Today Christin and I sat outside after working out to journal and worship and soak up some of the beautiful Serbia spring weather (and SUN! These Florida girls are missing the sun!). This beautiful old woman came hobbling out of the house next door, one hand gripping tightly to a cane and the other to whatever she could grab on the wall. We smiled at her and gave a friendly “Dobra don!”, the only Serbian we really know.
Chrin pulled up one of our plastic lawn chairs and fixed our friend a cup of tea while I offered her my arm and led her over to where we were sitting. She sat down slowly and hugged and kissed us gratefully. “Hvala, hvala, hvala!” which means “Thank you, thank you thank you!” she said. We played a bit of charades, as per usual in these places where we don't speak the language, and laughed. We smiled at our new friend and went back to our writing.
These are the moments that I find so sweet, the every day moments that make a difference. I smile knowing that for at least a short while today, this sweet old lady whose deep wrinkles definitely tell a story had joy and friendship and Jesus. We may not speak the same language but God is so much bigger than that. The fact that He chooses to use someone like me to let this woman know that she is loved and not alone blows me away, but it’s exactly what we’ve come here to do.
Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
