I have a hard time with ministries where you don’t see results. We’ve been doing puerta-a-puerta (door-to-door) ministry 3 times a week for the last several weeks. I’m not a big fan of walking up to a random house, asking to speak to them about Jesus, and then sitting awkwardly trying to think of something to say. However, the Lord has used it to minister to people despite ourselves (see especially Christy’s blog: Door-to-Door- One Man’s Story). It gets difficult after a while to minister to people and never see the results. We’ve done several out-door services, children’s programs, and door-to-door ministry for the last 3 weeks but I feel like I haven’t made any difference. It can be very discouraging. But then I walk into the back yard.
When the property was purchased at the beginning of January, you couldn’t see to the back wall. There were chest-high bushes, vines, trees, and who knows what else blocking the view. By the time we arrived, most of that had been cleared but there was still a lot to do. We’ve spent the mornings out back raking the yard and picking up rocks and garbage. The garbage has included everything from clothes and shoes to syringes and tires. It’s been quite the experience. But this has been my favorite ministry this month. While I’m out back working, I’m playing Christian music and just spending time with the Lord. We’re pretty spread out while working so I rarely talk to anyone else. It’s a time I get to spend “alone” where I can really process through things and talk them over with God. And then, an hour later I can look over the yard and see the piles of leaves and branches, rocks, and garbage that I’ve collected that day. I can see how much land had been cleared. It’s the one time of the day that I know that I’ve really accomplished something.
I know that ministry isn’t all about results. That’s certainly something I’ve learned this year. But a lot of our ministry has been relational and it can be difficult. I’ve really enjoyed getting a chance to do ministry that requires me to push up my sleeves, grab a rake, sweat a bit and build muscle all for the glory of the Lord.
(We’ve also been hauling loads of wood into the back yard- here’s some fun pictures from that!)
