Gayle Williams was a young woman who enjoyed the outdoors. She was an adventurous young lady and was happiest when she climbed mountains, played sports or went out on a jog. She was a fitness instructor and could have made a living at it. But by the grace of God, Gayle Williams was a sister of mine. Though we never met by God’s grace, we were both adopted as children of our Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ our Lord. She was a child of God convicted by the power of the Gospel. And so as a Christian, a safe and secure life, spent canoeing and enjoying the outdoors would have been a waste of life. Yes, a waste of life indeed. So Gayle took the teachings of Jesus to heart and she went out and served the “least of these” as Jesus commanded us.
She started by caring for severely special needs students. Then, as she experience the power of the Gospel, as she indeed encountered Jesus in her ministry, she made the brave decision to join Serve Afghanistan, a Christian Charity based in the United Kingdom. For the past two and half years, Gayle was in charge of providing education and training for people with disabilities. She worked with the poorest and most unfortunate children in Afghanistan, young boys and girls who had been born disabled or lost limbs to landmines and bombs. She was teaching the blind and deaf basic skills for independence. She expressed the love of God by teaching these children the skills they needed in order to survive in a violent world. Though her environment might have seem hopeless, Gayle knew exactly where her hope came from. In a newsletter report back home she wrote: “God has an amazing plan for this country and even though things so often look hopeless we can focus on Him knowing that He is able to see His plans and purposes fulfilled in Afghanistan.”
On Monday October 20, 2008 Gayle walked to work as she had done so many times before. She walked to work, enjoying the fresh air and open sky. I’ve wonder what she was thinking while she walked to work. Was she enjoying the view of the busy street? Was she imagining the smile of that little girl who would walk for the first time today? Was she thinking of the excitement she saw in the little boy who played ball again for the first time yesterday? Was she singing praises to her Savior? Or maybe she was hearing the voice of God. What was she thinking? I don’t know, but I know she walked. She walked with Jesus on that morning. She walked to the place where she would serve Jesus. She walked to meet Jesus in her ministry to the poor and disabled. And by God’s grace, yes, indeed by God’s grace, she kept on walking until she saw Jesus face to face. On that Monday morning Gayle Williams was gunned down because of the Lord she served.
A lot of Christians have been killed around the world recently. Seven of them in Iraq just this month. Thousands of them have had to flee for their lives in Mosul, Iraq. In the days to come more information might come to light about Gayle and her ministry. Some will debate whether Westerners should be there and whether they should be proselytizing, as if there existed such as creature as a Christian who does not proselytize. There will also be talks on security, whether these aid workers should also hire armed guards, as if their Boss could not have sent twelve legions of angels at their disposal. The fact is, Gayle preached Jesus, not with words, but with her life and now with her death. And because Jesus lives, Gayle now lives with him eternally.
Well done Gayle! A life well lived, a life not wasted. I can’t wait to hear your stories and what you were thinking that morning. I’ll catch up with you in Daddy’s house. For now, enjoy walking with Jesus.
