SHE Did What SHE Could !

"Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate" (Proverbs 31:31).

"ONE evening at our family devotions, six-year-old Heather cuddled her teddy bear. A few minutes later, as we shared prayer requests, she said, "I'm going to pray for the lady who made my bear. She made me very happy." As Heather prayed for "the bear lady," my heart filled with warm remembrances of a brief encounter six years earlier.

It was our first furlough, and the children were little - Jimmy was two and Heather, two months. I had shared about our Indonesian ministry at an area women's missionary gathering. AS I greeted ladies at the door, a young woman pressed a teddy bear into my arms. "This is for your son'" she said. "I know you have a baby girl, too, so I'll make her a bear and send it to you." Days before we left America to return to Indonesia, a package arrived - Heather's bear!

Bear Lady, I don't know your real name, but I praise the Lord for you. You have given lasting joy to my children.

OFTEN during furlough we hear women say, "I wish I could go to the foreign fields, too. Since I can't, I'll do what I can." We missionaries sleep between sheets and under quilts and blankets given by women's missionary prayer groups. Some make toys for our children or give Tupperware to keep weevils and ants out of our food. Others write encouraging letters. These women are the unsung heroines, and we appreciate their love for us. May God reward them." (SHARON T. KENDALL)

* UNLIKELY Heroes ..

"Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" - HEBREWS 11:1.

"THE Lord makes heroes out of very unlikely people. One such person is Angie Garber. She was born with a severe facial deformity. The surgery to correct her appearance left her deaf in one ear.

In her teens, Angie contracted polio. She survived, but after months of agonizing therapy and exercise her left leg and arm remained weak. During this difficult time her mother became ill. Angie and one of her sisters cared for their mom till she died.

Her brother George, who had done more to encourage Angie than any other person, died in an accident. And then crop failure made it necessary to sell the family farm.

But through it all, Angie kept praying that she could someday serve the Lord as a missionary-teacher. God honored her desire, and about 5 years after her mother's death Angie began her life's work as a teacher for Navajo Mission. She became such an effective Christian worker that two books have been written about her. Today her happy face reflects her inner joy. Angie faced incredible obstacles in her walk of faith. Yet, like the heroes of faith listed in Hebrews 11, she continued to trust God.

If you're discouraged and feel like giving up, remember, God makes spiritual heroes out of unlikely people" - HVL.