Sometimes I feel like we forget the encouragement is a huge part of ministry. Paul never missed an opportunity to encourage the churches he wrote to and visited, and spoke much on how much he appreciated encouragement and how churches encouraged him.
I feel like that defines this week, perhaps even this month, in Malaysia. Encouragement.
We are in 4-5 people’s homes every day. They feed us. They pour us tea or Milo (my personal favorite). They sit there as we all awkwardly smile and nod at each other, occasionally beginning a very broken conversation. And then we pray for them, by name and request, and out the door we go. On to the next house.
We have found it easy to be discouraged by this. We don’t spend any significant amount of time with the people. We can hardly speak to them. Yet they open up their homes to us willingly, feed us outrageous amounts of food (most of which I have tried and enjoyed-for those wondering), and just bless us abundantly. After discussing this as a team, we concluded that we need to enjoy the gifts given to us-that it is indeed a far better reward to give than to receive-and God has put us on the receiving end this month.
It’s humbling. To be put in a position where all you can do is accept what is given to you with a joyful heart and attitude-to not be able to repay them with earthly gifts or tasks. To only be able to bless them in prayer, lifting them and their needs up to God. Though, I suppose God is far more able to provide for them than we are-and we pray blessings on every house we enter.
It’s inspiring. It’s made me see how truly amazing it is to be on the other side. I want my own attitude to be like that of the people we’re visiting. To be willing to open my home to strangers, just to show God’s love in that manner. To provide for the needs of others by feeding them and just to be hospitable in general. It’s never been a gift of mine-but I am definitely inspired by these families to do the same when I return home!
OK. Time out. Here’s a cool God story for you. Crossing the border from Thailand to Malaysia, our VISA’s were expired by 2 days. It’s a 500 baht (45 US dollars) fine for each person for each day. It ended up being over 300 dollars for my team alone. We prayed that somehow we would cross without having to pay, and that if we did have to pay that the money would just supernaturally appear. No money appeared, and we did have to pay the fine. But God did us one better. Two weeks into this month-we have not had to pay for lodging at either site, we have only paid for 4 meals, and most of our transportation has been provided for us. Therefore, with only these two weeks completed, we can pay normal the rest of the month and STILL be under budget, WITH the VISA fees.
PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW!
Lastly, it’s encouraging. We’re encouraged by their generosity and provision and willingness to serve us. We encourage them the best we can with scripture and prayer-leading them to continue in their lives of faith and to make them stronger. We encourage the pastor in his work, that he would normally have to do by himself-he gets to share it with 7 other people.
