crazy

something totally cool happened to me today. I've been sending out support letters for a missions trip that I'm going on this spring break to Nicaragua with Living Water Church, and one of the guys from my church responded to me, saying that he wanted to contribute but he wanted to know a couple things before. He proceeded to ask me a series of questions, like why I was going, how many people were going, what the safety precautions were, and what are itinery was for the trip. Then he shared with me a story of how two friend's of his friend went on a missions trip to Africa one year, to educate people about AIDS. The communities in Africa believe that in order to cure oneself of AIDS you have to sleep with a virgin. So a result of their efforts to serve God, the two girls were raped. My friend asked me to respond to this story, and asked me why God would allow somethign like this to happen. At first, I was a little bit offended, I felt like someone was questioning my intentions for going to Nicaragua, and all the questions he asked me were a little overwhelming, and forced me to go to a place that I did not think necessary. But after I couple days, I responded to his message, answering each question, expecting him to respond with "good job, i think you're ready to go on this missions trip", or something like that. Wow, I can only now realize how prideful I am, and how much I need God's grace.
He responded the same day (today) that I replied to his email, explaining to me that he wasn't a Christian, but that coming to church and talking to people in the church had attracted him to Christianity. That he continues to go to church because of the genuinity (?) of the people, which he is not used to being in the business world. He said that he was encouraged by my email, which he did not expect to be so thorough a response, and that it was people like me that kept him attracted to church. Maaan, God totally blew me away/convicted me of my pride, of how inadequate I am to be used by him, that I coudln't even overcome my judgements of other people and I was so easily overcome by occusations of other people when they made me feel uncomfortable. God showed me that even though I am SO unworthy to be used by Him, He is STILL able to use me, just as He did in that email. God's grace is seriously so amazing, I can't explain how many times I betray Him, but He still is so good to me. I love you, Daddy.