I am so slow at posting these!!! Sorry!! This is a story about a little girl in the mountains in Peru. We had a outreach one Saturday and I was standing by a bench talking with some World Racers. Kim went to get our friend, Pilar some ice cream. There was another little girl standing by Alissa. I felt bad because it looked like we had left the girl out. So, I asked Alissa what to do. You don´t want to treat one kid and not all of them, but at the same time, we had already established a relationship with Pilar…so it was kind of a tough spot. Alissa said she had asked her for a Bible earlier.
So, I went up to her and first of all, (in my broken Spanish) asked if she wanted ice cream. (what kid would refuse! 🙂 Then I asked if she had a Bible and she said no, so I told her to follow me. Looking back, it was not the smoothest conversation, but it worked 🙂
We went and got some ice cream and sat down on some steps. The outreach had already started, but Eduardo(a translator) stayed back to help me. Her name was Ericka and she was 10. I gave her one of the Bibles and her eyes got really big. I told her it was hers and then showed her how to use it. As Eduardo was going through it with her, I thought, I wonder if she has accepted Christ. At the same time Eduardo looked at me and said, Does she know Jesus?
I told him I didn´t know, but was wondering that myself. He tolkd me to start to pray and he would talk to her. So, we switched gears and he resented the gospel to her. Afterwords, she prayed with us and accepted him into her heart. She was so happy and excited and I was as well. 🙂 It is always great to have a new member of the family! 🙂
Leaving Peru was really tough for me. I loved it there, but at some points it didn´t seemed like I was doing anything fruitfull, so to speak. I think too often I compare myselft to others and feel that I´m not as good, or have a lesser part in it all. Then I look back and saw my realationship with Pilar, Ericka, and with all the other little girls there and saw the difference I made in their lives and know that I am fulfilling my calling- by just being me and using the gifts God has given me. We are the body of Christ, each one of us has a different purpose and there is a reason for that. We need that to be able to function. It´s a important thing that I think we overlook often or get frustrated about.
So to those who are discouraged…just step up, be strong and walk in your gifts…we need you no matter if you are in the states or going to Africa! God created you for a special reason, a role that only you can fulfill. You are part of the body and we can´t function without you! 🙂
