Dear Family and Friends,
I know y’all are probably thinking that I am over zealous in my updates these days since you didn’t hear from me for quite a while and now three times in one week but today’s events were just too important not to share.
Today, Georgy and I had the awesome, humbling privilege of leading Ileana to The Lord. Georgy, our ministry administrator who is ethnic Hungarian, came to translate for me and after a short while, we both realized that Ileana was ready to make a decision to ask Jesus into her heart. What amazed me most was as soon as she was done praying with Georgy to ask Jesus into her heart, she exclaimed, “I believe in the power of Jesus!” Isn’t it amazing what the Holy Spirit can instantly teach to an illiterate young woman?! Very humbling, indeed.
We called our house mother, Flori, into the room who rejoiced with us over Ileana’s decision and we explained to Ileana that we would be helping her to understand what it means to develop have Christ like character. She immediately told me that she knew she needed patience. I laughed out loud and told her I did, too, and I had been a Christian for a long time!
We do ask you to pray for Ileana as she learns how to forgive. She has 21 years of hurt and anger built up towards a mother and male partner for how they physically and emotionally abused her. She exclaimed she could never forgive what her former partner had done to her and we tenderly explained that she would have to learn that it is Jesus’ desire that we forgive others as He has forgiven us. She hesitated only a few seconds before sighing and saying, “I will try to forgive him.” We explained that we only asked her to try and that we would teach her the bible versus necessary in helping her understanding forgiveness. Please pray for Flori as she takes on this task during their daily devotions.
Daniel and I agree that the verse from 1 Corinthians 3: 4-7 are so appropriate for what happened in Ileana’s life today. “4 For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere men? 5 What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. 7So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.” Ileana clearly had heard about Jesus in the evangelical church she had attended in the past so they definitely planted the seeds. At Agape Home, our ministry’s task has been to water those seeds and today, God made it grow and we know He will continue. We praise His name for allowing us to be a part of her life and we thank all of you who give so we can be here doing this work!
I am also pleased to report that Ileana learned the first three letters of the alphabet in one day. Praise The Lord for opening her mind. She is more eager to learn to read and write than anyone I have ever seen!
Thank you for putting up with all my recent emails. I will probably not write again for another month or so. We still need sponsors for Mona and Maria. We have sponsorship committed beginning in May for five months but we need the month of April as well as the at least another six months. We thank you for praying for our ministry and allowing God to use you to be part of what He is doing through us here.
Basking in the Son,
Michelle
Posted on March 6th, 2007 by Michelle
Filed under: Michelle's Journal