Today is the last day for 10-Fold.org, a project of the Board of Global Ministries (UMC), and the day's feature is sustainable agriculture. It's been a good educational project, channeling money from a special grant into specific projects, based on the number of web hits.
As I watched today, it felt so very good to be connected to that project, teaching sustainable agriculture in Africa, South America, and the Caribbean islands. For several years, we've contributed to Heifer Project (my birthday presents usually connect with that - this year a small farmyard and some bees went on their way).
And it reminded me of U. S. and Vivien Gray, missionaries from East Texas who went to Liberia decades ago. They taught agriculture. They served their community. And they served as foster parents. Everyone knew: Vivien welcomed kids who had nowhere to go.
One morning, a boy who called himself Bennie, eight years old, stood on the porch. He had walked a very long way to get to Mrs. Gray's house. She invited Bennie in. Into the family, into the faith, into service. Bennie became a minister, then a Bishop of Liberia. As an honored leader, he served in government, becoming vice-president of the country.
In 1977, Bennie Dee Warner took a trip to a conference in America. He brought along his wife and children, which turned out to be a blessing. During that trip, a coup overthrew the government and Bennie couldn't return. (Liberia is finally coming out of that long period of chaos.) Settled in Oklahoma, he is still a powerful influence in the church, and his life's work is a tribute to one woman's servant-hood.
One missionary, one eight year old boy on the porch, and a turning point. God inspired Vivien to say "Come in." And just look what He made of it.
No comments:
Post a Comment