3 DAYS to

CHANGE the
World.
Ordinary people with
extraordinary influence.

By Tom Lofton
 THREE DAYS TO CHANGE THE WORLD

Copyright 2009 Tom Lofton

Printed in the United States of America

Published by Convoy of Hope, Springfield, Missouri.

Cover design by Lee Steffen at PenguinCreative.com

Scripture quotations are taken from the New International

Version, Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, International Bible
Society.

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be used

without written permission of the publisher, with the
exception of brief excerpts for magazine articles, reviews,
etc. For further information or permission, write Convoy
of Hope, 330 South Patterson Avenue, Springfield, MO
65802.
 This book is dedicated to the unsung heroes on
the home front who are praying for those serving on
the front lines of compassion.
Heaven knows each of you by name and you are
dearly loved.
Tom Lofton
July 15th 2009
 Contents
Foreword................................................................7
Introduction.........................................................11

DAY 1 Morning
Pray to Be Like Jesus................................................15

DAY 1 Afternoon/Evening
Pray for More Workers............................................19

DAY 2 Morning
Pray for God's Power...............................................23

DAY 2 Afternoon
Pray Fervently...........................................................29

DAY 2 Evening
Pray for Passion........................................................31

DAY 3 Morning
Pray to Stay Focused................................................35

DAY 3 Afternoon
Pray that You Are the Answer to Someone's
Prayers........................................................................37

DAY 3 Evening
Pray for the Compassionate Heart of Jesus..........39
 Foreword
Their would-be tomb was the cold, steel
hull of the submarine. It had sunk days earlier
and now they were trapped on the ocean floor.
Oxygen was running low and the temperature
had plummeted. To add to their distress the
darkness enveloped them like a wet blanket.
Desperate to be rescued they tapped out Morse
code messages on the inner walls of the sub.
One of their last messages went as follows:
"Is ... there ... any... hope?"
Right now more than a billion people do not
have access to clean drinking water. Every day
16,000 children die from hunger-related causes.
In the United States alone more than 37 million
people live in poverty. Like the desperate
sailors trapped in the submarine there are
countless people all around us wondering if
there is any hope.
As followers of Jesus we know there is. And
we also know we can be conduits of hope. This

7
 3 Days to Change the World

is proven every week at Convoy of Hope

outreaches.
A single mom who had been laid off from
her job stood in a line at one of our outreaches.
Her two grade-school children stood quietly
next to her. They looked as hungry as she
seemed desperate. But suddenly the woman's
sad demeanor changed when volunteers started
loading her arms with bags of groceries.
"All of this is really free?" she asked
skeptically as she accepted the food. "Why
would you do this?" "To let you know someone
cares," one of our volunteers replied. "To
remind you that there's hope."
Tears welled in the woman's eyes. She
nodded, said "thank you" and slowly walked
away.
Real life experiences like that are exactly
why Convoy of Hope exists. In fact, we think it
is a mandate to not only meet people's basic
needs, but to give them the hope that is only
found in a relationship with Jesus.
But to do that effectively we must also pray.

8
 Foreword

Without prayer and God's helpour

compassion, love for others and efforts to
change people's lives are in vain.
A young outreach volunteer asked me a
good question: "Hal, I pray for the hungry and
impoverished, but I really don't know what to
pray about other than to ask God to meet their
needs," admitted the volunteer. "But my
prayers ring hollow because I feel like their
situations demand so much morehow can I
more effectively pray for the hurting people of
this world?"
The answer to that important question is
found in this book. Read on so you can play a
role in changing the world.
Hal Donaldson
President and founder of Convoy of Hope

9
 Introduction
Three-day weekendswho doesn't love
them? An extra day to kick back, relax and
spend time with family and friends is always
welcome going into and coming out of the
summer months. It's amazing how an extended
weekend can recharge the batteries, shift
priorities back to where they need to be, and
give a person pep in his or her step.
Seventy-two hours of rest and relaxation
can change our view of life and give us the
boost to steamroll hectic schedules. But what if
I told you that in three days you could help
change the world?
What if I told you that in three days you
could help feed a starving child, bring fresh
drinking water to desperate villages, help an
unemployed father find a job, and respond to
victims reeling from a hurricane or war?
What if I told you that in three days time you
could give countless people the kind of hope
that never disappoints or fails?

11
 3 Days to Change the World

Would you commit three days of your life

to something if it could really change the
world?
Two thousand years ago, a small band of
men saw how three days can change the world.
In three short days Jesus died, was buried, then
rose from the dead!
The world would never be the same.
Those three days served as the catalyst that
would encourage Jesus' disciples to spread
Christ's message of love and forgiveness
throughout the world.
As you can see, three days can turn the
world upside down. In three days you can
change the world, too.
But how? You may be asking.
Through prayer!
Isn't this supposed to be a book about
compassion, ministry and meeting people's
needs? Absolutely.
But to effectively fulfill our biblical mandate
to rescue the lost and suffering, we must first

12
 Introduction

pray. In other words you need to be as

dedicated to praying as you are to doing good
works.
In three days you'll not only learn how to
pray for the hungry, impoverished and hurting,
you'll take your first steps on a life-long journey
that will help change the world.
Right now you have a compass in your
hand. This book will guide you in the right
direction. As you follow this compass, allow the
Lord to speak to you about where you can be
the most effective for Him.
Like all good journeys this is one that
should be savored. So set aside enough time
each day to talk to God and wait for His
response and direction.
In three short days you will have completed
the first part of a journey that will literally
change the lives of lost and suffering people.
Are you ready to break out of your comfort
zone and do something that will not only
transform your life, but those of others?
If so, read on and embrace the challenge to

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 3 Days to Change the World

pray at least three times a day for the next three

days!

14
DAY 1 Morning

1 PRAY TO BE LIKE JESUS

In the New Testament Christ and compassion

are found in the same context 14 times. In three
of those passagesMatthew 9:35-38, Mark 9:22-
29 and Luke 10:33-37prayer is mentioned
directly or indirectly.
Here's the bottom line: no matter what is
going on in the world our prayers are extremely
important to God. Every time you pray you are
spending time with God. You are inviting Him
to speak into your life and communicate with
you.
Jesus prayed constantly. So should we.
When Jesus saw a need, He didn't weep and
walk away. He responded in a tangible way, He
repaired eyes, befriended the lonely, and fed

15
 3 Days to Change the World

the hungry.
Were there throngs of reporters buzzing
around Jesus when He met people's needs? Did
He demand compensation for His deeds? Was
the inconvenience to His schedule thrown in
the faces of those He helped? Did He demand
that the people He helped be of some certain
economic or social standing?
No! He served freely and asked for nothing
in return other than the people He helped
believe in Him. We should do the same.

PRAY TO BE LIKE JESUS

Spend the next 10-15 minutes praying and
waiting on God. Ask Him to give you:
A compassion for others.
Opportunities to exercise God's grace,
humility and generosity.
It is easy to overlook or underestimate how
important prayer is in Jesus' life and ministry.
But time and again He slipped away from His
disciples to talk to God. Which begs the

16
 Pray to Be Like Jesus

question: If Jesus, the Son of God, could take

time to pray, shouldn't it be a priority for us,
too?

17
DAY 1 Afternoon/Evening

2 PRAY FOR MORE

WORKERS

"But when Jesus saw the multitudes,

He was moved with compassion for them,
because they were weary and scattered,
like sheep having no shepherd. Then He
said to His disciples, 'The harvest truly is
plentiful, but the laborers are few.
Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to
send out laborers into His harvest'."
(Matthew 9:35-38, NIV).

If we are going to change the world, we

need as many workers as possible to join us on
the journey. Though Jesus spent much of His
time with His 12 disciples, He invited those He
met to join the journey. He asked them to pray.

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 3 Days to Change the World

In Matthew 9 Jesus sees multitudes of

people with every kind of need imaginable. It
resembled the scene of a fireman arriving at a
house that is fully engulfed and people are
trapped inside. You would think Jesus' first
instinct would be to rally His troops and get
everyone involved in rescuing those who are
trapped and putting out the fire. But in addition
to healing and teaching, Jesus does something
entirely unexpected: He takes a moment to
survey His surroundings and then implores His
followers to pray for more laborers. That might
not make sense in the short term, but it makes
perfect sense in the long run.
At Convoy of Hope, to be as effective and
efficient as possible, we pray for more laborers
who can bring a variety of talents and resources
to the cause. We could accomplish very little
without generous supporters and thousands of
selfless volunteers who represent families,
churches, organizations, government agencies,
and corporations.
If you have ever volunteered at a Convoy of
Hope outreach or assisted us during relief

20
 Pray for More Workers

efforts, you know teamwork is absolutely

essential to everything we do.
The more workers, the more that can be
accomplishedthe more lives that can be
changed.
Jesus knew this to be true. Yes, His disciples
were talented and committed to the task at
hand. But Jesus knew that more workers would
spread His message of hope more rapidly.
As many coaches have said over the years,
"Teamwork makes the dream work."
That's certainly true at Convoy of Hope.
Because of it, we have grown into a
worldwide humanitarian organization with a
fleet of tractor-trailers, a 300,000 square foot
warehouse and arms in Europe, Africa, South
America and the Philippines. Teamwork has
allowed us to distribute more than $200 million
worth of food to some 30 million impoverished
people.
None of that could have been accomplished
without prayer and the help of workers
dedicated to serving others. That is exactly why

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 3 Days to Change the World

we believe in asking God to send us more

workers, partner ministries, agencies and
organizations to help us help others. It enables
us to cover more ground, meet more needs,
share Christ's message of love and hope with
more people, and provide more assistance to
people during disasters.
Spend the next 10-15 minutes praying and
waiting on God. Ask Him to:
Send more workers.
Open up partnerships and alliances that
can help you to reach more people with
Christ's message of hope.
It has been said that one horse is able to
carry two tons of weight using its own strength.
That's impressive, but did you know that two
horses are able to carry thirteen tons of weight?
It's true and a powerful reminder of the
awesome work God can accomplish when we
stand together with other believers.

22
DAY 2 Morning

3 PRAY FOR GOD'S

POWER

The needs of this world are overwhelming,

disheartening, complicated, and ruthless. Even
so, compassion is able to trump such
challenges. But, as it says in Mark 9:22-29 (NIV),
compassion in action in the face of adversity
requires the power of God.
So He asked his father, "How long has
this been happening to him?" And he said,
"From childhood. And often he has thrown
him both into the fire and into the water to
destroy him. But if You can do anything,
have compassion on us and help us." Jesus
said to him, "If you can believe, all things
are possible to him who believes."

23
 3 Days to Change the World

Immediately the father of the child cried

out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe;
help my unbelief!" When Jesus saw that
the people came running together, He
rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it,
"Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you,
come out of him and enter him no more!"
Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him
greatly, and came out of him. And he
became as one dead, so that many said, "He
is dead." But Jesus took him by the hand
and lifted him up, and he arose. And when
He had come into the house, His disciples
asked Him privately, "Why could we not
cast it out?" So He said to them, "This kind
can come out by nothing but prayer and
fasting."

When it comes to compassion ministry you

must be equipped with the power of God to be
truly effective. And as Jesus told His disciples,
that power comes through prayer and fasting.
All too often, those who go looking for
opportunities to exercise compassion rely solely
on their own experiences, knowledge, talents,
gifts and power instead of trusting in God.
Doing so is a big mistake!

24
 Pray for God's Power

Convoy of Hope has held countless

outreaches in impoverished communities
throughout the United States and around the
world. At these outreaches thousands of people
are treated as honored guests. Often they are
given a meal, offered medical and dental
services, haircuts, job opportunities and bags of
groceries. Without hundreds of volunteers at
each outreach none of that would be possible.
We believe each volunteer is empowered,
equipped and sent by God.
Manpower is not enough. We need God's
power to overcome obstacles, setbacks and
deterrents.
In Mark 9, Jesus is traveling with Peter,
James and John to the top of a mountain. There,
they have an incredible encounter with God.
Christ is transfigured and God speaks. It's a
moment that would transform and mark the
disciples for the rest of their lives.
Meanwhile, the other nine disciples are
encountering a demon-possessed boy and a
desperate father. The father is anxious to see his
son delivered and restored. But he needs power

25
 3 Days to Change the World

from on high and he assumes the disciples have

access to such power.
Think about how many people today are
desperately yearning for God's power to be
evident in their lives. Whether they're
struggling with the indignities of poverty,
reeling from a natural disaster, or trying to
outlast a famine in sub-Saharan Africa, people
need God's power.
In a world overwhelmed with needs, people
are searching for the kind of power that only
God can dispense. His strength is sufficient for
every situation.
Will you join our Convoy of Hope team in
praying for God's power? Ask God to:
Help us realize our dependence on Him.
Remind us that He is the only source of
power that can truly transform people's
lives and eternities for the better.
Give us the kind of strength and power
needed for each task.
So, what were the disciples who were trying
to deliver the possessed boy missing? Was it

26
 Pray for God's Power

compassion? No! They had tried their best to

meet the need. Was it lack of desire? No! They
had laid hands on the boy and prayed
fervently.
So, what was it?
They had failed to fast and pray for God's
power.
We should learn from their mistake. Seek
the power of God daily.

27
DAY 2 Afternoon

4 PRAY FERVENTLY

Early in Convoy of Hope's history, on

occasion finances ran thin. Once tens of
thousands of dollars were needed to meet a
need.
Hal Donaldson, founder of Convoy of
Hope, prayed fervently for God to meet the
need. And, at the very last moment, God
provided the funds.
In 1 Samuel 16, God says,
"I want to see your heart. Show me
your heart. Are you seeking my face
through prayer?"

If you want to be involved in compassion

ministry you will have much work to do. But to
lose sight of the role of prayer and power is a

29
 3 Days to Change the World

monumental mistake.
Invite God to:
Meet your needs.
Strengthen you physically, emotionally
and spiritually.
Open opportunities.
Guide you to the right place and right
people.

30
DAY 2 Evening

5 PRAY FOR PASSION

In Luke 10:33-37 (NIV), Jesus tells the story

of a suffering man who needed help:
Then Jesus answered and said: "A
certain man went down from Jerusalem to
Jericho, and fell among thieves, who
stripped him of his clothing, wounded
him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
Now by chance a certain priest came down
that road. And when he saw him, he
passed by on the other side. Likewise a
Levite, when he arrived at the place, came
and looked, and passed by on the other
side. But a certain Samaritan, as he
journeyed, came where he was. And when
he saw him, he had compassion. So he
went to him and bandaged his wounds,
pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on
his own animal, brought him to an inn,

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 3 Days to Change the World

and took care of him. On the next day,

when he departed, he took out two denari,
gave them to the innkeeper, and said to
him, 'Take care of him; and whatever more
you spend, when I come again, I will repay
you.' So which of these three do you think
was neighbor to him who fell among the
thieves?" And he said, "He who showed
mercy on him." Then Jesus said to him,
"Go and do likewise."

In Luke 10, we find the final reference to

prayer and compassion within the Gospels.
Here, Christ tells the parable of a man who was
robbed, beaten, and left for dead. Three men
passed him. The first, a priest, passed by on the
other side. The second, a Levite, looked away
and kept walking. The third, a Samaritan,
stopped and tended to the needs of the man.
The reference to prayer in this passage is
very subtle. In fact, at first glance, one might
miss it altogether. Nothing is written about the
prayer life of these travelers; however, the
message is clear.
Consider the description of the first two
travelers. These were religious men. They

32
 Pray for Passion

understood the Word of God. However,

knowledgeand lack of intimacy with God
did not produce action and real ministry was
left undone.
In college I worked at a Greyhound bus
depot. Early one morning, having worked all
night, I got lost driving home and ended up in a
seedy part of town. At a stoplight I noticed a
homeless man passed out on the sidewalk.
He was as motionless as a rag doll and had
dried blood in his hair. Immediately, God
gripped my heart and I began to pray, "Lord,
please touch that poor man."
No sooner had I finished praying than God
shook my heart and said, "You touch him,
you're closer!"
We can pray for workers to minister to our
world, and we can seek the power of God to
strengthen us, but unless we respond to the
Holy Spirit's promptings to put action to our
prayers and meet the needs we encounterour
prayers are in vain. James 2:17 (NIV) says,
"Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied

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 3 Days to Change the World

by action, is dead."

As you pray ask God to give you:

Eyes to see the hurting.
Ears to hear their cries.
Hands to meet their needs.
A heart to extend compassion.
An unselfish desire to serve others so
people may see Christ.

34
DAY 3 Morning

6 PRAY TO STAY
FOCUSED

A young reporter was in Calcutta, India to

interview a missionary who worked among
orphans and outcasts. One night during the
reporter's visit the missionary asked that the car
be stopped. As soon as it did she raced over to a
man laying in a gutter covered in blood.
The reporter wrote that the missionary
carefully removed the bandages, washed his
wounds and wrapped him in fresh linens. Back
in the car the reporter asked the missionary
why she would do such a thing. She replied,
"Because every time I stoop to help one in need,
I touch the face of God."

35
 3 Days to Change the World

That kind of compassion can only come

from one immersed in sincere prayerone who
has an intimate relationship with God.
Compassion ministry can expose us to
exhaustion, frustration, sickness and disease. It
can be time consuming, humbling and
demanding. Compassion ministry can cause the
most dedicated persons to put their prayer time
on the backburner in order to respond to
ministry demands. Thus, prayer can be
mistakenly viewed as a duty or religious ritual.
We must cherish the time we have to talk to
God.
When you pray, honestly express to Him:
Your needs.
Your frustrations.
Your enthusiasm.
Your love.
Your thankfulness.
Your devotion.

36
DAY 3 Afternoon

7 PRAY THAT YOU ARE

THE ANSWER TO
SOMEONE'S PRAYERS

You are the answer to someone's prayer.

Throughout the pages of church history,
countless believers have obeyed the Lord and
prayed that God would send workers for future
generations. Some believers prayed that God
would send someone like you to fulfill a
particular task.
In Hebrews 11, the writer talks about a great
cloud of witnesses assembled in heaven. Those
who have gone before us are gathered in
heaven rejoicing in the answer to their prayers.

37
 3 Days to Change the World

So be encouraged! And be thankful that those

who have gone before have prayed that God
would prepare you for service.
Perhaps you are not yet serving in any type
of ministry. Why not become the answer to
someone's prayer today? You can do that by
praying and asking God:
Where you would be most effective for
Him.
To show you any obstacles that are
keeping you from serving.
Who needs your skill sets, experiences and
services.
There is no doubt God has a great purpose
for your life. If you ask Him to direct you to
exactly where He needs you amazing things
will happen.

38
DAY 3 Evening

8 PRAY FOR THE

COMPASSIONATE HEART
OF JESUS

Jesus demonstrated the greatest act of

compassion by taking upon His shoulders the
burden of sin. At Calvarythe site of the
crucifixionHe was more than a Good
Samaritan; He served as our Great Substitute.
Prior to offering Himself on the cross for
our sins, Jesus bathed the experience in prayer.
On the night in which He was betrayed, Christ
bowed in the Garden of Gethsemane. In His
most trying moment, Christ enters into
communion with His Father.

39
 3 Days to Change the World

Shouldn't we do the same?

For those involved in compassion ministry,
Christ is our example. Through His life and
teachings, we see that prayer plays an
indispensable role in meeting the needs of
others. As His followers, we are called to
immerse ourselves in prayer.
We have been given specific instructions:
We are told to pray that God will send workers,
empower us, and give us compassion for a lost
and dying world.
The needs around us are so great. The
world is looking for answers. We have the
privilege of partnering with Jesus to be their
answer.
Today, millions of suffering people are
teetering on death without knowing Jesus as
their Savior. Yet, through prayer and
compassionate acts we can give them the hope
they so desperately need and play a part in
changing their world.

40
 Pray for the Compassionate Heart of Jesus

PRAY FOR THE COMPASSIONATE

HEART OF JESUS
You have just finished the first three days of
a journey that can change the world. Keep
moving forward, praying and doing
compassionate actsand stand amazed at what
God does through your life.

41
 Pray4hope.org

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