And so the parties continue... the same nite after the street-feeding, my cell held a gathering for invited guests of the members. Looking back at the fotos, i rmbr how it was 8 yrs ago that this cell first became part of my Christian life..
at that time, they were complete strangers , yet they so readily opened their hearts to me at the time of my deepest grief,as i was trying to come to terms with the loss of a dearly-loved husband... i rmbr how one of them approached me in the midst of all the people trooping in and out of the house to pay their condolences - i was too 'pooped' to even cry, and she asked if she could get me groceries - and she returned with bags of stuff later, for which she refused to be reimbursed...
i rmbr how my very own boss, the headmistress of the church kindergarten i had just joined some 5 months ago insisted, despite my protestations, to stay over with me, and in the middle of the nite i ended up crying becoz i missed my husband so, and all she did was hug me...
i rmbr how the whole cell offered to help me shift house - a nightmare! - and the men went around nailing, drilling and hanging heavy stuff for me after that, not only my cell, but there was a whole troupe of youngsters from my daughter's cell driving a convoy of cars, loading and unloading continuously thru out the shift...
i rmbr those times when i had no money to go for India missions trips - which is like every time practically! - and one or other of my cell members would draw me aside and give me a love offering, and always somehow end of the day, there would be enuf...
i rmbr how in one of our cell outreach projects, we all (some even brought their kids)were driven, many standing in the open back portion of 2 jeeps, bumping all the way up to a remote mountain deep in the forests of Raub to minister to the orang asli community there, and then bumping all the way down again in the dark nite, pelted by rain..
And now 8 yrs down the line, it's this bunch of people (minus a couple, add new ones since then )with whom i am still meeting up every Friday nite... praying together, worshipping together,learning about the ways and the Word of God together, eating together, laughing and yes, sometimes crying together, and of coz celebrating Christmas together, joined by a love greater than ourselves - the love of Christ that binds us as one in the family of God. And best of all, bringing non-Christians into the circle of this love that can only issue from Jesus , the God of all love, grace and mercy
For Jesus said: A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another - John 3:34-35
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