This, friends, is one of the power centers of world mission, and we made a pilgrimage there yesterday. This is a modest 50-year old home on a random street in Berkley, where an 88-year-old widow labors for the world. Mrs. L taught school, raised two kids, and supported her pastor-husband's ministry all her life. But she had a heart for missions. And a friendship with the Millers, founders of WHM. Early in our experience with World Harvest, some extremely committed saints in the USA were recruited as "prayer warriors", people who would read all the missionary letters and reports and really engage in prayer. Mrs. L was one of them, and we met her briefly at a WHM conference in 1995. She took a look at 2-year-old Luke and 2-month-old Caleb and decided to take it upon herself to pray milk into our lives . . . and a rich flow of first powdered milk, then UHT (long-life) boxed, then goats and a cow, ensued, enabling not only our children but many others to thrive. She prayed for a hospital that would become a regional center for excellent care for kids, and we can see that in the care that NHC was offering. She prayed for Dr. Jonah and mourned his death with us. In short she has been a regular and faithful and persistent force for redemption in Bundibugyo over two decades. So it was a privileged pilgrimage we made, to hug her frail frame and thank her for her advocacy in the heavenly realms. We know of other well-disguised locations like this one, for instance a nursing home near Lancaster . . . part of Jesus' upside-down Kingdom, that people with failing hearts can embrace them around distant needs, that people with artificial knees can bend them to serve, that people subsisting on pensions can generously give beyond their means, that people who are considered a marginal burden in American society can be the very center of the movement of grace.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Unlikely Headquarters
This, friends, is one of the power centers of world mission, and we made a pilgrimage there yesterday. This is a modest 50-year old home on a random street in Berkley, where an 88-year-old widow labors for the world. Mrs. L taught school, raised two kids, and supported her pastor-husband's ministry all her life. But she had a heart for missions. And a friendship with the Millers, founders of WHM. Early in our experience with World Harvest, some extremely committed saints in the USA were recruited as "prayer warriors", people who would read all the missionary letters and reports and really engage in prayer. Mrs. L was one of them, and we met her briefly at a WHM conference in 1995. She took a look at 2-year-old Luke and 2-month-old Caleb and decided to take it upon herself to pray milk into our lives . . . and a rich flow of first powdered milk, then UHT (long-life) boxed, then goats and a cow, ensued, enabling not only our children but many others to thrive. She prayed for a hospital that would become a regional center for excellent care for kids, and we can see that in the care that NHC was offering. She prayed for Dr. Jonah and mourned his death with us. In short she has been a regular and faithful and persistent force for redemption in Bundibugyo over two decades. So it was a privileged pilgrimage we made, to hug her frail frame and thank her for her advocacy in the heavenly realms. We know of other well-disguised locations like this one, for instance a nursing home near Lancaster . . . part of Jesus' upside-down Kingdom, that people with failing hearts can embrace them around distant needs, that people with artificial knees can bend them to serve, that people subsisting on pensions can generously give beyond their means, that people who are considered a marginal burden in American society can be the very center of the movement of grace.
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