“Release all of your expectations.” That is what we were told one of our first nights of training camp back in July. One month in, I can already tell this is true. Many expectations have already been broken: our race route, some teams were changed around (not ours), and countries outside of the United States it seems do not really stick to schedules. We are told our schedule every week, and it seems to go that whatever is on the schedule is never really what happens. For example, our schedule for today was that we were going to go out into the community and play sports, while forming relationships with the people there. Then, we were going to get some tips from a Professor we met on how to teach English. I was really excited for this opportunity because teaching English could be something we do in the countries we visit. It is now 3 o’clock and we are still at the house. Sports this morning was cancelled due to no source of transportation, and our meeting at 1 with the professor has now passed. What will the rest of the day look like? You might sense a bit of frustration. It’s hard being in a foreign country and feeling like you’re not living up to what you could be doing. Is it just my American nature to feel like busyness = accomplishments? We have had conversations as a team about this very subject. It has taken a bit of patience to get used to being ready for one thing only to find out it was cancelled, or that we are doing something else completely. We pray for impactful opportunities and that God is directing us where he needs us. Maybe He needs us right here, right now I have to remind myself. Earlier this week, Dustin informed us of some pretty cool things that have been going on “behind the scenes.” Our contact Oscar told him how many people we’ve been surrounded by this month have been encouraged. Our translator mentioned how being used to help us communicate this month has really helped him to see purpose in his life. A woman who has been helping give us rides and had dinner with us said her interactions with us have given her a new perspective of Christians. (We had a bbq at midnight because it took forever for the coals to get hot. Needless to say, there was a lot of laughing and bonding that night, despite language barriers.) This is not to say that we are just a great bunch of people. Rather, it is to point out that God uses sitations and personal interactions. We don’t always know what is going on in other people’s lives, and often I’m sure we don’t see the influence we’re making on others. It’s a reminder to stay present, stay willing, and stay prayful. You never know when you are being used in big ways.
Trying to BBQ Getting to know guys at Teen Challenge
