A quick side note, yesterday my team attended the “61 Project” at one of the other ministries, and were give and opportunity to lead a service for the children from the camp.
As we prayed at "61" and asked God what He’d have us share, the passage Mark 10:13-14 came to us which says, “And they were bringing children to Him that He might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, He was indignant and said to them, 'Let the children come to me; I do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God'.”
This verse stuck with me though, and I tucked it away in my heart.
And now as I set here in the dedication service, the Pastor began to share that very passage.
There I set, amazed that the Pastor was preaching this, just after we read it yesterday.
“God’s so cool”, I thought. And then, God spoke to me…
“Dusty, you need to dedicate the little boy you’re holding.”
“Where the heck did that come from?” I thought. “I can’t dedicate another persons child!”
No matter how hard I tried though, I couldn’t shake it.
“This is crazy!" I said to myself. Then the Lord said,
“Sometimes you must do crazy things for the Gospel, Dusty.”
And there I set in this little African church, arguing with God. “This isn’t my child, God.”
I continued the battle and eventually leaned over to Danielle and asked, “Can you dedicate somebody else’s child?” She immediately looked back at me and said, “I’ve been wondering the same thing.”
“Haha, of course you have”, I thought to myself.
(Some cows walking by our motel)
So I said, “What the heck, it doesn’t hurt to inquire.” And leaned forward and asked the sweet Kenyan woman sitting in front of me, “Ma’am, does this little boy have a Mommy and Daddy?” She looked back at me with a sad face and said, “Yes, but they don’t care for him.”
This much I had already figured since he was soaked in poop and pee…
Children continued to be dedicated and with each kid, my heart felt more and more as if it were gonna burst out of my chest.
Eventually I couldn’t take it anymore and I leaned forward again and asked the Kenyan woman if the little boy could be dedicated to the Lord.
The words, “Let the children come unto me” just wouldn’t stop ringing in my ears!
(Jesus and some children. What a beautiful picture.)
The lady said she didn’t know, but would ask and she quickly ran outside to ask some of the church leaders who were helping prepare the food for the celebration after church.
As my time grew less and less, I became impatient, grabbed the little boy, and headed outside to find the lady.
One outside they asked me to explain more of what I felt I needed to do and also, where the little boy came from. I told them I didn’t know, but I felt like we needed to dedicate him.
Immediately the lady, the child and myself headed back into the church and made our way to the front. Once we arrived, she took him out of my arms and handed him to the Pastor.
(Dedicating the little boy.)
The lady then informed the Pastor that the child’s name was “Steven” and the Pastor began to pray in Swahili over him with his hand stretched high.
After we were done, the Pastor handed him back to me and I turned to go back to my back row seat.
Unaware of what just actually happened…
TO BE CONTINUED…
