300 - In the Company of Saints

In the Company of Saints, originally uploaded by carolfoasia.

Saturday, October 27, 2007

Here before you stands 138 years of missionary experience in Asia.

I had the wonderful pleasure of having lunch with these lovely, seasoned saints today, and it was the highlight of my entire year.

Standing to my right are Ginny and Lorraine (Day 64) who labored in post WWII Japan for 35+ years to see God's name glorified there. I meet with them once a month, and I will never take that for granted!

But my delight was doubled today as Joanne Shetler and Amy West came to lunch on the day I was already to meet with Ginny and Lorraine! Jo and Amy are with Wycliffe Bible Translators. Jo went to the Balangao people of the Philippines in 1962. Back then, there were no believers. Now, there are over 10,000 in a tribe of 25,000!

Joanne has written a book about her experience with the Balangao called And the Word Came with Power: How God Met and Changed a People Forever. I highly recommend it!

I had never personally met Joanne, but I had gone to a Proclaim Missions Conference back in November of 1988. It was a strange conference because my husband and I were not yet dating but had been spending significant time together doing fun things. Imagine my shock when he came to the conference with a girl from out of town! I was told from an unreliable source that he was going to be marrying this woman, and I was heartbroken. :(

Then, Joanne Shetler got up and spoke and talked about her experiences with the Balangao, and she helped me see the bigger picture of God's purposes for my life regardless of whether I was married to George or not. I was so inspired by her story about having to die to her dreams of the "white picket fence" life that I presented my feelings for George right there on the altar. It was a benchmark time in my life. God also spoke to me about a ministry of prayer through Jo's message called: "God Has No Substitutes." It is one that I have played over and over and given to countless people over the years. It was so strange to hear that same voice I had heard on the tape all those years in Ginny and Lorraine's living room in the flesh!

Well, you probably know the rest of the story. I offered by relationship with George on the altar, but it didn't die. I didn't end up going overseas single because I did marry George (and that girl is happily married to someone else), but my perspective on God's purposes for my life were set at that conference, and God used Jo in a powerful way.

The conversation was amazing as we talked about the Japanese, Balangao, and the Malay peoples and what they believe about the spirit world and God's power to deliver them from their fears. I can't tell you how stimulating it was to be in the company of these saints! Amy has been with Jo since 1988, and she is an amazing woman who has recently complete her Ph.D. thesis about the Balangao's atittude toward the spirit world and the implications of that once they become followers of Jesus. She was so delightful!

At the end of our time, I sheepishly asked Jo to sign my copy of her book, and she wrote:

"God bless you, dear Carol,
As you bring Him glory with your life and ministry.
A joy to serve our Savior together with you."
Joanne Shelter
John 15:16

On my drive home through the beautiful Oregon Wine Country, I was thinking about the beauty of those four Godly, articulate, intelligent single women who have given their lives in order for God's glory to be proclaimed throughout the whole earth as I looked upon the beauty of the afternoon sun on the fall leaves of a grape vineyard. The beauty of those women and the scene overwhelmed me, and I burst into tears. As I looked at those bright yellow grape leaves, I thought of the verse that Jo had just written in my book:

"You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you,
that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain,
that whatever you ask of the Father in My name,
He may give to you." (John 15:16)

I was overwhelmed by God's goodness and presence at that moment. Thank you God for three hours with four chosen women whose fruit has remained to Your glory.

This is what it is all about. :)