First Responders International
More of Our Story:
"Hear I am send me..."
It All started when I (Ron) was invited to join a Habituate for Humanity's team to go to Sri Lanka to help build homes after the Tsunami went through the Indian Ocean in 2004. We arrived on the ground about 2 weeks after the devastation, and built 2 small homes. The impact was tremendous, both for those that we could help and those who were sent. I was never the same!
To see a slideshow click on the picture to the left and then follow the arrows
​In September of 2005, my wife Kim—like many—saw the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and asked the Lord, what she could do to help. To her surprise she felt like the Lord said, "take a truckload of Christmas gifts and bring your family along." She quickly embraced this challenge and gathered gifts from all over Central Oregon. As we shared these gifts with those affected, we saw how much something simple like a child's handmade card from somewhere far away impacted the hearts of those who had lost everything. That year our family understood the true meaning of Christma as we embraced New Orleans with Heaven's Love. On our way home , our son Trevor (age 10 at the time) said, “We need to go back and help them more.”​​​
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Trevor's observation is what directed our next two trips. The second was a scouting trip. In March 2006 Kim got a bonus and was able to help usher at a Billy Graham crusade. You could see many people touched and respond to Heaven's Hope. Other precious highlights were driving around and giving away simple items like bottled water, work gloves etc. We would just stop where people were mudding out their houses . The people were so blessed as we just simply asked "how are you doing?" They would open up their heats and tell their story. It was so sweet to see God meet them as we had opportunity to pray for them.... some of which you will see here in the video .
On another trip was the fulfillment of our son's request to go back and help the people some more. We brought a team down (yes, including our son and a few of his friends) to partner with Samaritan’s Purse. We helped put finishing touches on houses and lives of those who had lost so much. It was amazing to see 5 years later the help was still needed and appreciated!
As our hearts started to run with the joy of impacting lives we had an opportunity to love on people in the Yucatan where we took 4 trips to the outlying villages. Amongst the wonderful memories of playing with the children, it always amazes me how bubbles, crayons , and painting fingernails, bring such joy to all. One of our host villages even made us a special meal ... deer intestine soup (yes it tastes just like you would think). At night we shared the Love of Christ through a gospel movie and prayer .... we saw many healed and set free!
To view slide show click on the picture and follow the arrows for the pictures to the right and below.....
​Then Kim had an opportunity to go with a team from her church, to minister alongside other ministries in the Philippines. One of which was Mercy Maternity Center, who love on some of the poorest of the poor by helping mom's birth new lives into this world. There was a team that helped teach safety at a local ropes coarse. Some of the team even got smuggled into the Butuy tribe for medical and prayer ministry, where they saw many lives touched.... ​
The Birth of First Responders International:
After the Earthquake hit Hatti, I (Ron) watched many Doctors doing triage and treating the minor injuries. Immediately I thought, "they are doing what I am trained to do. If I could get a team of people with my skill set into a disaster, they could do what they are trained to do." As my wife watched these things unfold, she saw the great need for hearts to be comforted, and knew that our God could bring Heaven to Earth and meet every need— both physical and emotional. That has become the burning passion behind First Responders International!
The two years following Hatai, we have watched with great heartache, many other disasters unfold. Tornadoes in Tuscaloosa, tsunamis in Japan, hurricane Isaac hitting New Orleans on the 7th anniversary of Katrina, and the latest, hurricane Sandy. Our hearts have been aching to go.
The story continues...
We would like to thank everyone who has supported us through prayer, finances, and encouragement, helping us to pursue our "God dreams." We know that we cannot do this without your prayers. As you think about us, ask the Lord to guide and direct us with wisdom in developing what he has on His heart.
All that to say, God is faithful.
I would like to share an incident that happened in the Philippines disaster zone. A baby had lost it's heartbeat in the mother's womb. Approximately three hours later, the team was praying over many of the needs of the day. Dan said, “We need to pray for the mother that just lost her baby, I'm believing that God can resurrect the baby.” Five minutes after they prayed, the nurse came out and said, "We have a heartbeat!" They delivered a healthy baby boy a short time later!!!
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Jesus taught us how to pray.....
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"This, then, is how you should pray:
"`Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
(Matthew 6:9-13)
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​There is no pain, heartache, or sickness in Heaven .... So Lord we pray that heaven would come to earth to bring comfort and peace to the brokenhearted!​
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Blessings Kim & Ron Barry