So . . . I've cleaned out the old nests from our bird houses. Everything is ready for the birds to come back or perhaps use one of my new birdhouses for their nests. I'm not sure how much we appreciate what they go through to build those nests.
Male, female, or both collect material and join in its construction. They use spiderwebs, sticks, caterpillar silk, leaves, grass and saliva. They can make hundreds of trips to collect materials. Think it's easy? Try to make a nest yourself. Remember, the center must be soft and one more thing. No using your hands. They don't.
In Haiti there is a proverb, "Petit petit zwazo fe nich." (Little by little a bird makes a nest.) It means that all those efforts, small as they seem, add up to something bigger and better.
During our trip to Haiti we saw so many efforts at helping people to rebuild their lives, starting in the smallest ways. One can see how even a small bag of rice sustains people, gives them hope that something better is coming.
Jesus said something about that in terms of the Kingdom of God. It starts out as something as small as a mustard seed and grows bigger and bigger until the birds begin making their nests in it. He said this to encourage His disciples not to give up, because the Kingdom of God was going to take place in their lives, little by little. Jesus came to inaugurate that Kingdom and then He invites us to help enlarge it until many more can make their home in it, so to speak.
Think about your effect on your children or grandchildren, your community, your spouse. You may think it makes no difference, but little by little the nest is being made. So don't give up after 35 trips. It will happen. God will provide. He does so for the birds and he will surely do so for us. And hey, maybe you contribute one twig and someone else comes along and adds a spiderweb and then others bring leaves and grass and at some point a nest is built, a life changed, and God is glorified.
You cannot help but see that so many people are pitching in for the long haul in Haiti to help our friends and neighbors to build their lives back together again, and this time even better. Think of the village where we work in Nan Sema. It started when a motorcyclist arrived in the community asking for directions, and now there is a church, cistern, well, and as of Sunday, the new medical/dental clinic is open full time. It all began back in the 90's and by God's will, the people's vision and hard work it's coming together. The people are now putting their resources together to build a market place so they can get food each day. Our Father wants to care for them.
Please pray for an art vendor we met on the street one day. Her name is Junette Jn Philippe. She asked for nothing except our prayers. She believes they make a difference. Maybe all of us today could help build another life by adding our prayers, one stick at a time.
Thank you for all your prayers for us. Thanks to the church staff and various ministries and boards for their work, to Pat Hanly for preaching and teaching. The nest is getting better and larger. Don't give up. Bring a twig . . . maybe even a donkey. Oh, that's the scripture lesson for Sunday from Luke 19. Hope to see you.
Yours in Christ,
George
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