Tests of Obedience Part 2---I have more children!

Due to technical difficulties like not posting for almost 3 years and forgetting the info to log on and changing email addresses, Rich set me up with this new blog. Hope you like it.
The last post was so long that I decided to make this a 2-parter, so here is part 2.

"And the King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me'" Matthew 25:40

Before I tell about this morning, I need to give some of you some background info. In this country, I cannot speak for anywhere else, there are young boys who begin begging on the street for money as young as 3 years old. They do not do this because they think it is fun. Their parents, for whatever reason (financially unable to care for, etc.), have given their children to a leader in their faith to be cared for and instructed in the religion, which does not sound all that different from Samuel at first glance. The boys,though, are then sent out daily with meager food provisions to beg for money and then they are to "bless" those that give to them. Thus these boys are essentially orphans, emotionally. For reasons I will not expound on in this blog, we do not give the boys money as a general rule, but rather food that we might have on hand. In town, it is difficult, because I typically do not carry food with us in the truck. However, at home, I have a much harder time saying no, because I obviously have food here.

The other day, one of the boys had come by, and I had given him some food. He said, "jaap naa la yaay," which means literally, "I catch you mother." I understood the words but had never heard that phrase before. Essentially what he was saying was that he was calling me as his. I have a new son, who has the same name as Rich's Senegalese name. They are hungry to be nurtured!

This morning, though, Dad took me deeper. A boy came to the door and I gave him what I had, a banana and a Vitamin-C tablet. He tried to "bless" me and I asked him to stop and know that I had given this to him in the name of the Son. I came in to wash dishes as I had been before he came and Dad prompted me to question why I did not want him to "bless" me. After answering why, Dad prompted me to begin praying for and blessing them as I have opportunity.

No sooner had that conversation finished with Dad than another knock came at the door. I checked and saw 3-4 boys. Dad does not waste time!!!!! I grabbed a couple of bananas and a few more vitamins. By the time I got back to the door, some more boys came running, making the number more like 8-10 boys. I gave out what I had of the bananas, smaller pieces than I had intended, and what vitamins I had at the time. I came back in for more vitamins and went to hand them out. As I handed out the vitamins and banana, I prayed over them all in their language that Dad would care for them, since He was the one that created them. They asked for water and I gave that to them as well. None of them even tried to "bless" me but left with smiles.

Dad often tests our obedience, and often I fail. But sometimes, I actually listen.

So very thankful we picked up that large bottle of Vitamin-C tablets at Costco with my brother and sister-in-law, so my being sick had a useful purpose. Thanks Todd and Kristi! It might make it a couple of months at this rate, hee hee hee!

Tests of obedience

"Wherefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him. For to this end also I wrote that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things." 2 Cor. 2:8-9

So this week, my Word study has focused on prayer and the importance of blessing others. These verses from today pretty much sum up the week.

First, we got to our town. Like everywhere else in the world, there are those that for one reason or another are not all there mentally. One lady in particular has "her corner" in the same place that we find convenient to park. In the middle of the week, Dad laid it on my heart to go pray for her. I resisted not knowing why or for what purpose exactly or even how she would respond. Dad continued to press the issue. I was impressed to pray for Dad to restore to her the mind He created her to have. I know that He is able to do more than I could ever imagine, so I finally obeyed. Rich drove us over there and stayed in the truck with the kids. I tried to go give her a little food but she waved me away. I tried to give her a little money and she waved me away again. I reached out to touch her arm and she did not move. She did not wave me away, nothing. She just sat and let me touch her and pray. I prayed in her language, as best I could, though not as eloquently as I might have in English. I tried not to think about what anyone around me/us was thinking as they passed by where we were, though I felt the eyes of them on me. Now nothing miraculous happened as far as we might assess, i.e. she did not come suddenly into her right mind or anything, but who of us knows why God laid that on my heart. Maybe it was for her to have a human touch. Maybe it was for the people to see compassion in action, since they are so used to her. I know it was for me, for Him to test my obedience, and for me to do what He says despite how crazy others might think I am.