Several years ago I was privileged to be part of a mission team to Monterey, Mexico. Our goal was to make physical improvements to orphanages, love on the children living in them, and witness to the villagers living in the communities around the orphanage.
One
of the orphanages we visited was fairly remote, requiring several hours of
travel from our base camp and a two night stay. The second day we were there,
the Carlos and Martha (houseparents at the orphanage), a team from Back2Back Ministries (the
mission organization we partnered with), and our church team made our way to
another nearby village.
The event was
similar to a street festival with free food, games, music, clowns, and lots of
people. The Word was preached and testimonies from the team were given through
an interpreter. Some of us went door-to-door throughout the little village to
invite people to come.
Near the end
of this event, two carloads of us traveled another hour to an even more
remote village. The town, if you could call it that, looked abandoned as we
entered. The make-shift homes sported ragged strips of cloth for doors. Each
one had a small clay oven in the dirt yard for cooking. A community well was the
only source of water for the villagers.
The
folks from the orphanage bring clothes, shoes, underwear and socks to these
villagers three to four times a year. Even though there were no signs of life,
we set up the rickety tables that would hold the wares we brought. A boom box
and amplifier soon spread lively Christian music through the air.
The shopping completed
and sweet smiles of satisfaction on faces, I was pleasantly surprised as everyone
stayed for the singing and preaching that followed. Martha opened her Bible and read scripture as a blazing 110 degree sun beat
down on her.
At one point,
still delivering the message, she closed her Bible and held it over her head to
shield herself from the sun. That’s when God nudged me and whispered, “Don’t
miss this lesson. It’s for you.”
Do you think
of God’s Word as a means of shelter from life’s heat? I don’t think I did until
that day. I knew it would offer light for my path and answers to my
questions, but a place of shelter?
I’ve thought
about the lessons of that day many, many times. I’m thankful God chose such a
concrete, visible way to teach it to me. My heart is full of joy because He
thinks I’m teachable.
Going out with joy today, sheltered in His
Word-
Cathy
some good thoughts here. I have never thought of the Bible as a shelter from the heat. Might it also be shelter from the cold or from rain?
ReplyDeleteI think it is a shelter from all of life's "weather" no matter how mild or major the storm is. I know it was really a wake-up nudge for me. Blessings on you, dear One. May your Bible grow more valuable to you each day.
ReplyDelete