Overwhelmed
By Sunny Dahlquist
Though I've given thought to the idea of a blog post over the past 2 weeks, and even struggled more with the idea during the night, I'm not doing well with expressing myself! During our time in Myanmar, regardless of where we were, I had such a sense of being overwhelmed by the love of God. So that is what I titled my blog post and I wrote it in the form of an acrostic:
Overwhelmed by God’s mercies, that He enabled me, of ALL the folks with Myanmar Hope ministry, the opportunity to actually be in His presence worshipping with hundreds of Kuki Christians. A foretaste of the event in Revelation 7:9!
Victorious church: THANKS to so many who are helping our Myanmar brothers & sisters in the process of building one another up. I see many changes demonstrating God is answering prayers and gifts are definitely well-spent! Praise the Lord!
Engaged & energetic: The Hope Boarding School students are an absolute delight – such fun to observe & interact with them & see their personalities emerge as they got past their initial shyness with us!
Reflecting the humility of Jesus Christ: that describes the MyHope workers, whether in the New Hope Prison Outreach, the East/West Garden, the New Pathway Home for widows, or Hope Preschool. Those of you who work with preschool and children’s ministries would be impressed by how these sweet ladies quickly bring children into readiness for an activity and help them understand what to do! Lord, You continue to teach me what true humility is!
Wonder: on the faces of men, women, teens, and children as thirty-one individuals (from age 14 to age 75) quote the entire Psalm 105 from memory; groups sing praises; others perform in unity - even as the temporary wooden platform shakes and bounces up and down with the slightest of steps.
Hospitality: In a home simply built of bamboo with a tin roof I lay on a thin mat recovering, while they kept watch, offering hot tea & soup, and swinging their dozing infant in a woven cradle nearby. Precious memory!
Ever patient: Palal and Kikim, Chuck and MaryAnn as they showed us various aspects of the ministry, told stories of the developments, answered questions, answered MORE questions, and cared for our physical needs. Lord, thank you for these amazing leaders!
Loved: Extravagantly loved by God, we live in His forgiveness, His grace, His desire that all might come to know, love, and glorify Him – we are compelled to share HIS story! The landscape is dotted with golden Buddhist pagodas and the stillness of the night is broken by loudspeakers droning the Buddhist teachings… my heart breaks for them as they are like lost sheep without the Good Shepherd.
Melting in the heat: and ever so thankful when the girls chose a water ride that drenched our hot faces!
Empowered: by our encouragement in coming alongside, they are growing and changing – just as we who partner, are also changed!
Daily diligent prayer: on behalf of our Myanmar brothers and sisters – a necessity, for we battle not against flesh and blood, but against the powers of the dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms! Keep praying!