Telling a different story

There is something compelling about listening to someone else's story. Hearing the passion in their voice, seeing their eyes dart around as they recount the facts, watching them smile and step back with a deep breath as they come to the end. This week I have had the privilege of spending 3 days with colleagues from all over Europe (and beyond), hearing their stories as they share about the kinds of opportunities they are getting to communicate with people in their different contexts.

We've heard of a Kenyan colleague who has spent the last few weeks visiting schools in Slovakia with Wycliffe colleagues - sharing with children his story of organising fun runs in Nairobi that have raised $15,000 for Bible translation and literacy work. We've heard of Dutch colleagues who worked with another mission agency in the Netherlands, writing to each others supporters to endorse the great work the other is doing. And we've heard of Russian colleagues arranging events to celebrate the work it's members are doing around the world, inviting the members parents (many of whom are not Christians) to join in the celebration.

All these stories encourage me of the fantastic work I am a very small (and sometimes very disconnected) part of. Thankfully though, as again I've continued to be reminded this week, none of these stories are actually our stories. They are all small parts of the bigger story - God's story. We are privileged to be able to find 'our' stories in this bigger story - to find that we have a role to play and a story to share. The question is, are we looking out for opportunities to do so?