During my spare time on the race I’ve been dabbling in reading some of the great classic literatures.
And by that I mean that I’ve read one book; During month 3 in Cambodia I cranked out Tina Fey’s “Bossypants”.
I’m going to tell you that I simply do not have time to read, and that I prefer to stay present in every moment in front of me rather than being taken off into another world by a novel. Okay fine Mom, I’ll try to read more.
Anyway, during one part Tina (we’re close) talks about her journey in Improv and breaks down the most important rule: The Yes And Rule.
In improv you must have a “yes and” attitude. You must say yes to whatever your partner on stage throws at you, and then you must add on.
The “Yes And Rule” is the anthem of ministry in Africa. You never know what you’re going to be thrown into, but each and every day you have to say yes, and try to offer something. There are moments where you’re told minutes before that you’ll be preaching at church that day. Some days you’ll go hut to hut in a village and be praying for strangers.
Today we went to a clinic. Per usual, a squad mate volunteered when asked last minute to preach. She stood in front of the women and children in the waiting area and preached about how God is our good shepherd. She shared about how God knows each and every one of our names and will always go and find us when we stray.
Megan said yes today. She said yes to stepping up in ministry and preaching.
After Megan wrapped up, one of the clinic workers, Patrick, led us into a temporary building. This large four wall metal building was filled from floor to ceiling and wall to wall with shelves upon shelves of files. Each one of the files had a specific number for a specific client. Today’s clients were all children. As they collected the files for each numbered child, Patrick shared that each folder represented a client and that every client at this clinic was HIV positive.
We were standing amongst thousands of files for thousands of people who were HIV positive. We had just said our “yes” and told all of those children and mothers that God knew every single one of their names. We told them how they were not alone, and how time and time again God will go and get them if they stray from the flock.
I stood there overwhelmed. I stared, surrounded by files that held documents that somewhere on them had “HIV positive” written.
We had said “yes” today, but we didn’t have an “and” to offer.
It clicked later. It hit me that it’s our responsibility to say yes, and it’s our job to try to offer the and, but sometimes we just can’t. Sometimes all we can offer is a number to identify them.
God doesn’t have a file room with our files labeled by our numbers. God knows our names. God always knows their names. God will always come and get us.
If we say “yes” God will always provide the “and”.
Today we walked away from that clinic and everyone we met still had HIV. Each of those kids still had to wait for their treatment. But God is our good shepherd. He meets each one of us, each one of those kids, each one of those mothers every single day and He offers for us to follow Him. He comes and meets us wherever we are. All we have to do is say “yes”. He always has the “and”.
