Life With Purpose

Steve and I had a pleasant afternoon sharing an early meal with our pastor and his family. We enjoyed a feast of Chinese food presented in multiple dishes set in the middle of our large round table where we sat. It was fun to see the excitement on the faces of two of their four children who had come with us. (Two of their young teen daughters had stayed at church to practice a candle dance they are going to perform during the Christmas Eve service so, they were disappointed in having to miss a meal of Chinese food) Steve knew that the girls had really wanted to come so he purposely ordered lots of food so that it could be taken home to the girls as a surprise treat. However, the son and parents did not know Steve's intent of excess food when it was finally served at our table. So, to aggravate his younger sisters, the pastor's son pulled out his cell phone and took a picture of all the food and sent it to the girls to see via their phones. At the same time, he was commenting, with much pleasure, at seeing such a 'feast' as he described it. He and his little sister had never seen so much food served before. So, it was so much fun to see the kids eats with gusto...their youngest daughter filling her cheeks until she looked like a squirrel...she ate a full order of sesame chicken all by herself and she is a tiny thing...not more than 35 pounds of 1st grade flesh!

The conversation around a good meal is most always a pleasant experience. Diets or not, meals are a focal point of meeting to catch up on each other's lives and thoughts. Such was our meal yesterday. While the kids ate to their hearts' delight, we adults, shared in heart-to-heart conversation. We had a chance to update on weekly events and shared solutions to a few small 'bumps' of life that happen. We did not broach the situation concerning the recent court case, leaving that for another time...

As the meal ended, the conversation turned to more serious topics. We discussed various situations that have developed in today's churches and in the lives of well-known pastors and evangelists that are displaying questionable life-styles that put a negative light on the church which in turn affects how the world judges religion and Christians. And we discussed the need for people to get back to reading the Bible. It has become a huge problem in churches today that Scripture is misquoted or misconstrued and few people even know enough to counter and correct it. So, pastor is taking steps for getting the people of our congregation back into the habit of reading their Bibles and learning correctly what it has to say. If we are to live lives that are meaningful and represent our faith, it must be in light of unadulterated Scripture. After all, God means what he says and 'tweeking' His message for our comfort pushes Him off His throne and falsely elevates His creation, man, to an unnatural state of affairs that he cannot possibly meet. Thus, we have power plays and juggling and pushing for positions of importance in our lives that cause discord and jealousy and distracts from our true purpose here as we live our lives.

What is our true purpose, you ask? Well, it is worshiping God, sharing fellowship with Him and His people, sharing our faith and living lives that please Him. He really is a gracious and merciful God. If it was not for His mercy I would be a hopeless lost soul. But, over all the 'wrongness' of this world and it's injustices and cruelties as it is a large representation of each man's fallen nature because of sin, God has provided us with a means in which to escape this hopeless life. It is through the gift of salvation Jesus provided for us when He gave His life as a ransom (payment) on the cross of crucifiction, in my place. It is only because of His payment for my sin that I have an eternal hope of salvation. And when one accepts and tells about his decision to believe God, that is the beginning of living a life of purpose...one actually has a reason to live. It is for God's pleasure (not entertainment-type pleasure); pleasure or deep satisfaction that comes from an intimate and loving relationship with another. God requires an intimacy with us based on a deep, deep love He has for us. He loved us so much that He gave us His only begotten Son, Jesus, to die as a ransom for our sins, buying for us eternal life with Him....

So, this is my understanding of the purpose of life. It certainly gives me a focus and hope for a better future!

With this in mind, we got to talking about Africa which is the pastor's and his wife's home. They are from a villages that we would consider third-world....very poor and primitive when compared to our standard of living. And their area is one that has been affected so deeply by the aids virus.

Last year, the youth group and some adults from our church went there for two weeks. Their focus was to help build a school for the children of Oasis Village. This is a small community that had been started to provide a home for widows and orphans affected by Aids. Pastor's dad had some property and he set it aside for this purpose. They have since built small huts and a church. The school was a dream come true for them. So, now the kids have a place to go and get an education. There is hope to build a medical clinic, in the future.

This type of ministry is so needed in Africa because when a man dies, according to their customs, all his belongings then become the property of his family members, excluding his wife or children. The wife and children are most often left with nothing because the husband's family comes in takes all they have away, for themselves. This leaves the wife destitute and helpless. She has no way to support her children. The men are seen as the main providers and the women stay at home. So, after the father dies, the women have no means in which to provide income. Often times this leads women into prostitution, if they have not already been infected by the Aids virus, this sets them up for it. If this happens, then the mom dies and leaves the children who struggle on their own and they often starve to death. There is no welfare system there. And the children are unprotected and left to the mercy of those around them, who are living hand to mouth, and have little to spare, also.

So. pastor and his dad saw this need to provide a safe place for the victims of Aids and they have created a whole village. When the youth went over, they took with them a cargo container of clothes, food, material, sewing machines, a generator, school supplies, and medicines. The sewing machines and material will help the women learn a sewing trade so that they can generate some means in which to earn money. This village is full of joy and appreciation. As the group from our church arrived there and got off the bus, the whole village came to greet them and they broke out in spontaneous singing. In African style, they sang songs of praise to God, clapping and swaying to their music. The atmosphere was one of celebration. The group was so overcome with emotion to see this display of welcome and love toward them that they all cried. Whenever they arrived at a new village on their trip, this happened each time.

It is not inexpensive to create a village and then provide the basic finacial needs to run it. As God does when it is His will, He has continued to provide money to support Oasis Village. The Lutheran church where pastor previously held a position as assistant pastor, has committed to supporting a portion of the villages needs each month. And now our church has also done the same. Hopefully, this will continue to grow and other churches will take Oasis Village on as a missionary commitment.

I told pastor that I would love to go to Africa and see Oasis Village. Steve said he would, also.
Then pastor blew me away with an invite that is both overwhelming, a bit scary and honoring. He said that if we went, he would arrange for us to speak. I would teach the women and Steve would teach the local church, in general. I would share about Jesus with the women, who are so hungry to know more about God. This would happen at the village and then it would be arranged for me to speak to the whole district and regional group of ladies!!! This is like speaking to all the local towns in the Tacoma area! The same would be arranged for Steve!

Pastor said that because of their poverty in Africa, the people do not travel far nor have the means to hear the gospel as we do, in the states. Their knowledge of Jesus is limited but they want to know more and cherish the times that someone will come and share their faith with them. He said the people would be so pleased to have us come and talk to them about God, His Word, Jesus, and our faith and experiences in Him.

My first reaction was, "Who am I to do this?" Then I was humbled that someone would think that I could teach women in a large setting like that. But, I do lead women through Bible studies twice a year, here, so it is not that I cannot do it, it is just the fear of speaking to so many at one time!!! And all I have wanted to do was to go and experience life there on an intimate one-on-one level. Knowing, now, if we go, I will be in a much more visible and vulnerable position there! To say that I am overwhelmed with this an understatement. However, Steve and I will pray about it and see if this is what God wants us to do and, if so, we will get out our passports, brush off the suitcases, pack our Bibles, and prepare to go to Africa.

So, this certainly would be why we live on this big ball, we call earth! It is our responsibility to share our faith with those who ask and have a desire to know God. What an opportunity to meet others of faith on a different continent of a different culture! Wow! My head is spinning!