Ah ha!

Matthew 6:31-33 

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

     

     I want to tell you about the biggest "Ah Ha" moment of my trip.  It came at the end of the first day building the homes.  We had just spent a very grueling first day building.  We did not realize prior to that day that we would have to carry all the building materials down the side of very steep hill, which had no good footing, and plenty of treacherous places where one could be hurt badly.  It was 90 plus degrees, and we were very satisfied that we had finished our first home.  Before we left the village to go back to our mission house and eat dinner, we were to scout the site of the next home to be built.  You see, each day we had to tear down the existing home (tent) before we built the new one.  

    It didn't really dawn on me until much later how trusting these folks were with us.  Into their village comes 17 strange white people from another country, and they let us tear down their home.  It wasn't much, but it is what they had.  What if we left, and didn't finish their home?  We would never have done that, but they certainly didn't know that.   It took a great amount of trust, but they knew up front that we came in the name of Christ, and so they put their trust in that.  

     So back to my story.  Madam Ville was the owner of the tent that we were going to rebuild the next day.  We went to her site to see how much work it would take to tear it down, and how hard it would be to level the spot.  She was a very nice woman, with a beautiful smile.  She invited us to come in her home.  Her tent was made of large tree branches that had been fastened together with nails and rope.  It was covered with a dark brown tarp, and a few strategically placed pieces of tin.    It was approximately 10x10.  She held the door open and we went inside.  

     It was dark inside even in the middle of the afternoon. There were some blankets on the floor where her family of seven would sleep at night.  Also there were a few makeshift chairs, and some utensils that she would use to prepare food.  That was it.  The air was heavy, so thick you could hardly breathe.  She hugged us, and thanked us for what we were about to do for her the following day.  Then, I spotted it.  Hanging in the middle of the tent was a piece of paper protected by some plastic.  My heart began to pound, and the tears began to fill my eyes.  Hanging in the middle of her tent was a copy of  "The Ten Commandments".  I was so humbled by this.  I felt dirty and unworthy of even being in her home.  Shortly after we walked back outside and assured her we would be back in the morning.  As we shut the door I noticed something else, another copy of  The Commandments hung on the front door.  I hadn't seen it on the way in because she was holding the door open.   It was like she had hung the second copy inside as if to say, "If you come in this home, make sure you know we serve God".  

    Here were these people who live in conditions that we just shake our head at, and they are grateful for what they have.  They trust that HE will provide them with what they need.  Not what they want, but what they need.  Madam Ville smiled and waived as we headed up the side of the mountain.  She knew we would return.  I was so tired and worn out, sticky with sweat and dirt, and yet I didn't even want to go back to the house at that point.  I couldn't wait to build her that new home and show her that we loved her, that God loved her.    I will never forget that moment when I saw the commandments hanging in that tent.  I will never forget, ever.