Tuesday at the Oasis is a day set a side every week for the team to worship in the morning... this Tuesday morning we were blessed to join the Oasis team in their time of worship. We spent a great portion of the time sharing stories of "God Sightings". There were stories shared of how God impacted lives in small ways and in big ways too. It was so impactful for both teams to hear each others stories... and it was also a way God was using us to help each other. I love how God uses each of us to make an impact in others lives, sometimes with out us even knowing that we are do it.
The one comment that has stood out in my mind this week was that we were told the biggest impact our team could make on the refugees will be made by how we treat the refugees and how we treat each other. The missionaries said they hear story after story from refugees that what impacted the refugee the most at the Oasis was the merciful, loving and patient actions of the missionaries more then their words.
During our Tuesday morning worship I personally was blessed to see that in action... as we shared stories, one of the missionaries spoke about having comfort in her peace - as she said those words I felt God tugging on my heart to reach out to the team. See the night before I received word from home that my daughter was ill, and with her medical disorder any time she is ill it is a scary thing for us. Though I can admit openly now when I was notified about my daughter I was at peace with not being at home with her, but then guilt started to set in... how could I be ok being all the way in Austria when she was back in Amercia and possibly going to the hospital. I also felt guilt because several people have questioned my committment to by kids because I go on mission trips... Plus I felt guilt because I thought that is what I was suppose to feel.
After hearing this missionaries story I knew God was telling me the night before I should have comfort in my peace. I had know doubt God was completely in control of my daughters health, but it was all the other things that made be doubt the powerful peace I had in me. Once I shared the story with the team they stopped and took time to pray for my family - every prayer said by every person in the room made the peace in my heart grow stronger... When I talked to my daughter that night I told her many people were praying for her, she said that was great and she was already feeling better too. So thanks to God for surronding me by such merciful, loving and kind people... I know I have been changed by their actions.
So that was just Tuesday morning!!! Tuesday night God continued to work in our hearts by providing us the opportunity to meet a Chechen family. The photos above are of the family we spent the evening with. The family consists of a single mom and her 6 year old daughter, the mom's 2 brothers and her mom. The five of them share a one room apartment... not a one bedroom apartment, I mean a one room that consists of the kitchen in one corner, beds in another, one wall for cabinets to hold clothing, food and everyting else they own.
That night the mom provided a special Chechen dinner, but not just a simple dinner - but one that was made special becasue I have a food allergy. See weeks ago when David talked to this mom, she invited us for dinner but he told her I couldn't eat gluten... so what does she do - she went through her recipes to find something I could eat. Between her and David they found a meal that I could eat! How amazing was that... I am so thankful too. Once again it was the actions that spoke louder then any word could be said.
Prayer request: For the Chechen family, please keep them in your prayers because they mom has spent time being in a Catholic church so she has heard the truth about God, but the rest of the family are muslim and they challenge "this truth" she knows. We also ask that you please continue to pray for the Oasis team... that they continue to stay strong in their committment to be merciful to everyone that crosses their path.
Serving Him with Confidence!
Jeni
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