Treasure of God
During formation, our new missionaries learn how to listen to God’s voice in a unique way through an activity called “Treasure Hunting.” The missionaries spend time in the chapel, listen to any descriptive words, locations, ailments, or imagery that come to mind in prayer, and write them down. The missionaries form groups and then head out to local places in Abbeville to find that specific person or people the Holy Spirit might be leading them to pray with.
We were praying in the chapel, and I received “Walmart” as a location and an image in my mind of a “young, light-skinned black girl, with hair up in a bun.” I also received the most random word, “onions,” sensing I needed to pick an onion to buy, and whoever was there was who God wanted to encounter through us. I wrote all these things down.
We came together and shared prayer reflections. Among them, Layni received the words “cancer,” and Teresa received “tumor,” as things people might need prayers for.
We walked into Walmart, and I went towards the onion section with Layni, where we found a big guy named Steve. As we began talking with him, I shared how God led me to encounter the person grabbing onions and even showed him my paper. He chuckled, baffled at the coincidence, and told us he was a praying man but didn’t need any prayers except for his bedridden grandmother, Mary. He didn’t share too much and then had to leave.
Later on our stroll, it occurred to Layni that we should’ve asked Steve why Mary was bedridden. As soon as she had finished speaking, Steve walked by us again (on the opposite side of Walmart). We looked at each other and laughed at the “coincidence,” and I yelled across the aisle, “STEVE!”
Surprisingly, this time, he was WAY more open with us, two previous strangers, sharing that Mary was bedridden from cancer complications. Then he shared that he had hope in God’s healing because he was given a terminal diagnosis at four years old from cancer and a tumor on his kidneys. He’s now in his thirties!
Layni and I were shocked and teared up, reaffirming to Steve just how personally God wanted to encounter him that day! Plus, the miracle that he is alive and that God has a purpose for his life! He shared that he really struggles to see or believe that, but the light in him by the end of our conversation and his openness in all he shared with us was an incredible transformation to watch in such a short time.
After first talking with Steve, we turned around to immediately see a girl who fit nearly exactly the description I had seen in prayer! A young, light-skinned black girl with a big hair bun – Chanekeya! We shared this with her, and she was floored and so full of joy and gratitude when we asked her if she needed prayers, as she had been struggling with a ton of stress. It was amazing to see how personally she felt seen as a treasure of God. Please pray for Steve, Mary, and Chanekeya!
Praise the Lord! How beautiful. Thank you for sharing here. This story is continually inspiring to me.