8.13.2011

Love and cow feet

Pacha and Iraqi Bread
Hey there friends,
So on Thursday I received a phone call from one of the ladies at the Centre, inviting me over to her house to eat. When I accepted the invitation to dinner, she immediately followed with a warning: "It's going to be weird." I told her that was okay. She continued, "We're going to eat with our hands, no forks, no spoons . . . and it's going to be sheep's head and feet. You still want to come?"

No "Yes."

It turned out not to be sheep's head and feet, actually. It was cow feet (pictured at right). It was . . . different.

My friend picked me up at about 4 PM, then took me to another lady's house to pick her up. This other lady belongs to a different religious background, so my friend explained that we would be waiting to eat until 8:45, when the lady could eat. We got back to my friend's house, and I sat in the living room with this lady and several other people, listening to a steady stream of Arabic. I had no idea why I was there. It was odd. I hung out, watched a movie with a couple of English-speakers, ran an errand for the family, and eventually ate dinner, then came home.

Today I was sitting with my friend at the Centre, and I asked her how the evening had gone with the other lady. My friend said, "She asked about you. She asked about you and [another girl who volunteers], why you're so different. You act different, you leave your country and come to serve the people, and you even dress different. I told her it's because you're believers, and your heart is different inside."

I've never gotten to share with this lady. I've never had a real conversation with her; she speaks maybe three words of English. But I love her. When she comes into the Centre, I greet her, hug and kiss her, and sit with her. We just sort of sit and smile together.

A lot of my time here, I wonder what it is that I'm doing, whether anything comes from it. Sometimes the Lord gives me a glimpse. Then it's worth it.

He never wastes anything. Anything we give Him is put to use.

Praises
  • I got to use the car that I had on loan to drive people around a lot and to spend time with people in ways that would have been impossible (or very difficult) via transit. God gave me some good conversations with people through that car. It was also a genuine blessing just to be able to drive.
  • God has given me a neat sense of peace in my time at the Centre. It's a huge blessing to be able to wash dishes and take out the trash and know that God accepts my service and is pleased with me.
Prayer Requests
  • Please pray for us as we interact with people at the Centre this month. Pray for wisdom and sensitivity. Pray for us as we interact with members of the white Canadian community who live in the Whalley area. Even if they're not our particular ministry, sometimes some of them come by the Centre, and there's a huge amount of spiritual emptiness there.
  • Please continue to pray for open doors to share the good news, open hearts ready to receive it, and open windows of heaven for blessing as we love and share with people.
  • Please pray for protection for the Centre from spiritual and physical attacks, and pray for monetary provision. Pray that God will put it on the hearts of people to give. Pray for volunteers and for a God-sized vision of how to develop the Centre as it enters its third year.
  • Pray for me, that I won't try to minister out of my own power or to seek my own kingdom. Pray that God will give me some of His vision for my time here.

Thank you for praying!
-Jennifer

4 comments:

jguy453@bellsouth.net said...

Never ate cow feet, and hope not to do so. It is wonderful that God used your presence alone to witness of Himself to these people. God does witnessing in a much improved way from that which we generally use. I am praying for these people and for your ongoing testimony. I love you.

Jennifer said...

Thank you, Mamaw! It means a lot to me that you read my blog and keep up with me and pray for me. I love you too!

Ms. Duffel said...

"He never wastes anything." That's so beautiful! :) And... just fyi, I'm glad God has you eating the cow feet instead of me. jk? :)

Jennifer said...

I'm sure I can find you some when I get back to Memphis.