Friday, January 22, 2010

Panama Update 1: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways your ways," declares the Lord

Hi everyone!!!

I just wanted to report back after the Panama trip. It was amazing!!! One of the main rules of missions it to be flexible and to surrender your expectations to God because God is sure to do things His own way. I tried to go into the trip with very little expectations mainly because besides the fact that we would be in villages sharing the Gospel I had very little idea what was going to be going on. There are sooooo many stories that I can’t possibly imagine telling them all on here but know that God was moving in these people long before we got there and I pray that He continues to move in them and grow in them long after we have gone. I’ll share a few of my favorite stories over the next few days. Here’s the first one:

***Each day we would go around to the different huts in the village to share the Gospel, pray with people, and just talk to them and learn about their lives. On our first day out we went to the hut of one women who seemed completely uninterested in us, in what we were saying, or even us being there. The whole time we were talking to us she barely made eye contact and an uninterested “Uh huh” was pretty much the only response we could get out of her. She did allow us to share the Gospel with her and then told us that she wasn’t feeling well and allowed us to pray for her. We went on our way and I didn’t think too much about her the rest of the day…As we were heading back to the school where we had pitched our tent myself and my English to Spanish translator got separated from our native language translator, Amelio. Once he returned to the school he shared with us what had taken him so long. As he was walking back he was walking past this ladies hut and heard her calling out to him. She wanted to accept Christ and so he prayed with her!!!***

Sometimes the words don’t come out right. Sometimes it feels as if you did everything wrong and well you hope that you do better next time because you are sure that there is no way God can use what just happen. Sometimes you discount people by their initial reaction to you or even to the Gospel. But this is just one of the stories of God teaching me that I can’t even begin to imagine how He is working in someone’s heart even if it’s not evident to the people around them. Isaiah 55 says, “so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” Such a sweet promise!!!

1 comment:

  1. Just so you know, I'm following you, Baby Girl! I've placed a link to your blog on mine, and hope that will help you to spready your word and good works. Love you so much - and as always, so very proud!

    Love, Stacey

    PS - If you want to see where your link is, my blog is http://anastasiassecretgarden.blogspot.com

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