The Kingdom of God is a community of cheering, joyful Persians watching a ping pong tournament.
It is children running and laughing, singing about Christ.
It is a quirky Albanian leading a band of Afghani boys in shenanigans.
It is South African, American, and Perisan women dancing by the sea.
The Kingdom of God contains fathers holding their little girls, leading down gently to kiss their foreheads.
It is a 68-year old women rock-climbing above the cheers from those who love her.
It is a phyiscally-disabled child not allowing her handicap from keeping her from praising Jesus.
It is people from 5 continents all worshiping God in their native language.
The Kingdom of God was experienced in a little camp this past week.
If you stand with your back to the sea and stare up at Porto Astro camp, gazing at the red dirt paths scattered with rocks, the mountains, and the Middle Eastern children sprinting across a soccer field, you may feel as if you have arrived in Afghanistan. This week at camp, fully funded by a church in America, offered 21 Persian families a week to spend with each other, being fed hearty meals for both their stomachs and their souls, and being loved by the body of Christ. This is holy ground, a refuge, for these people who have been running for so long.
Even through working long days and feeling mentally and physically exhausted each night as I hit the pillow (only to wake up to a rat in our room!), this people have given me such joy. With the little Farsi I know and the little English they know, I was not able to have many conversations; however, these friends have shown me love through their hugs and smiles. The little boys I worked with and I have bonded over laughter. I spent most of the week working with a young teenager who has muscular-dystrophy. Her body essentially has no muscles; she cannot stand, move her neck, or go to the bathroom by herself. Despite this, she has such a heart for Christ and beams with joy. As the week progressed, I noticed more and more children interacting with her, playing and talking. She did not allow her disability to keep her from kayaking or going on the zip line. The camp gave her opportunities for good nutrition and to swim every day using flotation devices. Her once-shriveled arms and legs began to extend and her balance improved enough for her to sit in a chair by herself (versus being in a stroller -not even a wheelchair). It is hard to know this improvement will probably reverse itself as she ends back to Athens.
Another highlight from this week was the joy of my little friend, E. Even though I did not see his mom at the camp and he has endured hardships I cannot even fathom as a 8-year old, his smile is so large you can see his back teeth! He loves on the other kids and the staff members, always politely asking how we are doing. Additionally, on the last day the refugees were taken for a tube ride on one of those large bananas. A group full of older women flipped and all fell into the water. After the panicking and laughter, a women shared her first thought as she plunged into the clear sea water. I am going to drown and I have not become a Christian yet. This camp had many people accept Jesus into their lives or have expressed interest in knowing more about the Christian faith.The Holy Spirit was alive and active in their hears their hearts this week.
Prayer Requests:
- That the new believers will continue in the faith amongst persecution
- That the others will find the hope we possess
- For health, both for the refugees and the staff
Praises:
- The refugees at the camp expressed that they felt love this past week, but not because we are nice people but because we possess the love of Jesus
- Chach and I were able to pick up on a good amount of Farsi!
- The incredible staff at the camp, the short-term teams for North Carolina and Sweden who helped this week, and the bonding that took place between the Greek organizations
It is children running and laughing, singing about Christ.
It is a quirky Albanian leading a band of Afghani boys in shenanigans.
It is South African, American, and Perisan women dancing by the sea.
The Kingdom of God contains fathers holding their little girls, leading down gently to kiss their foreheads.
It is a 68-year old women rock-climbing above the cheers from those who love her.
It is a phyiscally-disabled child not allowing her handicap from keeping her from praising Jesus.
It is people from 5 continents all worshiping God in their native language.
The Kingdom of God was experienced in a little camp this past week.
If you stand with your back to the sea and stare up at Porto Astro camp, gazing at the red dirt paths scattered with rocks, the mountains, and the Middle Eastern children sprinting across a soccer field, you may feel as if you have arrived in Afghanistan. This week at camp, fully funded by a church in America, offered 21 Persian families a week to spend with each other, being fed hearty meals for both their stomachs and their souls, and being loved by the body of Christ. This is holy ground, a refuge, for these people who have been running for so long.Even through working long days and feeling mentally and physically exhausted each night as I hit the pillow (only to wake up to a rat in our room!), this people have given me such joy. With the little Farsi I know and the little English they know, I was not able to have many conversations; however, these friends have shown me love through their hugs and smiles. The little boys I worked with and I have bonded over laughter. I spent most of the week working with a young teenager who has muscular-dystrophy. Her body essentially has no muscles; she cannot stand, move her neck, or go to the bathroom by herself. Despite this, she has such a heart for Christ and beams with joy. As the week progressed, I noticed more and more children interacting with her, playing and talking. She did not allow her disability to keep her from kayaking or going on the zip line. The camp gave her opportunities for good nutrition and to swim every day using flotation devices. Her once-shriveled arms and legs began to extend and her balance improved enough for her to sit in a chair by herself (versus being in a stroller -not even a wheelchair). It is hard to know this improvement will probably reverse itself as she ends back to Athens.
Another highlight from this week was the joy of my little friend, E. Even though I did not see his mom at the camp and he has endured hardships I cannot even fathom as a 8-year old, his smile is so large you can see his back teeth! He loves on the other kids and the staff members, always politely asking how we are doing. Additionally, on the last day the refugees were taken for a tube ride on one of those large bananas. A group full of older women flipped and all fell into the water. After the panicking and laughter, a women shared her first thought as she plunged into the clear sea water. I am going to drown and I have not become a Christian yet. This camp had many people accept Jesus into their lives or have expressed interest in knowing more about the Christian faith.The Holy Spirit was alive and active in their hears their hearts this week.
Prayer Requests:
- That the new believers will continue in the faith amongst persecution
- That the others will find the hope we possess
- For health, both for the refugees and the staff
Praises:
- The refugees at the camp expressed that they felt love this past week, but not because we are nice people but because we possess the love of Jesus
- Chach and I were able to pick up on a good amount of Farsi!
- The incredible staff at the camp, the short-term teams for North Carolina and Sweden who helped this week, and the bonding that took place between the Greek organizations
how important it is to find the PRAISES in every day. you will continue to be used greatly by God as you let Him move through you. and though you may not understand their language, and they might not understand you, everyone can understand a smile or a hug. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Holly! I appreciate the encouragement. I am praying for you this summer and your work in Minneapolis. I saw a picture and that site is actually one we spent a night at when I worked for YW. It is such a great location!
ReplyDeleteBlessings!