The last year I have come to the conclusion that angels are truly all around.  Take this young 10 year old girl for example.  I met Ila Alberts when her phenomenal parents Lize and Tito invited us over for supper while I was visiting Cape Town.  As usual I was sharing stories of hope in Mozambique.  Ila was bubbling with her own stories of hope and I loved her enthusiasm for God’s work everywhere.  That is rare!

I met her a second time as I was preaching in an English church of all places.  Accompanied by her parents she urgently wanted to see me after church.  She couldn’t wait to greet me with her bubbly personality and she was clinging something in her hand.  She spoke Afrikaans …. and said:  “Sorry to disturbe you but I have something special that the Lord said I should give you.”  “WOW”, I though – “God must have something in store!”  And He did.  I am amazed how God speaks through young children.  “They must have a special ear to hear God’s voice”, I though by myself.  So many people ask me ‘how do we hear God’s voice’ and here was a little girl …. a living testimony that God really speaks to and through us.  She opened her hand … and there it was.  Her saving money.  She wanted to bring this to honor God and those who have never ever had the opportunity to own and read their own Bible.  “Would this be enough?”, she asked.  “More than enough”, I answered.

Pastor Ricardo (left) and Pastor Fernando receiving Bibles.  Ilha made the purchases of some of these Bibles possible through her saving money that she offered.  As you’ve realized by now …. the need for Bibles will probably never be saturated.  The hunger for Bibles in the mother-tongue is a big one.  

I had to hide a few tears in the process …. that happens more often than I would like these days.  (I think I am getting older!!)  I am constantly touched by God and the ‘angels’ he uses in the strangest places.  And YES we bought some Bibles that Ila sponsored through her dedication and obedience to God.  Handing some Bibles over this week to Pastor Fernando and seeing his unbelief as I helped him to receive the scarce Bibles I had made me think how Ilha would have felt if she could see his face.  But …. one day … all will be revealed.  Viva Ila!  Viva God!