Zhud...

 You can get a lot for $25,000. That much cash will buy you a 22-foot sailboat, a month at a posh resort in the Cayman Islands, a rare 1913 Australian stamp, a new car(maybe),  or  about 10,000 hot dogs.  A lot of people live off of $25,000 a year...it's a lot of cash to some, but to others it's not much.  Did you know that $25,000 can build a church in the mountains of Ecuador?  The same amount of money that can buy you 10,000 hot dogs or a new car can build a church building. 

25 days ago our church body began a time of fasting and praying about our church plant in Ecuador.  My husband and a team of 3 other men had just gotten back from the trip.  They showed a slide show of pictures set to some really great songs...they shared testimonies of what they saw God doing in the hills of Ecuador...and they challenged us.  Challenged us to fast and pray...and then at the end of that time...to give.  We needed $25,000 to build the church...that seemed like a huge figure.  Could it be done?  Would people that are struggling to make ends meet reach way down deep in their pockets to give to people they don't even know?  Would people really sacrifice...would they pray?  I walked away that night giddy.  Giddy still from the glow of my husband being home...and giddy about what I just knew that God was going to do through a little church in Douglasville, Georgia. 

Over the past 25 days I have seen people make commitments...give things that they love up...sell things...all in an effort to reach our goal of $25,000.  Today was the day.  The day we have prayed about and looked forward to!  Tonight the body of believers that I am blessed to be a part of laid their envelops in the offering plate.  Envelopes that may have had tears on them...envelopes that a lot of sweat may have gone into....envelopes that had been bathed in prayer.  They took those envelopes and began the process of counting the money while the service went on. 

At the end of the service our pastor announced that he had bad news and good...the bad was that we didn't give $25,000...the good...that we had gave MORE!!!!  We were blessed to be able to give $40,000!!!!!!!!!   I don't really care what you can buy for $40,000...but I do know that it'll build a church building in Zhud Ecuador...that it will help our pastor there, Lucas...that it will further the Gospel to lost people!  I'm stoked...ready to get my Passport done...ready to go...to see...and savor!  To God be the Glory...He sure has done great things!

My friend said it so well the day after that service 25 days ago.  She said "some may think that we are doing such a great thing helping these people with nothing out...I think that they are actually the ones helping us".  I couldn't agree more.  We have it all...everything we could imagine, and yet we are still not satisfied.  They have nothing...and all they need is Jesus.  Maybe they are teaching us something far greater than $40,000 in 25 days...thankful that we as a body can be part of their ministry!!