Hi -
Do you want to know what's one of the worst things you could possibly invest in right now? ...That would probably be the Venezuelan Bolivar, or worse yet, the Petro, which is Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro's most recent concoction of some sort of oil-backed cryptocurrency that is an even poorer purchasing option than Bitcoin (whether or not Bitcoin will hold its own remains a mystery) ...But in other news, the American housing market is up, the US dollar is going down, and trade with China is tense.
But seriously man, the Venezuelan economy has gotten way out of wack. A couple weeks ago I visited the Colombian border town of Cucuta, and I traded $1 US dollar for tens of thousands of Venezuelan Bolivares and even that, within a few months, will likely depreciate even more.
Warren Buffet suggests buying in when the market price is low, and even though I don't intend on buying a house or any kind of cryptocurrency at this time, I do think that investing eternally into Venezuelan people is a good deal. Amidst their poverty, I sense they are really open to the gospel, just like the opposite may be true for those who have great wealth (Mark 10:25).
But there's another type of investment that's sure to generate fantastic rewards, and it can be in giving a disciple something as simple as a cold cup of water (Matt. 10:41-42). In fact, when I was in Cucuta the woman in the picture on the right gave me just that, and even though I personally didn't tell her about it - hopefully she already has, or one day will - drink of the true water that springs to eternal life (John 4:14).
...Because of the donation given to me from a veteran missionary last month - during holy week there was a group of 12 people led by Fabio (a disaster relief specialist that I commissioned from our church) that went to Cucuta to share the gospel with and help out the poor and displaced, many of whom are Venezuelan immigrants.
Also, as a result of another donation, every Sunday we feed approximately 30 Venezuelan friends at our church, and help specific families or individuals as the Lord lays them on our hearts.
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| Team led by Fabio in Cucuta |
I've had a few people ask me how they can contribute as well, and while one courageous brother brought 11 students and parents to help here in Bogota last week, another option is by making a direct deposit or sending a check via Christian Missions in Many Lands. If you're interested in doing so, click HERE to learn more.
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| American team led by Mark along with Venezuelan immigrants in Bogota |
Sincerely,
Sam Killins
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich (2 Corinthians 8:9).
