I met Richard Williams just a few weeks before our planned trip to Ecuador. There was an immedicate connection with this new brother in Christ. He's been a Christian only a short time, and God is doing a marvelous work in his life. This was his very "first" missions experience, and God used him in marvelous ways. I've attached what he had to say. Listen to his heart with your heart:
Dear Many People,
The group that left for Ecuador last Tuesday is back home and I would like to thank all that prayed, financed, and gave their support to this mission. This was the fifth trip of many and I hope you continue in your support and prayers for the people there as well as those to come. I personally thank you for an experience of a life time and a lesson of how big, loving, and in control our God is.
I left not knowing exactly what I could do, but with a desire to help in anyway I could and I came back with the knowledge that I can do nothing on my own, but to serve God, honor God, love God and watch what He can do. I suggest we all love one another and let God do His work through us.
Man with his bitterness, self-centeredness, and sinful nature creates not only separation from God, but separation from one another. God and His love, a love so big we truly don’t comprehend, can and does transcend all barriers and boundaries. He can break through any obstacle to show how great He is.
This life really can’t be about us, but the more we try to do for others it seems to me that God shows it is about us. Not in the sense that we normally think, but in the sense that God wants to show His love for us and He is pleased when He is glorified, recognized, worshiped and loved. You can’t out love God… Try it… I challenge you.
Many things took place and I won’t go into all the details, but here is a few of the things that went on. A hungry family was fed with a surprise food package that was left at their doorstep. Books were donated to the local University. Children at the local elementary school received a lesson on conserving energy to help cut back on power failures in the area. They were given goody bags and a message of God’s love, but they gave back big smiles, hugs and love that was so precious and much more valuable than anything we brought to them. The community was offered and many took part in a leadership conference and a marriage conference that both emphasized Biblical principals and honor to God through service, but the people gave back a thirst and hunger for more knowledge and that was refreshing to me. A free movie was offered, received and enjoyed by many of the Ecuadorians, but they gave back enthusiasm, joy and pure gratitude for something many of us take for granted
Not only was a roof replaced for the care taker at the community woman’s center, but the woman received help with an old rotten floor that also allowed moisture in. It wasn’t a big project and, in all honesty, I imagine some on this list have storage units that are larger and in better condition. I know for a fact that some have a bigger and better place to park there car than this woman has to live, but the roof job lead to another job at a local home to replace an old rickety make shift dangerous second level walk way that children used. A new sturdy steal beamed walkway with rails that could support a number of people at the same time is now in place. Not only did the brother of the woman that received the roof at the woman’s center give forward and help with building the walk way, but the man of the home invited us and opened his house for a Sunday home church worship service. It was beautiful. Because of translation the walk way project was described as a bridge and we went without knowing what sort of bridge to build. What I found was that God is building a bridge through all of His children to connect us all in His love.
We had one day, the last day, to do some sight seeing, but God wasn’t done with me yet. We were able to go to Quito and take a cable lift to the top of a mountain that looked over the whole countryside and there He was in nature, as in Romans 1:20, and there was no excuse for not recognizing how great God is.
From there it was to the equator and the message was God is in control. There is a natural order to things. Many of you know more about the natural sciences than I do, but where does natural science come from if not from God? If one tries to walk the equator with hands outstretched and eyes closed, he can feel the pull from both the north and south. One must open his eyes and concentrate to walk a straight line. It is a very strange sensation. There is physical proof that we have natural forces pulling on us and it demonstrates the pull of the world in our lives to succumb to one direction or the other. The same is true in the spiritual sense, but God isn’t going to force you to love Him. He has given you free will, but He wants you to come on your own volition. God wants our total attention and trust, but we allow distractions and outside forces to pull us in all sorts of directions. Sometimes all that we have, all we think we need and the entire surplus that is nearby can be an obstacle to our total trust in God. If we know where our next meal is coming from, if we know we have shelter with a sound roof to keep the next storm out, what do we need God for? If we know we are going to heaven….Hmmm?
My new Ecuadorian friends need God, but they are no different then you, me, your next door neighbor, brother, sister, mother, father or anyone else you see throughout any given day. We all need God, His love, His abundance, His peace, His protection, His salvation and it is all there for the asking. Ask Jesus into your heart and if He is already there ask Him to grow in you like He never has done before. Take His love, walk in His ways to show that you love Him, love one another, forgive one another, and let there be peace on earth…
I love you and please forgive me when my actions or lack of don’t show it.
Richard
THAT'S GOOD STUFF . . FROM GOD . . TO MY HEART . . Sam
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