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| Kari with English Club girls (Summer 2013) |
It was two years ago, and I remember it well because I've
shared the story many times. My teammate and I were in this beautiful small
town on the coast of the South China Sea. Our mission: share Truth with all
English speakers we encountered. And so we did. We met countless friends, drank
coffee together, laughed together, shared life together, and in the end, we all
cried together. We fell in love. We fell in love with these people, and our
hearts ached at the reality of their lostness. So we did all that we could do
to "compel them to come in."
She has a big, beautiful smile that decorates her face quite
often, and the sweetest of spirits. I can't tell you how many times we shared
Truth with her that summer, and every time we saw her a few days later I would
ask, "do you remember the story of the Son we talked about last
time?" She never failed to reply (with a smile on her face and confusion
in her eyes), "um, no I don't remember. I don't understand." How
frustrated I was!
It was the last week. (Read the original story) The end of the summer was drawing to a
close, and this was our last chance. Our friends were meeting us for our weekly
"English Club" and we were preparing to tell,in gruesome detail, the
death of the Son on the cross and his glorious resurrection. The day came, and
it was pouring rain. Despite the confusion due to the rain, we had quite a few
of our friends show up. The rain was loud, hitting the tin roof we were under.
"Can they even hear the story?" I thought, "Do they understand
it?" (Before, we would often have to stop to explain confusing words and answer
questions.)
I interrupted the story to make sure. "No Kari, we understand.
Please don't interrupt again." They all scooted closer to hear. Jesus
died, and then I saw the tears. "Don't you know he did this for you!"
I wanted to scream. Then, he came back to life. The girl with the beautiful
smile came to me afterwards with tears in her eyes and said, "Thank you!
Thank you for sharing the story with me. I did not understand before, but I
understand now, and now I can tell others."
That is not the end of the story. A year later, I received a
Facebook message from the girl with the beautiful smile. "I love him like
you love him," it said. I rejoiced! But I also doubted. I wanted more than
anything to go there, to talk to her. This last week, I did. I saw her beautiful
smile, hugged her neck, ate two meals at her house, and asked her about her
message. "Yes Kari, of course I am a believer. Remember, you shared the
story with me," she said with a huge smile. "I have told my family
that I am a Christian and I read the Book you gave me." My heart rejoices!
I am reminded that "those who sow in tears will reap with songs of
joy."
Please pray for the girl with the beautiful smile. She needs
opportunities to grow in her faith, and people to help her study the Book.
Thank you Lord for the harvest!