Servants of God

When I was in the Dominican Republic this last week, the ladies over there taught me quite a few things. On my trip to minister to them, they ministered to me.

They are so welcoming, they greet you with a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. They are your sisters and friends already. They are so grateful that we are there to help them and they thanked us a lot. Their gratefulness at anything big or small made me feel glad to be there -needed and wanted.

Most of the Christian ladies don't speak English and don't know what we say when we pray but they bow their heads in reverence and respect to God. Their love for God shines from their eyes and smiles. The love of the Lord radiates from their entire being. They are committed to the Lord and the jobs that He has given them and they do it all with a smile.

The ladies loved to feed us there, I guess because that's all they can give back to us. It's so sweet of them. And it also challenged me to be very giving of everything and anything I have. They give more than they can, yet I have so much and I keep what I need and want. They give their all in everything they do and every way they can.

At our first location, the pastors house was right beside his church and also right beside where our house was. The pastors wife had people coming in and out of her house every minute of every day and she greeted them all and was glad they were there, ready to give them what they needed as best as she could. She had projects all around, a sewing machine here to make things for the women, and a rocking chair and blanket in case a baby needed to be rocked, and an office and phone for the missionaries to call home, and someone cooking in the kitchen, and extra cloths over there as need for everyone, and a quiet room in case someone needed to talk -so many ways that she ministered!! Her home was not perfect but to me it was absolutely beautiful! Anyone and everyone was welcome in her home at any time. She was a true servant and showed me how it needs to be.

At our second location we were painting a school room. The first thing one of the ladies does is cook us some food and bring us drinks and jello. She was so happy to have us there and kept thanking us over and over again. She didn't speak English but that did not stop her from coming out to greet us. She didn't hide in the kitchen like I might have, and she didn't stand in the doorway to the school room like I might have, but she came in and welcomed us and brought us food. I wouldn't have had courage to do that unless I was told to, but she did it on her own and she showed me that that's how it needs to be.

All of these ladies are truly servants of God. They give their all, even when it might seem they have nothing to give, because they do have God's love to give. They don't hold back. And through this, they showed me how my life needs to change.