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“Let us start building!” – A Missionary’s Story By Vickie Sigmon – Church and Community Worker ~~ in service together ~~ Nehemiah 1: 4
Do you know about Open Arms? If not, I want to tell you about children and families in southeast Winston-Salem who suffer from the effects of poverty, race and class prejudice, mental disability, domestic violence, drugs and alcohol. Then I want you to sit down with me and cry.
We will weep like Nehemiah did when he heard that Jerusalem was in ruin. Then like Nehemiah, we will confess our own sins and ask God to use Open Arms and our churches to restore the broken parts of our city.
For six years, Open Arms has been a bridge between the needs of children and families in southeast Winston-Salem and the resources of our churches and members. Not one of us as an individual and not one solitary church can do this work alone. Like Nehemiah, Open Arms divides up the tasks among many groups and individuals: R. B. shops for bargains; Pamela gives spiritual encouragement; Alvin builds stairs and sandboxes; Barbra teaches; Joey mentors; Anne counsels; Randy organizes; Robin chases babies; Greg raises funds; Ruth nurtures; Ginny feeds the hungry; Deborah counts the cash; Sarah dances and Vince plays his fiddle.
As each of these people and their churches saw “the trouble” (Neh. 2:17) in southeast Winston-Salem, each responded as did God’s people, “Let us start building!” (Neh. 2:18)
God is using all of us to rebuild the broken parts of this city, to raise a new and holy people. Whew boy howdy, it is not easy. Like the people in the book of Nehemiah, we sometimes face economic difficulties, divided opinions, and human barriers. But like our religious ancestors, we commit ourselves to “the common good” and rally as God gives us strength.
Do you know about Open Arms? If not, come learn how God will use you. Come cry and pray, teach and build, hold babies and feed hungry people, love and dance. Come join others to mitigate suffering and offer hope. Come bear witness as the sound of our joy—like that of Jerusalem restored—grows so great that it is heard far away. (Neh. 12:43) |