small steps

small steps

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Obedience.

I wish I had journaled more during my time in Kenya a few summers ago. At first it was easy, hours on airplanes making the journey to Africa left enough time to write down all my thoughts of anticipation of the weeks to come. When we arrived in Kenya and began to work I found myself completely overwhelmed to try and fully put each experience and each day into words. So, instead of detailed journals I made a brief outline of each day. Sometimes the outlines were just names of the sweet people God had brought into my life through the different experiences and opportunities we were having to serve each day. As I was flipping through my Kenya journal a few days ago, I realized I wanted to start writing down some of the stories of the names I had outlined. As I have prayed about the start of a new year, the memory of Faith remains etched on my heart and has come to the surface again in my life in new ways.

Faith was a young woman exactly my age who I met at a medical clinic we were helping with in a small village. Our days in the village were some of the most eye opening and heart stretching that I spent during our weeks in Africa. It was hard to grasp what everyday life was like for the people who lined up the street to come and seek medical care & at the same time it was humbling to witness their joy and spirit. There was a language barrier for us between many of the patients and my friend Collyn and I each had a translator working with us as we helped fit people for reading glasses.

When Faith sat down in the empty chair next to me, eyes bright and smile so white. I took a deep breath and tried my best to remember the correct phrases to try and draw a connection, "Jambo!" I said, which is Hello...and immediately she began to giggle. "Hello, my friend," was Faith's response. Instantly, a huge weight was lifted off of me...the first village person I had met who spoke English. My translator took the opportunity to take a break and Faith and I began sharing as I helped her try to find a pair of reading glasses that would work. She explained to me that she was actually named Faith by a missionary who helped deliver her in the small hut she had been born in down the road. It was not a common name in her village but she said she treasured it. Half way through our conversation, I realized she had a small baby strapped in a sling on her back. This was her mother's youngest child and it had become Faith's responsibility to care for her young sister. It was like she could read my thoughts and a moment later, her sweet baby sister was nestled in my arms.

I continued to listen as Faith shared with me her daily routine of caring for her siblings. That life was hard for her parents as her father would be gone for weeks working in the city and then bringing back what money he could to the village. She shared that often they spent the entire day working towards providing one meal for the 12 of them that lived in their small hut. She shared with me their struggle and her worry and as I rocked her sister and listened, my mind raced at what I could do...what I could give to this sweet girl and her sister.

She continued to go back and forth between different reading glasses on the table. She needed the weakest settings which we had several different options of frames for as many of the older patients we had seen needed stronger glasses. She'd pick up the mirror and look at herself and giggle. I was treasuring this time with her but I noticed that the line had started to pick up and more people were waiting for glasses.

As Faith made her final decision I asked her how I could pray for her in the coming days. "Just pray, my friend, that I could be joyful and obedient each day to the Lord...for He is good and has always taken care of me."

I had to fight back the tears. I tried to imagine myself in Faith's position and I could imagine having being asked the same thing that my response  may have been so different...that I would have asked for prayer for an escape, or for more money or resources, or for the opportunity to go to school or for my family to have a bigger place to live. Yet, sweet Faith's prayer request to me as she sat before me with bare feet and dirty clothes was that she could be joyful and obedient in God's calling for her.
And for Faith, on that day it was to take care of her sweet baby sister and to help her mother haul water and start a fire...that she would find joy and obedience in those tasks.

What a gift Faith gave me that day....it seems far greater than the small pair of reading glasses I was able to pass on to her. When I think of Faith I am reminded of Psalm 119:10, "I will seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands."

Sometimes, I think it's easy for us...for me to think about our current struggles or trials as an excuse to stray from obedience. I would have made more time to be in God's Word if I wasn't so busy at work or at home... I would have made more time to serve others if I didn't have so many family commitments... I would have...etc., etc. It's easy to do. I fall into this rut all too often.

But seeking God with my whole heart...living out God's Word means seeking obedience and joy in every circumstance...in each trial or struggle...in each day. Instead of making excuses or having regrets--to strive to live in faithful obedience in trust to our Father in Heaven who holds us in the palm of His hand.

A Father who is holding me at this very moment...at the start of a new year & who holds my sweet friend Faith; joyful and obedient...Happy New Year!