In previous months we have often showed up to a ministry location with a full schedule already laid out for us. In Africa we were often the main attraction in a village for a solid month. Our contacts provided ample direction.
This month has been a little bit slower. We’ve had to spend more time listening and praying over what God’s direction was for us in this place. Often I would come out of my time with the Lord in the morning and simply need to ask myself, “How can I serve someone today?” Many times that meant cleaning the kitchen in our apartment or making lunch for a teammate.
One day last week a few of us went outside our apartment to throw the Frisbee a bit. We were in and around a playground where many neighborhood children play. We noticed a lot of rubbish flying around. People in foreign countries seem so have a different relationship with littering than we do in the states and we definitely noticed it in this area. So I announced to the team that night that I wanted to take the following morning and pick up the trash outside our apartment.
The seven of us spent an hour the next morning and I must say we improved the aesthetics of that playground greatly. We received many inquisitive looks as people walked by and wondered why we had taken it upon ourselves to pick up the trash outside.
Two days later I found another spot on the other side of our building to do some cleaning. This morning I was on my own as most of my teammates had other ministries they were involved in at the time. I was on the outside of the building and closer to the street so the trash was considerably nastier.
I had to remind myself that service is not glorious. I got dirty and made sure to do a good job washing my hands afterward. As I gathered two big bags of trash I thought of the people I was serving. I was serving the people who would walk by and not be accosted by the site of filth around them. I was serving the people who were too busy to find a trashcan in the days and weeks before. I was serving the stray dogs that make their homes in that grassy area. I thanked the Lord for the opportunity to die to self and to serve others.
One of the days we were outside we met some children that enjoyed throwing the Frisbee with us. One of the boys was named Stas (short for Stanislav) and he had a sister named Dasha. As we played with the boys they were very kind to Dasha. They looked out for her and when she found a place sitting near Janina and Emily, Stas went inside to find her some chalk with which to draw on the sidewalk.
Another day Ian and I went outside to play Frisbee and Stas and Dasha were outside with one of Stas’s friends. We started throwing the Frisbee with the boys. A couple times Stas let Dasha try, but she had a hard time of it. In one instance Ian threw the Frisbee to Stas who was standing in front of his sister. At the last second he lost track of the Frisbee and it flew by him to hit Dasha in the face.
I winced. I watched carefully for her reaction. For a moment I thought she was going to be OK. Then she began to cry.
Stas and his friend both rushed to her to dote upon her. They were talking to her and trying to calm her down. After a moment Stas asked her a question in Ukrainian. She responded and then Stas accompanied her to the sandbox. It appeared she didn’t want to play Frisbee anymore.
I was encouraged by the way Stas and his friend showed brotherly love to Dasha. It was encouraging to see such a young boy taking responsibility for his sister. It made me think of how we are growing as a family and made me hope that my new sisters feel as safe around me as Dasha must when Stas is taking care of her on the playground.
At times this month has felt slow. It’s been a blessing from the Lord, though. We have all been surveying where we can stretch more and taking stock of where the Lord has been growing us. As we have we’ve been learning to serve one another and to love one another more. I hope today you can ask yourself how to best serve others and rejoice in the opportunity. I hope you can love those around you with the love given you by the Lord.
Peace and Blessing from Lutsk, Ukraine.
