Strangers
"...and they confessed they were strangers and pilgrims on earth.." Heb 11:13
Our last night at the Mount Carmel school compound we spent the evening vespers with the children that live here during the school year. It was enjoyable to hear their praise songs and have one last bit of "quality time" with the children in all probability we will never see again.
I shared the "Apple Tree" story to their great delight and ended with the moral that feeling bad about being "different" is a way the enemy keeps us from realizing who God intends us to be, and knowing the joy He has for us.
Our "strange-ness" (in looks, dress, behavior and all other-ness in between) makes an impression. For many of the children in the village, we just may be the only foreigners they will ever encounter. We make sure it is one they never forget. And while God uses the "foolish" to reach the unreached, He also rains joy down in such overflowing abundance, it will surely produce a harvest.
Yesterday, a few of the girls living in here came over to the guest house to see what we were like up close and personal. I brought out the speakers and the music and V taught them to "dance". They laughed, had a great time and saw we were still strange but perhaps not so scary. Tonight, at the end of the evening - those same girls kept motioning for us to star the "dance" time. They were happy to come up on the stage and lead the rest of the kids in the new activity.
The chairs were pushed back, space was cleared and the fun began.
"Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unaware.". Heb 13:1
In reflection over the last few days: how alien we are to the people living here, and the impact for eternity our presence makes, I thought of Dr. David Livingstone in the deep jungles of Africa. I had to laugh, he brought medicine along with the Gospel....
We brought the "Chicken Dance"!
"Do you see what this means - all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it, strip down, start running (or dancing) and never quit!". Heb 12:1 The Message
Dancing and smiling
Our last night at the Mount Carmel school compound we spent the evening vespers with the children that live here during the school year. It was enjoyable to hear their praise songs and have one last bit of "quality time" with the children in all probability we will never see again.
I shared the "Apple Tree" story to their great delight and ended with the moral that feeling bad about being "different" is a way the enemy keeps us from realizing who God intends us to be, and knowing the joy He has for us.
Our "strange-ness" (in looks, dress, behavior and all other-ness in between) makes an impression. For many of the children in the village, we just may be the only foreigners they will ever encounter. We make sure it is one they never forget. And while God uses the "foolish" to reach the unreached, He also rains joy down in such overflowing abundance, it will surely produce a harvest.
Yesterday, a few of the girls living in here came over to the guest house to see what we were like up close and personal. I brought out the speakers and the music and V taught them to "dance". They laughed, had a great time and saw we were still strange but perhaps not so scary. Tonight, at the end of the evening - those same girls kept motioning for us to star the "dance" time. They were happy to come up on the stage and lead the rest of the kids in the new activity.
The chairs were pushed back, space was cleared and the fun began.
"Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unaware.". Heb 13:1
In reflection over the last few days: how alien we are to the people living here, and the impact for eternity our presence makes, I thought of Dr. David Livingstone in the deep jungles of Africa. I had to laugh, he brought medicine along with the Gospel....
We brought the "Chicken Dance"!
"Do you see what this means - all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it, strip down, start running (or dancing) and never quit!". Heb 12:1 The Message
Dancing and smiling
