the Lisu people

This morning I went to church with a friend I was visiting in Bellevue, Nebraska. The church had a guest speaker, Jesse, come in and share a little about his ministry. He is a missionary the church has supported for many, many years, working with the Lisu people in Thailand.

My heart was so moved for this man and his work with this people group. I don't know a thing about them, but as I saw photos of the people - graduates of a Bible Institute he started, children in Sunday School, his small team of people helping him translate the Bible into the native language - I could not hold back the tears.

There are over a half million believers in the Lisu people group, but they do not have a Bible in their native tongue. It took Jesse and his team of 10 people more than 6 years to translate both the old and new testament.

This one man's life has been used by God to influence thousands and thousands of people. I was so moved by his story, and the way that God can use one person to bring him so much glory. What a great reminder that each life is important to God.

During his update, Jesse said, "it's hard to make Christians without the Word of God." Here are 500,000 Lisu people trying to live a life pleasing to God and walk in His ways - without a Bible. I have a handful of Bibles, yet it's been awhile since I've picked one of them up for any significant amount of time. I pray often for the Lord to work in my life, for the Holy Spirit to move in my heart - but my lack of time in the Word of God shows the emptiness of these pleas.