Sarah Mamani is one of Five Talents program leaders in Bolivia. In this message she reflects on how surprising God can sometimes be.
A PROBLEM ON THE SHOULDERS:
Last week I received the news that some families do not have food. So, in the weekend I was thinking, how could I move more food to the church since my back does not allow me to carry heavy things. I looked for home delivery services, and I did not find anything that was accessible. Without realizing it, I was putting a lot of weight on my shoulders, trying to find a solution by myself. I was doing this because I didn't want to put another weight on anyone else. We can all go out only once a week, and none of us have a car to carry food.
LOOKING FOR THE SOLUTION:
Despite my doubts, I shared the need and the problem with our church. Everyone seemed to be worried, but as I assumed, they all had their own different problems to solve...more reasons to pray.
All I could do that weekend was keep on praying.
On Monday morning I woke up very early because just in this day I am allowed to go outside. I woke up early because I planned to go to several places and because we don't have public transport service running. My devotional verse said that morning, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." Mark 9:23.
GOD'S SOLUTIONS:
That same day someone knocked on the door of our church, the ex-treasurer of a savings group, a young dad who only had enough to take care of his family, but with great love, he offered his feet to take the food that was collected in the church to the families that needed it.
I had more time now, so I went to buy milk for a single mother who needed it for her baby. But when I was in the store, I received the news that someone from our church had gone at dawn to leave the milk and some other food.
I walked for an hour to get to a store where they had all the things we needed to buy with a low price, and I asked them to please take the products in their car to our church. They agreed to do it in the early hours of the next day .
We were also concerned about family cats and dogs, and on the way I met a woman who could also bring pet food to church.
I was very tired and with a pain in my back, but I hurried to go home before noon (the time we have to be at home). On the way, a man offered to take me and another person in his car. So, I got home on time comfortably.
A young teacher who had been away from Christ and our church for a long time came from far away, carrying two very large bags of food to donate to the church.
WHAT I LEARNED:
We all always have something to give, no one is too poor to help. I had learned this with savings groups in the past, but for some reason I thought that in our current situation this was very difficult to do. This day God showed me how wrong I was. God did everything for us, using the hands of someone whom I had not seen for years in church to bring food; He used the feet of someone who had nothing in his hands other than his good will to help; He used his people to achieve goals; He used his children to bless. God works on prayer and a heart of service. How sad it would have been if only one person worked. What a blessing it is to see God's people move by His Love; this is the Church.
"For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another." -Romans 12:4-5
As we honor Sarah’s convicting words, please note that this coming Tuesday, May 5th, is Giving Tuesday Now. Click here to make a gift to Five Talents.
