Journal Pages...
June 7, 1992 - A Dose of Reality
Today was Sunday. We went to the international church today. We were sitting in the back with the fans running so we didn't catch all the French, but definitely a lot more than the last time I was in that church in 1988 (short term). This evening we went to the English service. Duane Hosapple (sp?) spoke. He is a visiting pastor from Abbotsford BC. He spoke on Isaiah 40. Hope in the Lord when times get rough and the dryness of the soul comes. Oh I must add that we got left at church this morning. We waited 2 hours for Bob Abbott to come pick us up. But Jesus got left in the temple once so we as his followers should not get all bent out of shape when it happens to us.
Tonight we prayed and had a talk with Bob and Janna about the Tuareg work. They said some things that were hard to hear. It is things I knew but the reality has just been setting in now that we are here and ready to start our ministry. They talked about the constant begging and the deception that can come with their request. They said that lying is prevalent here. How can you love someone who doesn't tell the truth?
I don't want to have a cynical attitude this early. I want to truly love these people. But what I saw tonight is that my love for them will not come from their actions toward me. It has to come from above. Jesus hung on the cross for me. He gave me everything and so often I am so ungrateful and hurt him with my lies about my commitment to him, when I won't forgive another one of his children. When I pride myself in something that He has done, I am stealing from him. Yet he still loves me. Oh Lord give me this same love for the Tuaregs.
"Love is patient, love is kind." That is so much more than just something to engrave on a wedding card. My [computer] battery is almost dead. I better save this quick and shut it off for the night.