As I sat with Aaron contemplating the scene that was before me I felt tears well up in my eyes. My Patpatar friend sat holding her 14 year old boy, Jordan on her lap tightly trying to keep him from hurting himself. Just a minute earlier I had noticed him put his head on his mother’s shoulder. What was to come next was an epileptic fit. I sat shocked and not sure how to help my poor friend, but other believers that live in closer proximity to her knew what to do. They helped to hold Jordan in place as all of us as a body of believers sat waiting for the seizure to pass, and prayed for God’s protection on him. I glanced over to my coworker to see that her eyes matched mine. We were both crying as we thought of how much help is available in our home countries for physical ailments and situations such as these. Our friend lives with this 24 hours a day, and can hardly leave home because there isn’t help available. She just watches as her son goes through these difficult seizures and asks God to help him. I imagine that as a mother this is a very painful situation.
That meeting was so sweet for many reasons. One of the reasons was to share the burden of my sweet friend and know better how to pray for her. Another sweet memory is how the believers banded together to help and pray for Jordan. There was more, though. The fellowship around God’s Word was amazing. We have been doing a study on the family based out of the book of Ephesians, and this time around, for some reason, it is really resonating with the group of believers, and they are seeing that the way of life here is so very different from God’s Word. They are applying it and seeing changes in their families. This day was yet another step in them seeing how they are to be different in yet another way.
The subject of being unequally yoked was one of the subjects of the day. We were also talking about how a Godly marriage begins. This is yet another area that the church sees a need for change in their thinking. We have done this study 3 times, and yet this time around, these things are hitting home for them, and they are seeing how they can apply these truths from God’s Word. The discussion of single people and widows was also a subject, and it left room for our dear coworker to tell her story of how she’s remained single, why and how God has used it in her life.
This is an example of our times together on Wednesdays. We walk to the home of someone in the church and discuss the lesson from the Sunday before, and share how we are applying it in our lives. We share how God’s Word is changing us. This world is not my home, and I’m realizing the more I live according to God’s Word, the more I’ll be seen as a foreigner. The suffering I see, and the pain of missing those I love reminds me that this is not it. There’s something better to come.
Thankful for all of you, our supporters in prayer, finance, and encouragement,
Lori
PS – Aaron has just returned from a trip to the northern tip of the island 6 hours away. He was able to take Jordan and his parents to the local “haus sik” there and got some medicine for Jordan that should help him some.
Also, from the last update, the Pastor’s little boy who broke his leg is doing much better and it seems everything will be fine.
Jordan’s dad and others in the truck headed back to the village!