Divine encouragement

This morning I went to visit the Abraham Project, an orphanage outside of San Jose that's run by a missionary couple I've been wanting to meet. Unfortunately, the couple had just left on furlough, but I sought out the foreman of the construction project they have going on because I heard they might be willing to donate some wood for the carpentry program in La Carpio.

I approached Orucu and introduced myself. I asked him if they had any leftover wood. He said no. He explained that most of the campus had been built using recycled wood from pallets. I began to think the entire trip had been a waste of time. Then he told me that they were going to give us some wood from what they had in order to be a blessing to us. I was encouraged, and he and I began to pull some pine and douglas fir scraps from an immense pile of wood, taking care to avoid the multitude of rusty nails.

Before becoming the construction foreman for the Abraham Project, Orucu had been a pastor in the South of Costa Rica. He began to question me about the youth I'm working with in La Carpio and what kind of challenges they face. I confided in him that oftentimes it's difficult work because the young men in La Carpio have little or no desire to work, and trying to motivate them and build character is a difficult, lonely endeavor.

Just as I finished talking, I saw a man walk out of their woodshop, about 50 feet away. He walked right up to me and without introducing himself, began to talk. He told me, "Everything you do in ministry for the glory of God is known. It is written down in heaven. The work you do is for the glory of God and it is known to Him."

I thanked him and we shook hands, and then he turned and walked back to the shed where he'd been working. I turned and looked at Orucu. He'd taken off his hat and was cradling it in his hands. He said, "This is from God." He smiled and blinked back tears. "This is from God. Years ago this man came and prophesied about what would come to be here at this location, what we see now, what he's working on."

I replied that I was in need of encouragement and marveled at how this man who didn't know me came and gave me what I needed. Orucu just smiled and praised God. Praise God that He knows us intimately, knows our very needs and wants to meet them in practical, unexpected ways.

Encouraged,
Seth