Hello!!
Last week I road about 2 hours over some of the bumpiest "roads" you've ever seen to visit a remote village, the home of a co-worker's national friend. About 200 people, a fourth of the town, came to the road and greeted us, yelling and waving tree branches. Then they followed the car and each shook our hands and kissed us; talk about a warm welcome!! I chatted a little with the women, but most needed to return to their children and housework. The men talked with the men and found that the village's current, main need is water; now they must walk 5km to another town to carry it back via donkeys. We told the people we would pray for more rain, and that same day it rained hard.
This whole region has been experiencing drought, which is driving up food prices, causing hardship for many, particularly the poorest. We have had more than usual rain in the last week that is not only an answer to pr*yer but also a welcome relief from the heat! Please keep asking with us that the rain continues and that the Father will meet the daily needs of those most vulnerable to food and water insecurity.
Make sure to look at the attached PDF for photos and updates on requests mentioned last month!
On a personal level, even though I am seeing some of the most amazing things- people being healed, the Father answering specific prayers in visible ways, the multiplication of followers among S. people, I still find myself at battle with my attitude. Life here is just not convenient- in the two weeks some combination of the power, water, internet, phone, gas (for stove) or all of the above have quit working. (As of today, all are working, which is a miracle of sorts.) It can also be lonely. In America, if I got frustrated or felt down, I could rent a movie, get ice cream, play frisbee, shop at Target, call an old-friend, go for a drive, take a long,hot shower... you get the idea- there are options. But here, those options shrink.
So here is the battle: will I choose to complain and mope? to focus on things or qualities I don't have (as if life was about making Leigh great)?
OR will I choose to be grateful and joyful?
The Father continues to draw me to Himself; to remind me that the choice is easy in light of the Truth: the God of the universe has lavished me with love and grace and called me His child. He has promised me an eternal home and allows me the privilege to be a part of seeing His kingdom come here and now.
But I think Paul says it even better, "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
Thank you all for being part of this journey, for your prayers, emails, friendship and support! I hope that these stories of how the Father is at work encourage you and challenge you to be a part of that work where you are.
As always, I love to hear news from home and would love to know how I can be lifting you up!
blessings,
Leigh
No comments:
Post a Comment