Posts have been few and far between ever since I started this blog. It's not from lack of effort to put together a post; it's from indecision. I simply have too many stories and thoughts and things to share with y'all! Every day I meet new people from all around the world and everyone has a story.
There's the Muslim man who could not believe the peace he found staying at a Christian hostel. The girls from Hawaii who didn't even intend to come to Amsterdam, but after a delayed flight ended up staying two days and attending church with me. The Mexican architect who struggled with speaking English, but still attended our evening prayer. The Texan who was incredibly fussy about all his food, but enjoyed speaking with us about the differences in churches in America and churches here in Holland.
Two nights ago, a physicist from Israel taught us line dancing at open mic night. When we closed the evening with prayer, he was shocked to learn that we didn't have to go to church to pray, that he could pray with us right there in the cafe. It was his first time experiencing Christian prayer.
A Korean man came planning on spending a week with us, but has kept extending his booking so that he has nearly been with us a month now. He eats most of his meals with us and attends every Bible discussion, always eager to learn and to share his knowledge of the Word. When I asked him why he choose to spend his vacation in Amsterdam rather than moving on, he replied that God had sent him here.
Then, there's the Albanian man who initially came to Amsterdam to reconnect with his son, but had difficulty with his ex-wife and was unable to meet with his son after all. When he first showed up at the hostel, he was contemplating suicide, wondering if there was a way to donate all his organs so that his death would benefit society. After talking to staff members, he became less attracted to suicide and more attracted to God. He also has continually extended his booking and, in fact, become good friends with the Korean man. The longer he stays with us, the more he opens up to the hope of Jesus Christ.
The problem with most of these stories is that they don't have a complete ending. I don't know what conclusion the Muslim man came to about finding peace at a Christian hostel. I don't know if the physicist thought any deeper about our evening prayer. I don't know if the Albanian has accepted Christ into his life. All I have is hope that somehow we have helped them on their path to God. I know God has a plan for all of the people who come through our hostel and while we might have an impact on their lives, we may never know. All we can do is trust that God knows what it is they need and to do our best to serve God by serving them.
"I have heard of people who have life-changing, miraculous turnarounds, but it was not like that for me. For all that "I was lost, I am found," it is probably more accurate to say, 'I was really lost. I'm a little less so at the moment.' And then a little less and a little less again. That to me is the spiritual life...It has taken years, though, and it is not over yet." Bono in 'U2 by U2'.
ReplyDeleteAnd then on what it means to minister in a hurting and alienated society... "A Christian community is a healing community, not because wounds are cured and pains are alleviated, but because wounds and pains become openings or occasions for a new vision." Henri Nouwen in 'The Wounded Healer'. (From our church bulletin this morning - thanks Dave!)
And then Paul in Romans 12:2 says "...be transformed by the renewing of your mind, demonstrating what God's will is, everything that's good and acceptable and perfect" (my paraphrase).
Sometimes big stories happen with nice packaging - and sometimes we just demonstrate what God's will is in quiet little ways. I like the quiet little ways. And I get to look forward to hearing the rest of the story when it's ready!
You are planting a seed or watering one that was previously planted. You will probably never know the end of the story of most of the people you minister to this side of Heaven, but think how you will rejoice when you see these folks in eternity! While it is frustrating for you to have the ending unfinished, I loved reading your post. You are blessed and a blessing. I hope you are taking pictures so you can remember all of these folks when your year is done.
ReplyDeleteI hope you get to see some of the finished stories. But it's pretty cool that you are doing what you know you ought to as it comes up. Somewhere along the line it will come back and blow your socks off. We reap what we sow and you are sowing some good stuff in these people's lives.
ReplyDelete