Saturday, was an interesting day. Many children and staff have been sick and DJ was visiting our home church in the states. It was time for the Schmidt family to jump in and "take it up a notch" as my friend Mary likes to say.
David helped one of the groups with putting in a sidewalk for one of staff to have better wheelchair accessibility. Tyler was busy retrieving things for various adults and running messages and I tried to fill in wherever needed.
By the evening I had to decide whether to stay at the orphanage or go to the church service. I was torn. I emailed my sister to pray for direction with me. I made the decision to go to the service and leave the boys to help Lynette back at the orphanage. She still was feeling ill and usually would be on the worship team at church.
When I got to the service, I really enjoyed it. There was a teaching given by a guest speaker and at the end I was asked to play my sax with the Pastor's daughter, Sophia, at the piano/ keyboard. There I was playing a song I hadn't ever heard before, making myself available and asking God to use me. A call to receive Christ as Savior was given. Many came, but one person in particular caught my attention. Her name is Heidi.
The previous week I had gone to a baby shower for Heidi that was given by the missionary Physician that has a clinic at the local church. Sarah (the missionary) had invited the ladies on staff at the orphanage and the ladies at church to help her throw a surprise baby shower for Heidi. Heidi had absolutely nothing to care for a baby and no family. I went mostly to keep myself involved and open to how God might use me even though I had no way of really sharing my faith by "words". God had another plan.
I attended with no gift. Sarah brought extra and told Heidi that one of her extra gifts were from me. That was very humbling, but I had no money to purchase a gift. But that wasn't important to Sarah. She just wanted Heidi to have a good representation of people who loved God and wanted Heidi to see the love of God showed to her through us.
Heidi was very moved that we would throw her a baby shower. She received more gifts than I have ever seen at one baby shower. Once again I was struck by the generosity and hospitality of the people of Baja. It was all about helping Heidi.
Getting back to Saturday night's church service. Heidi was one of the people who came forward to receive Christ. Though I was not able to communicate with my words the love of God to her, I was able to attend a baby shower, smile and write a note of encouragement to her that someone else would later interpret.
David helped one of the groups with putting in a sidewalk for one of staff to have better wheelchair accessibility. Tyler was busy retrieving things for various adults and running messages and I tried to fill in wherever needed.
By the evening I had to decide whether to stay at the orphanage or go to the church service. I was torn. I emailed my sister to pray for direction with me. I made the decision to go to the service and leave the boys to help Lynette back at the orphanage. She still was feeling ill and usually would be on the worship team at church.
When I got to the service, I really enjoyed it. There was a teaching given by a guest speaker and at the end I was asked to play my sax with the Pastor's daughter, Sophia, at the piano/ keyboard. There I was playing a song I hadn't ever heard before, making myself available and asking God to use me. A call to receive Christ as Savior was given. Many came, but one person in particular caught my attention. Her name is Heidi.
The previous week I had gone to a baby shower for Heidi that was given by the missionary Physician that has a clinic at the local church. Sarah (the missionary) had invited the ladies on staff at the orphanage and the ladies at church to help her throw a surprise baby shower for Heidi. Heidi had absolutely nothing to care for a baby and no family. I went mostly to keep myself involved and open to how God might use me even though I had no way of really sharing my faith by "words". God had another plan.
I attended with no gift. Sarah brought extra and told Heidi that one of her extra gifts were from me. That was very humbling, but I had no money to purchase a gift. But that wasn't important to Sarah. She just wanted Heidi to have a good representation of people who loved God and wanted Heidi to see the love of God showed to her through us.
Heidi was very moved that we would throw her a baby shower. She received more gifts than I have ever seen at one baby shower. Once again I was struck by the generosity and hospitality of the people of Baja. It was all about helping Heidi.
Getting back to Saturday night's church service. Heidi was one of the people who came forward to receive Christ. Though I was not able to communicate with my words the love of God to her, I was able to attend a baby shower, smile and write a note of encouragement to her that someone else would later interpret.
Maybe Heidi would have come to know Jesus even if I had not been at the baby shower. But I learned that God works through relationship, smiles and presence. Because Jesus lives in me, Jesus attended a baby shower last Saturday night. He speaks the universal language of love.
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