It's about keeping your eyes open and heart sensitive to the one(s) that God consistently puts in your path. It's being a friend. It's going out prepared, but willing for all your plans to be nothing more than the impetus that facilitates yet another connect point to share God's love in the most practical of ways. And when they finally open up and let you in -- even just a little-- it's being willing take small, patient steps into whatever God has in mind.
Our destination was remote and we needed a "reason" to just show up unannounced on a Sunday morning. God had dropped an idea in our hearts, so prepped with this as our plan, we headed out. When we drove into the village, we saw the children of the family we went to visit up ahead and to the side of the roadway, and they saw us from afar. Even from that distance, I could see her excitement and how she burst into a smile when she realized who we were and how she turned to her younger siblings to tell them. When we pulled up beside them, four beaming little faces squinted up into the blaring sun, and she clambered right up to the door, excitedly telling us mama wasn't home, but had gone to the next village to work for the day.
We got out and stood in the hot roadway talking with them until their teen sisters came out and we could explain our visit. Our presence brought a neighbor man to check on the kids and these strangers (to him). After we explained how we knew the family, he relaxed and warmed to us, and stayed while we visited a bit longer with the kids. We got a 100% score on getting everyone's names right. They loved that! Then we delivered the utilitarian extras we had brought along and headed back to town.
Since the adults were not home, most of the "ministry ideas" we had prepared for our time with the family never materialized. But that's okay. Because when you knock gently, you aren't concerned that your gig plays out as much as the fact that there was someone who heard the knock, opened the door, and received what God had prepared for them. However simple that may be or however small your part in it.
Gentle knocking. A prepared heart. Simple obedience. And God keeps working.
Simply Serving,
Rod & De Ishmael
Petén, Guatemala
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Thank you for your faithful prayer covering and financial support for the work here in Guatemala.
Support and contributions may be sent to:
Crescent Lake Christian Center
1250 Saint Louis Ave
Excelsior Springs, MO 64024
Memo: Guatemala /Ishmaels
