“…Seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear” (Mt 13:13). Week 5 of home service. Stuart, Iowa. Just attended the Iowa West District pastors’ conference. Yesterday late afternoon I was sitting in the hotel parking lot, catching up on emails. It was still sunny, but dark clouds were approaching from the west. An older woman stepped outside and lit up a smoke. “Do they have ethnic food around here?” she asked in a New York accent, “…like Polish or Jewish?” “The most ethnic they’ve got is Mexican.” “Nah, she said, “I don’t do Mexican. I’m Jewish-Ukrainian…from Staten Island. I bought a house in South Dakota to live near my daughter and grandkids. I’m moving there.” “That’s pretty radical,” I offered. “Yeah… Do you work here?” she wondered. “No,” I laughed. “I’m a missionary, traveling around the country, reporting on my mission work.” “So, you’re Christian…” she asked. “Yup…” “My daughter is Christian too. So is her husband, and my brother, and my nephew.” “You’re the only holdout?” I asked, grinning. “Yeah, I guess I’m an atheist or an agnostic…” “Hmm, so, when you die, you don’t want to see your family in heaven?” “Don’t go there…”, she warned me with a hard look.” “You know, I used to be sort of like that too. It wasn’t until I was 40 that I heard that Jesus forgives everyone who repents, even me after the mess I had made of my life.” To my surprise, she wanted to know about my conversion, and I told her. “I think you’re making a really good call, moving out to the Plains to be with your family.” “Thanks. Do me a favor, will you?” she requested. “Sure,” I replied. “Please pray for my brother. He’s got cancer and it doesn’t look good.” Her eyes teared up. “I will. But I will also pray that you will come to Jesus. He’s the most important thing there is.” This time, no pushback and she was OK with a selfie. It started to rain. “Well,” she said with a smile, “they don’t have any Polish food around here, so I guess it’s gonna be Subway.”
The Tiews in Germany 