Just a Glimpse

With my yellow notepad in hand, I settled into one of the big arm chairs in the executive director’s office, ready to catch a glimpse of the other side of the world.  The associate director sat down with his own notepad, its pages worn from a whirlwind week of international travel. 

Through his narration, the rest of us met a courageous ministry leader in Bangladesh who withstood multiple attempts to martyr him.  We heard how this believer survived everything from a battering-ram-bus intent on running him down to a gunman ready to shoot.  Yet this man is not afraid and continues to labor intensely for the Gospel.

As the story continued, we also met an intelligent woman with a master’s degree who could have money and prestige—yet she chose instead to work at a Christian school in the village. Rather than strolling the city streets, she walks barefoot to work across a path of raised dirt and old lily pads.  She lives in a world where back-breaking work is the norm, but the joy on her face is radiant.

As we sat gathered to listen in the office, we glimpsed images of courage, faithfulness, and perseverance from a Christian village on the other side of the world. When we finished, I closed my note pad and put it aside.  But I think the images we glimpsed in that office will follow us for a long time to come.  I’m excited to see and hear more.