Dear CFOI Friends,
Thank you so much for your generous gifts since the last letter. I am thrilled to see the response we had. It is through your gifts that many exciting things are happening around the world.
Have you ever watched the news or read the newspapers and felt overwhelmed by the enormity of the world’s problems? Have you ever asked yourself “What can I do? I am just one person.” Confronted with the images that regularly hit us when we turn on the TV we feel overwhelmed and discouraged. In the past weeks here in my home state of Queensland we have been hit by some of the worst natural disasters in our history – first an enormous flood that affected more than 80% of our state and now the biggest and most destructive cyclone ever to hit our country. In the face of huge situations like this it is easy to despair.
And yet we have amazing stories of individuals who live out the adage of the power of one. Think about people like Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Mother Theresa, Ghandi, Rosa Parks. And what about our own Glenn Clark? These inspirational human beings believed that their single, solitary life could indeed make a difference in the world, and by God’s grace, they did.
So what about you? I invite you to think about how your financial gift can make a difference in the lives of people around the world through the ministry of CFOI. As people of all ages attend camps, they experience inspiration and encouragement to go back to their towns, villages and cities and make a difference in their families, workplaces and churches. Think about the thousands of individuals who attend CFO camps in any one year. Your gifts to CFOI make it possible to extend this opportunity to even more people. In a recent report from a camp in Chennai, India, Julia wrote:
“The youth – both boys and girls – were given time to present a program as is customary in our camp and they came up with a choreography and message by Ruby about her walk with God. It was thrilling to see these young people showing great leadership skills and we praise God for each one of them.”
How exciting it is to read such accounts! Stories like these are being re-peated in all eight of the Regions around the world where CFO camps are conducted. This letter is particularly focussing on the challenge of raising funds for camperships to assist people to attend the 10th International CFOI Meeting in Peru in 2012. Plans are well underway and the Peruvians are very excited about welcoming the world to their beautiful country in August next year. One campership costs about $300. Each one inspires new growth in the Kingdom of God and sup-ports more leadership growth in each of the regions.
The power of one means that you, and you and you and I can ensure that the 100 Peruvians who want to attend this once-in-a-lifetime experience will get that opportunity. Thank you again for all your support in the past and I am excited about your generous response to this appeal!
Yours in Christ,
Sue Fairley, President
CFO International
s.fairley@grace.uq.edu.au