On the 12th Day of Ministry

Month 2 of ministry takes place in Quiche, Guatemala. February is also all squad month, so all 44 C-Squaders and leaders are at the same compound. We have three ministry locations.

The first: a daycare in town. Due to teacher strikes within the country, there are over 100 kids here with very few workers. We are to teach the kids, help the older students with homework, and basically run the classrooms (thank you, Jesus, for a background in educating in difficult situations).

The second ministry involves working for a minister in the nearby town of San Pedro. For some teams, that looks like working in an English school and leveling (burning down) fields. For my team, it means turning the side of a mountain into a road.

The third ministry is two-fold, house and hospital. The compound that serves as our home this month is on hospital grounds. One team stays at home, cleaning, cooking, and caring for the compound. The other team volunteers at the hospital, in whatever capacity they may need.

So with all these ministry opportunities, why am I so frustrated? Why do I have so few pictures of ministry days (besides my abject desire to NOT spend my race behind a camera)? Because at the end of month 2, I will have had 12 ministry days. Twelve. Doing the math, I was upset. I was frustrated. I came on the World Race to serve people, to share the love of Christ, and to work up a good sweat for the Kingdom. “It’s hard to do that in 12 days,” my mind lied. And I believed it.

What difference can we make in 12 days? What difference can we make when half our team has been sick nearly the entire month, with flu, tonsillitis, sinus infections, bronchitis, you name it? What difference can we make when for the first two days at the daycare we were not given instructions or expectations, and we had to cancel the last two days? What difference can we make when we may not even get to cook a meal or go to the hospital? I loved debrief, I love having two-day weekends, and I will love being in Antigua for leadership training, but my mind lied again: “You’re being robbed of the opportunity to serve.” And again I believed it. I worked hard to get here, and I want to serve.

And then that still, sweet voice of reason rang out in my head, rendering the lies of my mind speechless. He got me here, and not one day is wasted if doesn’t in His presence. Given one day or a thousand, this is not about me. Given one day or a thousand, I can’t make a difference. Given one day or a thousand, God CAN do amazing things.

On the first day of ministry, my True Love gave me 40 kindergarteners to love like Jesus.

On the second day of ministry, my True Love reminded me that I do love teaching, and He started redeeming it.

On the third day of ministry, my True Love gave me finger paints, story time, and resistance to the flu ( and an opportunity to minister to the rest of my teammates who were not so lucky).

On the fourth day of ministry, my True Love gave me the opportunity to build a road for a children’s camp, which will one day bring children closer to Jesus. He also let me use some pretty awesome hand tools while fellowshipping with squadmates.

On the fifth day, my True Love gave me shade, moved a boulder, and worked right next to me all day through my frustrations. He gave me peace about my 12 ministry days. He reminded me that they are His days, not my own, and if I do not limit Him, He can do amazing things in 12 days.

I don’t know for sure what He will give me days 6-12. I’m crossing my fingers that Day 6 will involve removing the most massive and stubborn stump I have yet to encounter, because broken pick-axes, a dull ax, and a shovel certainly are not cutting it. (Update: all stumps came loose on the 6th day, though only 4 of us were permitted to work due to squad wide illness. Also, my True Love gave me a great chance to get to know awesome new people and a Vitamin B complex shot). And I pray that on the 12th day of ministry, my True Love will give me assurance that He has moved in the 12 days, that people have experienced His love, that we have made a difference that brings Him glory, and that I have zero regrets. I’ve got 7 ministry days left to see what God can do, and I’m certainly not going to waste another minute sulking in the numbers. I will spend every minute serving my True Love and sharing His wonderful gifts.