Learning and changing your thinking does change your life, but first hand experiences take the thinking into action. Discovering how you can use your abilities, strengths and resources for purposes outside yourself leads to life changing impact for yourself and the people you encounter along the way.

Discovering through first hand experiences has been the life-changing event that opened my eyes to the needs of the world around me and the organizations that are making an eternal difference in these needs. Through an umbrella organization called 410 Bridge, www.410bridge.com our family is planning a trip! As a development agency, based in the U.S, the people at 410 Bridge work alongside local people to transform lives and enable individuals to utilize their God-given gifts to help create sustainable change in Kenya, Haiti and Uganda.

Embracing other organizations and working together, this collaborative partnership approach seeks to address 6 key areas of need in the communities.

6 Key Areas

• Spiritual Development                iequip.org
• Water Solutions                            watermissions.org
• Child Sponsorship                        brightpointforchildren.org
• Micro-enterprise                          dbsp.co.za
• Medical                                           map.org
• Agro-Enterprise                           foundationsforfarming.org

Here are my top 5 reasons for participating in the Discovery Trip with 410 Bridge.

1             Expand God’s Kingdom  

By working with those 6 self funded ministry partners; active in one community over time, helps people go further faster, and results in more people being led into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.

2             Help foster unity in the church

Including all churches on the board of the community based organization board (CBO), as well as saved and unsaved businesses represented, there is no jealousy of one church’s members advancement as can often happen. Rather, the whole community gains unity and many more people come to faith in Jesus in the process of transformation taking place in each person and their community over time as they see the impact on their villages and families.

I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there are no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.

1 Corinthians 1:10

3             It’s all about relationships

410 Bridge leads almost 20 communities in Kenya. There are many more villages with a qualified CBO’s wanting to get involved. A Discovery Trip begins the process of relationship. Discovery Team members have the opportunity to meet and interact with the CBO’s in the various communities and evaluate potential partnerships.

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life (his time, his money, his comforts) for his friends.

John 15:13

4             Enjoy God’s Creation

Meeting people and experiencing God’s creation in the various communities gives you joy!

5             Grow in gratefulness….

A trip like this helps people understand how fortunate and blessed we truly are. Until we are over there we really take so much for granted.

Over and above those reasons is the purpose – be part of helping fulfill the Great Commission. Henry Blackaby in Experiencing God said ‘find out where God is at work and join Him in that’. God is certainly at work with 410 Bridge. Active in 32 communities and impacting more than 300,000 lives – this is an organization to partner with!

Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

Mark 16:15-16

When we encounter what God cares about; people, we change the face of the problems we see. Reaching the heart of the matter; people need the Gospel. But the truth is, practical needs are often in the way so 410 Bridge addresses those needs through the 6 Key Areas and villages come to want to know why “our” village is making such progress and many more are led into a growing relationship with Jesus.

Consider the leverage for God’s kingdom – on average we earn about $200 daily in these nations $2 is typical. Be the hero in this story and step out and share your resources and talents to give an opportunity to share the most important thing; your faith!

Attitude:              Do you think about making a difference?

Action:                  How can you support 410 Bridge?

Question:            Are you ready for a Discovery trip?