I thought of the words to an old song that says, “Suppose you could change eyes with God for just one hour and look upon this world and know of all its shame, would you be in that great number of excuses next Sunday morning when those church bells ring?”
And then I thought of something else…about the wealth and the excess of things I see on my trips to the states and the unseen pain I feel in my heart knowing there are preachers that are hungry, have not even a bicycle, those that meet under trees for services for lack of a most simple building, I think of the children that have never had a store bought toy, never been to McDonalds…the old wrinkled faced mothers and dads who have spent their whole lives in deep poverty and have never owned a bible and never heard the story of Jesus one time…much less time and time again…
I think of the little national missionaries that live on almost nothing and all that is thrown away from the tables in America…
I think of the churches that cost millions of dollars while others have no church at all…I think of those who perish while many Christians are vacation crazed and spend countless thousands of dollars on flesh pleasure…the pampered, the petted, the fanned…the delicacies, the lace while the wise Christians have no time for these frivolous things as they march to a distant drum beat of a love for souls that drives them on and on. I see these Christians and talk to many of them on a daily basis’s and they only plead for me to help them in the harvest.
I keep telling them to go ahead though the storms and hardships of mission and one day they will rejoice bringing in the sheaves.
No, I really have no time for foolish things in the light of eternity. The years have swiftly passed me by; I must press on even though my closest friends say slow down…How can I? I have tasted what it is like to see witchdoctors become preachers, idol worshippers become saints…as long as I can go I must push on for not one time does our enemy sleep.
The darkness is great but a life time spent in Brazil has brought light to thousands…I am not as young as I once was not as able to go like I once did , my steps are slower but the call is just as real today as it ever was in fact the burden is so great and immense .
I sat down and begin to think and begin to weep wondering what more can I give…if I had a car of my own I would give it to a preacher that needs one but only Brother Alvear has one. My last extra bible I gave away last week, my song book (a must for leaders here) I gave away I went to look over my clothes but the closet has been so thinned down but even so picked out a couple more to take with me on this trip…oh well I will be going back to the states and I will have someone to give me something…
I started weeping then I heard the voice of the Lord speak to me and He said, I know you own nothing more but it is your life the rest of it you must give…yes, my Lord that I will gladly do…
So I called and cancelled my doctor’s appointment and we packed our bags and took off for the jungle. I wondered how we would put gasoline in the car but at the last minute someone sent me an e mail giving us 500 dollars…that is enough gas money to make it here and I am sure there will be enough to make it back when the day comes…
Forever on the go…forever trusting for the next need is the story of our life…a life of tremendous victories. Thank God for friends like you that listens to the voice of God and helps us on our journey. We are forever indebted to you…
Just some of my thoughts....
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Facebook Janice LaVaun Taylor Alvear
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