I was 15 years old when I went on my first overseas mission trip to the far off Islands of Fiji. We lived in cement block cabins up in the hills with no running water and no electricity for seven weeks. This was my first real experience, off on my own, seeing God's hand at work in everyday amazing ways. We built cabins and dug trenches for pipelines for this little camp that kids from the city could go to during the summer. Seeing shooting starts in a non-light polluted sky gave me a glimpse of how vast and majestic God's creation is. Praying for rain to fill our water tank as it ran low in the dry season and then promptly seeing that prayer answered proved to me that we serve a God who is powerful and yet gentle to hear and answer my prayers. The day we had off from our labor enjoying the sun on a nearby little island was like stepping into heaven with the most amazing food and beautiful sunset. There was no going back to life as before. I was changed. Never would I put God in my small suburban worldview box again. I was stretched beyond my limits and survived. In the late 80's- with big hair sprayed hair, I thrived with no electricity (and therefore no curling iron), and found I had learned the secret of living with plenty and in want. This was where the small mustard seed was planted in my heart that God was big and I was small but that he could still use me to care for those in need around the world.
