Dear John & Doves,
 
  Elisa mentioned in her 5/30 post about our helping our suffering Christian brothers and sisters.  Of course, we can pray for them, but we can also financially help them as well.
 
  I recently e-mailed the Open Doors Ministry who helps our persecuted Christian brothers and sisters, and I asked how much of the donations they receive actually go to helping the persecuted. They told me that 8% goes for administration and 15% for fund raising which allows them to provide 77% for programs serving the suffering church.  Please take a moment to visit their international website at http://www.opendoors.org//content/offices.htm to find an office in the country you live in.  For those living in the United States who would rather mail in a donation than donating online, you can mail your contribution directly to Open Doors USA, PO Box 27001,Santa Ana, CA 92799.
 
  Another organization that helps suffering Christians is the Voice of the Martyrs at http://www.persecution.com/  I was just reading a chart describing the use of the Voice of Martyrs Resources for the year ending Dec. 31, 2003 at http://www.persecution.com/afs/0406_Financial.pdf  and the chart shows that 6.6% of donations received was spent on general administration, 3.6% on fund raising, 71.3% for foreign ministry, and 18.5 for U.S. ministry.  There is no chart listed yet for the year ending 2004.  Donation opportunities for donating online are listed at http://www.persecution.com/donations/d_opportunities.cfm  If you prefer mailing your donation, the mailing addresses of the Voice of Martyrs are listed at http://www.persecution.com/internationalOffice/index.cfm   For those living in the United States, a donation can be mailed to The Voice of the Martyrs, P.O. Box 443, Bartlesville, OK 74005.
 
  Please take a moment to visit these websites and prayerfully consider helping our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ.  Thank you.!
 
  Matthew 6:19  ¶Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20  But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
 
 God bless you,
 Donna