The sun had risen bright and beautiful, but it would not set the same.
It was a great day. I had been able to do my devotions, have fun making pancakes with my roommate, and watch the kids at a pool, which was really special! The kids had so much fun! Everything seemed normal. We were doing special activities, but the kids were the same, the staff were the same, and nothing very unusual was expected or was supposed to happen; and then it did.
I was doing my normal shift with the kids when a strange lady showed up at our gate speaking Thai. I am still not 100% comfortable with strangers just showing up, so it made me nervous that I was the only one there, but I tried my best. She came up to me and started talking; I frantically looked around for someone to translate, but found my best translators peacefully sleeping. I looked in the boy's dorm and thankfully found Wind.
As he started translating, I became increasingly skeptical. He started saying things like, “Daddy had an accident", and “Daddy’s in the hospital". I didn’t know what to think. I wanted to be in denial. I didn’t know whether to trust this stranger or not, but I still made the phone calls. I tried Mrs. Kasey, no answer. At this point, I was starting to feel a strong sinking feeling in my gut. I tried to call Hannah, and her response immediately told me that she believed the story was true.
Before I knew it, my afternoon had completely changed. Mrs. Kasey, Abi, and the three oldest girls were driving out the gate getting quick instructions on which hospital to go to, and the man who does so much here was no longer coming back from his quick afternoon trip. I was in a state of shock and holding back panic as I rang the bell for an emergency prayer meeting. We had no idea what state he was in; we only knew he had been in an accident, and praise the Lord he was still alive.
Life found a routine again, but there was always a seeming emptiness surrounding the campus. Hannah and I still take care of the kids, and their laughter still fills the air, but now there are questions about Daddy. I don’t understand what the kids say, but I can hear the concern in their voices. Praise the Lord, Robbie is getting better quickly, but this whole experience has reminded me of the simple fragility of life.
This morning in staff worship, we sang I Sing the Mighty Power of God, and one line that really stands out to me is found in the last verse. It says, “Creatures that borrow life from thee are subject to thy care.” I think that we often take our lives or the lives of the people around us for granted. We truly are borrowing life. It is given to us by God, and He does care for us and watch over us, but life is still never guaranteed. Do we truly value the people in our lives? Do we show them that we love them every day? What if today was the last time that we were able to talk to them or see them? It's easy to love our family and friends, but what if this was the last day that you saw that annoying co-worker or that mean bully? Sometimes we might want to be excited to never have to see them again, but what if you were their one chance to hear about Jesus? What if you had said something, and they came to church? What if they get to go to heaven because of your kindness and ministry? What if you are the tool that God has chosen to use?
I would hate to be the one who stands in the way of a person getting to heaven. They could be my worst bully, but I do not want my silence to cost them Heaven. It's easy to make excuses saying that God would find some way else to reach that person, and maybe He would, but we were given the great commission that applies to all of us. We are called to reach out and speak up, no matter who the other person is. The words aren’t coming easy to me right now, but I am just trying to say that life is fragile. What if that cashier or that random person on the street doesn’t have another chance to hear about God? What would happen if they died tonight? Did you tell them about Jesus?
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