The Last Good Work Project of 2020
20 November 2020
My friend, Eric, sent me a message to support this Iranian Christian family whose retail business had suffered a blow during the lockdown. I passed the word around and busy as I was, I thought I would squeeze out a pocket of time to visit the shop, buy some Christmas gifts to support their business and have lunch with Eric, who had lost his wife in recent years.
At the store, Ari showed me their merchandise and carpets. I asked to see some prayer carpets. They were too big and she showed me smaller ones, just enough for our knees to kneel on.
That was when I saw the 井 character – in the middle!
I was intrigued. I bought 9 pieces for our prayer vault in Singapore to form the 井 character.
Over lunch, I found out from Eric the full extent of their troubles. I soon realised their problems are very urgent and complex, involving legal, accounting, financial, banking and immigration etc. Even though Eric and many of their church friends are doing their best to help them, I can see that the problems are really too big and too overwhelming for them.
I grappled with their plight as it tugged at my soul. I really have no time. I had planned to focus on the website migration and to catch up with the backlog of writing before the year winds down. Further, Christmas is coming, I have a lot to do and a lot to send overseas. And after that, to hunker down to yada with God and hear His word and guidance for 2021, ready for our watchnight meeting on New Year’s Eve.
But I know the well was a sign to help this family. I told Ari about the well and she was equally intrigued as in all the 20 years of selling carpets, they did not know there is a well hidden inside them.
I saw Ari’s father later. He was not well at all, mentally and emotionally. My heart melted. I thought to myself, “He will not survive even beyond the year if God does not intervene.”
That was when the Lord said to me,
“This will be your last good work project for this year.”
THIS WILL BE YOUR LAST GOOD WORK PROJECT FOR THIS YEAR
I know I have to do what the Lord wants me to do. I told the Lord that time is tight and running out. Realistically, looking at my schedule and energy level, I can only afford about a week or two at most to help them. It will take a miracle.
OF COURSE, I KNOW THE GREAT MIRACLE WORKER
Of course, I know the Great Miracle Worker.
And of course, He made the impossible possible. Favour upon favour. Grace upon grace. I summarised and prioritised all the issues, and helped everyone focus on what each one has to do. Through divine intervention, we managed to get things in motion and things are looking up – we see light at the end of the tunnel.
When I saw Ari’s parents the following week, the heaviness in their spirit has lifted and I finally saw Miriam, her mother, break into a beautiful smile; her wrinkled frown disappeared. Ah… the heart of a wife and a mother… I feel her heart.
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