I would love your prayers for our base and another missionary, Laura. We have received sad news that her "son" Pedro died in a drowning accident. His body still has not been recovered. I say "son" because Laura and Pedro are not blood related, but he called her mom and she called him son. It may be a bit hard to believe but serving here our hearts break and fall for certain children. We take them under our wings as mothers would. This child was Laura's boy. He is now with His heavenly father who praise God he knew well before leaving this world at such an early age.
Laura is in the States with family right now and has been since June. I saw Pedro just last weekend when he spent a few days with us here visiting friends and hanging out. Please be praying for Laura, Pedro's family, and our children/center. Death is such a starke reality here in Mozambique and something we as missionaries have a really hard time coping with.
Today, Sept. 23rd--
Last night we had our normal weekly missionary home group. This is a time we gather together for worship time and some sort of teaching each week. As we all attempted to worship it was with heavy hearts. Many of us just wept. I keep thinking...Pedro and I weren't that close, why is this so difficult for me. But, honestly that doesn't change the tragedy. That doesn't change the questions a thing like this brings up. That doesn't change the anger I'm feeling. And, that doesn't change the fact that this is the 4th young life I've seen lost in less than a year. My mind goes directly back to Dino, Graca, and Naftal. While at the same time jumping to miraculous stories such as Fernanda and Manuel 2.
We were challenged last night to hold fast to the Lord, even if this doesn't change the circumstances. I'm trying...that's all I can say. I'm struggling to praise Him today. But, I also know each of these young one's who I loved so dearly are in a better place where they are whole, loved, and joyful. Today my heart is saying...where does that leave us, the one's who loved them here on Earth??
it leaves us laying flat out in His presence, in His hands, utterly surrendered, turned to Him, cause we don't have anything left. And then He will LIFT YOU UP! And now that what you did, in loving them, made all the difference in the world, and in heaven. Though it doesn't seem like it....He'll continue to give you the strength and love you need to keep pouring it out...if you keep letting Him pour in....cause He's called you here to do just that. love you. talk Sunday!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this Meghann. You may not have been that close to Pedro but we had some fun times didn't we? "I'm going to win!" he would always say with such 14 year old confidence! I'm blessed just knowing that my family here is grieving with me and even that he was shared about at Home Group. funny, I hadn't even thought about that.
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