In early December of 2021, I had the privilege of going on a missions trip to Mexico with the Flame of Fire Ministry. There, I was part of the group that visited refugee camps and a rehabilitation center.
While I can tell many stories of how the Lord moved and the great things that happened there, I will share only the one that had the most impact on me.
In one of the refugee camps, the Lord taught me an important lesson during a service in which it seemed like I did nothing of “great importance”- except hold someone else’s child.
As I entered that church service, I noticed a mother with a little baby girl- not more than about ~2 years of age.
Though I do not speak Spanish, I smiled at the girl… and before I knew it I was holding that little girl in my arms. The mother seemed relieved that someone was holding her child and made no attempts to get her back the entire service. I don’t think she even looked at my direction the entire time.
The little girl seemed very sad to me. She quickly fell asleep in my arms and I thought that maybe she seemed sad because she was so tired.
We were sitting towards the back of the auditorium, and therefore only Spanish translation was heard because only the interpreter had the microphone. I couldn’t hear the message in English and of course could not understand the Spanish translation.
When there was an invitation to come to Jesus and be freed, the mother raised her hand. Many people went forward for prayer and deliverance, but the mother just stood there frozen- with her arm up.
I lightly tapped her on the arm and motioned to her that she could go; I gently cuddled her little sleeping girl tighter to let her see that I was going to continue to hold her child. When I did that, she quickly made her way to the front.
Holding a strangers sleeping child- was a different type of ministry for me.
I was used to ministering to people upfront after such services, praying for them. Several times I was one of the few from my group who had the blessing of having an English-Spanish interpreter and was able to understand the people who came and pray for them/ give them an encouraging word.
But now, others from our team were upfront ministering to those who came forward, while I continued to sit towards the back of the service- and held a sleeping child in my arms.
The mother was upfront for a very long time.
As I held her child- such love of God overflowed me. While others were ministering to the many who came forward, the Lord was ministering to me. It was such a special time. I could feel His love. At that moment, I knew He was so pleased with me…
Sometimes ministering means holding someone else’s child so that they can really hear the message and allow God to deal with their heart. Sometimes holding someone else’s child means the parent can actually be free to go forward to be spiritually freed also.
Such joy overflowed me at that moment! All I could think about was that this child was getting a new mother that day! The same mom- but a different one. Freed one. Joyful one.
The mother came back and her countenance was different! She was relieved and joyful! With a smile on her face, she looked at me, patted her heart and then raised her hand up in praise to God. She was a different person!
And I wondered if she would have came forward if I did not take her child that day. Yes, people can be saved and delivered where they are sitting. But in this case, I simply knew, she needed to go forward to be ministered to.
That day, I learned an important lesson. Each soul is precious to God.
That mother with a child was so precious to God, that He arranged the circumstances in such a way that I quickly noticed that child when I came in and it was easy for me to hold that child and easy for her to go forward.
This was also a good reminder to me that we should never be so proud that we are ministering to people and praying for them only upfront. If needed, we need the humility to hold someone else’s child the entire church service- even if our arm starts to hurt because we are not used to holding a child for such long time. And we need to have the humility to keep holding the child, even when our team is called upfront to minister to people.
We are not left out when we are in the back holding a child, or doing some other “menial” task- we are doing what the Lord wants us to do in that moment.
It might seem strange to say, but out of all ministry we did in Mexico, to me this simple act of holding that child was the most meaningful.
Thank you Lord for the privilege of holding that child that day!
Sometimes we get so eager
To do great things for God
We want to do big ministry
-God wants obedient heart
He wants a heart that’s humble
To take back seat at times
Let others do the ministering
While you just hold a child
It seems so not important
It seems a waste of time
But each soul is important
That mother- needed God
Lord thank You for this lesson
Help me it not forget
To always be obedient
And quick to take “back seat”
To hold somebody’s child
Or do some menial task
To make someone’s life better
To care for just one child
To not be quick and eager
To ministry just do
But always follow leading
Of Holy Ghost in me
Help me to be obedient
And see things like You do
To You, each soul has value
I want to see like You.
