Posts Tagged "mission story"

 There is a dear woman who lives near me. She is very poor and cares for several of her grand kids alone. She is so sweet, and is always smiling. About once a week the children come to the gate looking for food. Somehow we always have something when they come over. I remember I had 11 different families come to the gate one weekend looking for food. Ramon (8years old) and Jasmine (5 years old) came on the Sunday looking for something. I had nothing left, and was wondering what we were going to be eating the next day. But, looking into Jasmine big eyes and toothless grin, I had to at least go in and pretend to look. So I went to the cupboard, and there, hidden in the back of the cupboard was 2 kilos of rice and 2 kilos of beans, enough for the both of us.

Amazed at God’s provision, and explaining His great love for them in providing for them, I sent them on their way with the food. I have been attempting for a long time to perfect my arroz con leche recipe. This is a traditional Latin food eaten weekly by families just about everywhere we have lived in Mexico. We all love it but I have never been able to make it properly, until recently. One day I made a huge pot of this delicious treat and because it was too much for out family to eat I decided to run most of it to Petra and her grand kids, piping hot because they have no way to cook. I just thought they would really enjoy it, nice and hot. Knowing that whatever dish I sent it over in would never come back, I looked for some old useless pot throughout the cupboards. The pot I found took me back. As I handled it, I remembered exactly the day I opened the pretty wedding wrapping that held my pot.

Over twenty-seven years ago I was gifted this, my first soup pot. I took it everywhere with us on the mission field in my suitcase, I was so afraid I would not have what I needed along the way. I shed a tear at my lack of faith, because all these years, all these countries, wherever we have gone as a family, God has never failed to provide more than we needed when it came to food. This was the perfect pot to give Petra and her sweet kids the pipping hot sweetened rice milk. So I did. Oh you should have seen the excitement, the children were dipping their fingers in the hot mush before Petra could get the pot into their little shed. I felt on top of the world as I waved good-bye to them, and my pot. But this was not the last I was to see that special pot. Oh no. Two days later, Ramon and Jasmine faithfully brought me my pot, without even asking for more food. They told me how delicious the rice was and how wonderful it was to eat it so nice and hot. I asked them if they wanted more, of course they did. So the next day I filled the pot again, with the pipping hot sweet rice, sprinkled with raisins. It kind of surprised Petra. She was so happy, as her health makes it difficult to forage the fields for wood to cook with. She promised me as she took the pot, she would wash it up and return it as soon as possible. I told her no rush, but when she did, I was sure God would get it back to her full with something nice and hot.

And that is how it has gone for the last month or so, the pot comes empty and leaves full.  Children have a hot meal, and we all get an opportunity to experience the provision of the Lord yet once again.

Isn’t life such a grand adventure when we share it with Christ?

(here is the Arroz con Leche recipe if you want to try it)…~Traditional Arroz con Leche~