When I was a kid, long before 9/11 and fear of terrorism, I remember the
gasping noises my parents would make when they were pulling into the
driveway and saw an unmarked paper bag sitting by the front door. They
weren’t afraid of what might be in the bag. They knew exactly what was in
the bag; dozens of monster size zucchini. Our generous neighbors had scored
by leaving an anonymous gift.
Unbeknownst to those anonymous neighbors and to my parents who helped us children to learn to enjoy eating squash, saying, “If you finish your plate
of zucchini you can have dessert;” they were training me for my future life
as a missionary.
[Auntie Pinang and Uncle Gabino giving us Squash]
Thanks to the great tropical climate, we can have squash all year round.
Our generous neighbors often share their squash with us. They are really,
really generous. Uncle Gabino will bring us part of a raw squash at 5 pm
and will often show up again 7 pm with an additional gift of cooked squash.
Heidi has the routine down. “When your plate of squash is gone, you can have
dessert,” she says. Thanks to my great upbringing, I’m happy to comply.
Prayer Requests:
- Our co-worker in a different village, Dennis Easton, has boils on his legs
and has gone to town for medical help. - Praise that an R-66 helicopter was donated to help with missionary work here in the Philippines.
- Pray for those who will be fixing it up and preparing it to be shipped to
the Philippines. - Pray that God’s Word will have a great impact on the lives of many.
- Pray that the Bible lessons I’m writing this week will encourage the
listeners to seek God’s grace.
From Heidi’s Journal:
I had the joy this week to visit with a few different ladies who shared what
a difference the Lord has made in their lives. One friend said she still
gets angry, but it is different now than before. She said that when she was
angry before trusting in Christ, there was no end to it. She could seethe
for a month or more and it affected her body and her relationships. Now,
when she feels she is getting angry, she takes it to the Lord and he gives
her the ability to forgive and have patience.
Two other ladies visited on the porch and, with a light in their eyes, said
that they are amazed at how much freedom they have in Christ. They used to
spend days in the hot sun, gathering special vines for spirit offerings to
put in their rice fields. Now, they can use that time more productively.
They also said that eating salt with their rice was forbidden during the
first few days of harvest. They would stagger in the hot sun as they worked.
They are praising God for his love and goodness to them, knowing that their
harvest comes from him and he does not want appeasement. He just wants us to trust him