A man encountered Jesus one day. The man was blind, and the encounter changed his life forever. Jesus spit on some clay, made a “mud pack” (hopefully He’d washed His hands, eh?), and applied it to the man’s eyes. He then said, “Go wash in the Pool of Siloam,” which was a pool of water that’s still in Jerusalem today. He left, washed, and came back seeing. This caused quite a stir, for the man had been born blind. From the common folk to the religious leaders, people either loved or hated the fact that Jesus healed. This story is found in the Gospel of John, chapter nine.
“The Blind Man Washes in the Pool of Siloam” by James Tissot (1836-1902)
It was the healing ministry of Jesus that brought Him to people’s attention. So today, it’s the healing ministry of Jesus (in a slightly different form) that’s bringing us to people’s attention.
The healings that we’re seeing through Our Little Market (now sponsored by New Siloam Ministries – keep reading) are not quite as dramatic, but they are nevertheless God’s work and, like the blind man, require people to go back and do something to get well. That “something” is usually a change in diet or lifestyle or both.
One such healing came to Sheri Smith, a speech therapist who visited us about two years ago. She recently sent an email to me saying, “I am SO grateful to God for you Steve, your family & the Our Little Market family for introducing me to these healing foods! Just since March, I’ve noticed: 1) My thyroid hand tremor has disappeared, 2) My blood sugar issues & vertigo have resolved, 3) My cold intolerance has decreased, so that the cool mornings/evenings feel refreshing. I can easily go barefoot, only wear a T-shirt & capris, and sleep with the windows open. Last night, at our church’s outdoor event, I was one of the last to pull on my hoodie! And instead of having to ALWAYS wear it, it’s usually slung around my hips.”
For this ministry to grow, it needs a new platform, something that’s bigger than just a “little” market. To that end we are launching New Siloam Ministries, a ministry that will continue what Our Little Market began but on a larger scale. Its primary presence will be this website which will carry information, testimonies, recipes, links, a blog, etc.
For those of you who pray for us, please keep praying for our continued impact on those who need Jesus and His healing. For those of you who give to us, please keep giving for our continued impact as well. If you are a financial donor, please now put “New Siloam Ministries” on the memo line of your check or ACH/Credit Card transfer instead of “Our Little Market.” Either will come to us as support for now, even into next year, but this is the new banner under which we plan to operate. Our purpose and vision have not changed, just the scope. Our Little Market will continue as a local and growing outreach.
And speaking of credit cards, if you give by credit card and would feel just as comfortable giving via a bank transfer, let me know. I’d be happy to help set that up. We lose an additional 3% on every credit card gift due to transaction fees.
Again, we can’t say it enough, THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts for all your prayers and faithful support. We feel it, we need it, and we appreciate it. It’s such an encouragement to have so many behind us in this important battle.
In Christ,
PS. If you’ve never given to this ministry and would like to start, now would be a perfect time. Drop me an email and I’ll show you how to do this and how to get tax credit as well!
