Not business as usual.

Watch this video, you will see one lady dancing .  Even her friends were a little embarrassed and if you watch closely , you will see them try to stop her.. But they did  not know what I know ! 

Only moments earlier , she was a broken person.   

She is new to the dump, and when we arrived there, she did not know exactly what we were doing there, but she did recognise that there was something a little different about us then he usual stream of 40 year old garbage trucks that she sees.    Right away she came to me to tell me that she had been at the dump for weeks trying to get enough stuff to sell so she could feed her 3 kids.  

  She was so intense, and ready to do battle to convince me . When I told her that was the reason that we were there,to bring them food.. and HOPE, she simply collapsed into my arms.      

For all the hurt and anguish that we see and experience while we are here , There is nothing that can convey the feeling when you reach out with a little compassion , and show the mercy that has been shown to us.    I posted this on my FB wall a couple days ago, but not all of you are on FB, so I thought it was worth a repost.  I read it on a blog from a man who runs a rehab centre similar to Jengish's over in Mongolia.

I “do” this ministry as a result of it being God’s gift to me, an extension of His mercy in my life, therefore it has nothing to do with me being more dedicated or spiritual than anyone! In fact it may reflect the opposite, I am here because God knows I need to be here in order to receive and understand His radical grace!

This “ difficult ministry" is Gods gift to me . It is not something great I am doing for God, rather He in His mercy is doing something great in me, to me and hopefully through me, all as a demonstration of His grace. So please never feel sorry for “poor John” or any other missionary’s name you want to insert, who is in some difficult place doing such a difficult thing…no, all of us are where we are as a result of God’s mercy, His gift to us, a place of experiencing the radical grace of God, which at times may also include great difficulties (2 Corinthians 4:7-12). But no matter, at the end of the day, missions is a demonstration of God’s grace to everyone involved, not business as usual.

One of the little girls in the village waiting for me so she could give me flowers she had for me . 

We were at Victors sisters wedding today .  Victor you may recognise from a couple years back in the Tokmok orphanage. We have continued to have contact with him and include him in things like back to school shopping and outings.  He now lives with his Babushka.  I met her for the first time today,  She told me " Thank you for being a father to Victor."  She then started crying and turned away.   

 Deffently  "not business as usual."