It’s one of those moments where you think to yourself, “if this is the only thing I ever do with my life, it’d be worth it.”
Let me tell you the story.
We are out on Bangla Road when I am overcome by the need for food, McDonalds in particular. Which is weird because to be honest, I hate McDonalds. But, I need to go there. When we arrive our friend Happy is sitting outside on the steps. Happy is a vendor on Bangla. She is an incredibly beautiful girl, who walks around all night trying to sell her bracelets and necklaces. God knows we need to be here.
My teammate, Cherub Grace, stays outside and begins to talk to her while I go inside to get something to eat. A few minutes later, I walk back out to the street and I know something amazing is taking place. I walk up to Happy and this group of women around her. Happy is telling me she is afraid because tomorrow the world is going to end.
“No, happy. The world is not going to end. I promise,” I say. “I know this because of Jesus. He loves you very much and it is not time for Him to come back yet. You don’t have to be afraid.”
Wearily, Happy tells me, “I Buddhist, not Christian.”
I look at her. Truly look at her. Into those beautiful eyes and my heart hurts. My heart hurts for this lost daughter.
We tell her all about Jesus and how much He loves her and wants her to pray to Him and believe in Him.
“okay”, she says, “I believe in Jesus and Buddha”
“haha, no it doesn’t work like that. Jesus wants you to only love and pray to Him. He is the ultimate God and Father.”
Happy goes on to tell us that because her parents are Buddhist she cannot be Christian. We can be Christians because our parents are and because we are not from her country, but how can she possibly be able to love Jesus. We tell her that she can love and worship Jesus regardless of her family. We tell her Jesus is her true Father. He is the God who is with you always.
I can see the inner struggle she is having. Jesus is clearly working in her heart right now, but she can’t get passed going against her parents. Satan is lying to her and telling her she is trapped. She begins to cry. She cries out to us, but her spirit cries out to Jesus. Kacey embraces her. This lost daughter.
we tell her, “You are free! There is freedom in Jesus!”
She laughs at us, but, you can see the seed that is being planted, so ready to blossom.
Then out of nowhere she begins to tell us about the pain in her side and that tomorrow she is going to see a doctor because of it.
My teammates and I all look at each other as huge smiles break across our faces.
Not only smiles, but we begin to laugh. I am overcome with joy and excitement! Only we would smile when someone tells us they are in pain.
But, you see we have no doubt she has this pain because tonight Jesus is really about to show her who He is.
He is about to heal her.
We lay hands on her and pray. In the middle of Bangla Road. In the middle of so much evil and darkness we begin to cry out to the One and Only God.
Our God.
We cry out as a crowd gathers.
We cry out as people take pictures of this scene.
We cry out in this hopeless place.
Carly’s arm begins to shake with the presence of the Holy Spirit, as it usually does when we pray. Then Cherub’s arm begins to shake.
Happy looks up at me her gaze full of confusion and curiosity. I tell her its Jesus. He is here. He is healing you!
She smiles.
She says, “I believe Jesus. I pray to Him. I call my mom and ask her about it.”
Happy tells us if she has no more pain in the morning she will call us. Then she will really believe in Jesus and continue to pray to Him.
We hug her. We hug her a lot.
She takes pictures of and with us, and tells us we are in her heart.
You are in ours, too, Happy.
We walk away rejoicing in our God who shows up in the darkest and most hopeless places. The God who chooses to use us to bring His light. The God who uses us to save His sweet, sweet daughter.
We walk away expecting the phone call in the morning. We walk away with a new sister. We walk away, knowing tomorrow we will be back.
I walk away thinking, “if this is the only thing I EVER do with my life, it’d be worth it.”
But, I know my God has a lot more in store for me to do.
And that blows my mind.
p.s.
she called us back.
