October 2008: crazy neighbor

Dear Family, 

 

Many of the themes in the New Testament can be summed up in four words: Love Jesus; Love People.  With this in mind, I have been learning how to love.  One would think that love comes easily to a missionary, but some days it does not, especially when the person I am called to love is my weird neighbor. It seems as though it is easier for me to love someone whom I do not have to “work” on loving, and if we are honest, that is probably the truth for all of us.  But what I have been learning is that the more “work” I put into a relationship, the greater the yield.   

 

Rebecca and I have a neighbor, Denise, who is a bit strange.  Some days she stands outside our house and talks to herself.  Other days she yells, but most days she walks up and down the street until we come home, and then she hangs out in our yard and talks as the garden is being watered, sharing in the harvest, eating cherry tomatoes, and saying good night.  Rebecca and I have struggled with what loving Denise really looks like.  We ask each other the tough questions like: “How would Jesus love her?” “Is this safe?” “Do we love her more than we love ourselves?” and if the answer is no, “How do we show her that she is loved?”  These questions sound hard, but what I have found is that the answers are harder.  Jesus clearly teaches to love, Jesus demonstrates loving the unloved, and Jesus commands His followers to love--period.  Because of Jesus’ emphasis on love, I have had to learn and sometimes force myself to show Denise love.  Rebecca seems to be a natural at loving her. 

 

Recently, Rebecca started a Thursday night women’s Bible study, and due to the influx of women in and out of our home, Denise has been around more often.  God laid it on Rebecca’s heart to invite Denise, and she did, and Denise has come.  God is moving in her; she has yet to profess Him as Lord and Savior, but she is there hearing Truth.  Please pray that Denise begins a relationship with Jesus, that I continue to grow in love, and that Rebecca continues to love naturally. 

 

On a completely different note, a lovely man from a local church donated a car to our ministry that is in excellent condition!  Praise God that I now have a car because this man listened to God’s prompting.  Thank you for all your love and support!