Making Things Possible

My friend Viki works at a kiosk next to the subway station here in Dortmund. One Tuesday after work, I spontaneously decided to stop by. She was pleased to see me, and in between  tending to her customers we talked about this and that. I learned a bit about her work, and she shared hilarious stories about things that happen during her shifts.

We were interrupted often by those coming to buy tobacco, lottery tickets, and other goods. She greeted each one by name, involved them in friendly conversation, and brightened their day. Did Viki realize, I wondered, the impact she was making?

I thought back to an expression that our pastor uses, about being a person that “makes things possible”. In our church, he explained, we look for people who make things possible: men  and women who want to change something in their world with the strength that God gives them.

I thought about the pastor in Paraguay who, with so little money and so many pandemic restrictions, takes time to pray for every individual. He is a person that makes things possible. Then, there is the technician at church doing live-streaming; because of him, people hear the Gospel  all over the world. There is the young mother who pays a babysitter so she can take time to counsel teenagers; the housewife putting her carreer on hold to be present for her family; the geriatric nurse giving her time to care for my grandmother. They are all making things possible for the people in their world.

Suddenly, the door closed behind the last customer and Viki turned to pick up our conversation. I talked about my job at the kindergarten, how exhausting it sometimes felt as I struggled to build relationships, inspire trust, and be creative. I told her how glad I was to finally be establishing good connections with the children. 

“I am not surprised,“ she commented. “Not everyone gets along with children; you are one of those people. How would the pastor say it? You are a person that makes things possible!”

I was blown away. Viki had only  come to our church a few times, yet knew our pastor’s expression and had used it perfectly to encourage me. I left her shop that day understanding even better how God can use us all to make things possible in this world.