The paralyzed man couldn't walk to see Jesus, so his friends carried him. But a large crowd blocked their way. They couldn't get through. Their trip had been in vain.

Undeterred, they promptly made their way to the roof, took off some tiles, and lowered their friend down. He landed at the feet of a man with the power to heal, who lifted the weight of his sins and told him to stand up and walk.

In our day the barriers the world erects to keep people from Christ can paralyze our imagination. Like those who went before us into a hostile future, we need to stand up and carry the Gospel forward with love, full of hope that faith will find the way.

Your contribution to the Appeal makes that same freedom possible for those who follow in our footsteps.