After a morning of walking through crowded streets full of mud puddles and venders, up and down narrow steps/ ladders that lead to small rooms and through narrow alleys flanked by 3 story multiple family homes, we went through a gate and were struck by a completely different picture.
Standing in a square of mud, surrounded by wooden shacks stands one white cottage. An island of peace in the midst of turmoil.
We slowly made our way around the puddles of mud as we approached the house. The porch was lined with bonsai and we were greeted by a woman in white. It was like we had just walked into a fairytale.
We walked through white flowy curtains into a bright airy room. In the corner there was a woman lying on a bed, her name was Ani. The woman in white, Lanti, explained that Ani has been suffering from cancer since 2012. For 4 years Ani and Lanti have been trusting that God will bring healing.
I prayed for healing for Ani and patience, perseverance and faith for both Ani and Lanti. I then shared a verse that I had been sharing all morning Romans 15:13 ” May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Although I had been sharing that verse all morning, I felt like it was meant specifically for these women. They already had so much faith and God wants to continue to fill them with hope, joy and peace despite Ani’s fight with cancer. Sometimes hope and faith is all we have and God says because of that hope He will fill us with joy and peace and our hope will increase. After I shared and we prayed I looked up and both Ani and Lanti were beaming. They couldn’t say thank you enough.
We said our Goodbyes and headed back to the hectic street as I looked back to wave, it hit me. This white cottage in the middle of a muddy city is what we as Christians should look like. Stark white against a dark dingy world. Jesus has washed all our sins away and has made us white as snow. ” Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.” ( psalm 51:7) Like this house we should stick out and look different from the world around us. An island of peace in a sea of turmoil.
