BY JULIA O'CAREY
I love those nights when I close my eyes as my head hits the pillow and I think to myself, 'I have the best job in the world!' Last December, I experienced one of those amazing days while traveling in Southeast Asia.
It was early when we climbed into an old Toyota truck and headed for the river. We carefully made our way down a steep bank and clumsily found our seats in the back of a longboat. I pulled my light jacket closer to my body, my heart beating faster with excitement as I thought of where this little boat was taking us.
Our first destination was a bamboo and thatch-stilted home situated in the middle of the jungle! The home was filled with happy, smiling Karen people. Pastor Jimmy Shwe said excitedly, "They all came today to celebrate!" Surprised, I asked, "Celebrate what?" Looking at me as if I was supposed to know, he said "We are celebrating the future vocational missionary training college that we plan to build close by!" Although I knew we were visiting the area to check out the land and dream together, I had no idea that the news had been announced to the villagers!
Celebrate we did, with beautiful music, sincere faith-filled prayers, and of course, lots and lots of rice! “Yes, God will provide a school here for young people from across this war-torn West Border Region. There’s nothing too hard for God,” I thought as we prayer-walked through the land.
After this faith-inspiring experience, we headed to a nearby ASAP mission school. What a joy to get to hug Lah K’Paw* and see such courage in her sweet face. She is a precious girl whose family tried to beat the demons out of her. She not only survived, but through attending our ASAP mission school, learned about Jesus, and after an unusual dream, was baptized.
In the afternoon, at the next ASAP mission school, I could not hold back the tears. Over 500 beautiful children from kindergarten to twelfth grade, lined up to greet us with flowers and smiles. It felt like a taste of heaven to me! They respectfully filed into a huge assembly hall, eager to hear what we had to say. I said a silent prayer that the Holy Spirit would take my words and encourage each one. Just the previous week, 43 young people, mostly from Buddhist homes, had decided to be baptized, despite the difficulties they will face. I tried to encourage them and affirm that this is the most important decision they can ever make. Then they sang. Boy, did they sing! They sang from their hearts, and I didn’t want them to stop. Each student wanted to personally greet us and enthusiastically shook our hands, thanking us for making it possible for them to have an education.
Before we left the school I asked the teachers and principal about the biggest challenges they currently are facing. It saddened my heart to hear that the well didn’t work and they don’t have adequate clean water for all the students. They also lack enough paper, pencils and textbooks. I prayed for them and let them know I would share all these concerns with their family, the family of God in America. Please pray and help support the needs of not only this amazing school, but over 90 ASAP mission schools, all set in difficult places.
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