An Answer to Prayer

Here is a picture from a medical clinic we did a couple of weeks ago. In this one, Kaylee is working at registration. She had to translate for the team member and write in English the health problems the patients were having. Credit and thanks for the photo goes to a really nice man who has a great camera. His name is Don David. He was with the team that came from Oregon to minister in a clinic to over 1,000 people.

We just got back home from a wonderful blessing of God. Since arriving in Paraguay, I have had many invitations to preach. I have not accepted all of them, yet, because I don't feel confident in my ability to speak Spanish. In the last month or so, I have preached twice. Tonight  was the second time. I prayed a lot last week for God to help me with this sermon. I know that I don't have the ability to preach well in Spanish, not because I don't believe in myself. I just realize (as we all need to realize) that I can do nothing without the help of God.

Well, God answered my prayer. I don't feel like I preached well, but God used what I said to penetrate the heart of a young man. After closing the sermon, I invited those who wanted to be prayed for to come. I invited the pastor and the other missionaries there to come and pray for the people in the church. 

The invitation included three types of people: those who needed help with a problem in their lives (because there is no problem to big for God); those who had a felt they couldn't do what God has called them to do (because there is no one too small or without enough talent to do something for God); and those who wanted to accept the gift of salvation.

Here is where it really got challenging. Now, I had to pray for them IN SPANISH. Praying, in Spanish, for me is very difficult. I have to think completely different to pray in Spanish. I am learning to pray in Spanish. Every day, I try to pray some in Spanish. Well, several people wanted the missionary to pray for them. The church wasn't really big, but we had a good prayer time. 

Toward the end, a gentleman brought a young man who wanted to be prayed for. When I asked him what he wanted me to pray for, he told me he wanted prayer for his mom. I asked for what, and he told me that they didn't have a good relationship. He said that they fought all of the time, and he didn't want to fight with her anymore. I asked him if his mom had a relationship with Jesus. He said, "Yes." I asked if he had ever asked Jesus to save him. He said, "No." I explained that if he truly wanted to have a better relationship with his mom, and if he wanted to really love her that he need to have a relationship with Jesus, first. He said, "Can I accept Him now?" I told him that he could, and we prayed the sinner's prayer together. Well, at least I hope that is what we prayed. When I told this to another missionary, she said that maybe I just converted him to mormonism :) 

Well, we all know that God knows our heart. I now understand that God can take my simple message with simple Spanish and use it to bring someone into the family of God. I am so in love with God. He is amazing, and I know He can do whatever He wants to do to bring people into His kingdom. If God can use this simple, former U.P.S. driver to preach His word in a foreign (to me) language, then He can use whoever is willing to do His work.

Remember, there is no problem to big for God and there is no one to small to be used by God to do His work. Just ask Him. I am sure that He can use you if you are just willing to step out and do it.

Blessings,

Charley