I don't think I have ever cried when i've given someone a gift and they didn't receive it. Not until today. My heart broke. And i'm going to tell you why. About a week ago our team arrived after 12 hours of traveling from Thailand to Malaysia. It's 11pm and we are running across the border so we can make it in time before they close the gates so we don't have to stay the night on the bus. There, we were greeted by our contact: Pastor Kuilan and his friend Chan. They arrived in a large van and 2AM we finaly arrive at their home where they take us into our own little house with beds, air conditioning, tv, shower, a real toilet, fridge stocked with fresh water, coffee: Everything. They told us to make ourselves at home. That's exactly what we did. Funny thing is, we were in awe of this house when normally back home it would be no big deal at all.
The next morning he takes us out to breakfast where we order our coffee, peanut butter bread and milky boiled eggs; an interesting combination, I know. Throughout the week he took us around to see some of the things they do around here. We saw the church where they have various services, the office and meeting rooms for worship/prayer/small group sessions, the kids school, orphanage, dialysis center, disability center, soup kitchen, senior citizen center, and something that he does on his own: prison ministry.
When we asked him why and how he started all of these, he said that they saw a need and they just did something about it. Where they live, only the rich were able to go for dialasis treatments, so people would have to leave the city and travel far for treatments. After the age of 60, people here wait to die. They don't really have anything else going for them and loose hope. This is why they created a place for the elderly to gather together in a home to talk, play games, eat, fellowship; to have more sense of meaning/hope for their life, because they are worth it.
Like I said, whenever they see a "need" they do something about it. Did they have all the steps figured out about finances, how it was going to all work, if they had all the workers? No, usually they didn't. But God told them to fulfill these needs of the people and to love them all like He loves us and in their obedience and complete faith and trust in the Lord, he has always provided.
Pastor Kuilan isn't just an ordinary pastor. He has a church of about 300 members, he serves in each of these ministries, and he STILL has time, energy, and love to seek people out in the community. Everywhere we go whether it is a restaurant, a gas station, on the street, he knows someone. God has given him a gift. Another gift is to walk into a prison and get to the heart of the prisoners. He's friends with them and once they are let out he invites them into their home with a place to stay, food to eat, bed to sleep in; a friendship most have never had. "Most people could befriend a homeless man, but not many people would befriend an x-convict." (Paraphrased by Pastor Kuilan) This is where he comes in. He has now become friends with and mentored so many prisoners that some are currently pastors themselves, some are living in different parts of the world, they have all changed from the generous, selfless, giving heart of this man. When no one would accept them, he took the time to.
He is a man that doesn't have to even mention the gospel, he is walking out the Kingdom of God in a very tangible way that brings people to Him. Everyone wants what he has, and this is where he gets to share the good news!! It is not him, it is about Jesus!
"Pick what you value, otherwise the world will pick your value."–Pastor Kuilan said one night at church.
Pastor Kuilen's values
*Servanthood
*Humility
*Generous Person
This is all he wants to be. *A servant in all areas of his life. *Humble-It's not about him or the things he does, it's about Jesus. * To be generous with all his is and all he has. He doesn't have much, but let me tell you, he gives much. He continued to bless our team with his time: hanging out with us early in the morning and late at night, driving us around town, taking us out to meals, inviting us to meet his friends in their homes. He blessed our team with his money: Always having fresh water, food, toilet paper, laundry detergent, taking us out to eat. He blessed us with his love: he sacrificed to put our needs before his. Before we could say no, he would already be paying the bill, he would surprise us with gifts, him and his church prayed for us, he made his home our home.
It is now our time to go…..It has only been a week and I feel like family. He is a mirror image of someone laying down their life for Christ. "When you loose your life, that is when you find it." He doesn't have to say many words. "Live your life in a way that a deaf man could hear you."–This is something he said one day that struck me. His wife, Winnie, once said "Walk the walk, don't just talk the talk. And love people."
This is who they are and this is who I want to be.
After spending our morning being taken out to breakfast with the family, they helped carry our backpacks and took us to the bus station. As we said our last "see you laters" (because it's never good-bye) and gave hugs, we handed them an envelope that had a note and money inside as a gift. They looked at us as shook their heads "no", thanks but no thanks. As we kept telling them to please accept it, they refused. Finally Shayna took the letter out of the envelope and told them to at least accept that. They did..little did they know the money was hidden inside. =)
But this is when I began to cry and I had to turn around and go on the bus. They give and give and give and continue to give without expecting anything in return. They have hearts bigger than almost anyone I know. They are people that are walking out the Kingdom with every breath that they take.
Lord, use me like you use them. Humble me and make me like you. Take away my own desires so I can freely and cheerfully bless people even when I don't have much. Thank you for putting this family into my life to see a real living sacrifice. Bless them and continue to provide for their every need. God you are sooo good!
