Some people dread airport layovers that last longer than an
hour. Imagine a layover for more than one year where you’re unable to eat for
days at a time, and are forced to drink toilet water and fend off sexual
predators.

Nigeria-born Elizabeth Woleta was left stranded for more
than a year in a terminal in Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport after
her passport was stolen in March 2007. The 15-foot section of this unique
airport is considered a “legal no man’s land”-it is couched between
Russian and international territories and is governed by neither. Despite her
peculiar predicament, Woleta, now 31, found Christ when a missionary told her
God loved her. She later used her unique situation to minister the gospel to
people from more than 50 nations.

“It’s just the grace of God, ” she told Charisma.
“I don’t know how, [but] I was saved by that grace and that same grace had
to continue and moved me to preach the Word of God to as many as I could.”

Woleta says she hadn’t had a relationship with God before
her airport experience and described herself as a “tortured” soul who
had never experienced love or affection from any human. So when U.S.-based
missionary Brian Dodd told her Jesus loved her she immediately prayed the
prayer of salvation.

“Elizabeth was there with a whole pile of Watchtower
Society publications, and I looked down and said to her, ‘You shouldn’t be
reading those,'” Dodd said. “She looked down at them, got up, picked
them up and threw them in the garbage can, just like that. In a few minutes she
had prayed to receive Christ.”

Woleta told Charisma that despite numerous attempts
to get help from airport officials and travelers, no one had treated her kindly
for the first six months she was in the airport.

“Brian … showed me an example that Christ really cares
for us,” Woleta said. “I was sleeping on the floor. Brian came and
sat on the floor with me. He actually conversed with me and laid hands on
me.”

When Dodd returned to the U.S. he immediately began working
to find a way to help Woleta leave the airport. He and some of his companions
also smuggled food in for Woleta and sent her a cell phone. Despite their
efforts, Woleta would go days with out eating and sometimes resorted to drinking
water from the toilet. Seeking some form of sustenance Woleta turned to the
Word of God.

“[People would] see me reading a particular book for
quite a long time. Since I … didn’t have enough to eat, I didn’t have to get up
to go and urinate,” she said. “In fact, I’d sit in one position for
more than six hours just reading the Bible. Others would come to find out
what’s making me read that Bible. I actually preached the Word of God to
them.”

She’d even use her cell phone, which could only receive
calls and send text messages, to ask Dodd and others to translate Bible verses
so she could minister to people who spoke in other languages. Though Woleta
said she did not keep count, she estimates that at least 50 people accepted
Christ after she witnessed to them in the airport.

Woleta admits that she also met people who weren’t receptive
to the gospel and some who would offer her food in exchange for sex. When she
rejected them, they told her she’d die of starvation, but she’d always reply
that God would provide for her as He did for those in the Bible.

“Each time I prayed I saw God’s handwriting in my
life,” she said. “God would always answer my prayers. Sometimes I
would really pray and say: ‘Oh God, I’m hungry now. I’ve gone three days, and I
have nothing to eat. Please help me as You give food to Your prophet Elijah
when You sent him on a mission.’

“Sometimes when I’m sleeping, because of hunger, I’d
wake up and find someone had put some food by my sleeping bag where I was
sleeping at the airport.”

After one year, Woleta was able to leave the airport after
Dodd coordinated with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to have
her returned to Nigeria, where she continues to host Bible studies. She said
she was given a crash course in the Bible during her ordeal and now knows it
was the Word of God that sustained her.

“The Holy Spirit of God actually helped me to
understand the Bible, which actually has been my food all along,” she said.
“Even now that I’m here [in Nigeria], I continue to thank God for what He
has done in my life.” 

Here are some unique,
inexpensive and easy ways to reflect God’s love to your mother this season. Why not go out of
your way to make your mom feel special this Mother’s Day.

Goody Basket
Make mom a goody basket. Fill the basket with small items you know your mother will love.

De-stress-her 
Treat mom to a massage at a classy spa or a nice relaxing night at a hotel in town.

Use Snail Mail for Once
With the advent of e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, IM and Skype, it’s becoming less likely to receive a personal letter in your mailbox. Send mom a nice note expressing how much you love and appreciate her.

Nostalgia
Grab old family photos of mom and make her an album or a scrapbook.

Give Life
Start a flower garden or vegetable garden for mom. Make sure you know whether mom would want the responsibility of maintaining it.

Also click here to learn how to share the gospel with your mom or an unsaved friend.

Moms bless us 365 days a year. Why not go out of
your way to make your mom feel special this Mother’s Day. Here are some unique,
inexpensive and easy ways to reflect God’s love to your mother this season.

Goody Basket
Make mom a goody basket. Fill the basket with small items you know your mother will love.

De-stress-her 
Treat mom to a massage at a classy spa or a nice relaxing night at a hotel in town.

Use Snail Mail for Once
With the advent of e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, IM and Skype, it’s becoming less likely to receive a personal letter in your mailbox. Send mom a nice note expressing how much you love and appreciate her.

Nostalgia
Grab old family photos of mom and make her an album or a scrapbook.

Give Life
Start a flower garden or vegetable garden for mom. Make sure you know whether mom would want the responsibility of maintaining it.

Also click here to learn how to share the gospel with your mom or an unsaved friend.

Learn more about Maria’s Big House of Hope.

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The church is more technologically advanced than you might think. Here are five ways believers are paving the way with their innovation. Below are video demonstrations of some of inventions by Christians.

YouVersion.com
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The Glo Bible
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Jarbyco.com
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When I was a kid I had one
particular “goin’ to church” dress that made me cringe. I was 11 at the time and
the dress—the height of fashion for the late ’50s—was crinkly pink organdy,
complete with a wide-swinging under-hoop. If I became too animated while wearing
it, I lost my balance! Even worse, my two younger sisters, Carolyn and Diana,
each had a matching crinkly-hooped dress. As you can imagine, trying to sit
together on the front-row pew during a church service presented a problem.

Often we drove to Grandma’s house after church. When she saw us coming,
she’d throw the front door open wide and her arms open even wider, exclaiming,
“My-My-My-My-My Lord! Do I see three pretty pink clouds moving toward me?” Just
so none of her praise went to our heads, Grandma was quick to add, “Now
remember: Beauty IS as beauty DOES!”

By an act of God’s mercy, I managed
to outgrow my crinkly-hooped dress. But one thing I did not outgrow was the echo
of the words Grandma lived by: “Beauty is as beauty does.” Family, neighbors and
strangers often called Grandma, a woman of great faith, “beautiful.”

I
can’t say that I can recall any of her features—teeth, hair, makeup, or even the
way she dressed. What I do remember about Grandma is the gentle touch of her
hands as she fixed my hair into a ponytail for school. You see, in my 13th year,
my daddy died suddenly, so my mother and sisters and I went to live with Grandma
and Grandpa for the rest of the school year.

I can also recall the sound
of Grandma’s voice during those difficult times: “Your Daddy’s in heaven; he’s
just fine, and so will you be.” I can close my eyes and smell the freshly baked
pies Grandma often made for the relatives or neighbors “just because.” Grandma
lived by the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”
(Matt. 7:12, paraphrased).

Grandma had only a grade school education,
having dropped out due to hard times. But her lack of schooling did not prevent
her from learning the Bible—and from knowing Jesus. In fact, Grandma was so
close to Jesus that she became a walking reflection of Him. Her ways were His
ways.

Jesus was not too busy to hear the cries of blind Bartimaeus and
stop for him (see Mark10:46-52). He was not too busy to pay attention to the tug
on the hem of His garment from a desperate woman who had been in agony for 12
years (see Matt. 9:20-22). And even after hearing the painful news about the
beheading of His beloved friend and cousin, John the Baptist, Jesus was still
sensitive to the needs of the crowd, whom He healed and then fed with loaves and
fishes (see Matt. 14:1-21).

The book of Hebrews describes Jesus as the
express image of God (see Heb. 1:1-3). Jesus confirmed this description when He
told the Jews, “I and My Father are one” (John 10:30, NKJV) and when He said to
Philip, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). As the express
image of God, Jesus was the walking beauty of God, touching lives and
transforming them forever.

In these uncertain times, people need Jesus’
beauty in their day. We can bring that to them as we follow His command to “Let
your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify
your Father in heaven” (Matt. 5:16). Because we are in Christ, we are His light
in a dark and violent world. And as we carry out His works, we will find the
spiritual reality in my grandmother’s reminder: “Beauty is as beauty does.”{youtube}z8Y318e7Edo{/youtube}

Last night I watched the health care vote on C-Span. I was disappointed in how partisan the vote concluded. Quality health care for all will undoubtedly not be the result of last night’s vote. Quality care for all means that the breadth of who is covered is matched with the kind of care that compels foreign nationals from around the world to fly to the Johns Hopkins Hospital or the Mayo Clinic. Balancing these two dynamics of care without bankrupting the nation is a victory that every American would celebrate.

Because of partisanship, some of the most pressing problems in our national health care industry have not been addressed. Further, there are many unintended consequences that could plague the nation for years included in this measure. In his victory speech, the president made the statement that this bill was an example of “government of the people, by the people, and for the people.” Nothing could be further from reality. One party has imposed its will on the nation.

The administration’s messaging around health care reform has often deepened the sense of mistrust and division between each one of us and our neighbors. For example, the health care debate has revolved more around our concerns about race and class in America than patient care. The “fat cats” have been repeatedly referred to. The underlying narrative has been that it’s time for the “haves” to sacrifice in order for the “have-nots” to obtain a government-controlled health care.

It seems that the administration has donned its Robin Hood outfit, deciding to make a moral statement about the value of the poor instead of digging deeply into substantive improvements of the world’s most celebrated health care system. As a result, most of my black, Hispanic, and paternalistic liberal friends have supported this measure. This support has been very strong despite the fact that bloating the system could produce patient complications or death. Without appropriate planning and structures – delay, denial or rationing of services will undoubtedly result. The administration’s need to force a political decision has obviously been more important to them than truly improving our health care system. From my perspective, as a survivor of a near terminal bout with cancer, this law needs to be more than a self-serving, public relations measure.

Last night, many of our legislators did not read the measure in depth. Both they and the public have had to form opinions based on “second hand information” or promises. It is clear that the legislation has been shrouded in secrecy and political infighting. Further, the last minute negotiations that led to the bill’s passage were based on questionable compromises (such as the Presidential/ Stupac deal). Therefore, many of us have been reduced to asking ourselves one question: Do we trust the government or the president to deliver effective health care, despite our national history with entitlements and government managed programs?

I am personally outraged at the duplicity and “hard ball” politics that have marked the Democratic Party’s approach to one of this decade’s most important issues. Health care policy outcomes will be very important for all Americans, especially minorities in the years to come. Minorities, who top the charts in terms of mortality from America’s most serious diseases, often do not realize that they have been used as pawns in the health care debate. Without the cooperation of both the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, there would have been no possibility of the bill passing.

In order to win these and other constituencies, the race and class cards have been played simultaneously in a de facto manner. Many opponents to health care have been demonized and labeled racists because they have voiced legitimate concerns with process, philosophy and practicality of the proposed reforms. In this debate, most Americans have been guilty of thinking about their own personal needs, instead of what’s best for the nation.

In recent days I was shocked at the desperate twist the health care debate took. The suggestion that Nancy Pelosi and company wanted to use the “Slaughter Rule” was a sign that they had abandoned the realm of principle and genuine problem solving. Niccolò Machiavelli’s “prince” had been reborn. Instead of becoming instruments of moral activism, they entered the moral “nether world” of prevarication, manipulation, and endless campaigning.

Cynicism and paternalism were at the root of their “take no political prisoners” approach to the law. As an African-American, what disappointed me the most was that the administration presented itself as a transcendent step toward a new American experience. Instead we have perhaps stepped into a time warp that has given us the worst of politics-as-usual.

Aren’t there any good points to the law? Yes. The positives are threefold:

1. No more rejections of individual coverage on the basis of pre-existing conditions
2. No more ability for insurance companies to arbitrarily increase premiums
3. Greater access to preventive care

Conversely, the administration’s health care plan is flawed on several levels:
1. moral – its approach to the unborn
2. administrative – it will result in rationing of care
3. support of the medical community – 46 percent of doctors vow to quit if it passes
4. cost – the nation cannot afford doing this all at once
5. ideology – the government cannot manage health care better than a free, but monitored, market

In conclusion, I believe America needs health care reform. It is obvious that greater accessibility, affordability, portability and lower costs are needed. Nonetheless, how we manage this move will make all the difference in the world. Today, historic changes in health care have occurred. No one knows whether we are primed for long-term blessing or disaster. This is a textbook case of doing the right thing the wrong way.

What a shame! America is better than this.

Harry R. Jackson Jr. is senior pastor of 3,000-member
Hope Christian Church in the nation’s capital. Jackson, who earned an
MBA from
Harvard, is a best-selling author and popular conference speaker. He
leads the High-Impact Leadership Coalition.

In the
spring of 1980, a series of earthquakes and small eruptions drew the attention
of people living in the Pacific Northwest. Scientists and sightseers were drawn
to Mount St. Helens. Steam vents, tremors and hot spots appeared almost
daily.

Then on May 18, a 5.1-magitude earthquake shook the mountain. For
a few seconds the north flank seemed to ripple, then broke loose and began
sliding downhill as a massive avalanche. Eruption plumes shot up as quickly as
600 miles an hour. The blast traveled as a hot, churning mass of gas, rock, ash
and ice. More than 50 people were killed or reported missing after the blast,
and the eruption devastated 235 square miles.

The eruption of Mount St.
Helens was a tragedy. It’s also a powerful reminder that there are forces in
this world over which we have no control. Even when the best scientific minds
and equipment were keeping watch over the mountain, they could not predict what
was going to happen next.

It’s the same way in our lives. Despite our
best efforts and knowledge and abilities, there are some events and
circumstances over which we have no control. We can’t control the stock market,
which dictates how well our money might perform. We can’t control another
person’s thoughts and feelings, which dictate how strong our relationships might
be. And even if we eat right and exercise regularly, we can’t completely control
our health. Accidents, disease and illness still happen.

When we act as
though we CAN control events, circumstances and people, we make a huge mistake.
Control is another form of selfishness. Trying to control shows that we’ve
replaced our trust in God with faith in ourselves. But that kind of faith always
results in failure.

Let’s look at the struggle for control another
way.

Have you ever spent time with 2-year-olds? Some of their favorite
phrases are “mine,” “no” and “I do it.” They want to be independent. They think
they know what they’re doing. They have faith in their developing skills,
abilities and judgment. Sometimes that streak of independence is frustrating to
parents who have to wait as the child struggles to climb in and out of a car
seat by himself. Sometimes it is dangerous. No matter how smart or capable a
2-year-old is, he should not play with the stove or try to cross the street by
himself.

But children persist in testing the limits of their
independence. For instance, there’s the little one who uses the kitchen drawers
as a ladder to climb up to the counter. Like a kitten caught up in a tree, he
gets stuck in a situation he’s not equipped to handle. And only then does he
start to worry about how he’ll get down. Then comes the cry for help.

How
often are we like that with God? Have you ever wanted to “do it yourself” rather
than wait for Him? What happened?

I think all of us are tempted to rely
on our own brains and brawn. But when we put our faith in ourselves, we lose
sight of God’s love and care. We’re like that 2-year-old climbing onto the
kitchen counter. Once we get stuck, we get scared, as the psalmist did: “In my
distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help” (Ps. 18:6,
NIV).

Thankfully, we have the consolation of knowing that a power greater
than ourselves can restore us—and will. “From His temple He heard my voice; My
cry came before him, into His ears. He brought me out into a spacious place; He
rescued me because He delighted in me” (vv. 6,19).

God wants to keep us
safe. He doesn’t do it out of a sense of obligation. He does it because He loves
us. He delights in caring for us.

We have to trust God and let Him guide
us, as the Scriptures command: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and
lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He
will make your paths straight” (Prov. 3:5-6). We have to hand Him our
independence and our desire for control. We have to let Him take the reins of
our lives in His hands.

Trust is not always easy. We’ve grown to like the
beliefs and values of the world, even if we’re filled with worry. We’re in the
habit of trusting ourselves, not God. We’re comfortable with the lifestyle of
work and worry that we’ve developed. But we must let go of worldly attitudes so
we can firmly grasp God’s hand. Then we can let Him lead us. We can stop trying
to be in charge, give Him control of our lives and walk in trust and
thanksgiving.

Adapted from “Rx for Worry: A Thankful Heart” by James P.
Gills, M.D., copyright 2002. Published by Creation House Press. Are you consumed
with worry about various aspects of your life? There is a cure! Read Dr. Gills’
book to learn how to apply it to your situation. To order a copy click on this link.

In the comment section below share what you wish you had known at age 21.