He Always Works

In case I haven't already mentioned it, here in Taiyuan we like to help out with something called Taiyuan Teens. It's kind of like a youth group/English corner for kids of all ages. It's fun because we get to hang out with kids and see other Chinese people our age--the Chinese university student volunteers. 

Basically, it's a chance to see the Father at work somewhere else in the city every other Saturday afternoon.

 

Last Saturday I was really excited about it. It was a chance to share more about the Christmas story with the kids. We had this really awesome video that we were going to show them, we were going to spark good conversation, la-de-da. 

 

Then Saturday afternoon came around and we embarked on the bus-trek-then-walk across the city facing the Siberian winds. And all I could think was 

It'scold.

It'scold.

It'sreallyreallycold.

And my attitude plummeted. 

Then we got there and found out that the power was out. Which means the elevator was out. Which meant climbing the stairs up to the 16th floor. 

My attitude continued to be swayed by the circumstances. 

But THEN we got there and had Chinese lessons with some of the volunteers. It was REALLY COOL because I'm finally starting to pick up Chinese. The random sounds are becoming words that my untrained mouth is beginning to be able to imitate. 

Anyway, I digress. 

At dinnertime, the power was still out, which meant climbing the stairs again to go get dinner. Which meant that by the time Taiyuan Teens started, I had a stomachache and couldn't stop coughing from all the stairs/food. Also, we were having Taiyuan Teens in candlelight. And in my head I was thinking How will we get across the message if we can't play the video? How is He going to work? I knew He still would because He reminded me that He could during my lessons last week (see last post). 

The message was given and then it was time to sing songs. I got picked to lead, which meant explaining all the songs ("Silent Night", "We Wish You a Merry Christmas", and "Go Tell it on the Mountain") and then singing them loud enough for everyone to understand. 

That's when I knew He was at work. 

My explanations of the song weren't perfect, but I knew the words coming out of my mouth weren't all mine. He was there, in the candlelight, in the faces of the kids, in the eyes of the boy's father who was holding a candle next to my face. He was there in the hard-to-pronounce words, in the smiles of the volunteers, and in my lungs that managed to quit coughing long enough for me to sing. He was there, working without a video or electricity or instruments. 

We sang the chorus of "Go Tell it on the Mountain" so many times that I know it's stuck in the kids' heads. They loved it. And it will carry a seed long after I leave Taiyuan. 

Once again, I saw that He works in all circumstances, regardless of attitude or plans. 

 

He works with no available hotel rooms, no cradle, and no special newborn blankets. 

He works with smelly men who look after sheep and rich men who read the stars. 

He works with attitudes and hearts that we think will never change. 

 

He always works.