Exhausted, tired, and frustrated, I stepped onto the bus to head to a nearby campus to meet a new friend. While my feet were taking steps towards the campus gate, everything inside of me was wanting to go back to my apartment and rest. After two weeks of training in the States, 30 hours of travel, jet lag and long days of training and set up errands since arriving, I have been feeling very drained, so spending an evening that could have been free time to meet a friend was not what my flesh was wanting. Thank goodness God doesn’t tire pursuing us as easily as I do!
Zylee and I met Amanda with one of the long term workers. We headed to the stadium surrounding the track to sit and talk. We talked about Jeremy Lin, anime, food and so much more…but then we got to the good stuff. We asked Amanda if she had ever heard about God. She told us how she had read stories from the Bible about creation, Adam and Eve, Noah and Moses. We proceeded to tell her about Jesus and how God wants to be her friend. After we had explained the Gospel to her, I asked her if she wanted to be God’s friend, tears welled up in my eyes as she responded, “How could I refuse?” The innocence in her eyes as she was amazed by the realization of how God has pursued her for 19 years wanting to be her friend was so humbling. How could I have wanted to be anywhere else but with her in that moment?!
We then explained to our new sister that God wants us to share this with others. She was so excited to be able to tell her 5 roommates about this gift God gave her. We then spent a few moments asking God for her friends… The words Amanda used as she talked to God were so genuine and potent. I was so moved by the way she talked to God.
Thank you so much for standing with me. Your prayers and financial support are changing the eternal lives…lives like my friend and now sister, Amanda. Thank you!