Christian Missionary Appliance
"But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory
by Christ Jesus." Phil. 4:19
We went to New York as missionaries for Christ in
1976. We had no supporting churches, no mission board, or money. We just
had faith. We lived on the forth floor of an apartment building in
Brooklyn. Doing the laundry was not a simple affair for Ivete. She had
to carry a hamper-load of clothing down four flights, and then walk to
the laundry-mat on Fifth Avenue. She never complained. After the clothes
were washed and neatly folded, put back into the basket and placed in
her two-wheeled wire “buggy” she would push the load back home and then
step by step lift it back up the four flights of stairs. Often, because
we did not have enough money to pay for the dryer, the clothes came back
wet and heavy.
She would usually tell me about her time at the laundry-mat. Who she
spoke to, anything unusual, and more often than not, the usual that
happened. She would witness to the proprietor about Christ and we prayed
that those opportunities would continue if it was the Lord’s will.
God will not always strive with man. If people refuse to listen, God
sometimes stops speaking. One day she returned and was upset. The
proprietor had “made a pass” at her, and made her feel very
uncomfortable. What was I going to do? One option would be to
confront him, maybe punch him in the nose, but that would probably make
things worse. She could not go back there any longer. We needed to get a
washing machine. We could not, however, afford one.
Ivete began to pray. Ivete brought this need before the Lord. There was
an appliance store on 86th street, four blocks from our house. Ivete
went in to look at the beautiful washing machines that were there. She
was like a kid in a candy store, a kid with no money, that is. The
machines were beautiful. However, they may just as well have cost a
million dollars, we had so very little. As she stood there looking at an
apartment size washer she took a deep breath and sighed silently. Just
then something amazing happened.
A stranger, a woman stepped up close to her and spoke in a thick Greek
accent and in a hushed tone, “come outside for a minute.” Who was this
person, what did she want? Ivete thought “should I go?” Once they were
both out on the sidewalk, the woman said “Honey, I saw you looking at
that washer.” Ivete admitted that was just what she was doing, but they
were expensive. “That’s why I wanted to talk to you,” the woman said.
“My daughter just bought one like that and has moved to Greece. It is
brand new and I can let you have it at a good price. What color are you
looking for?” I never would have thought the color made any difference,
but Ivete was praying for a “Yellow” washer. “Yellow,” Ivete
answered. “Well, this one is yellow, and it is brand new.” She went on,
“I live on Staten Island; if you can pick it up, I will let you have it
for fifty dollars.”
Ivete described this encounter when she got home. God had heard her
prayer and knew our need. We had fifty dollars. That’s “all” we had,
fifty dollars. It was enough. We drove across the Verrazano Bridge and
picked up the answer to Ivete’s prayer. We used that washing machine for
seven years. That this Greek woman would be in the appliance store at
that precise moment, that Ivete would be there with meager resources,
was not coincidence, but providence. That many have entertained angels
unawares is no surprise to Ivete. When a man acted like a devil, God
sent an angel who had a washing machine just the right color, just the
right size, and just the right price, in just the right time. We no
longer have that washer, but we still have the same faith.
When faith brings our hearts into alliance with God, God can supply any
appliance.
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