by Pastor Jerry Theckston
Today, June 13th, I was having a hard time deciding what to do! It was a pretty difficult night because of a dry, persistent cough that I have picked up in the last week! Part of it is I am pretty tired!
We had meetings scheduled all day with some of these amazing friends- but I felt the Lord say that I was to take a Sabbath rest today! My response should be quick and easy when I know who is making the command, but I hesitated because I didn’t want to disappoint anybody, and I thought that I could just push through it!
God in His gentleness is patient and kind and directed me to pray with my best prayer partner, Sue! She and God were absolutely together on this and when I called Konjit who is putting this all together, she felt the same!
Konjit and I just decided to have our breakfast together and God gave us an hour and a half of just Jesus talk! Then we took a short walk to the bank and a drug store along the way, to get some cough medicine.
There are always people in need here, so the challenge, like Jesus at the pool of Bethesda (John 5), was what is God doing today? It was a terrific time! God brought a dear woman to us whose husband was killed in the civil war here! She and her two young kids were starving- I prayed and gave her 1000 Bir, which is less than $20. She was shocked and so overwhelmed that she started to run away, like these crazy people are going to realize what they have done and take it back- but she stayed, and just began to worship God and bless us!
Then there were 3 widows who had no one in their families to help them! We gave them 200 Bir each (about 4 dollars), and they started praising God, blessing us and wanted just to express their hearts over and over again!
Finally, two young girls about 11 or 12, tried to sell us a package of old gum so that they could buy some small piece of food! I told them no at first and then asked if they would be willing for me to buy food for them instead of giving money? They were beside themself with excitement! So, there was a little mom’s restaurant right there! I don’t think they had ever been invited into one before! The workers were wondering what was happening and we asked them if they would be willing to serve these two girls! Once they realized what was going on, the whole staff got into it and were thrilled to make this a day these girls will probably never forget- Food that they love of every variety and a special drink! The girls couldn’t stop laughing and smiling (except when I took their picture)!
Then, I took my sabbath day, overwhelmed with joy for how wonderfully God had rearranged everything to bring glory to His Name and to care for some of the poorest of the poor! And He has made this one of the best Sabbaths I have ever had! And as a P. S., He has restored my health to boot!
So thankful for a wonderful God!!