As In a Mirror

Yay! Another Inspiring Story (finally!) on As In A Mirror! This one is the testimony of Richmond Wandera, a man from Uganda whose life was changed for the better by a 15-year-old girl in the United States who decided to sponsor him through Compassion International. Please watch these videos to see how compassion effects a chain reaction of lives changed for the better!

For more Inspiring Stories, visit In Defense of the Christian Faith!

UPDATE: Another Compassion story, courtesy the Compassion Blog.

We walked on a muddy path that wound through cornfields. The stalks reached above our heads on either side as the rain continued its lazy sprinkling.

There is nothing in the world like visiting a Compassion-assisted child’s home. Absolutely nothing. Nothing can prepare you for the sights, the sounds, the smells. Most of all, nothing can prepare you for the beating your heart is about to take. It’s like you got in a fight with the Holy Spirit. And every time, the Holy Spirit leaves you limping and bruised and, thankfully, a better person for the battle.

We arrived at Cesar’s house and ducked inside. Sheets of blue plastic formed a barrier against the rain, but nothing could stop the water and mud we tracked inside. Stools were brought in for us, and several of us sat on the three beds that took up most of the space.

Cesar’s mother welcomed us warmly. I loved hearing the word “Dios” so often as she spoke. But her story was heartbreaking. Her husband had left her. But before he abandoned her, he had beaten her. What must it have been like for Cesar, the youngest in his family, to watch his mother beaten by the man who was supposed to be his role model?

And then Cesar spoke to us. He told us about having to drop out of school this year because there wasn’t enough money. This quiet 15-year-old explained that he would have to begin working in a fabric plant soon.
And then I watched as every person in that room spoke words of encouragement to this brave, beautiful, inspiring young man.

God has a plan for you.

You will succeed.

You can do anything.

You are talented.

We are proud of you.

We love you.

And I watched as tears poured down his face.

He was ready to give up. You could feel it in every fiber of his being.

But somehow, now, I know that he won’t. Don’t ask me how. I just know.

I know because I watched a sponsor envelop Cesar in his arms. I watched that sponsor’s heart break. And in that brokenness, I saw determination.

Cesar and his family knelt while our group circled around him.

We prayed, our words thick with tears.

Their prayers were fervently whispered.

And the rain began to pour, thundering on the roof.

I have never heard a more beautiful sound.

After the last amen, Cesar’s mother rushed into the yard. I watched her grab a stick, and begin poking at the pear tree in their yard.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Pears fell to the ground. She picked them up and brought them to us.

“Muchas gracias,” she said to us.

“Gracias,” we repeated.

She wanted so badly to give us something back.

Little did she know how full our hearts already were.

Courtesy of Compassion International: http://blog.compassion.com/child-poverty-a-pear-and-prayer/#ixzz0vJqu5nch

Filed under : Inspiring Story

2 Comments »

I just found out today that Kerry Hasenbalg, co-founder and former Executive Director of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI), who is now serving as a stay-at-home/homeschooling Mom to her two children and wife of Scott Hassenbalg, the Executive Director of Shaohannah’s Hope, had a beautiful baby girl this past Thursday, July 8th! Over the last five years, Kerry has lost three little babies, but has been faithfully believing God for another child, though she did not know at first if it would be hers or adopted. Still, she and her family trusted God and He blessed them the other day with a wonderful little girl! Her name is Leah Joy, because God has turned their sorrow into joy!

For some of us, this news comes in the midst of great trial and pain. Not too long ago, we lost our Mom’s Dad, and though it caused a lot of grief this side of heaven, we have hope. The more I look death in the face, I see so clearly that death and pain are not what God planned for us, but He still works through it; our God is amazing; He is just not stopped at anything!

So while the agony and loss that comes from so many different things can still grip my heart from time to time, I rejoice greatly for the Hasenbalgs. I have been following Kerry’s journey even before I started my own blog, so I guess to a degree I feel like I have been traveling this road with her. And like her son said, “God has been so good to us!” Amen! God is ALWAYS so good! To read all about it and see pictures of the new arrival, go to Kerry’s blog.

“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me,
Because the LORD has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD,
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn,
3 To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.” (Isaiah 61:1-3)”

James 1 tells us to count it all joy when we fall into various trials, because the testing of our faith produces patience. It goes on to say that God does not test anyone, but He is the giver of all good things. Kerry and her family have experienced great trial, but they endured and waited for God to bring triumph out of the calamity, and He did! He is always faithful to His word, and this family was faithful in waiting on Him! God bless them!

For more Inspiring Stories, visit In Defense of the Christian Faith.

Filed under : Inspiring Story

4 Comments »

Just read on the Mission Aviation Fellowship website that the house built and occupied by Nate Saint, in the MAF base at Shell Mera, Ecuador, is being restored! It has been used by MAF pilots as a pilot’s family’s home/radio station/ guesthouse since Nate built it. However, it has been the victim of the jungle: termites and rain have taken their toll on what is not only a residence and house of great work, but a monument to one of the most important events in mission history. Thus, Chris Nevins and a team have decided to restore this building! Read the entire story here.

Filed under : Inspiring Story, Missions, Operation Auca

1 Comment »

This week’s Inspiring Story (first in a while!) is a video about Gracia Burnham, the missionary to the Philippines who had been held hostage with her husband by the Abu Sayaaf. Maybe you remember the story, but this 5 minute video summarizes the story that Gracia writes about in her books In the Presence of My Enemies and To Fly Again. Amazing, heart-rending story, and to think that such stories are so common, but not all of them get such media attention. God bless this faithful woman.

For more Inspiring Stories, visit In Defense of the Christian Faith.

Filed under : Books, Inspiring Story, Missions

Comments Off

Back in September (wow!) I posted about how the five missionaries to Ecuador and the Indians who speared them heard and saw angels singing above the trees, in an Inspiring Story called “Choirs of Angels.” Maybe some of you remember that Kimo said that one track off the Beyond the Gates of Splendor soundtrack was what he heard that day. Well, guess what? At the movie’s official website, you can play that track, called “Every Tribe, Every Nation”!! How cool!!! Really an awesome piece; awesome story.

I also apologize to my friends out there, for not posting Inspiring Stories recently! It’s not that I don’t know of any, but I have been having difficulty finding the time to tell them properly on this blog. I also apologize for not getting to my Story Updates for a while… same story there, just not the time right now. Course, I know that you all forgive me but I am still sorry, cuz I know y’all like them as much as I like yours.

So at any rate, take a moment to listen to the soundtrack, eh? It’s really amazing, tells a story without words.

“Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying:

“ You are worthy to take the scroll,
And to open its seals;
For You were slain,
And have redeemed us to God by Your blood
Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
And have made us kings and priests to our God;
And we shall reign on the earth.” (Revelation 5:8-10)

Filed under : Inspiring Story, Music

3 Comments »