Don’t Run Out of Gas

On May 1, 1960, Gary Francis Powers lifted off from a military base in Pakistan piloting a U-2 spy plane on a high-altitude aerial reconnaissance mission over the Soviet Union. Shortly thereafter his plane was shot down at an altitude of 70,000 feet. Powers was able to eject from the plane, but was captured, imprisoned, and convicted of espionage.

Ten years later, Powers was released in a prisoner exchange and returned to the U.S. Later he continued his flying career, even piloting some of the most advanced experimental aircraft of his time. However, on August 1, 1977, Gary Powers was killed while flying a traffic helicopter for a Los Angeles television station.

What happened? How could such a veteran pilot, with thousands of hours of flight experience in some of the world’s most sophisticated airplanes, die at the controls of a traffic helicopter? Simple – he ran out of gas!

What a life lesson. It doesn’t matter who you are or what experience you’ve had, if you run out of gas – life will not end well.

The Kairos Benevolence Fund was established because some of Christ’s most faithful Kingdom servants were ‘running low on gas’. Ministers and Missionaries who had devoted their lives to spreading the Gospel (and in many cases had done so at great personal sacrifice) were, in their later years, finding themselves facing health or financial crises with no resources or safety net.

For example:

Some Ministers never owned a house, because the churches they served required them to live in a parsonage. In their “Golden-Years” they had no place to live.
In some cases, the Minister died while he and his family were living in a parsonage; so, after a period of time, his widow was required to move out of the house. But, where would she go, she had no home, no equity, and no money.
Missionaries frequently ‘left-all’ in order to take the Gospel to impoverished people groups in remote corners of the world. When age or health problems made it necessary for them to return to the U.S. – they literally had nothing!
So the Kairos Benevolence Fund embarked on the mission to raise donations from individuals and churches, and with those funds help meet the specific needs faced by these faithful Christian brothers and sisters.

At this very moment a 67 year old Missionary who has served a remote tribe in Thailand for 35 years is critically ill with cancer. His Doctors say he needs 6 Chemotherapy treatments, on a precise schedule, in order to put his cancer into remission. He had 2 treatments, then his Thai health insurance company dropped him, refusing to pay for the remainder of his treatments.

We cannot let this faithful veteran missionary run out of gas, and crash and burn!

Absolutely NOT! So, we know that one mega-church in Arizona has sent money to pay for Chemo treatment #3. And the Kairos Benevolence Fund has sent $7,000 to pay for Chemo treatment #4. Now our goal is to raise another $14,000 to pay for Chemo treatments #’s 5 and 6.

A few weeks ago we also learned about a 64 year old Minister also fighting a life and death battle with cancer. Already the doctors had amputated one leg and there was great concern that soon his other leg would have to be removed. However, as his condition steadily worsened, the medical experts determined there was nothing left to do for him except provide comfort and care during his final days.

This Minister was one who served a series of small churches throughout his life. None of those churches paid much of a salary, and they all required that he live in their parsonage. Not only was he a faithful preacher, but he was also passionately devoted to world missions. So for years he gave great service to a Missions work for the people of India.

Just days ago we received word that early on a Sunday morning, his physical suffering on this earth ended, and his eternal life (disease-free, and pain-free) began with his Heavenly Father.

So, we rejoice in his Heavenly promotion, but for his faithful wife and daughter, the emotional and financial struggles of this world continue.

We cannot let this faithful Pastor’s wife run out of gas, crash and burn!

Absolutely NOT! So the Kairos Benevolence Fund has committed to send $5,000 to pay for immediate expenses faced by his wife. Now, our goal is to raise another $10,000 to help pay hospital and medical and doctor bills that will continue to come due – even though he has died.

The Kairos Benevolence Fund needs your help!

This faithful Missionary needs your help – and this faithful Pastor’s wife needs your help!

Please, You Can Make A Difference by giving GENEROUSLY before these life-long Kingdom servants run-out-of-gas!

Just $24,000 is our goal. $6,000 has already been given by one local church, so now we just need $18,000 more.

If you’ve ever run out of gas in your car, you know what a frustrating and helpless feeling that brings. Please give generously so the Kairos Benevolence Fund can help pay the bills for these two worthy families.

Let’s fill up their tank – in the name of our gracious Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Online donations can be made at: www.donate2kbf.com.

Checks can be made payable to the Kairos Benevolence Fund and mailed to:

PO Box 19700
Irvine, CA 92623-9700

Article by David T. Pace, Kairos Ministry Team Leader