the world. $2.5 million - to any one of us, perhaps a great deal of money. But, I read recently that a famous baseball player just signed a contract for $275 million. Yes, $275 million. So, it is a fair question - "does sharing our resources with WOC really change people's lives?" "Can WOC dollars change lives?"

But if it is a perplexing question, it is also one that can get you out of bed in the morning with a clear and certain hope. The answer is a resounding yes, and indeed, stories abound of how Week of Compassion dollars change lives. Amy is replete with stories from Bosnia, India, Nicaragua and elsewhere of women who - because of war, disaster, poverty - are now heads of households and who - because of WOC dollars and partnerships with organizations like CWS, CASA, and CEPAD (and hosts of others) - are providing for their families, sending their kids to schools, generating income for themselves. When colleagues and I walked through tense and teeming refugee camps in Darfur last fall, I met person and after person who thanked us for resources that literally meant for them the difference between life and death. We regularly receive letters from people along the hurricane-battered Gulf Coast , or from the tornado-torn Midwest , that Disciples and WOC dollars repaired/rebuilt their homes, restored their hopes, changed their lives.

Sharing Resources, Changing Lives - it is, of course, a fundamental truth in the gospels. And no truth more fundamental than this - the life most surely changed is the life that shares. When Jesus invites the rich, young ruler to sell all he had and share it with the poor - talk about sharing your resources! - it seems to be at least as much for the change it would make in that man's life as for the poor. Or what about the story of Lazarus and the Rich Man. How different - how changed - would have been both Lazarus' life in this world and the Rich Man's life in the next if only he had shared some of his resources with ole Lazarus.

Our theme this year could not be more timely or more telling. Sharing our resources does change lives and does help make our fragile world a safer, saner, more secure place for all God's children. Most of all, sharing our resources changes our lives. The more we share; the more we give away -- the more room we have in our hearts and lives for others; the more room we have in our hearts and lives for God.

Blessings, Johnny Wray

Where could you find screaming youth throwing dodge balls at one another to promote Disciples compassionate ministries around the world?

The answer is in Nashville , TN , at Woodmont Christian Church, where the second annual Dodge Ball Tournament took place! The Tennessee Regional Dodge Ball tournament on January 19th benefited Week of Compassion and educated youth around the state about the relief, refugee and development ministry of Week of Compassion.

Youth came together from Knoxville to Memphis to support the cause. While there was plenty of healthy competition between the groups, the emphasis was on the real winner: Week of Compassion. Local youth groups in Nashville learned about WOC in the weeks leading up to the tournament. The youth performed skits about WOC during the Award Ceremony to teach others about its ministry.

Together, dodge ball participants and spectators raised nearly $1,500 for Week of Compassion. Not only will people around the world benefit from dollars raised, but also our church and our world will benefit from our younger generation's commitment to building a more peaceful world! Thanks be to God for the region of Tennessee and their dedication to the ministry of Week of Compassion!

- Megan Severns, WOC Intern

Have a Blessed Day,

Jan Shrewsbury

Northwest Area Administrative Assistant

816-632-2237