Mark woke up feeling sweaty. His head was still pounding from the dream he had had last night. It didn’t seem particularly real, and yet in it seemed to be the faintest glimmer of hope. For some reason, he felt like it wasn’t just a dream, but a message from God. Mark got up, splashing water on his face from a jug sitting on the floor. While the chill of the water helped him feel awake, it did nothing for washing away the dream. The dream stayed, seemingly getting stronger and more real as his brain awakened from the fuzziness of sleep.
The last few days had been chaotic in his village. The buyers of the tapioca harvest had united together and declared that this year they were only paying 5 cents per kilo.
“Too much tapioca, too poor quality,” they had snuffed. Everyone knew it wasn’t true, but what could they do? Even last night it felt like everyone was shouting at each other. No one knew what to do. The buyers had united and no one was willing to give a different price. Day after day they had come to the village announcing their price. No one had accepted, but now they were stuck. If they sold to the buyers then they would be destitute–there wouldn’t be enough money even for the basics. But if they didn’t sell they would have nothing but a big pile of tapioca. They needed money to pay back loans, pay for school fees and pay all the expenses in the next year.
Last night, after another night of listening to the arguments, Mark had come home and opened the very dusty family Bible.
“God,” he sighed, “if you are there, then do something, my family and village need your help.” He flipped open the Bible to the middle. It opened to Psalm 64. Mark had been able to study until grade 6, but still he read very slowly. The words were difficult, but he was determined. If there was a God as his pastor taught, then maybe he could help them. There didn’t seem like a lot of other options.
Slowly he made it through the psalm. He wrinkled his nose trying to understand what it really said and started reading again from the top. “Hear me, O God, as I voice my complaint. Protect my life from the threat of the enemy.”
Those words seemed written for him. He sighed again, “God if you are there then hear me. Hear my 
complaint, protect my family and my life from the threat of the enemy.” He read some more – it was true the men they were dealing with were cunning, they were evil, they had plotted injustice. He looked at the next few verses, “But God will shoot them down…he will turn their tongues against them…all who see them will shake their heads in scorn.” How is that even possible? How could God do such a thing? Was that just for time gone by or was that for now?
His eyes fell to the last few lines, “All of mankind will fear and they will proclaim the works of God and ponder what he has done. Let the righteous rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in him, let the upright in heart praise him!”
He pondered some more, it seemed God had rescued the psalm-writer from his enemies and they were praising God. “God,” he prayed, “rescue us from our enemies so we might also praise you.”
“Mark,” his mother called, “turn off the light. We want to sleep.” He actually felt a little better as he lay on his mat that night, like maybe something would happen.
That night he had had the dream. In his dream he had seen a man he had met a year ago. Last year, the man’s car had broken down on an isolated dirt road between two cities. Mark had cycled to the nearest town to find someone to come and help repair the car. The man had been thankful, given him a little money and his card. He had told him if he had ever needed help he should call him. Mark had just been happy to help and have the opportunity to look inside such a nice car. He had put the card in a book and forgotten about the man. But last night the man appeared in his dream.
Usually at breakfast Mark would fight everyone for rice, there was never enough. However, this morning he barely ate. As the others in the family cleaned away the dishes, his mother sat down next to him and asked him what was wrong, why had he not eaten? He shared with her about reading the Bible and praying and about the dream he had had last night. She stared at the roof for what seemed like forever. Finally, as Mark wondered if she was going to speak again, she sighed, “I wish your father was still here. He would know what to do. I think we better go to see the pastor.”
So while his brothers and sisters got ready for school, Mark got ready to see the pastor. Even though the pastor seemed nice and friendly, Mark shook a little. What would happen when he saw the pastor? Would he laugh at him? Would he be angry that a teenage boy without a father would dare to interrupt him?
The pastor was friendly. His wife hurried to bring tea and the pastor asked his mother many questions about how the family was. Finally he asked why they had come. His mother responded, “We are sorry to bother you. We realize we are a poor family without even a father. And my son is so young – only 15. But he has told me something this morning and I’m not sure what I should do. I hope you can tell us what to do.” Then she told Mark to tell the pastor his story. Mark opened his mouth three times before he could make words come out. But as he started to tell his story to the pastor he felt more and more certain it was God that had given him the dream. “So we should not sell to the buyer. We should say no. We should call this man,” he boldly finished.
The pastor took a long sip of tea. After what seemed like a long time, he finally spoke. “I’m reminded of a story of another young boy who also went against the enemy and led his nation to victory. His name was David and the enemy was called Goliath. For forty days Goliath had come out and invited someone to come and fight him, and for forty days the Israelites were too scared. Goliath was massive, and no one wanted to fight him. David was just a boy, but he reminded the people that God was on their side. He went to fight against Goliath. At first he put on the king’s armor but because he was still just a boy it was too big. So he went with just a sling and a five smooth stones. And God gave him victory. God used a boy to remind them that because God was on their side they do not need to fear. I think He is doing that again today. We should gather the villagers for a meeting at 4pm. Go home to find the card and come back to the community house at four. ”
That evening at 4pm, Mark arrived and was surprised to see the room almost full. The pastor stood at the front. Once the group had quieted down, the pastor began to speak, “Last night God spoke to Mark.” Mark felt his face get hot. “And he showed him what we are to do. Today, now, I want you to pray for the plan God has given Mark, pray God will intervene, and pray God will stop the injustice of the buyers.” He read Psalm 64 aloud and explained Mark’s dream to them. “We have forgotten to pray,” he reminded the people, “We have been too busy fighting and shouting and worrying. But God’s word commands us not to worry about anything but in everything, with prayer and petition with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God (Phil 4:6). Tonight we will pray with thanksgiving. Tomorrow we will call the man. We will look to God to show us the way.” As night fell the group prayed. They sang and gave thanks, and they cried out to God. Late at night they returned to their homes.
The next morning, after praying again, Mark called the man on the card. The man listened solemnly and told him he would send someone in two days time to solve the problem. That afternoon the buyers came again. The farmers told them they would not sell. The buyers seemed angry. “You have two days,” they shouted, “then we will be back. Don’t be foolish! Don’t make trouble for yourselves.”
Two days later the buyers arrived again, shouting and threatening. The villagers looked at Mark–what to do? Just as it seemed it could not get worse, a large car pulled up the road. “Here he is,” the villagers cheered. The buyers turned on the man, shouting at him as he slowly opened the door and got out. “You have no rights,” they screamed, “Don’t you dare buy from here! These are our people! There will be trouble for you.”
Slowly the man in the car stood to his full height. It was the chairman of the provincial government. “Is there are problem?” The buyers fell silent. “I have a new buyer,” he said, “He will be here in two hours. He will buy all you want to sell at 10 cents per kilo. Mark, whoever you are, you are a very fortunate boy. There are important people who seem to like you. If there are any more problems, call me.” With that he got back in his car. The buyers quickly left, barely speaking a word.
That night the village had the largest thanksgiving celebration you could ever imagine. They praised God for his mercy and grace. “Truly,” they said, “All will proclaim the works of God and ponder what he has done” (Psalm 64:9)!
PS 64:1 Hear me, O God, as I voice my complaint; protect my life from the threat of the enemy.
PS 64:2 Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked, from that noisy crowd of evildoers.
PS 64:3 They sharpen their tongues like swords and aim their words like deadly arrows.
PS 64:4 They shoot from ambush at the innocent man; they shoot at him suddenly, without fear.
PS 64:5 They encourage each other in evil plans, they talk about hiding their snares; they say, “Who will see them?”
PS 64:6 They plot injustice and say, “We have devised a perfect plan!” Surely the mind and heart of man are cunning.
PS 64:7 But God will shoot them with arrows; suddenly they will be struck down.
PS 64:8 He will turn their own tongues against them and bring them to ruin; all who see them will shake their heads in scorn.
PS 64:9 All mankind will fear; they will proclaim the works of God and ponder what he has done.
PS 64:10 Let the righteous rejoice in the LORD and take refuge in him; let all the upright in heart praise him!
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