There is a tendency to have a view of mission trips that makes them all about serving others and giving of ourselves. There is nothing wrong with this and it’s a good thing to serve, however, often times the Lord throws a curve ball calls us to humble ourselves and be served.
The pride in me can make this a challenge, but when you have a fever and all you can do is lay down, there is little choice in the matter. One morning after breakfast I wasn’t feeling too good and decided to just lay down. After some time, a teammate told me to take my temperature and sure enough I had a fever. From that point on it continued to get worse and peaked at 101.8°F. I was told that I not warm, but hot from my forehead down to my feet. Needless to say, I was in pain and feeling rather miserable.
My teammates were awesome though. They selflessly served me and checked in with me often. They made sure that I had water to drink and a cool towel on my forehead. But the best thing they did for me was to lay hands on me and pray. And as they prayed I was reminded of the words of Jesus, “Your faith has healed you.” So I began to pray for that faith. I soon felt something inside me and I knew I was going to be healed. It was the gentle touch of the Spirit. I was not healed right then. I didn’t jump up and start dancing. It was as if God just wanted to tell me “I am here. I have you in my hands. Don’t worry.”
The fever soon broke. And within about an hour I was sitting up, talking normally, and only had a headache. I have no doubt that I had experienced a miracle, it may not have been as dramatic as some, but it was a miracle none the less. It was a taste of the power of prayer and of faith. This taste has left me hungry for more and a desire for my faith to continue to be challenged and to grow.
