Dear Friends,

An Encounter

Her back is bent from the heavy load she is carrying.

Her steps are slow as she trods methodically up the steep muddy path.

Her knees are creaking and swollen from the time she fell and injured them. They never had time to heal as she could not afford to stay off them as long as the doctor ordered.

Her head and face is battered with pain, as decay from a rotten tooth has caused her nerves to become raw.

She knocks on my door, hoping for some relief and help.

I hear the knock, an interruption to my busy day. I have piles of work on my desk to type, sort and file. I have dorm meeting and treats to prepare for—not another delay! But wait: What would Jesus do? My frustration miraculously melts and I am somehow able to greet her in the way she deserves—with a smile and a warm greeting followed by a cup of water and dawa to help relieve her pain.

As I help unload the heavy vegetables from her back, I say a silent prayer "O God, help her in her need. I know you love her just as much as I do. Give me wisdom and grace to say the words and do the deeds that will minister most to her."

After purchasing a few things from her, I once again load the burden on to her bent back and she once again walks slowly out of my life—until the next time I hear a knock on the door.

Kathy Long

The 2002 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 37