I am sitting at my desk at the Global Ministry Center, responding to emails just as I do every day. This email is from Stephen in Kenya; that one is from Galia in Bolivia. Another flies into my inbox from Amos in Ghana.
Teaching staff members at the office in the Philippines.
Oh wait, I need to look at this note from Sharon in Sri Lanka. Let me check that question from Ricot in Haiti. Ah, here’s that answer I sent to Igor in Brazil — so many emails from colleagues around the world.
Haiti Compassion staff working in the office.
Some of them have intermittent Internet connections in an office; others are working from a cell phone while traveling to a church partner. Some are dealing with drought; others are in the midst of a flood.
As I begin my morning, someone else is ending his or her workday. We speak different languages. We live in separate time zones. We follow different customs and practices. We lead such vastly different lives.
Every one of these emails brings greetings and blessings from field and area staff. I may not have met these individuals face-to-face, but I know them: I have seen their pictures, I have prayed for their family members, and I have worked closely with them.
Staff meeting in Ecuador.
We are all connected by the fact that Christ dwells in our hearts. We are also connected because we believe in the mission of Compassion. No matter what the situation behind the email, every one of these messages contains gratitude to the Lord for the mighty work He is doing.
I am blessed to have a great team to work with at the Global Ministry Center. I am also blessed to have co-workers all over the world.
Together we are one in Spirit.
“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” — Colossians 3:16, NIV
Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for allowing the message of Christ to dwell richly in us. Remind us to pray for our co-workers, including those who sit right next to us and those who sit thousands of miles away.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kelly Hedgecock works with the International Program Complementary Interventions (CIV) team. Part of Kelly’s role is to ensure that crisis updates are properly communicated to our global partners. She also assists in processing CIV proposals and funding. Kelly has been on staff at Compassion since 2006.