I was sitting watching a classic Blazers versus Celtics game from the early 90s today when my day was pleasantly interrupted. I was called outside to meet a new friend. This happens frequently around here, so I was more than willing to put the 90s on hold for a little while even if Larry Bird and Clyde Drexler both scored over 50 points in a double overtime game. There are just some things that have to wait. Meeting Margie was one of those things I’m glad I didn’t miss out on.
While Margie and her husband are both Filipino and well into their adult life, they refuse to slow down in doing the Lord’s work. She quickly told me about all her travels in the States and how visiting Alabama and the Gulf was often on her list of “must do’s”. It was kind of fun to share some memories about Alabama with an older Filipino lady while in the Philippines. However, our conversations didn’t stay about travels long because she wanted to start talking about Jesus. She told me that her motivation in life was to see the kingdom of heaven come to earth, and then she recited the first half of Psalm 122:
“I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord. Our feet shall stand within thy gates O Jerusalem. Jerusalem is built as a city compacted together. Whether the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the Lord.”
Margie longs to continue doing the Lord’s work and is glad with every calling she gets. One by one, she listed all the ministries that she was involved with, and each story was a testimony of God’s provision and goodness. They like to use the term, “being stupid for the Lord,” because they often have no means or reason to do what they do. How do you invite 200 starving and impoverished kids over to hear the Word without being able to feed them? Filipino culture is very heavily linked with food, and yet the kids that visit Margie never go hungry. It’s possible to invite all the kids over and trust that food will be provided because God is pretty good with follow through.
When I sit and think about all these missionaries I’ve met out here, I can’t help but think of the timeless quote from The Field of Dreams, “If you build it, they will come.” (Larry Bird got in my head and I got on a late 80s/ early 90s kick.) But seriously, it’s been incredible to hear their stories. Here we are planning for two years before we even launch a ministry. Now I know there’s a balance there somewhere, but how much faith does it take to see a need and meet it whether you have the means or not? I know I need to plan for what’s to come, but I pray I never lose the faith to meet a need on the spot. God will provide.
