A Faith Walk

I'm sitting here in the air conditioning, trying to figure out how to put into words what I have experienced over the last 24 hours. I'm on a mission trip to Del Rio, Texas/Acuna, Mexico with my church. Our lodging is in this Baptist church in Del Rio, while our team travels back and forth from Del Rio to Acuna building houses and doing VBS's in neighboring communities. I am part of the kitchen team which prepares all the meals for our volunteers. When we first arrived here, we noticed someones belongings piled by one of the back doors of the church. I didn't think too much about it until I looked closer and this is what I saw.....a Bible opened up and prompted against the wall, a few blankets that were folded and set off to the side and a large bag that looked worn and torn in a few places, there were several bottles of unopened water along with several empty ones, and a few personal belongings that were in the corner. It was obvious to anyone that a homeless person was staying there. My heart went out immediately to that person. I didn't have long to think about it because we began immediately to unload our vans and get settled inside. Through out the rest of the afternoon we were kept busy with preparations for the evening meal. It wasn't until everyone was fed and I looked out into the dining room that I saw a woman sitting with one of our kitchen crew, so I asked around to see who she was and found out that she was the homeless person from outside the church. One of our team had invited her in to join us for dinner.....I was thrilled and could hardly wait to go and sit down with her. I was prepared to share what Jesus had done for me and to see if I could pray with her....but that is not what happened!! Imagine my surprise when I sat down and she began telling me about her relationship with Jesus and how He had changed her life!! Wow....I sat there with tears in my eyes, my mouth wide open and I'm sure with a very surprised look on my face. This woman who was homeless (which she explained was only a in the physical realm) was on a faith walk! She shared with me about the desire that she had to go to Jerusalem to care for those in need over there and to share God's great salvation message. She had been all over the western states and had seen and experienced God's great provision and protection. There had been times of need and times of great loneliness for her on this faith walk, but God has always proven to be faithful. As I layed in my comfy bed last night....I was overwhelmed with such grief and sadness, but I must tell you that it wasn't necessarily for her as much as it was for those of us who have not had to walk with such faith! My heart was yearning to go and sit with her outside and just talk some more. I couldn't even bring her inside because it wasn't my church or my building.....this made me very sad. The two other women that I was with gave me all the money that they had and we were able to bless her with almost 90.00$....but I was still grieving over the fact that that was all we could do. But I don't want this story to dwell on the fact of our limitations.....I want this story to focus on God's great and mighty provisions! You see, to this woman.....all her needs have been met daily by God. Maybe not in the way that she would always want.....but they have been met! She would want me to tell you that this faith walk that she is on....is of her own choosing! She has been called to this walk by God and she has been strengthened and challenged and has grown and I believe that God is preparing her for when He opens the door for her to go Jerusalem! She doesn't know when that will be....but she knows that she will be ready! The whole week that we are here, she will have plenty of food to eat and will be able to use the money we blessed her with however she wants. I am available to whatever the Lord wants me to do for her and I can't wait to sit down and talk with her again. I am challenged to live my life in such a way that I will say "yes, Lord, yes!" to whatever He wants me to do and wherever He wants me to go.....how about you?