The Teddy Bear Project

Just a quick update regarding missions. I will be leaving for Calcutta on March 8th to work with Calcutta Mercy Ministries’ education project, which currently supports 850 children.

Under the Volunteer Teachers’ Program, I will be working with children at one of six learning centres. I’ll also have the opportunity to visit Calcutta Mercy Ministries’ nutrition program which feeds 25,000 people a day, Mercy Hospital, a village medical clinic and Mother Theresa’s Missionaries of Charity work. This ministry was founded by Mark and Huldah Buntain 56 years ago and their dedicated team of nationals continue to touch lives throughout India.

Several years ago while taking calls at a prayer centre, a lady called for prayer. She told me the story of how her husband and one of her sons were planning a trip across the country to purchase a new vehicle. Before the trip, the whole family gathered, held hands and prayed that God would bring them home safely. While on the way home, however, the father and son had an accident and both of them were killed.

It was a terrible time of grieving for her and her remaining children and she felt helpless as they began to question the goodness of God and why He didn’t answer their prayers. Slowly, she could see her children falling away as bitterness set in and their hearts began to harden toward God. Finally, in desperation, she got on her knees and cried out to God for help.

Without any answers as to why the terrible accident had happened, she felt God prompting her to go out and buy teddy bears for her children. Out of obedience, she did so right away and even bought one for herself. At first, the kids were reluctant, but slowly, they embraced the teddy bears. They even began to dress them in their Dad and brother’s clothes, sat them at the table and began sleeping with them. In the midst of all this, God was using those teddy bears to soften their hearts and begin a deep work of healing in each one of their lives. The woman wept as she told me how her family had slowly but surely been restored by God’s loving hand.

Out of more than 7,000 calls that I took at that prayer centre, for some reason, that story wouldn’t leave me. Wherever I went, I began to notice teddy bears and this past Christmas, I was surprised to see a shopping cart full of teddy bears coming straight toward me at Walmart. When I stopped the couple, they told me they were donating them to a shelter.

As I began to pray about it, I felt strongly that I was to implement a Teddy Bear Project into a future mission trip, thinking it would be some time far off in the future. But when I mentioned teddy bears to one of the pastors at my church yesterday, she offered two large bags of them to take with me to India. Since then, others started to donate their teddy bears and now someone has offered to pay for shipping — how awesome is that?

God not only confirms His will, but He delights in using other people to make it happen. Relationships and teamwork are a key part of God’s plan. While the world values independence, the Church was made to be interdependent — not co-dependent, but each one doing his part, while integrating others into the picture like pieces of a puzzle. That way, God gets the glory as the world sees His people working together for the greater good. Jesus said the world would know we were of God by our love for one another.

If you’re implementing a vision for ministry or a business with the ultimate goal of building the Kingdom, I encourage you to incorporate others into the dream. God never intended for you to do it all by yourself, even with His help, so reach out and involve others as the Lord leads. The more people of like mind and heart that you can incorporate into your vision, the more glory God will get.

If you would like to be involved in any of our mission projects or would like to donate a teddy bear or other items, please contact me. Thank you for your prayer and care for all that God is doing through King’s Daughter Ministries and our partners in ministry.

Updates:
~ We’ve received more than 350 teddy bears with more on the way (original goal was 200)
~ City of God Church donated 52 teddy bears
~ Radiant Life Ministries donated 50 teddy bears
~ Bread of Life Ministries donated 4 boxes of toys, clothing, school supplies and teddy bears
~ Queensway Cathedral donated two large duffle bags & 25 teddy bears
~ Club 56 (Grade 5&6 Sunday school students) donated 29 teddy bears
~ Women Who Care and numerous individuals donated teddy bears and other supplies
~ An anonymous donor is covering baggage costs to India (I will be taking two huge duffle bags of teddy bears and other supplies on the airline)
~ Thanks to everyone who contributed and expressed so much love & support for the teddy bear project
~ Special thanks to Victor & Eileen Goodman and Queensway’s Sunday School Class for all of the prayers & bears!!
~ Update: While in Calcutta, I extended my trip an extra 9 days, totalling one month
~ Hundreds of teddy bears were delivered and will continue to be given to sick kids at Mercy Hospital with an important message attached: Jesus loves you!
~ Thanks to Mrs. Huldah Buntain and Calcutta Mercy Ministries for the opportunity to partner with them!