They May Be Blind, But They Can See Jesus

June 9 2010

Today was wonderful. We got to know the youth more, and I think they had a good time fellowshipping with one another. We made prayer journals, talked about what the Holy Spirit is doing in our lives, and played games. I think I am about having as much fun as the youth are!

There are some hardships that missionary kids experience. On one hand, they are normal teenagers—hanging out, talking about relationships, listening to music (I found a fellow Taylor Swift fan in the bunch). On the other hand, they face the difficulties of their parents moving and serving, and people constantly entering in and out of their lives. Short term missions groups only come for a week or two, then leave. Their friends may move back to their home country or go on home assignment for six months to a year. Despite this, they are resilient, friendly, and optimistic. It has been a pleasure getting to know them and hang out with them.

I have also gotten a chance to talk with the missionaries about their various ministries. I talked to one missionary who works at New Life Center, a holistic organization that cares for victims of sex trafficking. These victims are from minority and tribal groups in Laos, Burma, and elsewhere. They provide housing, bible study, schooling, domestic and hygiene training, vocational training, and scholarships for university study in Thailand. They earn some money by making handicrafts to sell.

She told me of a story where she was asked to preach for a group who was engaged in similar work. Before she was asked to preach, a choir sang. The choir was made up of people who had been blind or maimed by the Burmese junta regime. They all had limbs missing. The director turned to her and said “they may be blind, but they can see Jesus.”

Please continue to pray for these missionaries, as they help others see Jesus.