This month is manistry month, which means all of the L Squad fellas are 12 hours away on the opposite side of the country doing their thang. And meanwhile, us ladies are spread all across the Chiang Mai area in the north.
Since last month I was switched to an all girls team, we didn't lose anyone for month 5, but we're joined up with Sweet Aroma girls who lost their guys! Sad for the fellas.. but awesome because we get to spend this month with them! It's so great having them with us! 🙂
When I first heard this month was "manistry" month, my mind went to "brofest time" and "pillow talk".
But now, after the first day of ministry I have come to the conclusion that for us girls, the "man" in manistry really gets it's derivative from the amount of hard core manual labor we'll be doing!!
(I personally love manual labor so much, as I have worked out a lot at my dad's farm, so I'm used to the whole getting my hands dirty type of thing..)
So as I type this I look down at my feet that are horrendously discolored by dirt, and my hands that are forming new blisters from the pick ax I was using, I just smile.
Being in each country only 1ish month means you don't have quite a lot of time to reap the benefits of certain ministries as sometimes it takes years to see fruit produced with ministries that are more geared towards being relational. (Don't get me wrong, totes able to see immediate fruit with relational–but more often than not, relationships and growth in the Lord take time)
With manual labor, I get to see the immediate fruit of my blood sweat and tears–even prayers!
Today we dug up hundreds of rocks and boulders and put them into a pile.
I got to weed-wack with a giant jet-pack weed wacker, and pile up the brush remnants.
I saw snakes, and saved them from Amanda's blade of death.
AND I'M TOTALLY EXHAUSTED!!
But it's a "we accomplished something today" "can't wait to do this tomorrow" good type of exhausted.
We are partnering with a sex-trade prevention children's home, and will be working the grounds while the children (60+) are all at school (there's 3 different homes), and when they get back we get to hang out together! 🙂
So, needless to say: I'm really pumped for this month.
I'm pumped for loving on kids with Christ's love.
I'm pumped for sharing the Gospel in this nation of <.5% Christians.
I'm pumped for getting my hands dirty.
I'm just freaking pumped for anything and everything!
Thailand is so daggum great!
