| Its in the dark of the night when we are afraid or overwhelmed that the words, "this doesn't last forever, morning is coming," have the most meaning. It means a lot less to a person said in the prosperous light of day. But it is dark here and people are listening. The church has centers called "lighthouses"and currently none of them are operational in the way they were before, but that's the other thing about the dark- you remember where the light was before. Individuals, local municipalities, and mosques have come to ask for help for their people and we have gone, distributing daily needs as well as a gentle reminder that we serve a Savior that says, "Come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden." Doors that were always previously closed have opened to surrounding villages that were previously virulently against us. So much so that there are plans to open new "lighthouses" when this is all over to minister to people who had previously made it their sole mission to destroy the church. People are also more willing to talk about their fear as often happens in the dark. We all carry this foreboding fear of what is coming when we can't see a single thing that is ahead of us. We often talk in circles about it for hours. But we as believers have been given tools in these conversations from a God who says, "fear not for I am with you- even to the end of the ages," and, "when you walk through the valley of the shadow of death I am with you." All over the world the people of Christ have not been able to meet together, to see each other, and lift up their voices and we mourn for this. No version of technology will ever replicate the gathering of God's people together, too many crammed into the same pew while a baby cries in the back and someone sings loudly off key. And yet, we as the people have the opportunity to lift each other up like never before- to be like Aaron and Hur, lifting up our brethren's hands so that the body of Christ might prevail in this battle. None of those teams I told you about in the last update ever came and yet, I know you prayed for them. Many of them stayed in their communities to serve the sick and suffering where God had them- some to fight even greater battles. Their testimony still remains. People here pray every day for the medical professionals who were going to come but couldn't- that the Lord would provide and protect them. These are people they may have never seen or met, who they don't even know their names. They only know the love of a Savior that binds us- that drives us to cross continents in order to minister to those in need. Those praying are refugees, from places considered less than nothing on the international standard, most will never cross a border legally in their lifetime, most look ahead and see only a life of poverty. And yet they know they must be strong and run the race set before them. They are here and the teams are not. Because yes we are all in the dark, yet we all strive toward a goal- a shared goal. Efforts have doubled. Vans go out with food portions and medical supplies and the message that there is hope. If that isn't a pale stroke of grace and beauty alight on the horizon I don't know what is. | 
