It Takes a Village

It has been said, "It takes a village to raise a child." That means that it takes a village to help a the family of that child. It takes a community who may or may not even personally know the family or the child.

Part of our duty and privilege as Christians is to spread God's love and His promise openly. We are called to minister to our friends, neighbors and strangers. Who needs to witness the power of love and grace more than a grieving family? Many of us are hesitant to intrude, don't know how to help or what to say. When we lost my brother years ago, I remember those who came to the door and said just that. It meant the world to us during that devastating time.

Loss is, at its core, humanizing. When we lose someone we love, we survive day by day for a time. In the beginning shock is our friend. It allows us to get the job done. When shock, like pain medication wears off, it is excruciating. The worst part of it is that by then, most people have already moved on.

So, I am asking this great community of both Christians and Non-Christians alike to help us support the Cook family of Kuna/Nampa this Christmas. So far, close to $1000 has been generously donated to help with funeral and/or living expenses during this difficult time. If we all dropped off a small donation to the Cook Family Fund at our local Idaho Central Credit Union, we could not only take the financial burden off of this grieving family, but we can help them have a Christmas.