Blessings on blessings! Debrief was such a wonderful inhale of peace, and a powerful exhale of joy. I slept so well in my air conditioned room shared with only one roommate (instead of 14). I had a bed, a fluffy pillow, a blanket, and a warm shower! The place we stayed had a beautiful swimming pool and pretty scenery. I enjoyed much of my time at the breakfast and lunch buffets, so excited to have free coffee every morning! It was perfect timing to get over being sick, and I enjoyed the extra rest. We were poured into with great wisdom in teachings, we praised loudly in worship, and enjoyed fellowship with such a beautiful community between us. I had powerful conversations, laughed, and felt so loved by Jesus.
Now, I’m back at the hostel and my team has started our new ministry. We are working with some amazing people for this company that collects donations of Christian books and reading materials, sells them in a completely free bookstore, and ships them to countries that need them. On our first day, we were dropped off on this dirt road by some big, metal storage containers. As I looked around me, I quickly noticed the beautiful, unfenced field across the street with two cows and a few horses grazing. I was disappointed to hear we weren’t allowed to pet the horses, but I now understand they aren’t tame, and are not at all treated like those in America. I can still appreciate their beauty as they wander down the roads and up to where we work. Back to the storage containers…we mostly move heavy boxes and sort books, all the while enjoying intriguing conversations with our hosts. They are so good to us, always making us laugh and giving us endless snacks throughout the day. They order lunch from nearby restaurant that never disappoints and give us these delicious lemon tea drinks!
Currenly, we are working on a huge shipment to Burma, where they don’t have access to hardly any Christian reading supplies. As we box up hundreds of old books, Bibles, pamphlets, and Bible study packages, our host explains that they love anything we send, and they don’t have anything like it there. He says they will read just about anything they can find in English, and it helps them learn. The books we are packaging are going where we cannot reach. They are going to dangerous parts of the world where Christianity is strictly prohibited, and anything related is outlawed and blocked from entering. I am so thankful for the opportunity to work behind the scenes for something so much bigger than me!
My team is the smallest on our squad, only five plus a leader. Somehow, our curiously contrasting personalities and opinions all come together quite well for the common purpose of the kingdom, making our work with each other fruitful and effective. We make production lines, play music on a speaker, and laugh together. Personally, I’ve really enjoyed sorting books, especially seeing the old Bibles. I found one worn Bible that had underlines, markings, and notes on every margin of every page. It seemed to overflow with wisdom—prayers written on aged sheets of paper in tiny cursive, and verses written out with commentary underneath. I felt honored to even hold it, and treated it with delicate care as I flipped through. I wonder who that Bible belonged to. It quite clearly displayed a life well-lived. I hope at the end of my lifetime I will also have a Bible that worn, one that tells a story in its tattered pages.
Thanks for following my race! Love,
Lexi Hatten 🙂
