The Kingdom

I’m sitting here just outside our front door this afternoon. It’s a beautiful day. I decided to listen to one of my favorite CDs—“Can you hear us.” Competing against the beautiful melody is the background noise of construction, traffic, and the call to prayer from either the Muslim mosque or Orthodox church (we have both close to us and regularly hear their calls). Meanwhile, I’m working on our language homework, conjugating past tense verbs. Despite all the noise, the words of the song “The Kingdom” still bring tears to my eyes.

I see a scared little girl, with wise and painted eyes, on a brave man’s back being carried into the light, to a warm little home where little girls can play and sleep alone, and where the sisters teach them how to pray.

The Lord will reign forever. The Lord will reign forever. The Lord will reign forever.

See His kingdom come in every small thing done.

It’s just a little thing, It’s just a little thing, but it will make a change, it will make a change.

I’m reminded of the reasons why I was willing to move to Ethiopia: to help the oppressed, exploited, and prostituted girls and women in Addis Ababa. I had big hopes and dreams in coming here. (Sometimes those hopes and dreams brought me to near panic). Now, being on the ground in Addis Ababa, I must say there isn’t much tangible to show for our nearly twelve weeks here. Sure, we’ve gotten settled and somewhat adjusted to life here, but if someone asked me how many girls I’ve rescued out of prostitution so far I would have to say: none. So, I have to ask myself, is that okay?

I go back to the song I just heard: See His kingdom come in every small thing done.

Then I’m reminded of the verse: “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40)

Our ministry here isn’t about seeing how many women we can rescue and how quickly we can do it. I believe God has called us to participate in building His kingdom by being faithful to Him in every small thing done. He’s the one doing the “big” work; he’ll be the one who rescues and rehabilitates prostituted girls and draws them to himself as the Loving Father that he is. I hope to be a vessel in God’s hand that he uses for that work. In the meantime, I want to be faithful in the small things: as we work on establishing the relationship with another organization who will help us start the Home of Hope, as we interact with our househelp, as we pass by beggars every day, as we work on all sorts of details and jump through all sorts of hoops that come along with working here. In every task and in interacting with every person, we do it for our Lord.