During my last week of ministry in Malawi, My team and I went and visited a reform center for street kids. These kids were ones who were brought to the center for stealing from others or begging or causing trouble by either the police or by some other reform center members. Most of these kids had no parents, no house, no money, and no food. Their whole life was fighting to survive, and most of them weren’t even 11 years old yet…
The center would take these kids and begin to educate them because none of them could afford to pay for pens or papers to go to school. They would also be taught how to be like Jesus and what that meant. The center would teach them Bible stories and memory verses and help build up the relationships between the kids and Christ. Teaching them of His love and that they could trust him with everything.
We found out when we got there that our plan for that day was to share a bible story and some of our testimonies to these kids. After introductions and three great testimonies, my awesome squad-mate Tera had the kids act out the story of the golden statue and the fiery furnace. The kids all loved it and once it was over they had a chance to ask us any questions they had about the story or our lives or ask us for advice.
One of my sweet teammates, Jenna, decided to ask the kids a question: “What is your dream?” We then went in a circle and all of the kids told us their dreams. “I want to be a doctor,” “a pilot,” “a nurse,” “a teacher,” “I want to start a place like this one for other kids.” It was so beautiful to see what these kids dreams were for their future. These kids who had less than any of us, had these huge dreams and it was such a beautiful thing. These kids knew though that in order to achieve these dreams, they would have to go to school. They also knew that they couldn’t afford to go to school, and they couldn’t work for money to go because of the child labor laws in Malawi.
The next question we were asked was one that I will remember forever. A little boy, who couldn’t have been older than 9, stood up and asked us “Is it ok to steal money to go to school?” All of us were silent. The immediate answer in my head was “NO! stealing is NEVER ok!” But here was this little boy with no way to make money for himself. No way to pay for simple pens or paper. I knew stealing was wrong, but what were his options? Did he have any? Or was that something else he didn’t have?
Do you remember my awesome squad-mate Tera? She was the one, who after moments of silence, decided to step up to the plate and answer this child’s question. She answered it in the perfect way. She told the boy very kindly that no, stealing money for school was not ok. She didn’t say it by telling him “No, stealing isn’t ok because the Bible says so” causing him to feel negatively about scripture (which we didn’t know if he even believed) or negatively about himself for asking the question. Instead, she explained to him that it would be wrong to steal the money because he wasn’t trusting The Lord to provide for him. He was putting his life into his own hands instead of the hands of the God of Miracles. What Tera thought she was doing was giving this boy an answer, but what she was truly giving him was hope. A hope to be taken care of, a hope to be able to go to school, a hope to have a loving father who will provide.
This got me thinking about how often we don’t trust in the Lord to provide. How often we take matters into our own hands instead of giving it to God to take care of. He wants to care for us. He wants to bless us and preform miracles for us. He wants to speak to us through dreams or visions or even audibly!
So many times we forget that the same God who split the red sea, who sent angles to comfort his children, who gave a virgin a baby, who turned water into wine, who spoke to kings through dreams, who raised people from the dead He is still alive now. He is still able to work miracles now. Just because the Bible has been written, doesn’t mean Gods story is over. It doesn’t mean his almighty power is gone. If God wanted to move a mountain today, He still could. If God wanted to heal someone from an illness they have suffered from for 25 years, He will. If God wants two unfertile parents to have a child of their own, He’s going to give them a baby. An if God wants a little boy with no parents, no home, and no money to go to school, you better believe He is still powerful enough to do that.
The key to all of this is faith. Do you have enough faith in the Lord to see him preform miracles? Do you have the faith to believe He can? That He still is every day? If I’m completely honest, before this trip, I would have said no. I would have claimed that I did, but in my heart I didn’t. I didn’t have the faith to believe that God still preforms miracles. And most of that was because I have a problem believing what I can’t see. Believing that God is still doing things today through ordinary people like us. It isn’t something “normal” in my life to just see miracle happen every day. But it could be. It should be.
God wants us to invite Him and his Spirit to come into our lives daily. He wants to amaze us. He wants to work through us. He wants to show off for us. So why don’t we let Him? Why don’t we have the faith that allows us to believe in these things? The faith that allows us to take part in these things?
I know now in my life that I do have the faith. Every day I choose to have that faith and to take part in the beautiful work the Spirit is doing. My prayer is that you would have that faith too. That you would believe in the power of the Holy Spirit and all that He is doing.
So be BOLD. Pray healing over others and expect it to happen. Have faith that God is going to guide you and provide for your life. Because He wants to and He will. He loves you, You are His child and His beloved. All He asks it that you have faith!
If you want to see some of the cool things our dad is capable of and is doing in the world I encourage you to look up Wanderlust Productions (http://store.wpfilm.com) and watch his films : Finger of God, Father of Lights, Holy Ghost, Holy Ghost Reborn, and Furious Love. I have watch all of these films (except Furious Love) multiple times on the race and my mind is blown each time. They are documentaries on all the crazy things God is doing all across the World. They are all worth buying to watch and show everyone you know!
My Squad is about to leave for the Philippines in three short days and we are doing all squad month when we get there! Our whole squad will be working wih KIM which stands for Kids International Missions. We are so excited to be moving into our next chapter in the race and can’t wait to arrive there!
Please be in prayer for safe travels. We are flying from Malawi to Johannesburg then to Quitar then to Manila! Pray against any illnesses there such as Dengue or Japanese Encephalitis, we all want to be healthy for our last few months on the race! Also be praying for parents as they fly to the Philippines for Parent Vision Trip and do ministry with us for a week!
Thnak you for all your support and prayer so far! It’s a beautiful thing to be across the globe and have people all over in the states praying
