Sunday's sermon was extremely thought provoking for me. Shout out to Pastor John for the well timed message right before we leave for our trip. The scripture was from Acts 3 and Luke 24:33-48. In both of these scriptures, it's talking about events that "are not reasonable" (to take Pastor John's wording) by our human concept of life and what happens in the world. In Acts 3, Peter heals a lame man who can then walk for the first time in his life. In Luke 24, Jesus appears to the disciples after his resurrection. Both of these are just not reasonably explained.
Now the part that started my sequence of thoughts and reflection is in Acts 3:12 when Peter says to the astonished crowd after he heals the lame man, "...why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?" (NIV). And then the pastor's question to apply it to us today: "Can I get a witness?"
Why yes!, pick me! I want to be a witness!
So, here's my self examining question: How am I being a witness to God's work with Prosthetic Promises? How good a job am I doing showing others what He is doing through this mission? We certainly aren't miraculously healing people, but God is doing some really awesome stuff through PPIHN....and not just in Zambia. The amount of conversations and opportunities we have to witness here at home is amazing. Am I taking all those opportunities?
Have I told you about the "unreasonable" things we have witnessed God do on our trips?
Like in September 2016, when Suzanne and I were working at the clinic and had no idea the electricity went out at the orphanage for about an hour. The clinic is connected to the same electricity, but it stayed on at the clinic and we continued to work through that time.
Or the fact that we saw 38 prosthetic patients and 22 eye patients in 12 working days last year. That's a lot!! of work to be done in that short time. Only way that is possible is through the empowering strength He gives each team member during the trip.
Or the time I needed just one rivet to repair a woman's forearm crutches, and we had not packed any rivets to take. I had searched through everything looking for a rivet or bolt I could use, and I knelt down at this trunk of mixed components and prayed "God just give me one rivet to make this work for this lady"....and I found just one.
Or the year that a lady who came to for John to make her an ocular prosthesis traveled with her husband and baby on her back on a single bicycle for hours to get to us.
Or the reality that PPIHN is about to embark on the 6th trip to Zambia and work out of a clinic built through donations.
There's so many more stories and opportunities for us to be witnesses proclaiming the work God is doing through Prosthetic Promises...both in Zambia and here at home. I pray that we identify and take those opportunities. Because, like Peter, we want you to know it's "not by our own power" that any of this is possible.
I'm looking forward to sharing with you about this trip when we get back. We so appreciate all of your prayers for this mission!
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