You would think that since we are on month three of the World Race, we have experienced three types of ministry. But “ministry” doesn’t just mean the assignment you were given by your hosts.
In Malealea Valley, Lesotho, our assignment was going to the villages in the morning to build relationships, share the love of Jesus, answer questions about the Bible, and pray for anyone who asked. In the afternoon, we were to help around the base with construction, paint projects, and more.
In Nsoko, Swaziland, our assignment was helping at care points 2-3 day with cooking, discipleship classes, and playing with the kids. Other days we worked in the preschool or helped the maintenance team on site.
And here in Pretoria, South Africa, our assignment is to spend time with the kids at the township center 3 days, assist at the literacy school, and base clean-up.
So to sum it up, ministry has been: 1. building relationships, 2. assisting at care points or townships, and 3. miscellaneous maintenance or construction.
But it’s so much more than that. Within each of these moments, there’s endless opportunities, like:
giving the kid attention who might not get loved on at home,
letting the girls braid or run their fingers through your hair because they’ve never seen anything like it,
choosing to spend more time with your host or their children in “down time” because they enjoy the company or appreciate developing a new friendship,
sitting with a group of the locals (even if they aren’t speaking English) to show you care or are interested in them,
getting to know teammates better by playing games or spending one on one time together,
and so much more.
It has been really special coming to this recognition in the last couple weeks and seeing for myself that ministry is not just what you are told to do. It is observing additional moments that God allows you to connect with a person, see His beauty all around, or step out of your comfort zone to be the tool He’s chosen you to serve as.
