In April, my team spent time in Viljandi, Estonia doing a combination of things. At the beginning of the month, we lived in the basement of a church helping with small construction and organizational projects. The second half of our month was spent at a campsite called Nuudsaku helping prepare the grounds for camp in the summer. From vacuuming rooms and washing windows to raking leaves and chopping wood, the list of tasks was plentiful. Our ministry was neither sexy nor glamorous. We did not help care for orphans or assist women coming out of prostitution. We didn’t complete any huge building projects or bring thousands to relationship with Christ. At times, we had to fight for purpose. It was easy to succumb to the temptation of discouragement and difficult to feel like we were making an impact. Over and over, it felt like we were completing jobs that I could participate in as part of my home church.
One evening at the church, a few of us offered to take care of the youth pastor’s two daughters so that they could have a date night for the first time in a year. We picked up Susanna and Mirjiam at the door, bundled up tightly in their winter gear and walked them across the street to the park. For an hour and a half, I followed three year-old Susanna on her adventures while Carrie and Civanna took turns pushing Mirjiam in the swing. We returned home when the chill of the air settled into our bones and set to the task of Lego-building and book reading. Shortly after, Tarmo and Agne arrived home with big smiles and kisses for their girls.
Agne, who’d been pretty reserved during our time at the church, sat cross-legged on the colorful carpet and shared with Civanna and I for almost an hour. Susanna ate a snack and Mirjiam crawled around and Agne spoke words of life and hope over us. She shared with us the discouragement she often feels at the unending list of things she needs to accomplish. She showered us with gratitude regarding the closets we’d cleaned and floors we’d swept saying that they’d been on her to-do list for far too long with no foreseeable day of accomplishment. She reminded us that God often works in seasons: times of rest and rejuvenation that are often followed by seasons of battle and pouring out.
As I reflect on our time in Estonia, that day stands out as a highlight. Though our ministry was not the sort that easily composes an inspirational blog, the month was good and that day was precious. Agne reminded me of the importance of doing small things with big love. Perhaps unintentionally, she showed me that day that ministry is not just meant to be big and feel good but actually meant to meet needs and share the love of God. Maybe I truly needed a few weeks of affection from a 3 year old. And maybe a clean closet and swept floor helped lift an insurmountable weight off the shoulders of a young mom. Perhaps the biggest ministry lesson for me on the World Race is that possibility is literally all around me if I would just open my eyes and take a step forth in love.
How can you meet someone’s needs in love this week? What action are you “counting out” as true ministry? Is this a season of rest or more like a season of battle for you?
