The Tweten/Lee Story

I don’t think I really new what pure religion meant until our Both Hands work day.
It was a crisp October morning, and we had been praying and praying that it wouldn’t rain. The fact that it didn’t seemed almost like a miracle. All day I watched as people we love and people we’d only just met poured their hearts and energy into Mrs. Lee’s house. Before the morning was even half over a group of about 20 junior high students and their leaders had managed to paint an entire house, doors were stained, baseboard was drying on the lawn and our foreman was stuck under a sink trying to fix a leaky faucet. By afternoon another set of 20 junior high students had added a second coat of paint to the entire house.

Three weeks prior to the workday we sent out support letters and I was nervous that no money was going to come in. My faith in God did not seem big enough for the looming financial burden that comes with adopting two children. But seeing what a group of people can do in 8 hours to one large house, seeing the difference that little things can make in the life of one window I am convinced that God can do anything.

Pure religion is visiting orphans and widows in their need, but it is so much more than that. Mostly it’s just love, love that moves and breathes and helps. I felt it all around me that day. And I know that’s what heaven must feel like.

I do want to thank everyone that came out and helped, especially the 242 group leaders, our foreman, Mike Bannon, our videographer, Ben James, and his wife Amy for supplying the food. I want to thank Mrs. Lee for letting a sheer army of very young men invade her house, and JT Olson, without whom none of this would have happened.

Please watch the Both Hands video of the day:

There is still time to give. Make checks payable to “Lifesong for Orphans” with “Tweten #1009″ written in the memo line, and mail to:

Lifesong for Orphan
PO Box 40
Gridley, IL 61744

Thanks,
Tim