Right now, we are interviewing LOTS of people for open jobs at our school. Since I'm not an administrator (principal or vice principal), I wouldn't normally do the interviews. However, since we have so many open positions (the school is growing!), we set up a sort of tag team process over 2 days. My role is probably the best one. I literally sit with a Khmer co-worker and we interview people about their personal testimony and walk with the Lord. It's awesome!!
Today was the first day. We have 7 stations going simultaneously: 3 for professional interviews, 3 for testimonies, and 1 for testing people who have applied for positions that require certain academic abilities (math, English, etc.). The people have about 40 minutes at the station and they are scheduled to visit 1 of each type of station. So, I saw about 10 people today. It was great to talk with them in English and also to use some of my Khmer. There were so many great stories involved in the lives of these people, but there's one particular that I have to share with you.
This woman was a bit young and she came to know the Lord in a special way. First, she lived out in a village, not in the city. There was a local church that offered English classes for free with only one requirement. You could attend the English classes all week if you came to church on Sunday. She and her sister went to church in order to go to the English classes. The church gave them snacks after Sunday school and had fun activities, so they liked going anyway. They didn't really care about hearing the Gospel, but they enjoyed their time every Sunday, so they kept coming.
She remembered the pastor frequently saying, "God can save you." She didn't really understand what that meant or that it was a spiritual thing, but she remembered hearing those words a lot.
Now, the story gets a little fuzzy because we weren't digging for all the little details or the before/how/why; we were too enthralled with the main details. When she was 12 years old, she and 2 other girls were in a body of water (not sure exactly but probably a lake or something around the rice fields) and they were drowning. She literally said, "I drowned" and we thought maybe we didn't understand, so my Khmer co-worker said, "like in the water, you were drowning in water?" She clarified that this is what she meant (the Khmer language is not conjugated like English, so tense is frequently mixed up, hence saying drowned instead of drowning).
Anyway, the 3 girls are in the water and fighting for their lives. She remembers hearing that God can save you, so she literally says in her head, "God, if you're real, save me." Telling us the story, she said, "less than 30 seconds later, I don't know how many seconds but very quickly after I said those words", a boy had come near outside the water and he threw a long stick into the water. She was able to grab the end of the stick and the boy and another boy pulled the stick like a rope and drug her out of the water.
One of the girls died that day, the 3rd girl was removed from the water and was taken to the hospital, but this girl was completely fine. She knew without a doubt that God was the one who saved her. She had been learning about him but didn't really know the truth until that moment when God saved her.
Since that time, she's seen God answer many prayers, but it was that prayer in the literal fight for her life that brought her to know the Lord.
As she told this story, I literally teared up and had to apologize as I grabbed a tissue. After the interview was over, my co-worker said, "her testimony really touched your heart." To which, I replied that it absolutely did! I LOVE hearing testimonies from people any chance I get and I could imagine the fear and relief tied up in such a short amount of time. The Lord is mighty to save and I love hearing stories of Him showing up when people ask for miracles. So often, we're not brave enough to ask for what seems impossible.
What would it be like if we were all willing to ask for those "crazy" things that seem too big or too difficult or down right impossible?
Today was the first day. We have 7 stations going simultaneously: 3 for professional interviews, 3 for testimonies, and 1 for testing people who have applied for positions that require certain academic abilities (math, English, etc.). The people have about 40 minutes at the station and they are scheduled to visit 1 of each type of station. So, I saw about 10 people today. It was great to talk with them in English and also to use some of my Khmer. There were so many great stories involved in the lives of these people, but there's one particular that I have to share with you.
This woman was a bit young and she came to know the Lord in a special way. First, she lived out in a village, not in the city. There was a local church that offered English classes for free with only one requirement. You could attend the English classes all week if you came to church on Sunday. She and her sister went to church in order to go to the English classes. The church gave them snacks after Sunday school and had fun activities, so they liked going anyway. They didn't really care about hearing the Gospel, but they enjoyed their time every Sunday, so they kept coming.
She remembered the pastor frequently saying, "God can save you." She didn't really understand what that meant or that it was a spiritual thing, but she remembered hearing those words a lot.
Now, the story gets a little fuzzy because we weren't digging for all the little details or the before/how/why; we were too enthralled with the main details. When she was 12 years old, she and 2 other girls were in a body of water (not sure exactly but probably a lake or something around the rice fields) and they were drowning. She literally said, "I drowned" and we thought maybe we didn't understand, so my Khmer co-worker said, "like in the water, you were drowning in water?" She clarified that this is what she meant (the Khmer language is not conjugated like English, so tense is frequently mixed up, hence saying drowned instead of drowning).Anyway, the 3 girls are in the water and fighting for their lives. She remembers hearing that God can save you, so she literally says in her head, "God, if you're real, save me." Telling us the story, she said, "less than 30 seconds later, I don't know how many seconds but very quickly after I said those words", a boy had come near outside the water and he threw a long stick into the water. She was able to grab the end of the stick and the boy and another boy pulled the stick like a rope and drug her out of the water.
One of the girls died that day, the 3rd girl was removed from the water and was taken to the hospital, but this girl was completely fine. She knew without a doubt that God was the one who saved her. She had been learning about him but didn't really know the truth until that moment when God saved her.Since that time, she's seen God answer many prayers, but it was that prayer in the literal fight for her life that brought her to know the Lord.
As she told this story, I literally teared up and had to apologize as I grabbed a tissue. After the interview was over, my co-worker said, "her testimony really touched your heart." To which, I replied that it absolutely did! I LOVE hearing testimonies from people any chance I get and I could imagine the fear and relief tied up in such a short amount of time. The Lord is mighty to save and I love hearing stories of Him showing up when people ask for miracles. So often, we're not brave enough to ask for what seems impossible.
What would it be like if we were all willing to ask for those "crazy" things that seem too big or too difficult or down right impossible?
Tamra, I love it when you share these God stories and testimonies! Our God is in the Miracle business...we are the ones that seem to forget that. I believe that you need to write a book some day. Although, I know that God has many things for you to do right now and I am so thankful that you and your family listen to His calling and say "Yes LORD, I'll go!" Please know that there are many of us - here in Texas that keep you lifted in prayer!
ReplyDeleteHi Bonnie, thank you for your kind words and encouragement. I do not know that you, and others, are praying for us and I appreciate it SOOOO much!! It is a privilege to walk this journey that the Lord has us on but we could never do it alone.
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