Letters and Life

I know the kids and staff of City Ministries in Nigeria have been fasting and praying for me ever since I left in April - well, they have not been fasting that whole time! But, they are seriously amazing prayer warriors and I am so incredibly blessed to have them lifting me up. A couple weeks ago I wrote a letter to them, which included pictures, and made 200 copies of it. In the letter I thanked them for praying and also shared with them what God is teaching me. I sent the letters with the Chicago team. Today I received pictures that Nicky took when she handed the letters out to the girls. She said the girls 'were so excited. They were dancing around and all trying to read at once.'


The first two pictures show the girls in their yard, looking at my letter.






Here is the 'grandmother' of the girls. She's a widow, who prayed for 3 years for God to give her a ministry. God brought her to us earlier this year to help care for our girls. Here she is, returning from collecting firewood, with the girls showing her the letter I wrote. I love this picture!


Nicky said that they have all written me back already and I'll get their letters when the Chicago team returns. Yeah!!

I have not always been so good at taking action shots, and I love how these pictures show the girls in their environment. Very African. :)

Also, I am amazed at how much impact we can have on people's lives, without even realizing it. These girls have blessed me so much and I have learned many things from them. God has given me such deep love for them that it hurts - I suppose it may be similar to the love a mom has for her own children. Like these girls watched every move I made, heard every word I said, and noticed every facial expression while I was in their presence.... we are being watched every day. People all around us are seeking peace, joy, love and satisfaction. Are they seeing these characteristics in our faces and our lives? ... In the lines at Target, while waiting for our food at a restaurant, while pumping gas, during church? I definitely need to step up my personal time with the Lord. Only during those quiet moments will I really become filled with His Holy Spirit and then these characteristics will overflow out of a heart who knows her Master and worships Him through her life.