Sitting on the edge of a cracked, sidewalk in the shadow of
western luxury, she wails, clutching her knees as she rocks back and forth in
the pale lamp light.
western luxury, she wails, clutching her knees as she rocks back and forth in
the pale lamp light.
She is too distraught to respond to my attempt at comforting
and it is clear she speaks no English.
and it is clear she speaks no English.
After several minutes a Thai lady
approaches and offers help.
approaches and offers help.
Did it make a difference?
A child approaches pulling me from my thoughts.He is
dressed in a green, tattered shirt and well-worn navy blue shorts. He gingerly
carries in his arms a bundle of already withering roses to sell.
dressed in a green, tattered shirt and well-worn navy blue shorts. He gingerly
carries in his arms a bundle of already withering roses to sell.
All I have to
offer tonight is half a bag of watermelon, which he runs off to eat.
offer tonight is half a bag of watermelon, which he runs off to eat.
Will it make a difference?
She smiles brightly and laughs, feigning confidence and
enjoyment as she pours another drink. Inside the dimly lit bar, wearing her
black dress, she blends in with the darkness and I wonder if it is intentional.
A small notebook becomes our art pad as we doodle with
fluorescent highlighters glowing brightly in the blacklight. As I hand over a
drawing, her face lights up and she asks for my email address to keep in touch.
fluorescent highlighters glowing brightly in the blacklight. As I hand over a
drawing, her face lights up and she asks for my email address to keep in touch.
Can it make a difference?
In the day-to-day moments it sometimes seems pointless.
Where are the miracles, the mass conversions, the transformed cities? Isn’t
that what missionaries do?
Where are the miracles, the mass conversions, the transformed cities? Isn’t
that what missionaries do?
Instead I am finding it is in the seemingly insignificantmoments of everyday, in the unseen choices that gain no applause and draw no
crowds that seeds leading to those beautiful, eye-catching flowers are
sprinkled and watered unnoticed.
These moments happen whether we are in the red light
district of Thailand, the dusty roads of Africa or the suburbs of America.
district of Thailand, the dusty roads of Africa or the suburbs of America.
God has not asked me or you to save the world. He has asked
us to be His children, and as such, we bring light to the darkness wherever we
go when we are walking in obedience… and that always makes a difference.
us to be His children, and as such, we bring light to the darkness wherever we
go when we are walking in obedience… and that always makes a difference.
**pictures were taken from http://www.gnome.org/~federico/photo/street/2002-07-sidewalk.jpg,
http://www.essentialprose.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/freedomhouse_boy1.jpg and
http://theaterchurch.com/images/groups/Nana_thumb.jpg respectively.
I actually took the flower photo. 😉
