I am finally updating y’all on ministry! Sorry for the delay, but it’s been a crazy few days full of weddings, rats, scorpions, the beach, clothe washing, and a menagerie of other things.
A few days ago, I gave my first sermon on the trip! I’ve given a couple sermons and teachings before, but I wasn’t sure what to talk about this time. Then I thought, “hey, why don’t I just do one of my favorite Bible stories?” And so I decided that my first teaching on the race would be about prostitutes. Ok, don’t freak out. (I’m talking to you mom) I would love to explain why I like a story about a prostitute, but I would rather update y’all on ministry.
My first sermon went really well! I gave it at one of the many churches that my team and I have visited for our ministry. Our ministry does not change much from day to day, but that’s fine by me. Typically, we will take an hour or so car ride to a village that is somewhat off the beaten path, and we will minister to the people of the village. What that means is that we will go from house to house with the local pastor, and we will pray over the families. It’s heartbreaking to see so much sickness and pain here. I love that God has given me the ability to see pain and suffering, and physically feel that pain.
God has called my team and I to go into these villages and proclaim his truth. Honestly, it hurts. It hurts because we are here only to speak to them. We are not here to bring them out of pain. No words we can say will change their situation. No words can make their pain recede. Nothing we do can change anything! I am doing nothing here! But we are meant to be here! We are here doing what God has called us to do and he is working! He is the one who takes away their pain! He is the only thing that can change their situation! God is doing things here! I am doing nothing! Absolutely nothing! It is God who is using our words to make a change in this world! God is preparing their hearts! God is giving us the words to say to them! God is doing it all! And so, I surrender all to him!
I got extremely passionate in that last paragraph, so if there are any grammatical or MLA errors, I apologize Mrs. Sherrod.
