“Please pray for me.” This is a phrase we did not expect to hear as often as we do.

Our city is surrounded by beautiful mountains. The local people hardly ever use the terms right or left. “Towards the mountain” and “away from the mountain” is more common. The culture of honesty combined with stubbornness gives an interesting perspective on life.

We find ourselves surprised by the similarities we share with the people. We stand out, yet we fit in. Our daily struggles seem the same. Many people have free time on their hands. The government cut salaries to one third and only pays every 75 days. We all do the best we can with what we have. We all love our families and try to provide for our children. We seek to find the meaning of life and ultimately wonder about life hereafter.

“Please pray for me! My mother has cancer, and I need to take her to a neighboring country. We do not have the care here that she needs. They already removed her thyroid, and the chemo destroyed her saliva glands. I am worried about her health.” My dear friend has been complaining about constant headaches, and now it all makes sense. We have only known each other for a month, and we thank God for the opportunity to pray for her and her family. We all need a Savior, a Friend, a Healer and most of all, Someone who can give us inner peace.

We are adapting to the strangeness of our new culture, and we are reminded that, under our differences, we all need the same thing. We are all made in the image of God. We all need Him and yearn for His presence, whether we realize it or not. Thank you for joining us on the journey to help others find God. May God bless you as you continue to seek Him.

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