I am Albina Moura, and as the wife of the senior pastor of our church here in Timor Leste, I feel a burden for the pastors’ wives. So we decided to organize a women’s conference mainly for the leaders’ wives and all women who are somehow involved in church ministry, for a time of fellowship, encouragement, and ministry to each other. It would take place in another town, to take the women away from their work area.
During the travel, after 2 ½ hours on the road, I received a phone call from my sister who lives in Indonesia. After three years, she had come to Timor Leste, along with three of my other brothers, for a visit to our mother, who is sick. And they planned to stay at my house for three days during this visit. But they did not inform me earlier that they would be coming. Of course, I could not come back to receive them, mainly because the women’s event was under my direct responsibility. Though I had asked for a pardon for not being able to stay with them after three years without meeting, this made me feel very down, and during the entire event, I did not have peace of mind.
On Monday, already back in Dili, I went to my work, in our kindergarten. As usual, all teachers sat together like every morning for the devotional time. This year we are using The Word For Today devotional booklet. I was amazed as I heard the message for that day. The word was especially for me, as the message explained Jesus words in Mat 12:48-50: “
‘…Who is my mother, and who are my brothers’. Then, pointing with his hand at his disciples, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers, because whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.’”
The Word brought a great comfort to me that day, not just for reminding me that the Kingdom of God in more important than our family relations, but especially for let me be aware of the Lord’s care for my feelings.
Albina
