Day 1 Visit One

After getting our assignments for the day, each team headed out to hike. The mountains were beautiful, and I was so excited to be done with all the planes and trains for a few days and be in the mountains among the beautiful people.

Not far into our hike, we passed a home where several women were home and on the porch. The original intent was not to stop yet...we usually head in first and visit on the way out...but my heart was longing to stop. Thankfully our translator, felt we should stop, so we did.

It is common for multi-generations and multi-families to be living in a house. We passed out candy to the children and began to visit. As we were visiting, one of our team members noticed one of the ladies wearing a cross necklace. When he asked if she knew what the cross symbolized, she said no...she just bought it at the market. He asked if we could tell them what the cross symbolizes, and they were fine with it, so I had the amazing opportunity to tell them about Jesus and what He has done for all of us.

There is a place in the story where it is natural to stop and see what they understand and how they are feeling about the message and ask them if it's OK if we share more. It was at this point, that the eldest female talked about her confusion and how she could not understand, and how she was not ready to hear more because of her confusion.

I was reminded of 1 Corin. 2:14, "The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are follishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned."

I felt like you could visibly see the spiritual battle within her and the fear and the confusion Satan was throwing at her to keep her from understand the most beautiful truth of love, and hope and freedom that is available to her. It was so heartbreaking.

When we left, we gave the lady with the necklace the pictures drawn to help them understand the message. We told her to keep it and remember the meaning of the cross. Hopefully she will remember it and be able to share it with others and that one day their hearts will be penetrated by the message.

It was so difficult to see all the flies hovering all over the children.