One day can change everything. Just one moment in time. In an instant your whole world and your entire life can be altered. I know this sounds like the title of a movie or something, but it is something I found to be true. Many people may have a memory of some tragedy or terrible news that shook their world. But something wonderful can happen that changes your perspective on life as you know it just as quickly.
Of course I have had a lot of moments frozen in time in my memory through my 28 years on the planet. God has given me both unspeakable joys and heart breaking sadness. But I am referring to November 15th, 2011. This is the day God melted my heart. This is the day God changed the way I view the world. This is the day God gave me a love for sharing his kingdom with the hopeless and helpless. This is the day God revealed to me that we are all capable of being the answer to someone's prayer…..
Have you ever thought about that? I mean really, in your prayers as you lie in bed at night has the thought ever crossed your mind that someone a world away could be crying out to God thinking He has forgotten them? Or that no one loves them? Or even they are literally watching their family starve to death and are begging God for his mighty provision? It could even be your neighbor, crying themselves to sleep next door because they are so lonely after a divorce or loss of a loved one. It could be someone at your work in a hard place and struggling to make ends meet and wondering when God is going to show up. Needs are all around us. Have you ever thought God may want to use YOU to answer their prayers?
I had never even considered that thought. That is, until November 15,2011. This was the second day of a week long mission I took to Costa Rica. Our mission was orphan care and most of our time was spent in orphanages, loving the orphans and blessing the facilities with painting and maintenance. But not on this one day. This day that changed everything……
On this day we drove far out of our city and joined with a local Costa Rican pastor whose calling is ministering to a squatter's village of Nicaraguan refugees. These people have fled their homes due to violence and lack of resources, only to find they are no better off in what they thought would be the promised land. Their houses consisted of only tin scraps if they were lucky, cardboard for floors, blankets for walls. My young eyes had never seen anything like it. So God opened them! We marched through the dangerous narrow passages wet with mud and sewage from home to home visiting members of the congregation of this pastor's church. We carried with us only simple grocery sacks of rice, beans, and oil. Every door we knocked on was opened with hospitality and we were welcomed in without hesitation and in love. As we presented these groceries countless faces were filled with tears of gratitude as they received the gift. We heard stories of a mother dying of cancer and the children had no food, a lady that could not walk, etc. We also heard of how a mother was crying out to God how would she feed her family, and there we are- knock knock knock! Or prayers of desperation, "God have your forgotten me?"- knock knock knock! WOW! The pastor introduced us by saying we had come from America because we love God and want them to know God loves them too and has heard their prayers.
I still get goose bumps as I relive those words. That moment in time that rocked my world and wrecked my heart and changed my life……. God can use me to answer a tearful, heart felt plea a world away. God is so big! He isn't just here in the USA. He is working miracles all over the globe. We can't hold him in a box! If I am willing and able to go when he says GO there is no limit to what can happen. He can save a life if you go deliver some groceries in Costa Rica. Just say yes to him! Your neighbor can feel the comfort they so desperately need if you walk over and invite them to come have some coffee. Give of your bounty and help your coworker out with their power bill this month and show the love of Jesus to them. Just say yes and be willing!
And their heart of gratefulness just for these simple provisions was incredible! We all were so eager to do even more after seeing the need there but for these precious people this was enough. God had NOT forgotten them. God heard their prayers and answered them. They would live one more week. This was enough for them. They did not complain about their suffering or ask for more. They were not hopeless, they had a joy and a peace that surpasses all understanding. Jesus is always enough! Those that have nothing are often more blessed than those with plenty because they learn to rely 100% on God to meet their needs. The scriptures about the poor being blessed finally made sense on this day that changed everything. They have a closeness to God that is not distanced by money, careers, greed, self-reliance, technology, distractions, etc. Jesus is always enough!
I found it impossible to return to my normal life after this trip. I have wanted more of Him and to be used for God's glory and seeing such a bigger world and a bigger purpose ever since this day that changed everything. My understanding of who God is and who we are to Him has deepened to new depths. We are all connected. There is only one world and one God. We are all His children. I can't wait to see what glorious things our God will do in the 11 countries I visit next year and I am super pumped to return to Central America and visit both Costa Rica and Nicaragua. I am overwhelmed at His power and thrilled He has called me to this!
