Oh what faith!

So we took the team to do their first food distribution yesterday. I have done a few food distributions in the past and all of them have been a bit...chaotic. This food distribution was different. I mean yes, it had it's moments of chaos but my heart was truly touched. We took the team to a little village I had not been to yet. Nicole and Pastor Daniel wanted us to go visit a church there and have a food distribution for the poor people in that village who attend that church. This church is a small sub church of Bethel Church, the church that Daniel is the head pastor of. When we arrived at the church we saw a small structure with tin walls and a tarp roof. The inside and the outside yard was completely full of women, children and men. They were gathered for a service. When we got there, they invited us into the church building, if you can call it a building. Pastor Daniel told us that their church has been destroyed in the earthquake along with most of their homes. After the church was destroyed they decided they would not stop gathering to worship the Lord just because they didn't have a church building or homes. They had a small fundraiser and built the structure they are in now. Most of the people now live in tents. The pastor had invited Nicole and Daniel out for a service, when Nicole and Daniel saw the building they were worshiping in it broke their hearts. They said the wept for these people who lost their homes and church but who's hearts were so devoted to the Lord that they would not stop worshiping Him! Nicole and Daniel came back to their church and shared with the this situation. They took an offering and with the offering they received the were able to start the foundation for a new church building. The people in Daniel's church are also poor so they were not able to raise all of the funds for building a new church. 


I was humbled yesterday and my heart was touched. The people who have nothing, have hope in a Savior. Nothing is keeping them from gathering as a family to worship Him. It made me think about this past Christmas and how it landed on a Sunday. I remember the different conversations about going to church or not, having a service or not....just because it was Christmas. We debated whether or not to have church on Christ's birthday just because it would take away from our worldly traditions but this church went through destruction and loss and yet they still couldn't be kept from gathering to worship their King. Wow, I truly am humbled. To have faith like that, to be devoted as they are, to have love for the Lord like these beautiful people....After we finished the distribution the people danced, sang and rejoiced!! They gave all praise to the Lord! We drove away and we too gave all praise to the Lord for the hearts of His children.