Clay in the Hands

I heard an encouraging story yesterday that I thought appropriate to share here, especially given where my heart has been this week.

A man here in the El Paso area shared his first memories of learning about Jesus.  He grew up in Mexico and did not have much to do with church.  But every year, for one week, his colonia was visited by a missions team who came to do Vacation Bible School in a local church.  He attended every year because he said, “Those white people in the white van had the best cookies I had ever tasted.”  He admits that he does not remember much about what they taught, but distinctly remembers the cookies.

The encouraging part of Chalio’s story is that now, 30 years or so later, he is a pastor and church planter here in El Paso.  While he can’t remember all the stories he was told as a child by the missions team year after year, the love those people showed impacted him.  He believes that he is exactly where God wants him to be and it is largely due to a group of folks who came and served cookies and Kool-Aid and told him about Jesus.

So take hope today!  The seeds you sew may not show growth immediately, but God will use your efforts to transform lives.  Stick with it!