Armenian Conversation #wa2011

Lilit (Armenia), Rick (USA) and Angela (Malawi) at the prayer meeting this morning

Lilit and I had met over the craziness of breakfast at the hostel all of the IFES World Assembly delegate, we walked to the prayer meeting together.  She said that she had recently joined staff in Armenia.

"What attracted you to the work, or rather how did God call you to the work?"

Lilit smiled,

"The second way is the better question. It was God's call that attracted me to the ministry of course. Well last year I had a traumatic events. My mother died in March and then in April I was in a kind of very bad car accident. I broke many things in my body and had to lay in bed absolutely still in for 40 days.  During that time I was praying and really examining what I was to be doing.  I thought I could not go back to the way I was living, to just working.  Then I had to started to walk again and was asking God what he was calling me to do.

During this time there was a vision for me and God said to me that I did not need to go looking but that some people would come with an offer that I should not refuse. And then two men came from the IFES movement and said that I was to be suggested at the General Secretary and I have been working since October in this position."

This woman, who did not look at all frail, was a walking miracle. I was humbled and encouraged to talk with her.  This gathering is full of these conversations and these stories because of the work of God.  Lilit spoke of her story with simplicity and humility. I felt a huge sense of privilege in talking with her.

We reached the packed prayer meeting and sat next to another couple of people.  As we prayed together with Rick and Angela I was impacted by the graciousness of God in building his work around the world.  There are hundreds of stories of grace.  I'm hoping to record more here over the coming days.