Joy of Serving

I just experienced a definite highlight of the eight years we have served overseas! We had the first-ever all Uzbek women's conference. Forty Uzbek and ten foreign women attended and experienced the power of the Lord mightily through teaching, drama, crafts, worship, sauna, manicures and pedicures, etc... We did everything we could to pamper these ladies from caring for their babies to praying with them. While massaging lotion into one lady's hands, I prayed out loud for her, "as you use these hands for His service, may the Lord give you strength and wisdom...."  I looked up to see tears streaming down her face. I asked her what was wrong, and she responded, "I am the one always giving...NO ONE ever gives to me!"

What a blessing--these ladies were so grateful to see us western, "rich", women with generations of spiritual knowledge behind us giving to the point of literally washing their feet. To me, it seemed so appropriate a role for us because the Uzbek women blow me away with what they endure from economic hardship to persecution. Even the week before the conference, one fellowship was raided by police. Five young men were sent to jail and 3 women's passports were detained preventing them from attending our conference as planned.

Another highlight of the conference was our special night of prayer. I began the preparations with a young Uzbek lady, Delia, but in no time she had taken over the project and completed it with a real anointing. We used 7 dorm rooms, each having a theme from a verse out of the Lord's prayer--God's provision, forgiveness, God's will, etc. For example, the verse regarding God providing our daily bread was in a room with pictures of birds and an arrangement of beautiful, fresh flowers with verses of how God provides for both, so how much more He will provide for us. At the end of the prayer time, as we all gathered to share what we experienced, one lady confessed a grudge she'd had against another sister for TWO YEARS. She publicly confessed it and made up with her in front of us all. Not a dry eye was left in the room!

- Anonymous, Central Asia