the Grace of co-laborors…

One of the joys of working in Soddo, that is unique to this mission field and calling is that God has graced us with an uncommon gift while serving Him overseas…that grace, is community.  We have a team of incredible friends, fellow believers who have been called and so uniquely gifted to share the Gospel with their own talents and abilites…I love seeing the Body of Christ in this place…who HE chooses, how HE has gifted…how He designed each with a purpose and a calling that can bring beauty to His plan of salvation here…

I have been blessed to watch, observe, see my neighbors loving and serving here.  My faith is built at their courage, their “Yes” to the Lord, their laying down of their gifts on the altar…the individuality and also the unity of serving together…We serve an amazing God…(and I’m so thankful to walk alongside so many of His “FAITHFUL”.)

This post I would love to encourage and bless a few of my co-laborers..not all of them this time (more to come!)

The first two ladies are becoming sisters to me here.  I love them so much.  After a year of hoping to go and be a part of the ministry God has called them too, I finally was able to this past week! They do a clinic about an hour an a half outside of Soddo in an area of beauty and very little health care.  They minister to pregnant mommas…this was so incredible and close to my heart.  They meet weekly in a clinic, care for the women, allow them a place of coming together…they check their blood, their fetal heart tones, ask them questions, laugh and love them.  It was so beautiful.  Just beautiful.  These women sat and sat, listening to the teaching, loving each other…encouraging the ones in labor!!  They receive an egg each time, vitamins, anti-malaria, teaching on health topics…and teaching on LIFE.  It was a place of refuge, unity and womanhood, by God’s design–coming together for a common reason–being loved in ways they never receive anywhere else…Jesus’ hands and feet and heart for these women was evident and overwhelming.  I love what God is choosing to do through these two young, obedient servants.  I am encouraged and so thankful for His work in and through their lives.  You are wonderfully and beautifully made, S & J…loved seeing Jesus IN YOU.  Your obedience is changing and saving and restoring and giving LIFE.

Another family here, who would rather remain faceless and nameless 😉 has encouraged me so deeply.  This family has walked through challenges and uncertainty and they are LOOKING UP.  They are pressing IN.  They are CHOOSING to serve others, to continue giving their lives away…continuing to give and serve and love.  They are soldiers here and we hold them in the highest regard.  We are watching them see all these hardships and trials of living overseas as a privilege…not an easy road, but a privilege to walk closer and closer to the cross.

Another beautiful lady here…a lover of Jesus, whom I met 5 years ago is seeing a vision come into reality this very week.  God gave her a passion for orphans, for widows, for the underprivileged…God gave her a plan and a vision…it took years, but it has been built, blessed and offered up.  Amazing how God calls, give a vision…and sometimes, just sometimes, He gives the undeserved gift of seeing the fruit of the labor…the dream realized…the first fruits of what HE DID!  She is implementing a village here in Soddo that is making a sustainable food source that is full of natural, local grains…that is amazing…she has created a place of work, refuge, community, and a place that is calling out the local churches to open their eyes to the orphan crisis…It has to be done here.  Please pray for the churches and believers here–that they would see and follow what God has called them to to care for their own.

AMAZING GOD…AMAZING to see the BODY OF CHRIST.  Amazing grace to work alongside, be inspired and encouraged…to see how God calls, equips, gives vision and creativity and deep deep love for HIM and His children.  Please pray for all these laborers here…the harvest is very very ready.