Reminder that Missions prayer is this Thursday at 7:00 P.M. in the Prayer Room. We will be having Fran who is home on furlough share a little about what's going on with Nepal, and with the girls home there. She will also be giving us some updated prayer requests. See you there.
This is the second of a two part post about Lilly and her adventure in a certain Central Asian country. She was gifted two weeks off from work, and I asked her to briefly write about what she felt called to do with those two weeks, and how the Lord used it for His glory. If you haven't read the first part, go back and read the last post.
Lilly continues and writes
" While there, I stayed at the home for the girls and participated in the activities they do, such as visiting a pediatric long term special needs facility, and visiting an orphanage which also serves as a refugee shelter. It was heart breaking to see kids that are so tiny in stature that kids that are fourteen year old appear no older or larger than a six year old. The hair of every child there is kept short because of lice. The overall hygiene conditions were better than some orphanages/boarding schools I’ve seen but there are still some very serious problems concerning their care. One in particular that broke my heart was to see how the children are sat in rows in front of the TV all day! They receive no stimulation, no one plays with them, and those who have a simple learning disability are treated equally as those who suffer from a severe disability. However, there were a handful of older boys that were doing landscaping around the facility. Fortunately, within the last two years money has been poured into the facility and it is in much better shape compared to other facilities I saw there.
I also came along for a the routine weekly visit at a psychiatric facility that houses over 900 people, starting from age six all the way to geriatrics. This facility can best be described as “Byeberry”. The children’s ward did receive some government funding and is recently renovated. The children there were excited to see the familiar faces of their visitors, and to also eat a cookie which we brought for each of them. The geriatrics ward was in poor shape and so were the people. The inside of the building was at least ten degree’s colder than the outside; causing the team I was with to shiver in our coats as we shared pastries with the patients who had on their sweaters. We were able to distribute some warm clothing to the patients but in the end the staff quickly snatched them away. A mini miracle happened when one of the head nurses of the women’s ward not only let us come in, but also distribute clothing and cookies directly to the patients. Walking through the ward was heart breaking. These women are much like special needs prisoners that have absolutely no hope of rehab or being allowed outside to be in the sunshine. The living conditions were deplorable.
On a high note, in the end I was rather surprised to see why God had led me to come to this country. You see, the Lord showed me that it wasn't necessarily what I could "do" there, but rather more about just "being" there for the missionaries . The long-term missionaries here are going through trials from every aspect of their lives. The death of an infant, change in leadership, change in housing, a possible miscarriage, and just regular discouragement in ministry were laying heavy on the hearts of many there. For the heart and soul that is cast down, sometimes the best medicine is a listening heart, scripture, and prayer. A random foreigner visiting can not heal the broken hearts and strengthen the feeble, but the eternal God who is sovereign over everything most certainly can. The Holy Spirit can comfort the broken and guide those who seek direction. The Holy Spirit can come like sweet rain and rushing water, and all that has been invested and planted into the people of this country, I believe will bare a bountiful harvest. Being supported in prayer and being encouraged by the church are the greatest needs here for the long term missionaries. Please be praying for them. I know how much they need it right now. Oswald Chambers said it best, “Prayer does not fit us for the greater work, prayer is the greater work.”
Amen, thanks so much for writing this Lilly, and for pouring out your life for our Savior !
blessings,
carlos
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