Step Next Door: "He never ceases to go after ONE."

Meet Leah, a dear sister who loves the Lord and is passionate about making Him known among the nations. She has just returned from a short-term trip to Zambia. She has been sending out email updates over the course of her time there. Below you will find the final email she sent out about what the Lord has revealed to her about Himself in a deeper way while there. I was so blessed by it, the richness of His love was so potent, and the truth He was pleased to reveal was so beautiful that I asked Leah if I could share it here.
Lord, I pray that those who will read this tonight and those who will stumble upon this post in the days and years to come will be overwhelmed with the truth you have revealed about Yourself through Leah's heart and words. I love You, Lord -- a proof that You loved me first. Be glorified! Amen.

Hello all my wonderful friends and family!
   I think it's interesting that in my last post I wrote to you, "He never ceases to go after ONE". It seems that God would put this claim to the test, "Yes, this is My heart, and are you willing to forsake all even if it means you only reach ONE?"
   Our AMT team got dropped off in the bush with hearts full of expectation. It was our final expedition concluding our AMT time in Zambia. I think it’s almost comical, because the heart of man is so quick to look for numbers. I know that it’s easy for me to want to see the LORD do huge works in multitudes of people.  But God truly worked in me to give me His heart on this expedition.
   The location that we were ministering in was quite remote. We were in a central location to several villages and households surrounding us.  However, the places where the people lived were some distance away from where we were camping. We would have to walk for miles just to get to a couple of people. We tried holding a few larger meetings, and only two adults came. We even showed the Jesus film, and there were mostly children there and a few women came after the movie had already ended.
To the natural mind, this would almost seem like it wasn’t worth it. To the eye that looks at the things of the flesh, and the human understanding of success, it may have even looked like failure. However, this is not the heart of our God.
   My God loves so fiercely that He calls people from the other end of the world to walk in extreme heat (110 degrees F or higher) for miles (literally miles) to a little home tucked away in the middle of nowhere just so that ONE person can know that He loves them.
This trip was so profound because in a lot of ways it was so opposite of my human expectations. Yet it was so completely God’s perfect will. The individuals that we did have the privilege of reaching were such key instruments in God’s plan for that village. The times that we spent with the people were so rich and heavenly. When we talked with them, barriers fell to the ground and their hearts were open and bare before God.
   What I witnessed on this expedition was genuine Kingdom work. We didn’t just go into a place with a big show and then leave. There was lasting, eternal fruit harvested on this trip. There was Stanley and his wife Janet, who are so hungry to be strong in faith and desire to be used by God in their village. There was Martin and his grandfather who want to take a stand in their village for truth, righteousness, and wholehearted devotion to God. There was Gideon who was refreshed and encouraged to go even deeper with God, and to walk forward in boldness and power. Even our translators with us went so deep with God this week, and lasting changes were made in them. I saw steadfast, humble leaders raised up on this trip. These are the ones that are going to shake the nation of Zambia.
   You see, God compels us to go after just one person. He calls us to go to the ends of the earth even so that one can hear of His love. My heart can barely fathom this Love that He has. And it is this Love that changes the world.
   What's even more beautiful is that He loves each of us this way. No matter how we may try to run away, ignore, or take advantage of God's love... He still pursues us relentlessly! It's not a love based on circumstances, nor a love that's measured by physical blessings. It's a love that proved itself long ago, when Jesus Christ willingly gave His life that any who call upon Him might have Life... life everlasting and life abundant. It's a love that declares that no matter what you are going through, God wants to hold your heart, take your hand, and walk through it with you. It's a love that came down and tasted of the same suffering (and even greater suffering) as you may find yourself in even now. Because God, who so loved YOU did not choose to abide far off, but gave His very own life so that we could draw near to Him, and drink of His love freely. So that we can draw near to Him and find greater comfort than we've ever known by His love and presence.
   Emmanuel- it means God with us. He came once as a baby, He suffered once as a man, and He rose again the conquerer of death, the giver of Life and Love to ALL. And His heart is for YOU.
Merry Christmas!
Much Love,
Leah