Diamonds

Two days of rain thanks to Tropical Storm Nichole and then two days of brilliant sunshine and mild temperatures! We're in beautiful North Carolina and each hour of walking seems to bring the nicest people my way.

Miss Elizabeth is an artist/journalist who is working to help the flood victims of Pakistan. She told me the Pakistani people are filled with fear because of terrorists and lack, yet the fabric of

their family remains very strong and close knit. We talked about how in America, it seems the family is fragmented as we struggle

amidst our abundance. The fear in Pakistan draws the family closer in an effort to survive. In America survival is taken for granted and yet the distractions of our wealth and independence often divide us. The difference between the two cultures does not exist in the people themselves but in the outside circumstances and our fearful reactions to them.

Lynn is a young man who is not trying to solve global issues. He is more concerned with the ''invisible" people around the corner. There's a family that has been living in an abandoned house for the past two years. They have no transportation, no "real" address and so, no job. No job means no money which translates to no food, no heat in the winter, no air conditioning in the summer and literally no existence in the community. He "stumbled'' across them, recognized the problem and God touched his heart to do something about it. Lynn has enlisted the help of a few loving folks to, not just donate money, but learn how to work the system and use the resources available to help these folks get re-established. Lynn inspired me. I heard God whisper "Go and do likewise."

Janese and Leslie drove by our parked RV and "just had to stop." We must have talked with them for an hour! They were delightful. Saved through the ministry of Chuck Smith (Calvary Chapel), acquainted with the House of Prayer in Kansas City, we listened to worship music with them and found we had a lot in common.

Adam raises horses and he and his wife Mary were on the way home when their curiosity stopped them. Although our conversation was brief, we got a picture together, became friends on Facebook and plan to stay in touch.

Marcus & Dustin are a couple of twenty-something guys who had passed us early in the day. They couldn't stop because they were on their way to a Baptism. Dustin prayed that God would let our paths cross again and so it was. Lucy had pulled into a parking lot, I had finished up for the day and was changing into my 21st century clothes when they came by. Lucyah talked to them for awhile and then once I got presentable, I went outside to meet them. They seem to be intrigued by what we were doing and I was pleased to meet two such young, respectful men of God.

Americans are like diamonds...each in a unique and beautiful setting, each with a different dimension and each extremely valuable.