We know someone who is "Living Big"

How would you feel if you lost everything? What if you lost your home, belongings, access to food and water? You would not feel secure anymore.  You would fear how you are going to take care of yourself and those you love.

Photo from www.fao.org/

That’s what has happened in the Central African Republic (CAR)!  Yet there is someone from our church who is “living big.” He leaves for the CAR on Monday to see how he can help the homeless, the hopeless, and the hurting.

He goes not because he wants recognition. He goes because he wants to help.

Tim Harley leaves for the CAR on Monday, March 17. He will join Jim Hocking, Executive Director of Water for Good, formerly ICDI.  Together they will team up to offer hope, encouragement, and help to the Central Africans who work for Water for Good.

Despite reports of the worst humanitarian crisis in years, Tim Harley chose to be ready to help.

Tim first got started in “living big” in 2006 when Grace Church invited Jim Hocking to share about his new ministry—ICDI. When Jim casually asked Tim what he did for a living, he was intrigued to learn that his family business involved drilling wells in NE Ohio.

As Tim confided, “I see how God made the connection. He used my work skills and the family business to be available to impact the world for Christ.” This vocational connection came after a spiritual commitment.

Tim and his wife, Jeana had asked God to stretch their family. Tim had prayed that God would stretch him and their family. They’d even taken short term missions trips on their own to Mexico, where God started teaching them about “living big” in another country.

Yet Tim needed more convincing. The circumstances seemed to make sense, but he was still uncertain. In fact, when Grace Church approached Tim & Jeana about a short term trip to the CAR so they could explore the option of partnering with ICDI, Tim didn’t want to go at all. “Jeana was all excited,” he recalls. “I had an interest, but no burning desire.”

“I went out of a sense of duty, little passion,” Tim reflected.

Nevertheless, Tim watched God enlarged his capacity to “live big” and help others. He began to see how his work skills expanded his ability to do more things to help others. “I saw God use my skills to expand my ministry to help others.”

Since 2006 Tim has taken many short term trips to help bring clean water to Central Africans. Tim has gathered well-drilling and ag-equipment to ship to the CAR. Moreover, Tim has garnered various resources locally to help families in need in the CAR. Several local businesses and business owners readily provide for equipment needs to help others in Central Africa. 

So Tim Harley gets to go to the CAR on Monday. He shares the following prayer requests. Please pray for: 

• His Family-Pray for his family while he is away. 
• His Safety-Ask God to provide safety as they travel in potentially dangerous locations in the CAR.
• The Logistics-Plead for God to clarify many things like lodging, food, transportation, etc. as we continue our partnership with Water for Good. 
• His Ministry-Pray for Tim to encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ to remain steadfast in faith and to cling to hope that they are not forgotten. 
• Spiritual warfare-Ask God to be Tim’s strength. Pray for Tim to be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might (Ephesians 6:10).

Do you know someone who is "living big" (someone who is making a difference in your community by showing care in the lives of others)? Do you know someone who is sharing the JOY of Christ? Please share the person's name and why they make a difference in our community in the comments below.