Everyday, every week, every trip, we at Praying Pelican witness God among us. We get to experience the BIG incredible life transformations, people coming to Christ, a house being built for a single mother - but we also get to experience the LITTLE moments that are equally incredible, but are completely different. The child who looks up at you and you see Christ in their eyes, the mother down the street who laughs so hard she doubles over as she dances with a team member. These are the stories that make up our weeks, days, moments.
These are the stories of God among us, in the BIG and in the LITTLE. Follow along as we share...
We are the Storytellers.
My first week serving in Miami was exciting for me! I was looking forward to playing with kids and helping out in children’s ministry- which is something I don’t get to do much of in Tucson. I was pumped! I was going to pour out my love on these children.
Then I got sick. I knew I felt a little funny on Friday when I arrived but I thought maybe it was just exhaustion. I just kept thinking I was tired until Monday when my throat felt like I was swallowing fire. By Tuesday I had a high fever and just wanted sleep.
So, you got sick. Big deal.
It was. I wanted so bad to play with kids but I knew I couldn’t, in good faith, go out and play with kids if I was sick. So I sat back. I took a lot of naps. I wasn’t really able to be involved in the week of ministry. I still had a week left after that trip and I needed to regain my health. 55 students came from Colorado to serve in Miami. Lots of kids came to the VBS, lots of kids were at the school we went to. But I was checked out. Only God gave me the strength that I needed to do what needed to be done, but it was clear that my body needed rest- so the things I didn’t HAVE to do- were delegated to other staff, like playing with the children.
But God is good. He knows that I am filled when I get to pour into other people and be relational. He knows because He created me to be like that. So when we “accidently” ran into a Muslim family and tried to help them find their keys, I know that God was answering a prayer I hadn’t even prayed yet.
The day the team left, the PPM staff all went to enjoy come cuban sandwiches and just relax. This is where we saw this woman and her father searching frantically for her keys. She dropped them when she had a fight with her husband. We helped search without much luck. They were from Bangladesh and spoke broken English and weren’t sure what they should do next. Hailey, one of the PPM staff, asked me if we could help them figure out the next steps and possibly give them a ride if they needed. Absolutely! But first, we had to run a few errands and empty the car before anyone else could fit.
When we got back, they were still there and searching for their keys. We helped them call a tow truck and figure out those next steps which included getting the car towed. While Hailey was talking with the woman, I was sitting with the father. He told me they needed to get home before 8pm so they could break Ramadan. Then he proceeded to ask us why we were helping him especially since we weren’t even from the area.
He asked- so I told him. Because that’s what Jesus would want me to do. That is what Jesus called me to do. At the name of Jesus I could tell he wanted to talk about his God, Allah and his view of Jesus. We continued the conversation about God, Allah, and the prophet Jesus. I had the wonderful opportunity to share with him the saving grace and mercy of Jesus. He said he didn’t agree, but that he still appreciated my doing good and that it would be a good mark on my record to get me to Heaven. I asked Him if I could pray for him, and I did- with him staring at me the whole time which, admittedly, was quite awkward for me. He then invited us to their home to break Ramadan fast with them. Hailey and I accepted and took them home and broke fast with them. It was an amazing experience in a lot of ways. Though I do not believe that Islam is the way to Jesus, the dedication that this man had to fasting and praying was quite convicting to me. I truly enjoyed their hospitality and their openness.
It was the perfect ending to a week of ministry that I loved watching from afar, but wished I could have been more involved in. God reassured me that He knows me and knows my needs and that I need to trust Him enough to let him give me what I need- relationships, relational ministry, the chance to help someone.
I long for those moments, not only because they fill me to the brim with joy but because they bring glory to Jesus and He allows me to be part of bringing him the glory!
To God be the Glory. He is my redeemer, my friend, my Lord. He knows me, my needs, my desires- even before I ask for them.
#storytellers
Be sure to check out another story about Haiti here: http://ericandbeth.us/storytellers-guest-blog-experiencing-culture-shock-in-my-own-culture/
These are the stories of God among us, in the BIG and in the LITTLE. Follow along as we share...
We are the Storytellers.
My first week serving in Miami was exciting for me! I was looking forward to playing with kids and helping out in children’s ministry- which is something I don’t get to do much of in Tucson. I was pumped! I was going to pour out my love on these children.
Then I got sick. I knew I felt a little funny on Friday when I arrived but I thought maybe it was just exhaustion. I just kept thinking I was tired until Monday when my throat felt like I was swallowing fire. By Tuesday I had a high fever and just wanted sleep.
So, you got sick. Big deal.
It was. I wanted so bad to play with kids but I knew I couldn’t, in good faith, go out and play with kids if I was sick. So I sat back. I took a lot of naps. I wasn’t really able to be involved in the week of ministry. I still had a week left after that trip and I needed to regain my health. 55 students came from Colorado to serve in Miami. Lots of kids came to the VBS, lots of kids were at the school we went to. But I was checked out. Only God gave me the strength that I needed to do what needed to be done, but it was clear that my body needed rest- so the things I didn’t HAVE to do- were delegated to other staff, like playing with the children.
But God is good. He knows that I am filled when I get to pour into other people and be relational. He knows because He created me to be like that. So when we “accidently” ran into a Muslim family and tried to help them find their keys, I know that God was answering a prayer I hadn’t even prayed yet.
The day the team left, the PPM staff all went to enjoy come cuban sandwiches and just relax. This is where we saw this woman and her father searching frantically for her keys. She dropped them when she had a fight with her husband. We helped search without much luck. They were from Bangladesh and spoke broken English and weren’t sure what they should do next. Hailey, one of the PPM staff, asked me if we could help them figure out the next steps and possibly give them a ride if they needed. Absolutely! But first, we had to run a few errands and empty the car before anyone else could fit.
When we got back, they were still there and searching for their keys. We helped them call a tow truck and figure out those next steps which included getting the car towed. While Hailey was talking with the woman, I was sitting with the father. He told me they needed to get home before 8pm so they could break Ramadan. Then he proceeded to ask us why we were helping him especially since we weren’t even from the area.
He asked- so I told him. Because that’s what Jesus would want me to do. That is what Jesus called me to do. At the name of Jesus I could tell he wanted to talk about his God, Allah and his view of Jesus. We continued the conversation about God, Allah, and the prophet Jesus. I had the wonderful opportunity to share with him the saving grace and mercy of Jesus. He said he didn’t agree, but that he still appreciated my doing good and that it would be a good mark on my record to get me to Heaven. I asked Him if I could pray for him, and I did- with him staring at me the whole time which, admittedly, was quite awkward for me. He then invited us to their home to break Ramadan fast with them. Hailey and I accepted and took them home and broke fast with them. It was an amazing experience in a lot of ways. Though I do not believe that Islam is the way to Jesus, the dedication that this man had to fasting and praying was quite convicting to me. I truly enjoyed their hospitality and their openness.
It was the perfect ending to a week of ministry that I loved watching from afar, but wished I could have been more involved in. God reassured me that He knows me and knows my needs and that I need to trust Him enough to let him give me what I need- relationships, relational ministry, the chance to help someone.
I long for those moments, not only because they fill me to the brim with joy but because they bring glory to Jesus and He allows me to be part of bringing him the glory!
To God be the Glory. He is my redeemer, my friend, my Lord. He knows me, my needs, my desires- even before I ask for them.
#storytellers
Be sure to check out another story about Haiti here: http://ericandbeth.us/storytellers-guest-blog-experiencing-culture-shock-in-my-own-culture/
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