Sarah’s Story by Shannon Weiss (from Andy Kuret)

Sarah (Sarah worshipping God – click here to watch the video)

Andreas Kuret and João Benjamim Meque flying over areas impacted by Cyclone Freddy

My colleague, Andy Kuret shared a story with us during our time of devotions that really encouraged me and I wanted to share it with you. It is about a young girl name Sarah.  She is about seven years old. In March, Sarah and her family were in their home in the northern part of Mozambique and a storm began. It began to rain, and Sarah and her family saw that the water was rising in the river. Cyclone Freddie had arrived! As the waters had begun to rise, they became afraid and so her father said we have to go and climb up into the trees to get up higher so that we can stay away from the water.  So the whole family climbed up into a mango tree, and we’re sitting on the branches there, waiting for the storm to pass.  Below them, the waters were rising until their house completely collapsed with all of their belongings inside. Sarah and her family could only sit there watching the devastation below. She could see her friend next door  was sitting in another tree, and  all they could do was wave at each other. The day passed and night came and they were still up in the tree because the water was very high and in the morning Sarah  heard a noise in the far off distance. She didn’t know what it was, but she kept looking and wondering what was making that noise. Eventually she saw a little airplane coming towards them. They all started to shout and to wave at the airplane. The airplane gave them hope that someone had seen them, God had not forgotten them!  The airplane passed over them and then it came back and it passed over them again.  Sarah thought someone is going to come, there’s hope! Well sure enough, help came and saved them from the storm. That was our mission plane with Andy Kuret and João Benjamim Meque in it and they were taking pictures of all the damage from the storm. They sent those pictures to the government, who then sent help. The mission also sent help in the form of new seeds for their fields to restore their crops. The government came and helped with other food aid and things improved. In May, Andy and João went on another trip to the same area and they were giving a seminar in a church, it was Sarah’s church!  As they began to worship, they were singing a song and little Sarah was worshiping God with all her heart. Not like all of the other children, the other children were just standing there and looking around and playing but Sara had her eyes closed, and her hands lifted in worship.  She was singing out to her father in Heaven.  And afterwards the pastor who  was with Andy asked him if he knew what they were singing? He said no, I don’t understand the language.  The pastor told him they were singing “God, don’t forget me” and it was a song of hope. You’ve not forgotten me Lord and so there was little Sarah singing her heart out after all that she had experienced. She experienced the terrible cyclone that destroyed her home, but they were all saved and she had seen hope in a little airplane. This story reminded me that sometimes we don’t know it, but we are the hope of Jesus to someone else.  I just want to encourage you today, that you may not know it at the time but you are the hope of Jesus to those around you. Also, God has not forgotten you, He sees you in the valley and up in the tree and there is hope!