And the rains came...

This past Saturday we went to Yata, the nearby town to do our biweekly visitations. As we were preparing to leave we heard thunder in the distance. The truck has been broken so we were going to be walking the 4 miles one-way to Yata. Thunder could have been a good excuse not to go…what if it rains on us and we have to walk all that way in the mud? That thought never even crossed the minds of the students here. We headed out and as we got close to the town, the winds started blowing dust storms all around us. We were coated in dust and you could not look back or you would be blinded by dust. It made me think of the Great Dust Storm in the Midwest. When we got to the first house it began to rain. We huddled in the small room with no light as it thundered and lightning all around us and rain poured down. We gave the worship and hurried to the next house. When we left this house we were swimming to get to the next house. There is no grass in their “yards” or around there houses so it is a muddy mess and very quickly becomes pools and rivers of water. It rained the whole time we visited houses and a little on the walk back. Everyone was home and was very appreciative of our visits. Working for God does not always mean the sky is sunny and the way is easy, but God still calls us to go!
I had another neat experience this week when I went to wash our clothes. I went while the students were working or else there is no room to wash. Another student, Ruth, was down there because she was sick and did not go to work that day. As we were washing she began to tell me her story. Each student here has a story and not one is alike but all are more difficult than anything I have had to experience. She said she wanted to go to the elementary school that is related to this school when she was in 8th grade, but her parents and her father in particular did not want her to go. Long story short she ended up sneaking out of her house to apply and her parents were very unhappy with her. Since going to the school she has learned about God and given her life to Him. She is no longer welcome in her house and when she visits they say mean things to her and blame the family problems on her. She goes to visit because she wants to share the hope she has found with them. At one point she wanted to kill herself and has gone through depression many times. This day that she was talking to me she said was one of those days she was feeling especially down. She said she felt like I was sent to wash clothes at that time. All I did was listen to her, offer encouragement and pray with her and she felt like I was sent by God to help her. WOW! How God uses us poor, pathetic human beings to be a light to others is amazing! Keep a smile on your face because you never know when God might be using you to be a light to others. Bugs are coming out more lately…from giant scorpions to very different looking moths, cockroaches, gnats, mosquitoes, bees, bats, spiders you name it and it is probably here, bigger and grosser than you have seen before and quite possibly in your bed. Classes have been going well and we have been working in the fields and garden with the kids. Jason was able to talk about spiritual lessons from working in the field with the students. Tomorrow they are burning the fields and then it will be time to saw down the rest of the trees and get ready to plant rice. Life continues in the routine and God continues teaching us lots of lessons!