He will give you the desires of your heart.”
I have never been too sure what to make of this promise. I guess somewhere inside my head or heart I believed that God would change the “desires of my heart” to suit His needs. Never did I really believe that He would use the desires I already have to accomplish His goals and grow His kingdom. I am working with a local ministry called kewan (the Malay word for friend). The kewan center serves the homeless and socially unacceptable (Transvestites, sex workers, drug addicts, etc) people of Penang by providing clean shower facilities, laundry facilities, and breakfast and lunch three times a week.
On Wednesday night we went out and walked the streets talking with people, building friendships and inviting the people we meet to come to the kewan center for the services we provide. I was walking around near the water with one of the people who has been running the center for quite a while (a Dutch man named Ed) and we stopped and spoke with a few guys who were busy fishing. It occurred to Ed and I that it would be a great way to develop relationship with some of the locals by fishing in the evening. There is little else to do while fishing but talk to those around you.
Those of you who know me, even if you don’t know me well, should know that I am passionate about fishing, so much so that I used some of the 50 lbs of luggage space I had to pack a fishing pole, reel, and gear. At the time I packed it I felt a bit foolish, although I could not imagine going a year without fishing. I have been here less than a week and I have found a way, completely by accident, to use the passions God has given me to help minister to the people of Penang and to help and grow the kewan center. God has used the desires of my heart for the advancement of His kingdom, the desires that I already had.
I have yet to get to go down to the water in the evening and fish with the locals, but I have been back and started some conversations andI will be going with my fishing pole soon. Pray that my conversations might be inspired and the people I speak to hungry for the truth of the gospel. Pray that I will be filled with the father’s words for His children. Pray that I catch a lot of fish!
Michael
