Puff of Smoke

Today, I am starting to cut a design on linoleum to make a bird which will be for a mobile, a wind chime, a planter, and whatever else I can think of. 

“You have no idea what your life will be tomorrow. You are a puff of smoke that appears briefly and then disappears.” James 4:14

Sad but true. A few years ago I was shocked and saddened to learn that one of our suppliers who came to deliver her jewelry to us weekly had passed away so suddenly. We had just seen her the week before but she delayed her dialysis treatment for a few days and she died suddenly. We just never know what happens in a day.

It seems to me that we should live our life so we make some difference in the world, and perhaps the only way to do that is to know what God’s purpose for us is and to live that purpose. It does not matter how young we are, how old, whether we are a President, or a janitor in a small school in the province. We have work to do that can give meaning to our life. 

John Bechtel was a missionary in Hong Kong and he had a dream to have a camp for the teenagers he saw loitering in the streets. He found a closed hotel and conference center that would be a perfect place but the only problem was it was being sold for $250,000.00. This was in 1971. 

His friend, Walter Meloon, an influential businessman, believed in his vision and promised to raise all the money he needed. 3 months later, Walter sent a note: “Dear John, I’m sorry. I tried my best. I couldn’t raise the funds. Only one person responded. I enclose it.” It was a note from a 14 year old girl named Belinda Holmes. “Dear Mr. Bechtel, I heard about your plan. I’ve been praying about it. I’d like to give you my pocket money. Here is $1. Please use it to buy the camp.”

John was really disappointed but his wife Donna said, “Follow what she says. Go buy the camp for $1.” So he goes off and shows the letter to the caretaker who laughed but reluctantly gave the offer to the Board. The Board prayed about it and agreed to sell the whole place to John for $1.00. Since its inception, Suen Douh Camp has had over 2,895,750 camper days and 156,552 young people have accepted Christ.

20 years later, John was speaking in a church in the States, and a woman approaches him after his talk. “Mr. Bechtel, I am Belinda Holmes.” That was the first time she heard what happened to her $1.00! 

When we pray each day about what we are to do, when we partner with God, we will never know what He can do with our smallness and our willingness to give what He wants us to give.