What will it take? Lately, I have
found myself asking the question, what will it take?
Monday night marked the end of a series
of English classes, eight in all, focused on pronunciation and
everyday conversation vocabulary. Each class seemed to grow as
students were notifying their friends of this opportunity through the
church to learn English. As the class grew, the more difficult it
was to hear each student’s pronunciation and when asked to stand up
in class to practice their conversational English, many students
shied away from speaking. What will it take for students to get over
their fear, open their mouths and try to make an English sound?
While staying in the church near the
community center of the village, we have been inundated with
loud-speaker music, anthems, and chanting all day and keeping us
awake at night. A traditional form of announcing the celebrations of
a wedding or funeral to the community, the loud speakers seem to be
more annoyingly disruptive than a blessing to the community (at least
those who don’t really care). In keeping with tradition, Buddhist
monks are invited to recite incantations in another language that
even the locals cannot understand. Music is blared for the drunken
dancing and the many people huddled around a small television. What
will it take for them to realize that the party will end and a family
will begin?
We were recently called to a Buddhist
home to attend to the medical needs of a grandmother complaining of
chills, discomfort, and exhaustion. When we arrived, we were able to
take her pulse and blood pressure and ascertain that it was not high
blood pressure as her family initially thought. Still she refused
any treatment and lay surrounded by her family responding to our
every suggestion – a pillow under her feet to elevate them, a cool
cloth to ward off the heat, and a quiet place to rest. Even in her
feeble condition, she refused our offer to pray for her. What will
it take for her to experience the healing power of prayer?
During our time in Arng village, we
have prayed healing over church and community members. It has been
our privilege to bless the people of this community with a
demonstration of faith that extends beyond the self. While we have
continued to pray with faith that the same healing miracles in Jesus’
time is still actively at work today, it can be frustrating when we
do not see the same expected results. What will it take for us to
see the healing power of Jesus manifested through our prayers?
As we have visited different
communities and offered words of encouragement and scripture to bless
them in their concerns, worries, and situations, I have noticed the
elevation of the missionaries to speak over the community. Although
the church escorts us to these homes and even translates for us
sometimes, they rarely share their own stories, encouragements, or
prayers. Missionaries and pastors have no more power or authority
than any other believing saint in the family of Christ. So, what
will it take for the church to step up and be the church, praying
healing, speaking words of truth and encouragement to their own
community?
The Holy Spirit is moving in powerful
ways to encourage His people here in Arng village, especially as they
struggle with physical needs, lack of resources, and frustration in
evangelizing to neighbors. Just this past Sunday, I was moved to
share a word of testimony and encouragement to the church, but not
having been asked to share a testimony, I waited for the request.
When the request came, a misunderstanding with my team caused me to
second guess myself and I became distracted from the message that God
had laid on my heart to share with His people. What will it take for
me to start taking initiative and fight off the distractions that
could persuade me against my calling?
What will it take?
