Black Sea Reflections

Nov. 29, 2011

You never really know how far-reaching your impact on the world is until you take a bit of a risk and go out on the skinny end of a limb sometimes. Some would call it, "stepping out of the boat."

But it's hard for some folks. Trust for most of us is hard anyway. Add to that trusting a God we've never seen. Well, but then, that's what faith is - trusting in that which we cannot see.

A couple of decades ago I recommitted myself to trying my best to following Christ. But when it came to claiming him to my oldest friends - THAT was tough. At one point though I decided that I just wasn't going to let that stop me. Don't get me wrong - it's still not easy.

I used to coach soccer at many levels. When teaching any new skill or trick, there's always the kid who complains "I can't do it!" A fellow coach put like this; " Well, if it were easy, anyone could do it." Aren't we sometimes like that kid? But what happens if maybe we find that we can do it?

I took this saying to heart. As I began to reveal my faith to others I soon began to discover that some of those oldest friends had come to know Jesus the same as I had.

It's pretty cool to see who we walk beside down the road. It's like after Jesus' death and resurrection. His closest friends we're such sad-sacks. They hadn't heard ANYTHING he'd said! He appeared to many of them. Walked right BESIDE them!

That same day two of them were walking to the village Emmaus, about seven miles out of Jerusalem. They were deep in conversation, going over all these things that had happened. In the middle of their talk and questions, Jesus came up and walked along with them. But they were not able to recognize who he was. He asked, "What's this you're discussing so intently as you walk along?" They just stood there, long-faced, like they had lost their best friend. ~ Luke 24:13-35 (The Message)

 They didn't even recognize him.

Sometimes, I'm walking right beside a brother or a sister and I don't even know it. Somebody I hadn't expected to see live out their life in faith and obedience. It's just cool how God reveals them to me sometimes!

Turns out I was walking right beside one of my best, life-long friends all along.

I have a college friend who teaches elementary school. She and her family sponsor one of my most favorite kids in Ukraine. A girl named Yulia (Julia). She wrote me the other day to tell me about a way that she used our team and efforts to teach a lesson about helping others. It went something like this:

The bulletin board outside her classroom is titled "holiday helpers". She tried to explain the concept of "less fortunate" but they were having trouble getting it.  So she explained as much as she could about what the work and ministry our team provides to orphans in Ukraine.  She told them about Yulia. To her surprise about ten of them wrote how they would help her. She said she cried as she was grading them. "Such precious Angels" she calls them.

Check out what some of them wrote.

"I would like to help Julia by giving her pajamas, toys so it would be a happy Christmas for her. I feel bad for her because I get presents and she doesn't. I would like to visit her to make her feel better."

"I want to give Julia clothes and a stuffed animal. Clothes would keep her warm and maybe a stuffed animal would make her smile and feel safe. I hope it would make her happy and it would make me happy to help her. Merry Christmas Julia!"

"I would try to help Julia. She is a young girl that lives in an orphanage in the Ukraine. I would love to give her a Christmas tree so she could see how pretty one is. I would also like to help her by giving her some cookies, a family, a big house, and lots of food. I would give her those things becasue she doesn't have them."

"I would help Julie by writing this letter to her. I feel bad that she doesn't get the things I do and she is only 12 years old. Maybe reading my letter would help her to feel loved."

So without ever having met any of these East coast third graders we've somehow managed to impact the way they see, and think. You never know who you're walking with. Get out of the boat. Better yet get out on the skinny end of the limb - that's where the best view is if you want to see who you're walking with!

"What is essential is invisible to the eye." Change the way you see and think. Make a list of the of the people who impacted your life.

We leave in 3 days. Can't wait to hug all my friends and those awesome kids.

Peace.