Here's a story from "Too Small to Ignore" by
Dr. Wess Stafford. Very heartfelt story!
Be encouraged by it!
"Compassion's South Korea director, Dr. Justin
Suh, and members of his board of directors
were visiting the work in Ecuador and arrived
at a certain project one evening. They were
scheduled to see the program the next morning.
"We are so grateful for your visit to us," the
pastor said when they climbed out of the minibus.
"But I'm so very sorry to inform you that tomorrow
will not be a typical day at our project. I know
you want to meet the children and see what we
are trying to do for them in this desperate
community, but..." At this, the man's throat
began to tighten. "The children will not be
gathering as usual tomorrow. Instead, we will have
a funeral." He took a deep breath before continuing.
"Two of our little boys, brothers, were crossing the
busy street to come to the project yesterday and
were struck by a huge truck. The eight-year-old
was severley injured and is in intensive care at the
city hospital. But the little six-year-old was crushed
and died in the dirty street. He was a wonderful
little boy. We are all heartbroken." Justin Suh replied,
"Oh, my brother, we are so very sorry." The pastor
wiped a tear and continued, "In our culture, children
do not generally attend funerals, especially tragic ones
like this. So I'm afraid you will not see among us what
you came so far to see." The South Korean leaders
conferred and then offered,"Would it be all right if we
came anyway, sat with your congregation, and just
grieved with our Ecuadorian brothers and sisters in
their great loss? We know something of such great
sorrow in our own land." The next morning when the
Korean delegation arrived at the little church, the
sanctuary was filled to capacity. To their surprise,
some sixty of the mourners sitting on the coarse wooden
benches were children. The pastor met the visitors at
the door and just shrugged his shoulders; he had no
explanation for why so many children had shown up for
a funeral. While waiting for the service to begin, the
national staff members began to move among the
children, quietly talking with them in Spanish.
Eventually Justin and his group heard the report. Child
after child had said, "He was my friend. He is the one who
told me of Jesus' love. He helped me invite Jesus into
my heart. I'm sad, but I've come today to send him to
his heavenly home."
This little Ecuadorian child had led over fifty of his friends
to Jesus! His life's work was gloriously accomplished by the
tender age of six. God needed a great evangelist for that
village. He needed a child.
God bless!
~Lily
