In the summer of 1992, I was blessed to be a part of St Luke’s first mission team to Ulyanovsk, Russia. Our group was eager to participate in this “cultural exchange,” which was sponsored by the General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church, but we were also anxious about the unknown.
We had the opportunity to live in the homes of our host families and experienced their lives first hand. An interpreter was always present when we were with the group, but the language barrier became very obvious to all of us when we were in our homes. As hard as everyone tried, communication was a constant challenge. Bedtime was a wonderful respite for our brains, but our hearts were always full as we fell into the bed exhausted each night.
Near the end of our visit, our family hosted a dinner party and invited several friends over to meet their new American friends. We were thrilled to discover that one of the ladies was an English teacher. Bob and I knew what a difference Larissa would make for everyone that night!
At the end of the meal, the women rose to clear the dishes and, as I entered the kitchen with our plates, I saw the other women gathered around the small kitchen table. Their conversation stopped when I walked into the room. I walked over to them and Larissa told me that they wanted to talk to me “woman to woman.” My heart raced in anticipation of what they might ask.
I sat down at the table and Larissa said, “We want to know if you really believe in God?” I smiled as I told them yes, and shared a little about God with my new friends. She then asked, “Do you believe in prayer? How do you pray? What do you say?” With Larissa’s help in interpreting, I explained the mystery of prayer in a simple, straightforward, heartfelt way.
Our dialogue opened the floodgate to many other questions about my faith. Tears of relief and joy were shared amongst all of us as these women realized something they had perceived as unavailable to them was really so simple. That night was one of the most profound moments of my faith journey. This memory, many years later, is still hard for me to put into words. These women learned to trust me, a new friend from halfway around the world, and I knew I was privileged to have experienced this “grace moment.”
When I was willing to put myself out there for God, He orchestrated opportunities that I could have never planned. I not only got to bless life, but I discovered incredible joy and blessings in my own life.
Marsha Long, Director of Hospitality
