Casual Opportunities

As we began our trip north out of Sydney through Brisbane towards Port Moresby, we have been praying for more opportunities to share Jesus on these short stopovers along the route. A desire to see Jesus touch lives and to be sensitive to what He is doing and wanting to do through us, among the hurting and needy around us, has been the cry of our hearts.

In Sydney we had a divine appointment with someone we invited to sit with us as we waited for our flight. This dear young woman had lost the love of her life to cancer some years previously and I was moved in my heart hearing her story and about the resulting loneliness.

As I shared my story and the healing of cancer she was fascinated by it and asked questions. Knowing she was still in grief for her loss, we offered to pray and prayed with her before we left for our flight. We have carried this dear woman in our hearts and prayers, thanking the LORD for the divine appointment to be there when she needed encouragement and His touch through us.

Then in Brisbane I went for a haircut and met Jun, a barber from S. Korea. He is a young man who has been here for a couple of years. We talked about our travels as he cut my hair and asked questions.

I asked him if he loved Jesus after a while and he said he believed in many religions and said that he absorbed what he liked from what he learned of them to help better his life. He also said if Jesus said anything that would help him be better he would receive that too. I asked him (based on Psalm ciii 3), “So what would you think about forgiveness for all the things you have done wrong and healing for all your diseases?”

We discussed this for a while and I then paid his discounted price for my haircut—he refused the tip—and I felt to ask him how I could pray for him, so I turned back and asked him. He actually moved eagerly to me and said what concerned him and what he wanted in prayer, and I was able to pray for and minister to him in some precious moments, for which he was most thankful and wished me God’s blessing as I left the shop.

The journey continues … Next stop: Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea.