I have been thinking about love and the importance of living it out in our everyday lives. So often we can get caught up on a task that we forget the main point of the task, loving others.
With my English Classes, it can be easy to get caught up in lesson planning. “I do not have enough printed. I do not have anything prepared. I _______” There are many things, yet when I take a step back, that is not really the point of it all.
Yes, it is important to work hard and do your ministry effectively. I am not saying that preparing and lesson planning is bad. But loosing the focus of what you are doing is dangerous no matter what you may be doing.
I have found more ‘success’ in the times that were not planned.
You have heard me share of the women on the bus rides home from English Classes. ‘My mom‘ announces to the entire bus, that I was her daughter and she was proud of that. She made a place for me to sit next to her and we held hands. We were drenched from the rain and had a chance to laugh and smile about how silly we looked. She said we looked like ‘sad puppies’.
Then as we were coming down ‘the mountain’, the bus stopped suddenly and ‘my mom’ grabs my leg and head and pulls it towards her body. She did not let go until she felt that it was safe. While she was trying to say that she was sorry for what she did, I held her back and placed her head on my shoulder. I told her that it is ok and that I loved her. I told her you are my family, this is how we love each other. Now rest….
I could feel her heart racing, but it quickly began to slow down to the point where I found her asleep on my shoulder. I woke her up when we got close to her house and we said ‘see ya later’.
This weekend I also found myself in the community. I bought a cucumber and a coke and then found myself at a table surrounded by Thais. We talked, joked and ate some SPICY food together. Of course, they laughed at me for thinking the food was overly spicy (there were 4 peppers in one dish!)
We had some really good conversations. One shared of how whenever I am sick, she cries. She wants to make sure that I am ok and that I have someone looking after me. She shared that when I was really sick in March, her heart was very sad and she did not sleep for many nights.
Mimi was also at the table and she shared that by me coming to them, she felt accepted and loved.
Is it really this simple? The more I think about it, I discover that it really is this simple. Put people first. Meet them. Love them. Cherish them. Honor them. Serve them. Live with them.
An hour on the bus, 3 hours on a bench….do not seem like anything spectacular, because they’re not; but what was created in those moments was able to transforms a few lives.
Read more about my adventures here
