Day 12:
“Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It’s splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world.”
-L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
As Doug mentioned yesterday, we spent the weekend in Sells, Arizona, on the Tohono O’odham Indian Reservation. After a great time Saturday, this morning we had the pleasure of worshipping with some brothers and sisters from the tribe.
One of my favorite moments of any mission experience is attending church with those who are from a different cultural background than myself. Whenever I hear people praising God in a language different than my own, I have to think of what it might be like in Heaven someday. “After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne before the Lamb” (Revelation 7:9). I think the chills I get in experiences like this morning will pale in comparison to anything we might feel praising God with those “from every nation and tribe and people and language!” The people at the church were so welcoming and friendly and we felt right at home. Two of the boys that attend there were part of Doug’s camp group from last year. It was great for Doug to get to catch up a little with them.
We are now back to our temporary “home” here in Peoria and are feeling incredibly thankful. It was such a good time this weekend. I am so appreciative of the missionary family who was our “tour guide,” the other missionaries we got to meet and enjoy on Saturday, and the nice people at the church. You know, while being here in hot Arizona we have really learned how to appreciate a nice, cold bottle of water. It’s refreshing. And the same could be said of those around us this weekend. They were refreshing. I think that is exactly how God intends for us to be to others.
“So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11)