So many stories to tell

There are so many things that the guys have shared with me that it is almost hard to know where to start. I also want Shannon to tell the stories direct to you but since he is a bad typist he will likely tell me as I type for some posts. This first story, I am going to share with you as he told it to me Tuesday evening. It's a good one!

Shannon has a CPAP machine that helps him to sleep at night as he has a condition called sleep apnea. Anyway, this machine is in a type of duffel bag that he has carried with him as he travels or is on the road for his job. He opened the bag and used the machine his first night in Tanzania while at the hotel near the Kilamanjaro airport. Then he used it again the next night in Mwanza. The third night they were in Tanzania, they had been through very tough travel conditions to arrive at Maisome Island in Lake Victoria. Then at their arrival they realized that the living conditions were also very dificult. There will be more about the travel and tripto the island to come. Anyway, about this time Shannon was wondering what he was doing there and feeling a bit down. As he got ready for bed, he opened up the bag carrying his machine and there, right on top of the machine, as if it had been purposely laid there, was a tri-folded letter from a friend that Shannon had recieved at a spiritual retreat 7 months ago! The letter reads as follows:

"Nothing is better for a man than...that his soul should enjoy good in his labor. Ecclesiastes 2:24

Since ascending to heaven, Christ no longer has a body on earth except ours. In other words, He has no hands, legs or feet on earth except for the members of His body, the church. Therefore, He sends US out to be HIs body to one another and to the world, and to go about doing good. Remember this: Right now Jesus has no body on earth but ours!

I thank God that we could share the same path this weekend."

Than it is signed by his friend. Shannon found that to be so incredibly encouraging at a time that he needed it so badly. How did that letter get there? And where was it the previous 7 months when that bag had been used and used? Not only did Shannon find it encouraging but he shared this with those he was travelling with and it also lifted me up as he told me. I hope you too can be encouraged as we were.