This past week and a half has held many great things here in
Ethiopia. Beautiful sunrises and sunsets mixed in with crazy
contrast that make this continent so unique. The perfect fall-like
weather, sun, nice breeze, low 70's every day...I've enjoyed. I do love so many things about Africa.
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| amazing colors |
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| the view from my office door |
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| the contrasts... |
And of course, school is in session. I love the students. A student-initiated "Girl's Club" kicked off this past week which I really
excited about too. And freshmen started yesterday....with an orientation and
our sophomores helping celebrate our one year anniversary as a school
and helping give encouragement and advice to the incoming freshmen.
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| Love Our Students! |
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| Girls Club, first meeting :-) |
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| Students surprised our staff with a one year happy birthday Hope University College cake :-) |
But the beginning of last week, I was feeling alot of stress. Many
of you knew about my Dad's back surgery on Monday and you were
praying for him. It's so hard being away from family when they need
you. And our tiny immediate family of four live on three separate
continents. And the distance felt HUGE. Though the doctor
anticipated a two-hour surgery or less with no problems- it still was
the first time any of the four of us had surgery of any kind and one
that required spending overnight in the hospital. Thinking of our
Mom sitting alone in the waiting room awaiting word on my Dad's
procedure was almost unbearable. My sister (who lives in the Czech
Republic) felt the same. My sister and I cleared our schedules that
afternoon and evening and literally both sat connected to skype for
four hours- talking to my Mom and each other- available and present
as much as we could be from thousands of miles away.
Finally, the word came that my Dad was in recovery and all had gone
well. I literally sobbed into my hands in complete gratitude to God
for taking care of our Dad.
The good news continued over the next few days. We talked to our Dad
in his own room later via skype and he was already feeling so much better.
Then, he actually got to go home the very next day. My Mom said he
was standing up straighter than she had seen him stand in years. It
was a miracle. So amazing!
My Mom also shared with us an incredible "vapor" story that
touched us deeply.
Remember, the Bible describes our life as a brief "vapor"
on the pages of eternity. Here today, gone tomorrow. But our
"vapors" can be VERY significant. God gave His only Son to
pay the death penalty for our vapors, and left His mission for us to
continue, His kingdom to help usher in. What an honor!
Well, this particular "vapor" my Mom told us about actually
first appeared on the pages of our lives many many years ago....
The church I attended growing up was called Fairborn Church of God in
Fairborn, Ohio. From the age of about 4 or 5 years old until our college
years- this was our church home. The church averaged 300-400 people
and I recall every Sunday morning, Sunday night and Wednesday night
and often other nights in between were spent in the halls,
classrooms, gym, and sanctuary of that church. I remember YEARS of
fellowships, chili suppers, Christmas and Easter plays, revivals and
youth camps. Such great memories!
The Pastor of our church was always there through these times. His
name: "Ancil Carter." He was-is a good old KY boy who
loved God and served God with what seemed like tireless energy.
He
was one of those pastors who did everything. I remember him pulling
my tooth or maybe Noel's tooth when we were 8 or 9 year old. He
baptized us when we were 12. I often remember seeing him in blue
jean overalls – always fixing the generator or heater in our first
building. Our senior year in high school- he let a group of us take
his car to Myrtle Beach for our spring break. :-) He stood by us
with our church lawyer when they told us we couldn't pray at our high
school graduation. We still did :=)
The first several verses of an old song by Michael W. Smith- always
reminds me of Pastor Carter, which most call, Brother Carter. The
song: Kentucky Rose.
Sun comes up
- Sunday morn
On the little church where I been since I was born
And there he stood - a hearty smile
You could hear his voice ringing out for a country mile
And he could place your mind at ease
With his tenderness and a heart
That aimed to please
A pauper's hands - a farmer's clothes
Just a preacher man we called Kentucky rose
He worked the soul like he worked the land
He spoke in ways that anyone could understand
Simple words of simple faith
And when it came to love
He would go out of his way
A helping hand
A soothing chat
And he practiced what he preached - imagine that
And as far as kindness goes
There was none compared to old Kentucky rose
On the little church where I been since I was born
And there he stood - a hearty smile
You could hear his voice ringing out for a country mile
And he could place your mind at ease
With his tenderness and a heart
That aimed to please
A pauper's hands - a farmer's clothes
Just a preacher man we called Kentucky rose
He worked the soul like he worked the land
He spoke in ways that anyone could understand
Simple words of simple faith
And when it came to love
He would go out of his way
A helping hand
A soothing chat
And he practiced what he preached - imagine that
And as far as kindness goes
There was none compared to old Kentucky rose
You can hear this song via this link:
http://www.turnbacktogod.com/kentucky-rose-song-michael-w-smith/
Sometime during college- our church built a new building. My sister
and I began to do mission work during this time and our family
through the next ten years or so would go different directions and
work different places- so Pastor Carter and our home church was a
nice memory in our past. The years sped by.
I remember very vividly the next time I saw Pastor Carter....it was
about 7 or 8 years later.
Our Grandpa, John Smith, was also a good old boy who loved God very
much. He lived 91 years on the planet and he always had a big smile
to share. He loved church and He loved His Bible. I remember in his
final days at the hospital- he asked my sister and I to keep reading
to him from his favorite book- God's Word.
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| Our Grandpa's final days, he had us read His Bible to him |
When my Grandpa went home to be with God- I knew we was dancing in
heaven. I knew he would be reunited with many who had gone on before
him, including my Grandpa and all of his brothers and sisters. He
was ready. But his passing and the temporary goodbye was very very hard.
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| Our Grandpa and Mom |
At his funeral- our family was passing by his casket the final time-
and when it was my turn- I struggled to stand. That's when I felt a
firm and big hand on my shoulder and an old familiar voice say- Holly,
I'm here, I'll walk with you. It was Pastor Carter. His timing-
felt like God himself was there with me. As our family stood by his
casket, my aunt was also there. My Grandpa's long-standing
prayer request had been for her to put her trust in Jesus. But she
claimed to be an atheist. That's when Pastor Carter, who was in his
mid 80's at the time, make another incredible barbaric move. He
reached for my aunt's hand and shared with her the gospel. Her heart
at that moment was soft- and she prayed and asked Jesus to forgive
her. I was so amazed. Then I watched as Pastor Carter bent over my
Grandpa's casket with tears streaming down his cheeks...and I heard
him say...you can rest in peace now John, rest in peace." We
were all SO MOVED.
Well, fast forward to last Monday. About five years had passed since
my Grandpa's funeral. And I bet you can now guess what "vapor"
appeared to sit by my Mom this past week in the waiting room of the
hospital while my Dad was in surgery? Yep, you guessed it. Pastor
Carter!
WHAT kind of vapor is that? How does a vapor keep that much energy,
long-standing passion- service to our God for so long? I was trying
to think through that this past week and a song I heard on a public
taxi...God used that to share with me the answer. The song was
Whitney Houston's "I Look To You"...And I thought...that's
it. The first one we should "look to" each morning, each
moment, each breath is to God. Then- He breaths back into us His
strength, His courage, His joy, His peace to go on. If you look to Him first and most, He will make your "vapor" significant.
As I lay me
down
Heaven hear me now
I’m lost without a cause
After giving it my all
Winter storms have come
And darkened my sun
After all that I’ve been through
Who on earth can I turn to?
I look to you,
I look to you
After all my strength is gone
In you I can be strong
I look to you,
I look to you
And when melodies are gone In you I hear a song
I look to you
About to lose my breath
There's no more fighting left
Sinking to rise no more
Searching for that open door
And every road that I've taken
Led to my regret
And I don't know if I'm go'n make it
Nothing to do but lift my head
Heaven hear me now
I’m lost without a cause
After giving it my all
Winter storms have come
And darkened my sun
After all that I’ve been through
Who on earth can I turn to?
I look to you,
I look to you
After all my strength is gone
In you I can be strong
I look to you,
I look to you
And when melodies are gone In you I hear a song
I look to you
About to lose my breath
There's no more fighting left
Sinking to rise no more
Searching for that open door
And every road that I've taken
Led to my regret
And I don't know if I'm go'n make it
Nothing to do but lift my head
My levees are broken
My walls are coming down on me
My rain is falling
Defeat is calling
I need you to set me free
Take me far away from the battle
I need you
Shine on me!
Check out this song here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Pze_mdbOK8
I think all of this has helped me to remember that one huge way
our vapor can count is to simply be "present" in people's
lives when they need someone. Maybe you don't say anything, you're
just there. Many people do not have genuine friends or family to be
there for them. But God provides that presence for us so we can offer
our lives to others in the same way.
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent
his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God
so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
In the hustle and bustle of our world, may we take time to allow our
vapor to give light, hope encouragement, presence to others.
Remembering He's with us and can help us as we help others on the
journey.
Greater love
has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you
servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business.
Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned
from my Father I have made known to you.
No one will
be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with
Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
Be strong and courageous...
May our vapors represent God well as we remember He is with us til
the end.
ONWARD!
ONWARD!
-My Dad
continues to heal from his surgery and is doing so well. Thank you so
much for praying for him. We give God great thanks!
-Hunter
Heck, the college student from my home church, has been transferred
to a hospital in Chicago. A big fundraiser was held for his family
this past weekend. We give thanks for how far he has come and how so
many have surrounded him and his family in prayer.
-Freshmen
are here. :-) Orientation has been the past two days, classes start tomorrow.
-Continue to keep my Dad in prayer as he recovers.
-Please keep Debelle's wife, Chale, in your prayers as tonight she has emergency surgery.
-Please keep
our staff at Hope University College here in Addis in your prayers.
Freshmen start classes tomorrow. Pray that God will give them a great first year of school
and that we can serve and teach them well.
-Please
continue to pray for many still seeking work, that God will open up
doors and that hearts will stay encouraged.
-Please pray
for the draft of my book, that as I continue to write and things get
busy with classes again, that I will still be able to write. (I did
finish a few chapters this past weekend) :-)
-Please pray
for those needing work visas, visas out of Ethiopia, etc, that God
will provide and His perfect will be done.
-Pray for me
as I try to plan my "break time" in the USA- that I can get
home for Christmas as God allows.
-Please keep
Ethiopia and its leadership in prayer, as new leadership arises- that
it may be blessed and favored by God.
Thank you for praying for me as I continue to pray for you.
May our "vapors' be significant this week in the lives of others and bring God glory always!
May our "vapors' be significant this week in the lives of others and bring God glory always!
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