Thank you for checking out our new blog. I’m not a writer by
nature and therefore never had a desire to have my own blog; however, it has
been something that God has been speaking to me about doing. Being the faithful
servant that I am, I checked and double checked for the past month to see if
this is something He really wanted
me to do because I know there must surely be those who are more qualified than
I. God reminded me however, that He often calls those who do not consider
themselves worthy in order that His name may be glorified. It’s easy to walk in
our own path and desires but when He calls us to do something that takes us out
of our comfort zone, we must rely completely on Him.
In that same way, God has called Denver and I to go to South
Sudan this February. Last summer, God had placed it on my heart to go to the orphanage
in Yei, South Sudan, but I tried to explain to Him that there was just no way Denver was ever going to go to Africa. I
reminded Him how much Denver dislikes snakes and heat, and that of course
Denver would never let me go without him. God continued to speak to my heart
about going and so again, I explained that if He wanted Denver go to, He would need
to tell him because I wasn’t telling him. Thank you Father for being so patient
and understand with me.
Last December, Denver had a heart attack and although God
did not cause him to have a heart attack, He did bring him through it a change
man. The doctors put a stent in his heart, but God gave him a new heart that
day; a heart for His people. Together we began to study His word more intently
and He began to speak to us about loving people. His word directs us over and
over again to love our neighbor and yet we so easily dismiss it. One day when
we were watching a Christian gospel program, as they sang of Gods majesty, they
showed beautiful scenes from Alaska and then they went to the crowd instead.
Denver thought, show me some more of the majesty, but God spoke to him and
said: I am.
Over the months that followed we felt God was calling us for
a greater purpose; to love His majesty. On May 14th, I walked to the
mailbox to find a single envelope in the box and words can not really describe
what I felt and how I knew but I carried that envelope back with a joy of
knowing there was something special in there; somehow knowing this was Gods
answer. I placed the envelope on Denver’s chair where I always leave the mail,
and I waited. Denver explained to me later that he was going to throw the
letter away because he thought it was the monthly newsletter that we get from
Harvesters Reaching the Nations and he already gets that online so he didn’t
think he needed to open it but because I distracted him with some sort of
conversation, he opened the envelope before he even realized that he did.
Inside were three very special letters from the three children that we sponsor
at the orphanage. Denver read them out loud in order to share with me; the
first two were wonderful letters from the children but it was the third that
melted our hearts. This letter was from Oliver Duku. It started out Dear Denver
and Stacey (we were surprised that Oliver had addressed us by name); it
continued; I pray for you. Wow, we knew there was genuineness in that
statement. This precious boy in an orphanage
from the other side of the world was praying for us. Oliver went on to tell us a little bit about
himself and then stated: I love you. I don’t
think those three words every hit me the same as they did that day. This little
boy, who knew me by name, loves me and prays for me. Then there were the words
that completely and total transformed our world: I hope you will come visit me,
and in that moment Denver and I both said “We Will”. James tells us in chapter
2:5 “Listen, my dear brothers and
sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be
rich in faith and inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?”
Oliver had so much love and faith that we could not imagine anything but going
to him and saying, here we are and we love you too. It is amazing how God worked
through a child to ask Denver to do what I was unwilling to ask him. We
quickly began making arrangements to visit in February and March 2013.
Since that day in May that will forever remain significant
in my mind, Denver and I have been asked by God and Harvesters to consider a
mission for long term involvement there.
We are honored to have you follow our journey, Oliver’s
journey, and the journey of Harvesters Reaching the Nations (www.hrtn.org)
Well said, my love. You have brought me to tears by reminding me of this experience. The Thought that God actually could use someone like me for anything would have been my impression in days gone by; however, now that I understand that Jesus redeemed me and restored me as if I never had any sin when He took my sin unpon himself on the cross. I count it joy to give what I can to share His love for others.
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