It was August 2017, and my return visit to the Tai-Kadai Project was approaching. When I get the rare opportunity to reunite with my Tai-Kadai friends, I try to bring special gifts as tokens of our friendship. For weeks I had been thinking about getting a musical snow globe for Pika. I knew she always wanted one, but I struggled with justifying the cost. I ultimately settled for a snow globe sans music, planning to buy her a musical one when I had more money.

Three weeks after returning from my visit, I got the news that Pika had died. How I now wish I had gotten her the musical snow globe while she was alive to appreciate it! She never hesitated to give me caring gifts.

Our lives are but a vapor, and we don’t know what will happen tomorrow. I’ve been reminded the hard way that we have only one life to give for the winning of souls. I’m reminded of a man who insisted on living his own way for six decades. His mother faithfully prayed for him until she died. Soon after her death, he accepted Christ. Now he is looking forward to resurrection day when his mother will find out what she never knew while she was alive—that God answered her prayers. What an encouragement to put forth everything we have in this life and work for redemption while we and the people around us still have breath. Even if we do not see results in this life, we can rest in the knowledge that we did what we could, and God is faithful to do what we cannot.

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