There is just so much that I meander through on these trips that I end up NOT meandering here.  Just worry that it will be TOO much meandering in public!?!

But, when something keeps nudging then I respond and THIS one has nudged me for sure.

We went this week to the village of Pancha Mateo to do fluoride treatments and hand out hats and toothbrushes to the kids.

I have said before that this village is one of the poorest places that I have been.  To get to the village, we have to drive over an incredibly undeveloped rutted muddy BUMPY road.  There are folk who are kind enough to allow us to join them on their journeys into the village so we grab a ride when we can. This past week, we spent one morning sitting in on a Bible Study.

There was a total of 17 (2 toddlers included) of us in the study and none of us understood everyone in the circle because the languages spoken were Spanish, English, French and Creole. To say that I understood even half of what was said would be a stretch.

What I DID understand, however, is how deeply we are connected BEYOND our language. There clearly was a feeling of ONENESS that I have carried well past those moments in that little church.  Enough that I had to share it here.  Once again, I find not how different but how ALIKE we humans all are and once again, I am saddened by how we continue to divide ourselves.

This time in other cultures allows me the opportunity to move past divides.  It is why I continue to take these trips. I ALWAYS feel hopeful when I come away from other people and places.  Always!

This time was uniquely hopeful.

Powerful.

The leaders (who were Canadian) ended the session with prayer requests so, in all of these languages, persons shared their concerns while 2 young men from the village interpreted.

I asked for prayers for a beloved family member's health.  The man sitting next to me asked for prayers that he be able to return to his home of Algeria. The woman across from me asked for the ability to get across the borders into Haiti to see her daughter marry.  Another woman asked for prayers for her children who had let go of their faith.  One younger woman prayed she could get 3 of her 5 children returned to her as they were still in Haiti.

Because we all had different languages but had all heard the concerns in our own language, the leaders had us stand in a circle, hold hands and pray aloud in our own language.

OMG!

Literally.

O!M!G!

I have NO idea what words were said but I have NO doubt God heard them all....loud and clear.

I also have no idea how these prayers will be answered but the power of prayer was felt for me in a way I have not otherwise experienced.

It was not about how God would or would not answer but rather about how God hears us ALL!
It is about the POWER that exists when we connect BEYOND the differences, holding hands and
hearts to lift ourselves as ONE.

But, back to the prayer. I prayed in my own language lifting the concerns. People were still praying.  I said the Lord's Prayer.  People were still praying.  I wasn't sure how I would know the prayer was finished so I stood quietly....peeked a little...waited and suddenly it slowed and quieted and I heard:

“Amen"...about 17 times...different accents but ALL THE SAME WORD...

....meaning SO BE IT!

And SO IT WAS!

We all hugged each other...without words, we shared together as ONE...

...and then returned to our different worlds.

But, I shall never forget the power of that SO BE IT moment.

OMG!

amen