heart MASTER'S

LOVING OUR NEIGHBORS with the HEART OF THE MASTER

Words by Rebecca Meidinger

In a world filled with immense need, it’s easy to get overwhelmed, not knowing exactly how to make a difference. When we think of missional service, our thoughts might first turn to passports, long flights and difficult conditions. Yet we don’t have to look too far into our own community to find families and individuals struggling with poverty, hunger and lack of opportunities. Numerous people right here in our midst need us to turn our faces and hearts toward them. Master’s Heart, a local Christian mission non-profit organization, is doing just that as they prayerfully and strategically strive to meet felt needs within some of Fargo’s neighborhoods.

Founded in 2008 by Richard and Ruth Irish and Dan and Kari Sikkink, all of Fargo, Master’s Heart has developed relational partnerships in Nepal, India, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa — routinely taking medical and evangelistic mission teams to those regions. With a motto of “making Jesus famous” and a mission of “bringing hope to the needy by showing the love of Jesus Christ in practical ways,” Master’s Heart works primarily in three ways. First, they bring hope to impoverished communities through clean water initiatives, training in income-generating skills, orphan care, medical outreach, and evangelism. Second, they build partnerships with churches both stateside and abroad to increase community impact. Third, they bridge the gap between the Church in the United States and ministry partners around the world by sending both longand short-term mission teams to serve and love in the name of Jesus Christ. For those seeking long-term service, Master’s Heart offers their Engage program. Volunteers commit to a full year of service, which includes 2-3 months of training here before travelling overseas to serve with a global partner.

Over the past few years, the team at Master’s Heart has felt called to serve our own community as well. As Sarah Moline of Master’s Heart says, “Our heart is to serve the nations. And when we look around our community, we see that God is bringing the nations here. We need to serve them here as well as abroad.” Locally, Master’s Heart provides the Hope Skills Training Center, teaching both welding and English language classes to underprivileged and refugee individuals. The welding training is a partnership with Amity Technology, which donates the use of a shop two evenings per week for this eight-week course. Upon completion, participants earn a welder’s certificate, giving them an opportunity for employment and a livable wage. With their English language classes for new Americans, Master’s Heart has found that stay-at-home mothers have a particularly high need to learn. Another local mission aim of Master’s Heart is widow care — providing needs such as plumbers, electricians and car mechanics for women in need. Moline states, “God has opened our eyes to what’s going on locally and given us tools to meet local needs.”

This summer Master’s Heart will launch its second Summer Hope initiative, reaching out to the Jefferson district community in Fargo. Kicking off on June 18 with a celebration in a nearby park, Summer Hope will provide weekly summer activities planned in a strategic effort to share the love of God in tangible ways: food, shoe and book drives, English classes, sports camps, park days, gardening instruction, arts and crafts afternoons, and more.

In their desire to serve as a catalyst to unite churches in serving the community, Master’s Heart invites local churches to join in the Summer Hope project. Several churches have already committed to the initiative, and more churches are welcome. Additionally, Master’s Heart seeks the help of individuals who feel led to love and serve in this way. Individuals can get involved with Summer Hope in a variety of ways: praying for the movement and the community, donating shoes (new) and children’s books (gently used or new), volunteering for various events throughout the summer, and giving financially to this endeavor.

Whatever our lot, may we all turn our faces toward the broken and downtrodden among us; may our hearts learn to love like the heart of the Master.

Learn More or Donate: mastersheart.org mail@mastersheart.org