But more seriously

This has been a good time at this conference to talk with people and network with various folks who are working to build God's Kingdom in this country. I'm pretty tired, and in a way slightly discouraged just because I keep seeing SO many opportunities where our organization could do SO much good. But we're just so think on the ground that we can't do anything more than what we're already doing. Language really affects EVERYTHING that every one of the 120 people and the organizations that they represent, does. But I can't do hardly anything about it, except encourage people to think about what language would be most effective for them to use in the work that they're doing.

But it has also been incredibly encouraging to hear the stories and to see what God is doing in this country, both through expats like me, but more importantly, though the church leaders and people from this country. There are so many people here with such amazing vision and passion for God and for their people. It is encouraging to see what I am part of a bigger thing that God is doing here in this country. And it's amazing to see the unity that there is among the different organizations and church denominations in this country.

I was also especially encouraged by the devotion this morning, and I want to share it now, just so that I also remind myself :) One of the Bible translators who works with us shared the devotion on... um... uh oh, what was the passage now... I think it was 2 Kings 4 (I have it written down in my notebook!), but anyways, it's the story of Elisha and the widow whose sons were going to be taken into slavery to pay the debts of her husband. Elisha asked her, "What do you have?" "Nothing," she replied, "except this little bit of oil." And of course, God did a great miracle and took that small bit of oil which she didn't even count as an asset, and multiplied it so that it bought the very freedom of her sons.

I was so encouraged by that, because I keep feeling like I really have so little to offer. When people ask me here, "So what can you offer", I feel like that woman - I have "nothing", well, ok, maybe some expertise in language and mother tongue literacy and translation. So I just need to keep reminding myself that God can use these things which I hardly regard as an asset, and use it to bring freedom to the people in this country.