Looking for Opportunities

Life and ministry in The Gambia is all about praying and seeking out opportunities to share biblical truths and pray with people in the name of Jesus. There is great religious tolerance here and my Gambian neighbors are very open to spiritual conversations and believe in the power of prayer. However, I must be praying for, seeking out and being bold in the daily opportunities God gives.

Community is critical in Gambian culture and one of the ways you show your care for someone is by visiting with them and chatting. Recently I received word that a Gambian woman we know had been sick for several months. This woman usually visits our compound regularly and I had never reciprocated her hospitality and been to her compound. It was definitely time to figure out where she lived and see how the Lord led. I asked around for “directions”, there are no road names here or addresses so my friends helped me figure out who I knew that lived close to her. Once you are in the general vicinity of someone’s home it is easy, you just roll down the window and ask anyone walking by and they will point out the house or hop in the car to go with you. I arrived to find our friend sitting outside under a mosquito net, clearly very ill. As I chatted with her and her family I was able to help this widow a bit financially with funds to return to the hospital and more importantly she and her family allowed me to pray in the name of Jesus for her healing and for provision. Pray for KD.

This same morning I also had the opportunity to pray and visit with a new widow whose husband had died a week prior and to continue praying with the family of an employee who is having some problems. As I texted my teammate updates for her to be praying, she replied “that was a busy hour” and yes it was. Each morning I pray Lord guide me to whoever you want and however you want today, this day He sure did and He opened some doors for some great opportunities to shine His light. If I had not been looking for these opportunities, if I had not been open to them, if I were not prepared for them, if I had not already invested in these relationships, or if I had chosen to just stay inside that morning since it might rain (I thought about it) what would have happened? Only God knows. I am grateful that He can work through messy me and that His truth goes forward in this dark place. Are you looking for opportunities?