Central Asia: Day Five

Today was a pretty chill day. We got to go to the city where two of the workers live, which is about an hour away, and meet their wives and children. They were such sweet women! You could just see the joy that the Lord has given them through their devotion to Him. The boys left to go do something else and the girls just sat in the worker's living room and talked. It was such an encouraging time. It was so nice to go and spend some time with an American where we didn't have to continually worry about have sit, where we look, how much we speak, and every little thing, to avoid offending someone. We talked about being a woman in this culture and how you're almost forced to become really close and intimate with the only other American woman, because usually she's really the only one who knows how you're really doing and everything that's going on in your life. It was so refreshing to see the interaction between the worker and his wife, to see the mutual love, how he cherished her, how she offered to serve out of love, not cultural obligation. We also talked about how a daily personal quiet time is a job requirement when you're on the field. At home, even if you miss a quiet time or two, you're still usually getting some truth spoken into your life from someone, be it a mentor or a pastor or a Christian radio station or whatever. On the field, you don't have any of that, so if you're not having your quiet time, it doesn't take you long to get sucked under by the culture surrounding you. God's Word is so important.

I got a little bit homesick (which is unusual for me) on the van ride back to our hotel. Missed my family. I've been bouncing around so much it feels like I haven't really seen them in a while, which I guess is true. The last time I spent significant time with them was last Christmas. I miss them. God has blessed me with such amazing parents and siblings. My mom, who is the kind of woman I hope to grow into; my dad, who is so supportive of all the crazy things I want to do, like move to France for four months; my brother, who is such a great encourager; my younger sister, whom joy just bubbles forth from; my youngest sister, who has such a sweet and loving spirit. I look at families here in this nation and compare them to my family and the pervasive love in my home, and I can't help but marvel at how incredibly blessed I am. It matches me ache for all the families here that don't have that, and I long to reach out to them and tell them about the freedom and joy they can have. If only life were that simple, where all I had to do was say it and they would realize the truth. All I can do is pray God will soften the hearts of these hardened people and share when He gives me the opportunity. God will do the rest. (Unfortunately, knowing that doesn't make you feel any less burdened for the millions of people outside your hotel that are all going to Hell.) God, save them fast!

Edit: I'm in the middle of my quiet time, but I wanted to share this.

My new life verse: Galatians 1.24 - "And they glorified God because of me."

That is my purpose in life. At my funeral, I want people to say that they glorified God because of me. Not because of me, but because of God's work through me. But in order for me to have that said of me after my death, I need to live up to it now. I challenge each of you to feel free to ask me, if you observe me doing something I shouldn't to remind me - "Becky, will people glorify God because of you through this?"