Sitting at the Feet of Martha

It was the end of another long physically and emotionally draining day. Once again I felt as though I had been poured completely out and had nothing left. I went upstairs to go to bed. I peeked onto the girls’ balcony to say good night to any of the girls who might have still been up. Martha was still awake. She is 16 years old and she is the ‘head girl’ who is an overseer for all 40 girls in the home. She was sitting in a chair with her bible open whispering a Psalm she was reading out loud. Two other girls were asleep on the tile floor. It was very late. I was surprised she was awake. She tried to get up and give me her chair but I just wanted to sit at her feet. I looked up at her and asked what verses she was reading. She was reading the 27th Psalm. She handed me her bible and I read the Psalm aloud. I asked her what her favorite verse was out of all of them. She pointed to verse 10. ‘

10 Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.’

She then began to tell me that when I returned to America it was very important for me to tell others about Jesus. She saw the importance of not only those in her primarily Muslim nation, but also those in my primarily Christian nation to be told about the Salvation found in Him alone. I knew in that moment the Lord had planned for me to hear these words. I immediately thought about the bible studies I lead, about the ministry that I have with my husband and the bible studies I attend. But was I really making it my chief goal to tell others who weren’t Christians about Jesus love, knowing people all around me were living their lives apart from Him and were spiritually dead? Was I doing this in my every day life like she was? I was confronted with how I pass up MANY opportunities to share Christ with those here in America. I get distracted by all my other Christian activities that I forget that we are called to be looking for opportunities at all times to share Christ with non-believers.

Martha then went on to tell me that she makes friends with Muslim girls so that she can tell them about Jesus and try to get them to accept Christ. She told me how she would beg her teacher at the beginning of her classes each day to give her permission to talk about Jesus for 5 or 10 minutes. Most of the time the teacher would say no, but sometimes the teacher would say yes. She said that sometimes the girls would make fun of her and call her holy Mary. She said that this would make her feel upset on the inside but then she would remember some verses in Matthew. She flipped her bible over to Matthew chapter 5 and read these verses to me:

10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

She said that she draws strength from the Lord through these verses when she feels rejected while sharing her faith.

She then went on to tell my about her physical trials. She was hit by a car while walking with a Muslim friend after school. She was walking with her friend trying to talk her into coming to church. After their conversation she went to tell her friend good-bye and when she turned to go back home she got hit by a car. She has had severe and constant pain in her back ever since. She told me how she lays in bed at night and asks the Lord to take away the pain. It doesn’t go away but she knows it keeps her close to the Lord. She also had her appendix burst and should have died but she said she knew the Lord saved her for a purpose.

She told me when the other girls in the home picked her to be the head girl she felt so humbled on the inside. She takes her role seriously. She prays for the girls, counsels them and loves them deeply.

I felt as though I were sitting at the feet of Christ. I know He was speaking through this precious, rescued one to encourage me to come back to my country and share His love on a deeper level and to take advantage of EVERY opportunity to tell others about Him pushing any hesitation aside…caring not what others might think but seeking His approval alone.

I can tell you that my conversation with Martha has changed me…changed the way that I reach out…changed the way I see the spiritual need in my own country. I could have sat at her feet all night soaking in every word. She is daily pouring out her life for the kingdom’s causes. She is bringing the good news to all those around her and her example has lead me to do the same. I long to be with her again and have long conversations about all the Lord is doing in and through her. She is quiet, humble and full of His love and joy. I pray the Lord would do even a portion of the work in me that He has done in her. I pray when I return to Sierra Leone next time that I could serve her. I pray I could wash her beautiful feet that bring His good news to her broken and hurting nation. She has become a daughter to me and I love her deeply.