A week or so ago, I asked folks at Calvary to share some of their Mountain-Top experiences with me… got some great ones and I thought I would share some of them with you… Ronnie shared hers form an experience on a recent mission trip.  

A MOUNTAIN-TOP EXPERIENCE IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC:

My mountain-top experience is one that I’m sure many people from Calvary have experienced — going to the Dominican Republic.  The boys at the Rose of Sharon orphanage have changed my life, and I know that.  One particular night from the trip stands out in my mind.  We had cleaned out the library that day, and in doing so we filled two tubs full of old toys and books that the boys had used and wanted to throw away.

Before we left for dinner, we left the tubs outside the dumpster at our hotel.  We returned from dinner to see the contents of the tubs strewed all over the parking lot, with nine young boys sifting through what was our trash and becoming their treasure.  A few of them had found old book covers and were wearing them as hats, which made for a great picture.  They each had a pile of toys and books to take home with them that night.  Joy and excitement was profoundly evident on each child’s face as they ran around the dumpster, looking for new playthings.  Mary Herold was standing next to me, and she leaned over and said, “This is God’s recycling.”

I knew that if I could see God at that moment, he would be smiling.  While it was sad that these boys had to search through trash to find toys, everyone there felt so fulfilled to know that the boys were happy.  When they were finished, they even made a game out of cleaning up the trash, with each boy using a piece of cardboard to scoop up the rubbish and race to see who could clean up the most.

Laying in my bed that night, it was then that I realized that this whole week was the work of God.  His hand was evident in everything that happened…I especially felt his presence when I would be walking at the orphanage and all of a sudden a boy would take me by the hand and walk me to where I was going.  I really felt like I was holding the hand of God, knowing that these were his children and he loved them more than anything else in the world.  This trip really “left a mark” on my life.  I truly feel different!  I know that I will be returning soon.

If you’ve ever journeyed to serve others in another country… a picture collage was playing through your mind as you read her words.  My pictures were of little kids in Myanmar — rubber band games, dancing on the table New Year’s eve, surrounded by crowds of kids.  I hope I left half the mark on them, that they have left on me.

What are your Mountain-Top experiences?