As field directors, part of our responsibility is to visit the missionaries once a year at each of the projects we supervise. It is always interesting to see how our workers interact with the local people and how the people respond to them. Last October was no different when we made our third visit to see Hadassah in Southern Asia.  

On this visit, we took an overnight bus ride with Hadassah to a part of the country that none of us had been to before. However, it was a popular place for tourists to visit and hike because of the beautiful mountain scenery. The people who live in this area are part of the unreached people group which Hadassah has a burden for reaching with the gospel. This trip gave us the opportunity to learn more about their customs and religion.  

On our first day on the trail, after several hours of hiking, we began to get tired and feel a bit hungry. Ahead, we saw a little shack beside the trail with a sign that said “restaurant.” A young mother stood inside the open door, watching her little boy play outside. Her restaurant was not fancy, but we decided to check it out.

At first glance, it didn’t appear that it would attract many tourists; it was somewhat run-down, and the walls were dirty. But the young mother greeted us with a friendly smile and welcomed us in. She ushered us to a table and handed us each a menu. As soon as she discovered that Hadassah could speak her native language she excitedly began to converse with her in her local tongue.  

While the young mother prepared our meals, we sipped our ginger, lemon and honey tea while talking about our day’s adventures. Gazing around the room, I noticed a few local people who were probably as curious about us as we were about them. The young mother’s energetic little boy freely played in the dining room and would occasionally go to one of the locals or his grandmother for attention.

When our hostess brought out our plates of food, we discovered that she had prepared a feast! We had a hard time finishing it. As we savored her delicious made-from-scratch creations, we asked the young mother questions, and she, in turn, did the same. 

When she learned that we were planning to stay in the next village down the trail, she excitedly told us about her sister’s guesthouse located in that village and then called her right away to have her look for us. 

As we prepared to leave, the woman insisted that we stop by for tea on our way back after our week-long hike.

On our return trip, we could not pass up the chance to see this kind woman again. Upon arrival, we were once again warmly greeted and not only given our favorite ginger, lemon and honey tea, but she also brought us a plate of pomegranates, cashews and sweet crackers for us to enjoy and give us the energy to complete our journey. We enjoyed visiting with her again, and when we got up to leave, we tried to pay her for her nice treats. However, she refused to take any money and instead gave us even more food gifts for the road!

As I have thought about this experience, I have wondered why this woman responded so generously to us on our return visit. A quote by Ellen White comes to mind:

“Jesus saw in every soul one to whom must be given the call to His kingdom. He reached the hearts of the people by going among them as one who desired their good. He sought them in the public streets, in private houses, on the boats, in the synagogue, by the shores of the lake, and at the marriage feast. He met them at their daily vocations, and manifested an interest in their secular affairs. He carried His instruction into the household, bringing families in their own homes under the influence of His divine presence. His strong personal sympathy helped to win hearts” (The Desire of Ages, 151).

Did this woman sense that we were different? Did she sense that we truly desired good for her and cared about the challenges she was going through in her life? I believe seeds were planted during our interactions: seeds of kindness, compassion and appreciation. I don’t know what will become of those seeds, but I pray that they will somehow get watered and she will come to know God’s love for her.

Please pray for this young mother and other women that Hadassah interacts with, that a hunger to know Jesus will grow in their hearts.

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