A Special Note from President Keith Jaspers January 11, 2008

As we start the New Year it seems appropriate to spend some time in contemplation and to remember who we are, what we are doing, and why we do it.

The Rainbow Network exists to and was organized as a way to manifest the love of Jesus Christ.  It is a result of our understanding of the gospels and of Jesus' commandment to "love thy neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 19:19)

Perhaps the most imperative gospel statement is found in the words of Jesus in Matthew 25. He leaves us no wiggle room as he says "depart from me, you who are cursed ... whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me... then they will go away to eternal punishment..."

In Tony Hall's book, Changing the Face of Hunger, he says "There are at least 2000 verses in the Bible that deal with the hungry, sick, the poor, and the oppressed." No biblical instruction is clearer or repeated more often than our responsibility to "the least of these."

We at the Rainbow Network have been privileged as recipients of our work in medical programs, education, housing projects, and economic development opportunities have told us many times that our work was an answer to prayer!  Some who have said this are family members of people who were blind and now can see; or family members of individuals who had not walked for many years and now can walk!  Family members of people who surely would have died had we not had a physician and medicines readily available on the site say that not only was our work an answer to prayer but perceived by them and many others in their communities as a miracle of God!

We believe that ordinary people, people like you and me, people that support and work with the Rainbow Network, and other organizations, can, in the name of Jesus Christ, bring answers to prayer, and sometimes in the name of Jesus Christ, deliver a miracle! We believe that Jesus, as the son of God, and part of the Holy Trinity performed many wonderful actions and miracles to the poor! Because we are the sons and daughters of the same God, we believe that today we can deliver those miracles, in the name of Jesus, much as He did when He was physically walking this earth. We do it with the same divine love; we just use modern technology, medicines, economics, etc. to make it happen.

All of our staff in both countries, all of the 121 Rainbow Network communities in Nicaragua, and all of the suffering poor we work with (about 52,000), know we are a Christ centered organization doing what we do "for Jesus, to Jesus and with Jesus" (Mother Theresa).

We at the Rainbow Network believe that every time a dream is fulfilled in Jesus' name, every time a child learns to read (in one of our 511 grade schools), every time our doctors & medicines relieve pain and suffering (we treated 49,456 patients in 2007) that a "sermon" has been preached... that the love of Jesus has been made real!  We believe that Every time a family moves from a dirt floor shanty with animal like conditions to a decent and secure home, that an announcement was made that "Jesus loves you" (600 houses to date)! Every time a desperately poor family is able to financially advance because of our loan program, our Christian faith is made real (4,265 desperately poor families currently have loans) as our actions speak loudly of Christ's love.

We believe in, support, and cherish the church!  We are a tiny part of the body of Christ made useful and relevant by our work, in the name of Christ, with the organized church.

Our theology is very simple. We believe in Jesus, we believe in God and the Holy Spirit! We believe in hard work!  It's not essential that everyone believe as we do in order to help and participate in this work.  But, we certainly invite those that do to enthusiastically embrace this program or others like it. We are the hands of Jesus in the modern day world. Let's pray the work by doing it!